Print

Mail

wiki links

Adventurous Taiwanese makehistory on dry land and at sea

Taiwanese adventurers have made history on both land and sea this month by sailing solo across the Pacific Ocean and scaling the highest mountain in South America.

Word reached Taiwan on Monday that climbers Wu Yu-lung (伍玉龍), Chiang Hsiu-chen (江秀真) and Hsieh Ying-yi (謝穎沂) had returned safely following their expedition to climb Cerro Aconcagua, a nearly 7,000m-tall mountain in Argentina. The group faced the full brunt of nature's force, braving unusually strong 80kph winds that collapsed their tents and thwarted their initial attempts to reach the summit. But after several tries, the climbers eventually reached the peak in two different groups on Feb. 19 and Feb. 22.

The climb was not without drama, as Hsieh had to make the summit alone after his partner, Yang Shih-ping (楊世平), had to be airlifted off the mountain after developing high altitude pulmonary edema. Yang has since recovered, but two climbers from a separate expedition disappeared on the mountain around the same time.

The expedition was part of the group's ongoing attempt to climb the tallest peak in each of the seven continents. Next on the list is North America's Mount McKinley in the US state of Alaska, which the mountaineers plan to climb in May. The grand finale, Mount Everest, is scheduled for next year.

Meanwhile, TVBS reported yesterday that one of its former reporters, Kao Chih-liang (高智亮), had arrived at Orchid Island yesterday after sailing solo across the Pacific Ocean from the US. Kao's journey began four months ago in San Diego, after he traveled to California with just NT$1 million to buy a boat and sail it back to Taiwan. Although he had hoped to arrive in Kaohsiung before the Lunar New Year, but was delayed by terrible weather and 4m to 5m swells.

Friends and family noted Kao's weatherbeaten features and said that he was considerably thinner than when he left. But Kao shook off the difficulties he had endured on his four-month odyssey, saying that the journey had made for an interesting and exciting life experience.
This story has been viewed 1074 times.