Highs and lows of conquering Everest leave Hong Kong climber Vivian Ying Cai wondering if it was all worth it
- Cai was wowed by the beauty of being on top of the world, but questions the amount of help it took to get there
- Still reaching the death zone above 8,000m was not as enjoyable as she expected
Vivian Ying Cai reached the top of the world last month and said the views from Everest’s summit defied description.
The 33-year-old Hong Kong resident ticked off another of her climbing goals in May, but said she was not sure if the amount of help needed to complete the mission took away from the achievement.
Those making their way to the top do so with Sherpa’s, fixed lines and oxygen tanks, and Cai said there was a “lack of emotion” once she got there. It made her wonder if reaching the dangerous height above 8,000m where lack of oxygen can kill some climbers was even that enjoyable, or justifiable given the risk involved.
“I wanted to take pictures get this things done as soon as possible and go down,” Cai, who was born in mainland China, said.
Such was her guide’s belief that the emotion of the moment would reduce Cai to tears, he put US$100 on her doing so. It was a bet he lost.
Having reached the summit around 10am, which is late, Cai needed to get down as quickly as possible because she was cold and low on oxygen. However, she had a moment to reflect when she was just below the top, on the Hilary Step.
“You look around. I have seen all these pictures from the top, fantastic pictures in the snow, everything,” she said. “But when you see it by your own eyes it’s really different. I will never see that kind of thing again in my whole life. That’s beautiful.
“That moment on the top, when you really see nothing above you that’s very strange. I know I’m not the only person who is on the top of the world, but you are on the top of the world. That kind of feeling is so special. I cannot really express how beautiful it is.”
Everest is the only mountain on the list over 8,000m. Her experience on Everest has convinced her that she does not want to do another 8,000m peak.
The fact the Sherpa guides fix the lines for the clients, and some of them drag climbers by a tow rope when they are tired, plus the aid of oxygen, all take away from the purity of climbing Cai enjoys.
What’s more, she was stuck in a queue for the summit.
“Is this really what I want to do?” she said. “You use oxygen, the cost is too big. You rely on others to fix the ropes for you.
“You don’t even fix ropes by yourself. It’s still called climbing, but it’s just different. It’s just not my thing.”
The stark reminder of the danger further cemented her decision not to return to a 8,000m peak and to focus on lower peaks.
Which is not to say she did not enjoy the experience, and Cai said she had made some really good friends along the way.
“During this trip I made really good friends,” she said. “Very different people, but it’s so interesting to talk to them and then to see how they think about this climbing thing. It’s very interesting.”
