Everest Base Camp!

Scaling new heights

Kids Alive supporter Rick Poole, who successfully scaled Mt. Everest’s 29,035 feet high summit last week, has safely returned to Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, and is now getting ready to fly back to his home in the Chicago area. Rick climbed Everest to raise awareness and support for children in crisis.

Rick with his climbing companions.

“We congratulate Rick on his success in scaling the world’s highest peak, Mt. Everest,” said Matt Parker, President of Kids Alive International. He added, “We admire Rick for his tenacity and dedication in scaling Mt. Everest, the very same qualities that he brings to support children in crisis through Kids Alive.”

In a recorded message sent from the Yak and Yeti Hotel in Kathmandu, Rick said that he flew on three helicopters to get to Nepal’s capital from Everest. In his usual understated way, Rick added, “So, I lost 23 pounds – that is the official number, which is a lot of pounds…”

Celebrating over dinner after losing 23 pounds in 50 days!

Rick left for Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, over 50 days ago in mid-March, making his way to Lukla and then on to the four camps before summiting Everest on May 23, 11:15 am, Nepal time.

Thanks so much to those of you who followed Rick’s climb and who offered prayers for his and his team’s safety and success. And we are particularly thankful to those of you who sponsored Rick’s climb to support children through the ministry of Kids Alive.

Teed up to scale Mt Everest’s peak

In the latest voice message sent via sat phone earlier today, Kids Alive supporter and veteran mountain climber Rick Poole, sounding tired yet confident, said he and his team are now teed up to scale Mt Everest’s peak early tomorrow (Nepal Time).

Rick and his team are now 6,000 feet shy of Mt Everest’s summit as they await their turn to scale the peak. At 23,500 feet above sea level, Rick is about 3,000 feet higher than the summit of Mount Denali which he climbed a few years ago.

The vagaries of weather at this altitude impose a narrow window of time to scale Mt. Everest’s summit. This is compounded by the fact that there is only one-lane passage to go up as well as to descend Everest. To avoid traffic jams and ensure safety, the climbers are led to the top in batches.

This year Nepal Department of Tourism has issued a record number of Everest climbing permits: 381. According to The Himalayan Times, over 200 climbers attempted to scale Everest’s summit this morning. Accompanying the climbers to ensure their safe passage as well as to carry climbing gear are 500 local expert Sherpa climbers.

Rick, in his usual understated way, commented, “Walked up here this morning, went up the Lhotse Face again. A little slower going today, not because of us – it was a pretty busy day on the ropes and these people are having a hard day and there's really nowhere to go, so it's okay.” Lhotse Face runs at a steep incline of 30 degrees covered with snow and ice.

Rick Poole, veteran mountain climber, businessman, husband, father, and longtime supporter of Kids Alive, is committed to raising $1 for every one of the 29,035 feet he will climb! Rick’s goal is to benefit the children of Dominican Republic as they scale the mountains in their own lives and climb toward bright futures.

Please join Rick with your financial and prayer support and follow his final ascent via this blog and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KidsAlive/.

Rick Poole and his family with Kami Rita Sherpa who has scaled Mount Everest 25 times and is now Rick's climbing guide.

Record breaking news!

Kids Alive supporter Rick Poole has now exceeded Noah’s “40 day” record! Unlike Noah, however, Rick is not in an ark on water, but trudging in snowshoes soled with Jaws’ teeth, crossing deep crevasses on flexible aluminum ladders.

In Rick’s latest audio message, he documents his 41^st day on the mountain, his weakened voice and labored breathing competing with the howling winds around him. Between gulps of air, he describes his climb from Camp 1 to Camp 2 and the stamina it demanded. Now at 21,500 feet above sea level, the formidable challenge that Everest poses becomes even more real.

“That [Khumbu] icefall is crazy beautiful – a little scary, but beautiful. Everyone did great,” says Rick. This weekend he and his team will scale Camp 3 at an altitude 24,000 feet, a new record for Rick and his fellow climbers.

Scaling Everest requires going up, then down, and then back up again! At this altitude, climbing is a tremendous strain on the body, and returning to a lower altitude relaxes it, building resilience to then climb even higher. The journey from here gets steeper, as Rick scales the face of the world’s fourth-highest peak, Lhotse, at a gradient of 30 degrees on his way to the top of Mt. Everest.

Rick Poole, veteran mountain climber, businessman, husband, father, and longtime supporter of Kids Alive, is climbing Mt. Everest to raise $29,035 for at-risk children and orphans. That is $1 for every one of the 29,035 feet he will climb! Rick’s goal is to honor and support the children of Dominican Republic as they scale the mountains in their own lives and climb toward bright futures.

Please join Rick with your financial and prayer support and follow his ascent via this blog and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KidsAlive/