Posted: Mar 03, 2008 11:46 am EST
(MountEverest.net/ThePoles.com) The quest for the 14, 8000ers takes a lifetime, if not life itself. Out of the 32 aspiring climbers currently on the 10-13 summits list, 8 have died - all on an 8000er peak.

Out of the 32 climbers on the list - 17 went without oxygen. Out of the 8 fatalities - 5 were among those. This is a summit to fatality risk of 25% for the quest overall, and close to 30% if you go without O2.

Nansen and Indiana Jones

Up to 2005, only twelve men had stood on the summit of them all. Last year, Silvio Mondinelli broke the haunted 13. Next up is a low key Australian: Andrew Lock.

Lock only used oxygen on Everest in 2000 and 2004. All his other climbs have been oxygen less. Andrew hopes to return to Everest for a final climb without oxygen, after he finishes the 14. Currently reading Nansen’s Farthest North, the climber says he chooses his books carefully but watches movies purely for escapism – John Wayne westerns, James Bond and Indiana Jones.

Funny enough, the hardcore mountaineer prefers Vegemite food on expeditions while at home; his favorite nourishment is "a long, cold beer."

Here goes ExWeb's interview with Andrew.

ExWeb: You have scaled 12, 8000ers. Only Makalu and Shisha remains. What happened on Shisha last fall, why is that peak so tricky?

Andrew: I don’t think Shisha is necessarily all that tricky but I’ve had some funny luck on that mountain. In the pre-monsoon I wanted to do the Iñaki route but I was keen to have a partner to cross the crevasses at the bottom of the ridge.

When my friend Neil stopped at camp 3, I was forced to solo up the normal ridge towards the Central Summit but every time I tried to cross the face I set off avalanches. In the post monsoon I had very little time available and it ran out before the weather came good.

ExWeb: When do you plan the next attempt there? Same route?

Andrew: I’m heading back there this coming season. I’ll be climbing with Hector Ponce de Leon, my climbing partner from Discovery Everest in 2004. He’s very strong and a great bloke. (That’s Aussie for guy.) Neil will also be coming back to Shisha.

ExWeb: What are your plans for Makalu?

Andrew: I plan to try to finish the last two 8000ers on my list this season. I’m still not completely sure about whether I’ll go first to Shisha or Makalu. It kind of depends on costs and permits and team preferences etc. But I’ll be climbing with Hector and Neil on both peaks and Joao Garcia will be on Makalu so I’m looking forward to climbing with him again.

ExWeb: Your very first 8000er summit was K2 in 1993. That's 14 years ago! Did you ever image that your life would be so dominated by the high peaks?

Andrew: No I absolutely did not! At first it was one peak at a time and a real learning experience. I didn’t for a moment consider myself in the league of climbers who chase the ‘14’.

But I have always craved adventure and personal challenge in the wilderness. I love the outdoors and the high mountains are perhaps the ultimate expression of a savage environment and adventure in a world that is increasingly crowded.

The 8000ers give me the challenge I need but also offer wonderful opportunities for camaraderie and shared experience in adversity. I absolutely love the ‘expedition’ environment. So whilst my life has been dominated by the high peaks, I still live for the experience.

ExWeb: You're from Australia, where do you train?

Andrew: The Blue Mountains west of Sydney are an adventure playground – rock climbing, canyoning. mountain biking – you name it. I run daily and hill climb with a heavy pack. I’d prefer to be in the big mountains all the time but sponsorship is so hard to get in Australia that I have to work a normal job.

ExWeb: How did you come in touch with Himalaya? Why did you start to climb there?

Andrew: I didn’t start climbing in the Himalaya. I learnt in New Zealand. It was 1985 and I saw a slide show by the first Australians to climb Mt Everest (White Limbo in 1984). I was so swept away by the adventure and beauty that I decided there and then that I would climb Mt Everest.

That was before the days of guided ascents, so I learnt the traditional way with multiple seasons in New Zealand, then climbed in North America, South America, the Pamirs, and lower peaks in the Himalaya.

