Oz chicks with altitude come full circle

The bond between mother and daughter is often a strong one. Most mothers and daughters have done at least one thing together that they will remember for the rest of their lives, one thing that neither will ever forget, but climb to the summit of Mount Everest together? Now that’s a first! - quite literally!

In the pre-dawn of May the 24th of this year Australian mountaineers Cheryl and Nikki Bart became the first mother and daughter team to conquer Everest.

Nikki, a 23 year old medical student from Sydney and her mum Cheryl, a lawyer who is in her late forties first got ‘the calling’ after embarking on a trek to Everest base camp. That was 7 years ago back when Nikki was a teenager. With unlimited enthusiasm and a ton of determination it all took off from there. The duo also lay claim to the distinction of being the first mother and daughter team to climb the Seven Summits. The highest mountains on each continent on earth. Mt. Elbrus in Russia (5633m), Mt. McKinley (Denali) in Alaska (6194m), Mt. Kilimanjaro in Kenya (5895m), Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina (6962m), Vinson Massif in Antarctica (4897m) and Mt. Kosciusko in Australia (2228m). In addition to this Nikki and Cheryl also successfully summited Cho Oyu in Nepal (8201) in September 2007, the world‘s sixth highest mountain.

After enduring seven weeks of acclimatisation on Everest, physical exhaustion turned to frustration when Chinese officials ordered the Barts off the mountain. Cheryl and Nikki were shattered as it looked like their window of opportunity to shoot for the summit was gone. A Chinese team had been given top priority to escort the Olympic Flame to the summit as a part of the lead up to the Beijing Games. Some mountaineers and Sherpas believe that you only get to the summit of Everest if the great goddess Chomolongma allows you to. Well the great goddess must have been smiling on the girls because within a week they were back on the mountain and preparing for their own attempt at the top.

Eight hours after leaving high camp Nikki set foot on the summit followed shortly after by mum Cheryl. Nikki and Cheryl have always been well aware of the dangers of climbing big mountains. But for them the risks were double. Not only individually did they run the risk of losing their own lives high on the mountain but there was also the worry of losing each other. Two close family members inside ‘The Death Zone’ have a lot more to worry about than just their own safety. High on an eight thousander if something goes wrong you are on your own. A rescue attempt is just not possible. It’s too dangerous. As the gap widened between the two climbers, they stayed in radio contact thanks to the latest technology supplied to them by their sponsor Telstra BigPond.

Telstra BigPond also provided the ladies with imaging equipment to document their adventure. Video footage and still images of the ascent along with dispatches are available at www.bigpondeverest.com.

The seven year adventure that started with a trek to Everest Base Camp has taken the two women around the world and to no less than seven continents. Funnily enough delivering them safely back where they started. Everest base camp marks both the start and the finish line of their seven year adventure. That is, until the bug bights again.

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Mountaineering - Getting started
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