Irish Everest teams hoping to scale heights

Two Irish teams are among over 20 international mountaineering expeditions waiting on the slopes of Mount Everest in an increasingly narrow time frame.

Jet stream winds, which have destroyed tents and gear at high-altitude camps, have delayed summit attempts on the 50th anniversary of the first successful Hillary and Tenzing climb.

There are fears that too many climbers will try to make a last push up the 29,035-ft peak in the few days left before the onset of monsoon weather; this could risk a repeat of the 1996 season when 23 people stood on the summit but eight subsequently died in a storm on May 10th/11th.

The Irish teams are on opposite sides of the mountain: a Northern Irish expedition, led by Mr Richard Dougan, an Armagh outdoor pursuits instructor and college lecturer, is attempting the ascent by the North Ridge from Tibet, while the Republic's team, led by Corkman Mr Pat Falvey, is based in Nepal.

Over the weekend, Mr Falvey's expedition was resting at the 21,300-ft Camp Two on the southern route originally climbed by Hillary and Tenzing in 1953. However, the expedition reported that Dr Clare O'Leary, one of the two women on the team, was showing signs of altitude sickness and was suffering from stomach cramps and exhaustion.

A decision was due to be taken yesterday on her condition, but it had been agreed that she would be accompanied by one of the team's sherpas if she continued to Camp Three on the Lhotse Wall at 24,000 feet. The climbers were due to leave early today for Camp Three if weather conditions improved sufficiently.

Mr George Shorten, a colleague of Dr O'Leary at Cork University Hospital, had to descend earlier this month when he showed severe signs of altitude sickness.

Over in Tibet, the Northern Ireland expedition lost precious oxygen and supplies last week following what it describes as a "massive storm" on the north face.

"After sheltering from the storm, the team returned to the upper mountain only to discover that six tents and five bottles of oxygen had been swept away. While this is clearly a setback, the team remains on course for a summit attempt towards the end of the month," its spokesman, Mr David Malone, said. Mr Dougan said it was "a serious blow, but we do have spare supplies".

The Northern Irish climbers are following the North Col and North Ridge route successfully climbed by Mr Dawson Stelfox, the first Irishman to make the summit of Everest in 1993. The team is using one high altitude Sherpa and three Nepalese support staff.

The group's two medical officers, medic Mr Steven Synnott and physio Mr Martin Duggan, were forced to descend in the early stages of the expedition when Mr Synnott developed symptoms of altitude sickness at the 17,000-ft base camp.

The progress of both expeditions can be followed on websites www.irisheverest2003.com and www.nieverest.com