Trusting one's guide, proper preparation, teamwork, enthusiasm, conviction, leadership, determination, and pushing one's limits are key lessons the author learned from climbing Huayna Potosi mountain with no prior experience. Jose, the experienced Bolivian guide, led the team of six novice climbers safely to the summit through technical sections by establishing trust. Proper training with equipment and knowing the challenges ahead was critical preparation. Working together in groups tied for safety and supporting each other's pace up the mountain demonstrated the importance of teamwork. Reaching the summit through exhaustion and challenging conditions showed the author's enthusiasm, conviction, leadership in pushing forward, determination to continue step by step, and achieving success through hard work.

1. DECIDING
to climb Huayna Potosi, a
6088m mountain, whilst I was
living in Bolivia has proven to be
one of the riskiest but yet most rewarding decisions I have taken to date. Having had no
previous climbing experience and no prior training, it was an expedition of sizeable
undertaking. I was soon to find out that climbing a mountain was all about challenge and
perseverance, that it was full of danger and drama. Not only did it require physical and mental
strength and technical skill, but you needed to be prepared for any eventuality. Here are some
of the key lessons I learnt on our expedition.

2. Tr u s t – Jose, our lead mountain guide, was an experienced climber and led mountain
expeditions on a weekly basis. He was a barmy Bolivian who spoke little English and swore
the key to climbing mountains was lemon tea full of sugar. Jose and his two helpers were
responsible for getting six novice mountain climbers up to the top safely and
quickly. Although Huyana Potosi is not a difficult climb relatively
speaking, it gets more technical the higher you climb. Just as the air
is getting thinner and your energy levels are depleting. Without
putting our trust in Jose, in his knowledge of the mountain and
the surrounding weather, in his ability to lead a group and to
teach us the necessary skills. We would be sure to fail.

3. TEAMWORK – Like with
P R E PA R AT I O N – many things, mountaineering requires a team
effort, but it also involves personal challenge.
Integrating the two on a mountain can be
difficult and can lead to arguments and
mistakes. Working in unison is vital for a
successful climb. Before scaling the glacier
On our we were put into groups of three with the
first day up guide at the front. We were then tied
in the mountains together at 8m intervals for security
it was time for some purposes. The weakest climber was put in
training. Throughout the middle and set the pace for the group.
our ascent we would need By working together
to use our crampons and pick each group was able
axes so it was Imperative we were to ascend the
comfortable with them. Across the mountain safely.
glacier were steep crevices making
the risk of placing a wrong foot and
falling relatively high. We would also
be faced with two ice walls during our
climb. Without being prepared to take
on these challenges we would have been
putting ourselves in great danger.

4. ENTHUSIASM – On day two
we trekked up to our to high camp, a rocky CONVICTION –
shelf to the side of the glacier. This was no easy the ascent up
task as we had to carry all of our tents and to the peak
equipment with us whilst wearing the crossed vast
equivalent of ski boots up a rocky glacier crossings
mountainside. The next day my enthusiasm ran and incredible
out even further when I soon found myself ice formations.
standing at the bottom of the glacier at 1am in Trudging along
the freezing cold, all kitted up, having had little at a snail's pace,
sleep. The prospect of escalating over 2000m my mind couldn’t
in the pitch black was an exceptionally help but wander.
daunting one. At any point of
the ascent I could
have turned around
and climbed back
down – a thought
that became more and more appealing the
more exhausted I got. However my
stubbornness and commitment to the task in
hand allowed me push past this fact and
concentrate on only climbing upwards.

5. LEADERSHIP -
the most technical part of the climb
was the summit wall – around 150m with
about 70-80 degrees incline in places. Our guide
Went first setting safety screws and steaks into the
snow. Then we followed, still tied up together, with our
Ice picks and crampons hooking and kicking into the snow.
Tiredness had completely taken over by this point so it was down
to our guide to focus our attention and keep us motivated to the very end.

6. D E T E R M I N AT I O N – I will never forget
those last 50m. My body had nothing left give and I could
have quite easily fallen asleep on the side of the ice wall. All that
was left was my thoughts vs. the mountain. I knew I just had
to dig deep and push on. Step. By. step.

7. R E S U LT S – After an
eight hour climb we finally
summited at 10am on 9th June
2002. Having crawled onto the
12ft ridge that was the top I
could finally take in the vastness
of my surroundings - views of
the mountains to the East and
the arid plain to the West,
Lake Titicacca and Peru in the
distance. I truly felt on top of
the world.

8. SUCCESS - Above all I learned that if you
put your mind to anything, anything can be
achievable. As long as you are prepared to push
yourself, there are no such things
as boundaries. Just a lot of
hard-work, sweat and
tears. And hopefully
an almighty
smile
at the
end.