Michael Groom (climber)

Michael Groom (born 1959) is an Australian[1] mountain climber.[2] In 1995, Groom became the fourth person ever to summit the four highest mountains in the world (Lhotse, Kangchenjunga, K2 and Everest) without the aid of bottled oxygen. He proceeded to climb the fifth-highest, Makalu, in 1999. In 1987 he lost the front third of his feet to frostbite descending from his successful summit of Kangchenjunga.[3] Despite this, he later managed to summit Mount Everest in 1993 and again in 1996. He acted as a guide for Adventure Consultants during the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, of which he survived subsequently referencing in his 1997 autobiography.[4] In the 2015 film Everest, Groom was portrayed by actor Tom Wright.

Notable Ascents

Everest

On his third attempt at summiting the tallest mountain in the world in 1993, Groom finally completed Everest without the use of supplemental oxygen. He attempted twice in 1991, the second time ending in a 900-metre (3,000 ft) fall down the Lhotse Face in an avalanche; he received only a broken nose and a few cracked ribs and was lucky to have survived the ordeal.

K2

In 1994, Groom unknowingly turned around just 40 metres (130 ft) shy of the summit of K2 after taking the more difficult and technically demanding SSE Spur route. He returned weeks later and successfully summited the mountain via the easier Abruzzi ridge with Veikka Gustafsson.

Kangchenjunga

In 1987 Groom summited Kanchenjunga (the world's third-highest mountain at 8598m) but on descending developed frostbite in the toes of both feet, later resulting in partial amputation of both feet.

Makalu

In 1999 he climbed Makalu (8,463 metres (27,766 ft)), the world's fifth-highest mountain.

Bibliography

See also

References

  1. ↑ Michael Groom: The Official Website
  2. ↑ Cornford, Philip. "Death and ethics collide at top of the world" May 27, 2006, Sydney Morning Herald. Accessed 15 April 2009. Archived 15 April 2009.
  3. ↑ "Michael Groom — ABC Conversations with Richard Fidler". ABC Local radio. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
  4. ↑ Everesthistory.com Michael Groom Bio
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