Kenton Cool has revealed plans to guide Ranulph Fiennes up Everest next spring, following their successful ascent of the Eiger Nordwand together earlier this year.
£3 million for cancer charity
The pair exceeded their fundraising target of £1.5 million on the Eiger and their planned ascent of Everest is hoped to raise millions more for the same charity, Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Fiennes' close association with cancer sufferers is well documented - his wife, sister and mother all died of the disease within eighteen months of each other. Cool on the other hand commented that “cancer was always something that happened to other people” until his mother was recently diagnosed with the disease.
The pair now hope to double their fundraising target for the ascent of the Eiger and raise £3 million for the cancer charity.
Can Fiennes make it? Kenton Cool comments ...
This will be Fiennes' second attempt on Everest. His first, in 2005, took him to 8400m before he turned back in poor conditions.
So, does Kenton Cool - five times an Everest summiteer himself - think Fiennes can make it this time?
He answered: “It's not in my interests to guide people up mountains that I don't think they can summit, Quite apart from anything else it would ruin my fledgling guiding career.”
He continued: “I'm quite an arrogant person - I freely admit it. If you want to climb the mountain of your dreams, you do it with me.
”Ranulph Fiennes will summit Everest this time. I will personally make sure of that.”
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Determined words there from one of Britain's top climbers. We'll be keeping our eye on the pair next spring when they head for Everest. In the meantime, make your donation on the Marie Curie cancer care website.
beh (Andrew)
