The Singaporean Women's Everest Team follow a list of of over 100 women climbers who succeeded in conquering Mt. Everest, according to a June 28, 2004 K2Climb.net article "ExWeb Tribute to the Women of K2: The Eve's of the Killer Mountain." The first woman to climb Mt. Everest's peak was Junko Tabei from Japan, in 1975. Within the same month a Tibetan woman reached the summit from the Tibetan side. Since then women from all over the world have survived the climb to the top. However, the mountain has claimed over 211 lives between the years 1922 and 2008, according to a 8000ers.com fatalities table.
Danger at Khumbu Icefall
Most of the people who have perished on Mt. Everest were actually descending at the time. In addition, more deaths have occurred on the Icefall at 18,000 feet than any other part of the mountain, according to Kraig Becker in the April 14, 2009 Gadling.com article "Everest Ice Doctors Operate on the Khumbu Icefalls." Every year these ice doctors, or rather skilled Sherpas, hang ladders and nylon rope in strategic areas to make it safer for climbers.
One of the Singapore team members, Sim Yi Hui, had to turn back due to chest pains on the Khumbu Icefall. This was a prudent decision on her part. "The Icefall is in constant motion. It contains enormous ice seracs, often larger than houses, which dangle precariously over the climbers' heads, threatening to fall at any moment without warning, as the climbers cross endless crevasses and listen to continuous ice creaking below," stated in the EverestNews.com article "Everest 2009: Singapore Women to Try Everest." The other climbers on the team include Joanne Soo, Lee Li Hui, Jane Lee, Esther Tan, and Lee Peh Gee.
Many other hazards exist as well. Other dangers include high winds, altitude sickness, avalanches and frost-bite. For these women to have surpassed these treacherous elements of the Icefall and the mountain itself, training was of the utmost importance.
Singapore Team's Training
The preparation and training began 5 years before the climb. Climbing 30-storey buildings and Bukit Timah Hill several times a week, along with running 50 kilometers each week was just the beginning. In addition, they have scaled a series of other mountains in preparation for the climb up Mt. Everest, including Mt. Cho Oyu in 2007, according to Pearl Forss in the March 12, 2009 Channel NewsAsia article "Singapore's First Women's Everest Team All Set for Expedition."
Success of the Women's Everest Team in Face of Danger
Just last month the Singapore Women's Everest Team succeeded in reaching the top of the world. To both humble and reaffirm their accomplishment are the over 120 bodies that still remain partially buried en route to the summit. It is too perilous and difficult for anyone to attempt to remove the bodies, according to Charles W. Bryant in the March 2, 2009 HowStuffWorks.com article "Are There Dead Bodies on Mt. Everest?" It is not known if the Singapore women noticed any of these bodies, but they have been observed by many climbers on the way to the summit.
These Singaporean women are a symbol of resilience and achievement to all future climbers of Mt. Everest, especially the young girls of today who are dreaming of possibilities. Their success came five days before the 11th anniversary of the first Singaporean men to reach the summit back in 1998, according to Low Lin Fhoong in the May 21, 2009 Today Online article "Singapore's First Ladies on Everest 2009."
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