Climb every mountain...

SEVENTH HEAVEN: TE AWAMUTU climber Mike Cosgrove (second from right) on the summit of North America’s Mount Rainier (4417m) with (from left) chief guide Chad Peele, climbers Marc Warner and Ryan Below and guide Steve Sinor. Mike Cosgrove photos.

By Dean Taylor

Less than five years ago Te Awamutu businessman Mike Cosgrove gave himself the challenge of successfully climbing one of the world’s highest mountains in each of the seven continents. Last month as he stood atop North America’s Mount Rainier he celebrated the culmination of that incredible quest.

And not to be outdone, his wife Jackie has been succeeding in her own adventure goals, and while her husband was mountaineering she was horse trekking the Rocky Mountains.

Mr Cosgrove says the challenge to climb seven continents within five years is not an easy task - and not without risk. He says all his climbs have been successful - thanks to good weather, good preparation and good health.

But the reality of the dangers of high altitude climbing was brought home on his first climb in the Himalayas when one of Mr Cosgrove’s Kiwi climbing team-mates died while descending from his failed attempt at the summit of the 6419 metre Chulu West. Mr Cosgrove says every climbing expedition since then has been incident free, with no-one from his party hurt or injured.

The culmination of the challenge occurred in Washington State on the summit of Mount Rainier at 4417 metres. In order he has climbed Chulu West in Asia, Aconcagua (6962m) in South America, three Antarctic peaks (Pion, Molina and DeMaria), Kosciusko (2200m) in Australia, Elbrus (5642m) in Europe and Kilimanjaro (5895m - plus Mount Kenya) in Africa. He says if one accepts Australia’s ‘hill’ is counted, he has climbed four of those continents highest peaks.

To put the achievement into context, only 100 climbers in the world have made the summit of the highest peak in all seven continents.

In between those climbs he has also completed a number of New Zealand climbs, including Mount Aspiring (Tititea - 3027m) in January this year.

The 49-year-old says completing this challenge isn’t the end of the adventures for himself or his wife. Recently the couple sold their business, so while they realise they will need to look for employment soon, they also wanted to have more freedom to continue to travel and learn. The couple say there is more to the travelling that just satisfying their own needs - they have learnt so much about people and this world that they are thirsty for more. Mr Cosgrove says the expeditions have shown them everything from the Third World to extravagant luxury.

He says one of the questions he is always asked is whether he is going to attempt Everest - his answer is that it will probably always be too expensive for him at a cost of about $100,000.

Mr Cosgrove says he has always chosen to be guided for high altitude climbs for safety reasons - and most often has climbed with a team of people with similar desires and goals, so it is a pleasurable and rewarding experience. He says when climbing meets big business that pleasure isn’t as great.

He has also seen the different ways countries look after their environments, and sometimes business, lots of climbers and environmental considerations don’t mix very well. He was impressed with his latest expedition. Of all the mountains in the world, he describes Mount Rainier as the most beautiful - with fields of wild flowers and large pine forests just below snow level. He was also impressed that despite the mountain taking two million visitors per year, he never saw one piece of rubbish anywhere in his week on the mountain.

Mr Cosgrove also took the opportunity to complete the Crevice Rescue Training Seminar while on the climb, another excuse to spend more time on such a wonderful mountain.

HORSE TREKKING

ROCKY MOUNT: Jackie Cosgrove on her 140km trek through the Rocky Mountains. Jackie Cosgrove photo.

Mrs Cosgrove has always been a keen rider, so after her husband had been on his first adventure - she decided she should go also, but by horse. Since the South American trek she has completed three more horseback adventures.

She says another bonus, apart from fantastic scenery, being able to ride and seeing new countries, is taking her mind off the dangers her husband is facing. Mrs Cosgrove says while she is concentrating on her own adventure she doesn’t worry about Mike.

The last ride saw her spend six days riding and camping in the spectacular Rocky Mountains. She started at Mosquito Creek, a two-hour drive from Banff, and was able to witness the same beautiful scenery of wild flowers, forests and snowcaps as her husband on her 140km, six day ride. The trek was a camping ride, so the two clients had a support team of one guide, one cook and a packer to load the eight mules of equipment.

HOLIDAY MODE

The couple were also able to play tourists following their adventures, taking in nearby sights of Vancouver and Seattle. But it is the adventure bug that is a bigger driver, so plans are already underway for the next trip. Mrs Cosgrove is planning a horseback trek in Mongolia and Mr Cosgrove wants to achieve another goal of climbing over 7000 metres, so he plans to conquer 7027m Mount Spantik, which is next to K2 in Pakistan.