I finally hit the 8000ers in 1991 with a small 4 man private expedition to Mt Everest, without oxygen or Sherpas. We made 8200 meters but I had to turn around to help my friend on the summit push. We didn’t summit but I learnt that I could perform at high altitude and I couldn’t wait to get back. The rest is history. Although it isn’t over yet, so does that make the future history?

ExWeb: You are pretty low key, how does media in Australia feel about your climbs?

Andrew: I have a very very low profile in Australia. That is partly my fault as I’ve never been a big one to chase media attention. There are certainly climbers out there with less experience who have a much better profile than me.

But also the Australian media tends to focus on drama. Sue Fear’s death and Lincoln Hall’s survival created a media frenzy here but when I tell them what I’ve done and that I’ve done most of it without incident (although plenty hardship and my share of epics), they just aren’t interested.

Funnily enough, a really well written article about me was published late last year in Inside Sport magazine called ‘In Obscurity’. It said that I’d be a whole lot better known if I’d been killed along the way! Happy not to oblige them though!!

ExWeb: You summited Annapurna last May. The mountain was special to you as you were there when the serac killed Christian Kuntner. The ice actually barely missed you, and your mates (Charlie Mace, Brendan Cusick, Silvio Mondinelli and Christian Gobbi), as you had just left the gully. Did this run through your mind last May? What were your thoughts?

Andrew: It sure did. My base camp tent was immediately below Christian’s memorial. In some ways I’m pragmatic about accidents and just try to get on with the job but I was pretty nervous through the whole 2007 expedition. It was dangerous stuff.

But you know, the very moment Christian died in 2005, I saw a butterfly suddenly fly past me. At camp 2. I don’t know where it came from but it gave me a very peaceful feeling. I’m quite spiritual and I make very sure that Puja ceremonies are held on each expedition. I had a special Puja conducted by Lama Geishi in Pangboche before the 2007 expedition and that provided some spiritual comfort for the subsequent climb.

ExWeb: You said the ascent was the high point of your mountaineering yet, why?

Andrew: Annapurna was the most dangerous climb I’ve ever done. The conditions were marginal and I was on edge throughout the expedition, considering the accident in 2005. Most of the team gave up in the face of the conditions and I don’t blame them. It was a case of working through my fear, more than the physical challenge. By the time we reached base camp after the summit I was more emotionally and psychologically exhausted than I’ve ever been before.

ExWeb: How did it compare to your summit of K2? Which has been your easiest peak yet? And the hardest (guess it's Anna but what about Everest?)

Andrew: K2 was my first 8000 meter summit. Whilst we had two of the team killed on the descent, the climb actually went pretty well up until then. I think that overall K2 was a tougher mountain. Annapurna is just plain dangerous.

There are many 8000ers that I’d go back to in an instant but I shall NEVER set foot on Annapurna again. Cho Oyu was the easiest – by far. I don’t think that Everest was that hard. Actually I love Everest. Despite the crowds I’d happily go back tomorrow.

ExWeb: You told us that you have soloed a couple of 8000ers in the past - which were they and when?

Andrew: I soloed Broad Peak in 1997. It was after an attempt on the South Ridge with Rick Allen. The Inurrategi brothers had just tried it and gone home, so we gave it a good go but were defeated around 7100 meters.

A big storm led to most expeditions going home, including my partner Rick, so I went around to the West face. There was a Spanish team and an America team there but they weren’t keen to go up onto the mountain after the storm, so I made a solo push.

I climbed to camp 3 on the first day, summited at 6.05pm on the second day, bivouacked at 8000 meters just below the false summit on the way down, and then returned to base camp on the third day.

It was a huge climb for me, as it taught me that I could push through serious psychological barriers (fear) as well as tremendous physical barriers. I was a day and a half without water over 7000 meters and totally exhausted when I returned but it was one of best summits ever. I also soloed Lhotse in 2002 and Cho Oyu in 2003.

