(July 2024 – Denali, Alaska) World record-setting mountaineer Hari Budha Magar is now the first-ever double above-knee amputee to summit Denali (20,310 feet), North America’s highest peak. Budha Magar achieved this feat despite catastrophic weather that resulted in one of his climb team being airlifted from the mountain.
Hari Budha Magar on his historic climb of Denali
According to US National Park Service statistics (1903-2023) just half of all attempts to climb Denali are successful.
Hari and a five-person team, including three guides from Alpine Ascents and his brother Nanda who summitted Mount Everest with Hari in May 2023, started their climb on June 17. Despite difficult conditions, they reached the summit 11 days later on June 28.
Deep snow and strong winds meant that Hari and his team endured long days of climbing with two additional camps added to compensate for Hari moving slower through the soft snow due to his disability.
At Camp Three, high winds and blue ice caused one of Hari’s guides to slip, suffering a climb-ending head injury and requiring a helicopter rescue from the mountain.
Hari recounts the rescue incident, “The conditions were some of the worst that I experienced on the mountain. The wind was whipping across my face, and it was a complete whiteout. It was such a shame my guide fell and had to be taken off the mountain, but he insisted we carry on. Once we knew he was safe and on his way to the hospital, we packed up and continued up the mountain with his kit spread across the rest of the team.”
Yet conditions worsened still, with visibility reducing to a few feet and winds increasing as the team climbed into the more technical mountaineering section of the ascent.
“We couldn’t see anything – it really was scary. If it wasn’t for our amazing guides, we would have been forced back down -- something we considered many times on our ascent. It was a case of grinding it out and just focussing on the next step. The reality that we could be forced back down due to the weather was always a huge concern,” he added.
Improving weather gave Hari and his team the opportunity and motivation to continue to the summit.
He noted, “As the decision about pushing for the summit or turning back became more critical, the weather started to lift. The wind dropped and visibility dramatically improved. It really is striking how quickly conditions can change in the mountains. As we reached the top it was incredible, making all the struggle before worthwhile. We had achieved what many hadn’t on this tough mountain.”
Safely back down, exhausted but exhilarated, Hari commented, “Life is all about adaptation. We have shown once again that nothing is impossible.”
Challenges and a Mission
Denali presented Hari with some unique challenges. Due to the depth of soft snow on Denali’s lower slopes, Hari had to travel to a US training camp in March ahead of the expedition to learn how to snowshoe efficiently on his adapted prosthetics.
To change perceptions about disability, Hari is committed to taking his “no legs, no limits” message around the world and is aiming to summit the seven highest peaks across the seven continents.
Having already climbed Everest (Asia), Mont Blanc (Europe) and Kilimanjaro (Africa), the successful ascent of Denali leaves Aconcagua in Argentina (South America), Puncak Jaya, Indonesia (Oceania) and Mount Vinson (Antarctica) as the final three peaks to complete Hari’s ambitious goal.
Prior to the latest expedition, Hari was awarded an MBE British order of chivalry in the recent King’s Birthday Honours. This was in recognition of his world-record-setting Everest climb last year and continuation of raising awareness about disabilities.
Hari has launched an appeal (www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/hbm7summits) to raise funds to enable his climbs and the positive impact they will generate in changing people’s perceptions of what is possible for people of disability. Hari’s partners include Barratt Developments, Branding Science, Gurkha Welfare Trust, Ottobock, Parajumpers Clothing, Team Forces and Therabody. Primary supporters are NSSLGlobal, SunGod Eyewear, Leki Gloves and Poles, Precision Fuel & Hydration and Team 365.
Born in a cowshed in a remote area of Nepal, Hari served for 15 years in the Royal Gurkha Rifles, losing both legs to an IED while on patrol in Afghanistan in 2010.
Hari also continues to fundraise the “height of Everest plus two zeros” for veterans and military charities. www.HariBudhaMagar.com.
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