Climber Clara set to conquer Everest

JAKARTA (JP): Female mountain climber Clara Sumarwati will begin her bid today to become the first Indonesian ever to reach the 8,848-meter summit of Mt. Everest.

Clara is scheduled to fly to Germany today to purchase climbing equipment. Four days later, she will go to Katmandu, Nepal, for a one-month acclimatization program. From Aug. 9 to Oct. 26, she will be in China attempting to reach Mt. Everest's peak.

Clara has acquired financial support from Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono and the National Sports Council. She has obtained a permit from the China Mountaineering Association to attempt the North Face, which many believe is more demanding than the South Col route in Nepal.

The permit is valid from August to October, the period during which the weather is usually the most favorable for climbers.

Clara said that the North Face is steeper than the South Col. She visited the 8,200-meter South Col Camp Four in 1994, and reckons it is by no means less dangerous.

"Many avalanches occur on the Nepalese route. The temperature can drop as low as minus 50 Centigrade," said Clara, who reached the 7,525-meter apex of Nepal's Anapurna Four in 1990, and the 6,959-meter peak of Argentina's Aconcagua in 1992.

Clara said she has prepared well for the expedition, under the guidance of Gibang Basuki from the Army Special Force Unit Mountaineering Association. Her training regime included an acclimatization program on Mount Gede in West Java every month, climbing the Citatah escarpment in West Java every month, plus swimming and working out in a gym every morning and evening. (arf)