ExWeb: You have also led, trained and guided members of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions on multiple expeditions and guided commercial groups across Antarctica and the sub Antarctic. Are you still doing any of that? Do you plan any trips to the poles yourself?

Andrew: I haven’t worked for the ANARE since 2001. After I finished with them I guided on the cruise ships for a few summers which was very pleasant. And the beds on the ship were comfortable!! I do have some Polar adventures in mind but I’m focusing on finishing the 8000ers first.

ExWeb: You are a mountain and wilderness documentary cameraman, and in 2004 you were contracted to film and climb Mt Everest for the Discovery Channel. How did that turn out and how do you feel about the Tigris production for Discovery "Everest-beyond the limit?"

Andrew: I really enjoyed the experience of working with the 2004 Everest – Ultimate Survival documentary. Our leader Ben did a great job and the team which included Ben, Shaunna Burke, Hector Ponce de Leon and a fantastic film and communications support team were all great to work with. I’d work with them all again in an instant. In fact I’ll be climbing with Hector on Shishapangma and Makalu this year.

ExWeb: You are a mountain guide yourself, how do you feel about the events regarding Nangpa La and David Sharp?

Andrew: Obviously both incidents were very distressing but I read so many different reports about them that I don’t think I have all the facts. I can’t comment on what really went on up there because I don’t know but I’ve always put people first and summits second so I would always turn around to assist.

However that said, I also think that far too many people are putting themselves in positions on mountains where they rely on other teams for rescue rather than taking a self reliant, self rescue approach. Whatever went on up there, mountaineering suffered in the eyes of the wider public.

ExWeb: What is your outfit, where do you guide?

Andrew: I guide for a number of outfits. I don’t guide full time, as the Himalayan climbing seasons are taken up in my pursuit of the 8000ers. But I keep my hand in with a trip or two each year. I hope to increase that soon.

ExWeb: Do you have a favorite mountaineer, adventurer?

Andrew: There are a number of adventurers whose approach to their passions appeal to my own ethics. Hermann Buhl, Shipton, Tillman and Tim McCartney-Snape as mountaineers. Nansen, Shackleton and Amundsen as polar adventurers. I think it perhaps it was as much those eras, where the opportunities for pure adventurous exploration still existed, as the people themselves. But I’d love to have met the all. Well I have met Tim of course.

ExWeb: How do you make a living, is filming and guiding enough? Do you have sponsors for your climbs?

Andrew: I don’t make a living just from filming and guiding, although I wish I could. Sponsorship has been very difficult for me so I work a normal job. And then I have to take big absences from the job to head back to the mountains, so the career suffers accordingly. I do have a number of fantastic gear sponsors and a couple of personal sponsors who have been with me for a long time. The Outdoor Life Group in Australia has been with me nearly all the way. All my sponsors are recognised on the front page of my website.

ExWeb: Are you contemplating new routes, winters, or other adventures entirely after 'you're done'?

Andrew: Yes. But don’t ask me which ones – that’s a secret for now.

ExWeb: Where do you see yourself ten years from now?

Andrew: I hope to be in the mountains, in the polar regions, in the oceans, in the deserts – you name it. I’ll never give up on adventure or the outdoors. It’s who I am. However I would really like to become a mentor and sponsor of young adventurers. I’d like to give back to the outdoor community and share the knowledge and skills I’ve picked up along the way. Perhaps I’ll oversight a foundation that provides finances and/or equipment for struggling would-be adventurers.

Andrew Lock, 46, is a professional keynote speaker, works in Crisis Management and lives in Sydney.

Andrew made his first expedition to Mt Everest in the post-monsoon season of 1991, returned in 1993 and finally summited in 2000. In 2004, Andrew reached the summit of Everest for the second time.

He climbed K2 in 1993, Dhaulagiri and Broad Peak in 1997, Nanga Parbat in 1998, Gasherbrum 1 and 2 in 1999, Manaslu and Lhotse in 2002, Cho Oyu in 2004, Kanchenjunga in 2006, and Annapurna in 2007.

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