Oxygen bottles 'most of what an Everest climber needs'
Mountaineering fans may wish to take note of the advice of one expert climber, who has explained that oxygen canisters are vital for people embarking on a Mount Everest expedition.
Jim Whittaker, who was the first American to climb the world's tallest peak in 1963, tells the Port Townsend Leader: "On Everest, it's typical to take five breaths of bottled oxygen for each step forward. Climbing that high without oxygen might mean 15 breaths per step."
He advises that the oxygen canisters will make up the majority of the weight that a person carries with them when mountaineering.
Mr Whittaker's advice comes as his son Leif prepares this week to climb Mount Everest at the age of 25.
Oxygen canisters were first used by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay when they climbed the peak in 1953, Blurt It reports. The site goes on to advise that those using supplemental oxygen have less chance of suffering from physical deterioration during their expedition.
Posted by James Worrall
26/03/2010 09:55:53
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