Filipino explorer nears Antarctica peak

Romi Garduce is only 3,600 feet —less than a mile— away from making history.

 

After arriving at high camp on January 4, Garduce told GMA News that his team will only rest a day before going for the final climb to the summit.  

 

Garduce arrived at the high camp of Vinson Massif, 12,400 feet above sea level on the highest mountain in Antarctica Wednesday, January 4. The expedition is the last out of seven for the Filipino mountaineer. If successful, he will be the first Filipino to conquer the highest peaks on all seven continents.

 

Garduce told GMA News via satellite phone that he arrived at the Vinson Massif base camp on Friday, December 30, after riding a Russian Cargo Aircraft. Riding the aircraft is a unique experience on its own, he said, as this is the only kind of plane that can land on glaciers. 

 

"Good thing, medyo ok ngayon pagdating sa weather at saka sa ice condition. Ngayon and past several days maganda yung panahon, as in walang ulap, walang hangin gaano and the forecast for the next few days medyo maganda pa rin. Maganda ang weather," said Garduce in his update via satellite phone Tuesday (January 3).

 

Garduce also talked about the trials he faced in his ascent.

 

"Ang problema lang dito ay kung kakayanin ang hirap na umakyat. May mga sugat-sugat sa katawan na kailangang ayusin, kasi medyo blistering yung activity na kailangan gawin. (Ang problema lang), feeling namin kulang yung pagkain kasi mabilisang akyatan. Iba pa rin ang ikaw ang nagluluto at nagdadala ng sarili mong pagkain. (Pero) minor lang lahat (ng problema) so far," shared Garduce.

 

Garduce started his quest to finish the seven summits in 2002, when he reached the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, followed by South America's Mt. Aconcagua in 2005; Asia's Mt. Everest in 2006; Europe's Mt. Elbrus in 2007; North America's Mt. McKinley in 2008; and Asia's Carstenz Pyramid in 2011.  

— TJD, GMA News