Three Hong Kong climbers avoid deadly ‘traffic jam’ to reach Mount Everest summit
- Lo Chak-sum, Paul Cheung Chi-fai and Rocky Lai Lok-kei become the first Hong Kong team to accomplish the task
- Over the years, 14 Hong Kong climbers have reached the world’s summit, with team leader John Tsang Chi-sing making it three times
Three Hong Kong climbers avoided deadly overcrowding on Mount Everest last week to become the first team from the city to reach the 8,848-metre summit.
Team captain Lo Chak-sum, vice-captain Paul Cheung Chi-fai and Rocky Lai Lok-kei were among the 387 permit holders who attempted the climb in Nepal’s spring season. Cheung also became the first Hong Kong climber to summit the adjacent 8,516 Mount Lhotse, completing the task in two days.
All three climbers are coaches at the Hong Kong Mountaineering and Climbing Union and said systemic preparation and comprehensive training made them physically and psychological strong for the challenge.
“There were around 80 people when we twice came across the so-called traffic jam in the final stages of climbing Everest, in the South Summit and the Hillary Step but we were able to remain calm and waited for the queue to move,” said Cheung, upon the team’s return to Hong Kong on Thursday.
“There was about a one and a half hour waiting time and while we were waiting we had to keep our body temperature and therefore we moved our limbs like dancing. Thanks to the sufficient supply of oxygen, we were able to overcome the difficulties to reach the summit.”