It's a pipe dream for even the best mountaineers, but Fort Collins resident Jim Davidson achieved his quest on Sunday, May 21, when he reached the summit of Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world.
A serious mountain climber for more than 30 years, Davidson had once tried climbing Mount Everest before, in April 2015, only for his plans to be foiled by the 7.9 earthquake that hit Nepal. Two years later, he was back, leaving his home in Fort Collins in March to begin the required training climbs to help his body acclimate to the peak's 29,035-foot altitude. After weeks of training climbs and waiting for good weather, he and his International Mountain Guides team set out from Base Camp on Thursday, May 18, for the final push to the top of the mountain.
“I’m standing on the roof of the world! The summit of Mount Everest at 29,035 feet! You can achieve anything through #Resilience!” Davidson posted on his Facebook page about 5 p.m. MST Sunday, via his Garmin inReach satellite technology.
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Photo courtesy of The Denver Post[/caption]
On the other side of the world, Davidson's wife Gloria and two children tracked his progress and rejoiced in his victory.
There were wild cheers so loud you couldn't hear yourself and lots of hugs,'' Alan Arnette, Davidson's fellow climber and friend, told The Coloradoan about his celebration with Davidson's family. ''Everyone was beaming with smiles....I guarantee there will be a big celebration at the airport,'' he added.Davidson, 54, set his sights on Everest about 15 years ago. According to 9News, his previous personal record was climbing Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world, in 2009. Cho Oyu has an elevation of 26,906 feet. In preparation for his Everest conquest, Davidson kept a pretty strict training schedule while at home. Each week, he spent two days in the gym, two days hiking local hills, and made good use of our local Colorado mountains by spending two days climbing in either Ouray Ice Park or Rocky Mountain National Park.
Are you proud of your fellow Coloradan? We sure are! Weigh in with your messages of congrats in the comments below!
