You’ve probably heard about the dangers that season climbers experienced this year, getting to the top of Mount Everest. Experts say this might be the worst season they’ve seen yet.
One woman says the dangers she faced were real.
How far would you go to cross something off of your bucket list? Would you put your life in danger? Would you climb to the highest point on earth, to climb Mount Everest knowing the dangers that lie ahead?
“My name is Merry Morgan Holotik and I climbed Mount Everest,” said Holotik, of Walton County, Florida.
65 days, countless dangers, and one goal – make it to the top.
“I had climbed Kilimanjaro before and Aconcagua which is the largest mountain outside of the Himalayas,” shared Holotik.
Everest was the next big goal for Holotik. Deciding only a few months before her trip to take the leap of faith, she trained for ten weeks.
“You realize that death could happen and people do die on the mountain, but that is not something I was thinking about at all,” said Holotik.
The 2019 window for climbing was one of the shortest ever, lasting only four days.
Many people describe it as a “human traffic jam.” Holotik told us before climbing the mountain, she had heard of the dangers.
“It wasn’t the kind of thing where I felt like I was going to die trying,” Holotik said.
With every step she took, Holotik said it was her faith and prayers that pushed her to keep going.
“I was really lucky. My Sherpa is very experienced. This was his twelfth summit on Everest, and he was absolutely amazing. He was like my mountain angel.”
With dozens of people all attempting to reach the top, the hike was slow but, steady.
“He got me in front of all the people and it was actually just the two of us at the top of Everest for about two minutes,“ said Holotik.
Holotik described the moments of being on top of the world, as breathtaking and well worth the dangers.
“At first I was so overwhelmed I was there. And I just started crying a little. I’m on top of Everest. Like this is amazing this is what we have. That’s what we came for. This is what we have been working so hard for,” described Holotik.
Now, that Holotik has successfully climbed Mount Everest, she says she is one and done.