Tom Whittaker: A 46 year old below knee amputee, Tom is a professor in the Department of Outdoor Action, Prescott College, Arizona. He previously reached 24,000 feet on Everest in 1989. He has been an avid climber, skier, kayaker and outdoor adventurer for 27 years. Tom has numerous awards including Newsweek magazine's "SALUTE TO AMERICA'S UNSUNG HEROES" for his ground breaking work using outdoor adventure to rehabilitate people with physical disabilities.
In 1981, he founded the Cooperative Wilderness Outdoor Group, fondly called CW"HOG". This program is based at the Outdoor Program at Idaho State University" in Pocatello, Idaho. His widely proclaimed C.W. HOG project has gained national prominence, having been filmed by NBC TV and covered by National Public Radio. Tom has appeared on TV and lectured internationally.
Regarding Mt. Everest, Tom has stated "Everest for me and I believe for the world is the physical and symbolic manifestation of overcoming odds to achieve a dream. For a person with an artificial foot, the physical and technical difficulties are increased by half. Technology has, for us, not diminished the challenge, it has brought it into reach."
Greg Child: A 37 year old Australian, Greg has resided permanently in the U.S. since 1980. He is a veteran of 10 Himalayan Expeditions including K2, the second highest mountain in the world. An accomplished big wall climber and alpinist, Greg is considered North America's preeminent Himalayan mountaineer. In the world of publishing, Greg's exploits are no less impressive. Authoring his third book, he is universally considered one of the most literate mountaineering chroniclers. His writings include Thin Air (a Dell paperback), Mixed Emotions (published by the Mountaineers Books) and the Encyclopedia of Climbing. He has written for magazines like Outside, Backpacker, Australian Geographic, and writes a regular column in Climbing. He received the Literature Award of the American Alpine Club in 1987, and the Silver Medal for Exploration from the Australian Geographic Society in 1990.
Greg has summed up his commitment to the expedition by stating "Tom's amputee-push to Everest's summit may be the last great challenge in Himalayan climbing. I want to be instrumental in acheiving his dream."
Leo Dickinson: As an adventure film maker, Leo Dickinson has no peers. He is a very rare breed. There are excellent film makers and amazing adventurers. Leo is both. This will be Leo's fourth time filming on Everest. His films have won awards and earned wide distribution on television in more than 100 countries across the globe. The American Alpine Journal said, "Leo Dickinson is unquestionably the world's leading film maker." Mountain Magazine said, "the range and variety of his exploits is unrivaled by anyone in the world... Anything indeed seems possible for him."
The following are 12 action packed videos of Leo Dickinson's adventures. Each video is in the VHS PAL format and lasts 52 minutes.
LAND OF MIST & FIRE, Exploring the Patagonian Ice Cap.
MATTERHORN, The North Face in Winter.
DUDH KOSI, Canoeing Down Everest.
EVEREST UNMASKED, The First Ascent Without Oxygen.
WOOKEY HOLE, The Bottom of Britain.
EIGER-SOLO.
STACKING IN THE SKY.
WAKULLA, The Mammoth Cave.
WALLY GUBBINS, A Skydiving Comedy.
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, The Diary of an Adventure Film-Maker.
DEAD MEN'S TALES, Parachuting Mishaps.
BALLOONING OVER EVEREST.
Russel Brice: New Zealander, mountain guide, expedition logistian and mountain manager, Russel has summitted on many Himalayan peaks since 1974. To further insure the success of the 1995 Everest Challenge, Russel will be putting his personal expertise and the resources of his guide service, Himalayan Experience 8000 behind this expedition.
Ang Rita Sherpa: Is the only man to have successfully reached the summit of Everest eight times. As expedition "surder", he will head a team of the best high altitude sherpa, to complete this small, extremely able, team.
Copyright© 1996, Katy Flanagan & Gary O. Grimm, Mountain Visions * All Rights Reserved