Climber Oh Eun-sun |
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Near the summit of mountains that are at 8,000 meters or higher, the density of oxygen in the air is often half of that at sea level.
Throw in unpredictable weather, avalanches and hidden crevasses, and death is a constant possibility. Only a few have defied these dangers and prevailed.
Korean climber Oh Eun-sun is one of those few and is planning to beat the odds, aiming to climb the 8,091-meter peak of Annapurna in Nepal next month to become the world's first woman to scale all 14 peaks in the Himalayas above 8,000 meters.
It will be her second attempt to conquer the mountain, the last peak left for her to set the record.
"I feel the fear of death as the top of a mountain is coming in sight. The fear is stronger particularly in the Himalayas than elsewhere. Whenever I have such a feeling, however, I try to concentrate on ideas for a safe return, not a dismal future," Oh said in an exclusive interview with The Korea Times, Monday.
The 44-year-old looks small, being 155 centimeters in height, but emanates an aura that carries a great deal of charisma.
Oh is now leading the race for the championship in a razor-thin competition with Gerlinde Kaltenbrunne, 39, of Austria and Edurne Pasaban, 36, of Spain.
Asked about what motivated her to the adventurous sport despite the life-threatening risks, she briefly said after a short pause, "Ohm. It's a sort of addiction, which is much stronger than any drug."
She described her job ― a professional climber ― as "a calling" and mountaineering as her "destiny."
"For a while after a successful climb I seriously consider quitting this job. After that, however, I find my heart longing for the exhilaration I had on the top of a summit," she said. "As long as I set my goal to become the world's first woman to conquer the world's 14 highest peaks, I will go to all lengths to achieve it."
Last October, she was forced to give up her attempt to conquer Annapurna due to bad weather, with its summit just 500 meters away, a distance that takes about two hours to cover. She recollected the moment when she spent nearly 30 minutes at her location to determine whether or not to continue the ascent.
"I could reach the top and set the record at that time," Oh said. "I gave it up because of a sudden ominous feeling that something bad would happen to either me or my peers including the Sherpas on my way back to base camp. I always put a priority on safety ahead of other values in climbing."
She pointed out a "modest attitude" to Mother Nature as the foremost value mountaineers should possess to guarantee successful climbing and a safe return.
"When describing mountain climbing, the word 'conquer' is inappropriate. We can stand on top of a mountain only when nature and the mountain 'allow' us to do so," Oh emphasized. For that reason, she believes in the idea that there is a spiritual entity determining whether or not to allow a climber to reach the summit.
"To get approval, these days I try to refrain from drinking alcohol and maintain an ascetic life," she said laughing.
She also stressed the importance of a "can-do spirit."
"Physical strength and endurance are important. Without a 'can-do' spirit, however, scaling mountains above 8,000 meters is all but impossible," she said. "The mind governs the body. No matter how physically strong he or she is, the person can do nothing in the absence of this spirit."
If the upcoming bid is successful, Oh said, she will move to a graduate school here to share her knowledge and experiences with promising climbers, and also she plans to use her social influence to make the country a better place to live.
"I've received so much support and praise from citizens and society. I think it's my turn to give back what I've received by any means I can," she said.
The 44-year-old single woman cautiously unveiled what her prince charming looks like during the interview. "I look for a man like a mountain," Oh said. "A mountain embraces all regardless of their social status, wealth and appearance. Sometimes, it kicked me out and kept me at bay. But in the end, it embraced me with open arms. I like this…"
pss@koreatimes.co.kr
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무디스, 스페인·伊·포르투갈 신용등급 강등
