Story Published:
May 16, 2002 at 4:38 AM PDT
Story Updated:
Aug 31, 2006 at 12:41 AM PDT
SEATTLE - Phil and Susan Ershler of Bellevue
scaled Mount Everest early Thursday, becoming the first couple to
climb the highest peaks on each of the world's seven continents
together, a spokesman said.
Dan McConnell, a publicist for many of the expeditions from
Seattle to Everest and other mountains worldwide, said the couple
reached the 29,028-foot summit via the South Col route at 10:20
a.m. Nepal time.
"They spoke to base camp from the summit and were very happy to
have completed their Seven Summits Odyssey," McConnell said.
The Ershlers spent a few minutes taking photographs at the top
before beginning the four- or five-hour descent to their highest
camp, McConnell said.
Phil Ershler, 51, a professional guide who in 1984 became the
first American to climb Everest via the North Wall through China,
and Sue Ershler, 46, a former telecommunications executive, left
Seattle in March.
They reached base camp in the Khumbu Valley on April 4 and
headed to the upper slopes May 11, spending one day each in four
camps before beginning the final ascent at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday,
McConnell said.
For a few days they had to hunker down in winds so fierce "they
were just hoping that their tent didn't blow away with them in
it," he said.
After the winds subsided they had clear weather and ideal
climbing conditions for the last five or six days, McConnell said.
The Ershlers plan to remain on the mountain until other groups
with them return safely, possibly until the end of the month, he
said.
The couple got within 1,400 feet of the top of Everest in 2001
but turned back in near-whiteout conditions when, as Phil Ershler
wrote in his online company newsletter, "my corneas started to
freeze and I couldn't see worth a hoot."
As a partner and owner of International Mountain Guides, he has
led thousands of clients on expeditions worldwide and completed his
first seven summits tour in 1989.
He has climbed Mount McKinley in Alaska 20 times, Mount Rainier
in Washington state more than 400 times and other major summits
multiple times, starting with 14,411-foot Mount Rainier as a
college student in 1971.
Sue Ershler, whose principal customers in her sales career were
Internet service providers, began climbing after she met Phil and
has scaled 11 peaks of 16,000 feet or higher.
They began their Seven Summits pursuit with an ascent of Mount
Kilimanjaro in Africa in 1992 and made all of their ascents
together, the last three or four after they were married, McConnell
said.
After Kilimanjaro, they scaled Mount Elbrus in Russia in 1993,
McKinley in 1995, Mount Aconcagua in Argentina in 1996, Mount
Vinson in Antarctica in 1998 and Mount Kosciuszko in Australia in
1999.
