Amateur Taiwanese climbers Chen Hung-yao (陳鴻耀) and Su Li-chen (蘇立成) on Oct. 29 became the first ever Taiwanese to reach the peak of Himlung Himal, a mountain in the Nepalese Himalayas, according to CNA.
The Himlung Himal is situated in a remote corner of Nepal and has an altitude of 7,126 meters. However, the main challenge comes not from the height but the strong, chilly gusts, wind, hail, and snow that climbers have to face along the way.
The 44-year-old Chen said that he and Su had become friends because of their shared passion for mountain climbing and that in 2014, they decided to explore mountains overseas together. Since no Taiwanese had ever reached the peak of Himlung Himal, the duo had to rely solely on their own "imaginations" and other climbers' blogs.
Chen and Su arrived at base camp on Oct. 26 and were able to conquer the steep mountain trek in just four days. Chen said that both the weather and their physical condition were ideal, so they were able to complete the mission swiftly.
Chen said conquering the mountain with his good friend felt like a dream but that there was a moment when he doubted they could reach the summit. He added that it was an honor to become the first Taiwanese to celebrate such an extraordinary achievement.
Source：Taiwan News
