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Interview with double amputee mountaineer Mark Inglis

Arpita Nath
Mountaineer Mark Inglis, the only double amputee to have scaled the tallest mountain in the world – the Everest – talks about what has kept the fire to climb burning in him
Lucky to have survived
Mountaineer, winemaker, motivational speaker, cyclist, scientist, philanthropist, paralympic medalist and an author - this is all one man, Mark Inglis.

And did we mention that he is the only double amputee in the world to have climbed Mount Everest ? 29 years ago, when he was 23, Mark, a professional mountaineer, was caught in an ice cave during a blizzard on New Zealand's highest mountain, Mt Cook. "It was the longest recorded storm in the history of New Zealand at that time. And we were caught in an ice cave for almost 14 days. We were very, very lucky to have survived that... Still cost us the legs, yeah," he says as matter-of-factly. Still cost the legs, that's all? No anger, no negativity? He says, "Well, one way it was a tragedy, but in another way, it was like opening a new door to a whole new life."
Scaling the Everest on artificial legs
After losing both his legs, Mark was back in the mountains in a matter of two months. And this time, he wanted to do the unthinkable - scale the world's tallest mountain, Mt Everest . "Every young New Zealand boy wants to do either two things - climb the Everest or play rugby for the All Blacks," jokes Mark, "It's in your blood. As a young mountaineer, I always wanted to climb the Everest. I started when I was 12... It just took me some 20 years extra to achieve that goal, that's all. It took me so long because I wanted to make sure I could handle it all by myself. I don't believe in asking for a hand up. At a place like Everest, you're only responsible for yourself." Mark achieved the feat in May 2006. He completed the climb in a mere 47 days, something that would take professional climbers with both legs intact around 60 days. Mark adds humbly, "But it took me longer to come down than most people."
Positivity is the name of the game
Losing both legs in one's prime would break most, so how did he turn such a negative into a positive? "I'm a very positive person. As a young mountaineer, you're a very proactive person, who is always putting himself in situations of great challenge. And when you are in a situation of great challenge, you do something. We only think we can do so much, but the truth is we can do far more than we ever thought we could." So, how did he cope with a whole new set of legs? "The one thing you learn to do quickly, is to walk, but it still takes many years more to see what else you can do. And even after 29 years, I'm still learning everyday - how to walk better, how to use my stumps better. And to use yourself better, physically and mentally." About his disability, Mark adds, "The whole concept of disability is only your lack of access to resources, and you can get those. And then the only thing stopping you is your thinking. So much that we do is decided by our head, not our body."

Controversy and the way ahead
While scaling the Everest, Mark, along with other climbers, came upon climber David Sharp, who was stuck under a rock overhang, and died eventually. The team had decided to continue their summit. "Those were exceedingly difficult days. Those people expected me, a double amputee to help... Seems like I was the only person there, not those 30 or 40 other people. It was extremely difficult for me. It was difficult that people would think that just because I couldn't do something, I wouldn't do it. And the unfortunate thing was that there was nothing that could be done... Even our fittest and most able sherpas weren't able to help him. It's all about understanding the environment up there, it's extremely harsh. 11 people died in 2006, and David Sharp was one of them.
And a lot of others were put in my position, and I was probably the least likely person to have been able to help anyone. It's very difficult for a double amputee to climb Everest alone, let alone help someone else. I think when you're very well known, people just spot you. I've had a tough time explaining to people... You have to understand that you cannot apply the same principles of survival on a Delhi road to one on Mt Everest."
Mark, who is a motivational speaker, was in India to talk about the challenges he faced. "My talks are about the existence of challenges and about ensuring that people focus on their goals, but they should also understand that their life has to be about advantage and opportunity. It's all about how we think. And this is where I tell them about the lessons I've learnt." And one of them, Mark says, is the negative attitude of people. "A lot of people talk, and they said, pertaining to me, 'He can't do it.' But you have to see them as a challenge and surpass them."
This visit was his second time in India. "I love it. Right now, I'm getting the feel of the cities - Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata... Everywhere you go, it's so amazingly different. You fly out of the monsoons from Mumbai and land in a summery Delhi." Mark also has a soft corner for food. "I am passionate about food, and it's great to be in India to experience all the great flavours. A real eye-opener has been the food from Southern India, especially very well made Hyderabadi mutton biryani. Next trip, I plan to bring my wife to see Rajasthan, Kerala and Kashmir - these are the places that really attract me."

How to survive on a mountain
-Experience – personal experience and other climbers'. Join an Alpine club, take mountaineering lessons, practice, and then some more
-Have a great team – never go alone on a trip. Essential to have a great climbing partner to support each other, especially at critical times
How to survive, if caught in a blizzard
-Retain body heat. It's important to conserve energy
-Stay away from the wind
-Never try to leave the spot in trying to get out. This is the worst mistake people make as it makes it harder for rescue crews to find them.