Garduce travels to Antarctica for 7th summit

MANILA, Philippines - Romi Garduce is all for the final stop of his bid to become the first Filipino to climb the world’s highest mountains in all seven continents or the “Seven Summits.”

Standing in front of Garduce this time is the 16,067-foot Vinson Massif of the Antarctica, considered the sixth highest, but not necessarily one of the easiest, among the seven obstacles.

It’s the coldest place on earth, where the temperature dips to -40 at any given time, and exposing a centimeter of your skin for just a few minutes can cause fourth-degree frostbite.

“It’s the weather that’s the real challenge in this climb, not the mountain itself, because with the weather, all the dangers and sufferings may occur,” said Garduce.

“But you’re not a mountaineer if you’re not ready and willing to face them. It looks impossible and difficult, but if you are focused, you can do it,” he added.

He will be accompanied in this mission by Levi Nayahangan, a fellow UP mountaineer.

Garduce had faced fear and danger many times before, but said it’s part of the training, part of the mental toughness, to ignore them or set them aside.

“You must learn how to set it aside. Once you start entertaining fear, it weakens you. But somehow you need it so you know if what you’re facing is dangerous or not.

“You must accept that there are things to fear but you set it aside. But if suddenly you fall in a crevice or your rope snaps, then you’re gone. Lulukso na kaluluwa mo,” he said.

Garduce had conquered Mt. Kilimanjaro (South Africa in 2002), Mt. Aconcagua (South America in 2005), Mt. Everest (Asia in 2006), Mt. Elbrus (Europe on 2007), Denali Peak (North America in 2008), Mt. Kosciousko (Australia in 2008) and the Carstenz Pyramid (Oceana last July).

It’s only Vinson Massif that remains to be faced.

Garduce, an information technology expert, was presented to the media yesterday by his main backers, GMA-7, and Primer, his official outfitter, at the R.O.X. in Bonifacio High Street.

He leaves for Punta Arenas in Chile, the southernmost city on earth, on Dec. 23, and if things go on as scheduled they should be in the Antarctica by Dec. 29.

“If the weather is good, you maximize it, go, go go. We are weather dependent. And if we get lucky, we’re done in a week, or it becomes two weeks. Or else, we go home,” he said.

Training over the last couple of weeks compose of cardio, running, cycling and swimming, and walking more than 15 kms with a 25 kg backpack.

“We simulate long-distance walking. I walked from Nuvali to Tagaytay carrying a backpack full of weights. And I thought I looked silly,” he said, laughing.