A NORTHSIDE adventurer, financial expert and mental health ambassador has returned to Ireland after successfully scaling Mount Kilimanjaro as part of his bid to climb the world’s seven highest summits.
Derek Mahon (55), from the Naul, had never attempted climbing a mountain six years ago. In 2014, he became the only Southern Irish person to summit Mount Everest.
Last month, he successfully summited Mount Kilimanjaro and is now preparing for his next climb – Aconcagua in South America, in February.
Derek is undertaking the seven highest peaks challenge in support of the community-based mental health charity, GROW, which promotes positive mental health and recovery. GROW holds over 120 free peer-support meetings across Ireland every week, along with community education, workplace, carer and young adult programmes.
Situated in Tanzania, Mount Kilimanjaro is 200 miles and three degrees south of the Equator, and is Africa’s highest mountain, standing at 5,895 metres or 19,341 feet.
The summit success rate is 60 per cent, with the climb covering a range of climates and terrain including rainforest, heath zone, moorland, alpine desert and glaciers.
Derek commenced his Kilimanjaro climb, trekking for five hours through equatorial rain forest to the Mandara Huts, located at some 2,720 metres.
This was followed by a further five-hour, 1,000 metre climb the following day to Horombo Huts through alpine forest terrain.
“It was dull, grey and wet, not at all comfortable or expected given Kilimanjaro is only four degrees from the Equator,” he said.
“Having spent only one night at Horombo – where most take an additional day for acclimatisation before heading higher – we left for Kibo at 4,720 metres.
“This took five hours and, for the first time in days, we enjoyed some sunshine and warmth as we trekked through alpine desert to pre-glacial and volcanic desert before reaching Kibo mid-afternoon. “We ate and rested and decided to depart for the summit at 2am. The rest of camp left at midnight.
“We summited at 6.45am having passed many of the ‘midnighters’ enroute. We saw six people turn around and believe many more did also. Beyond Stella and Gilman’s Point, the summit beckoned. We pushed on as best we could to reach the summit for sunrise which was magical. I was delighted to have reached my third summit of my seven summit challenge.”
Derek and his team re mained on the summit for 30 minutes before descending again to Kibo. To support Derek in his seven summits’ venture and to raise funds for GROW, visit the Everydayhero website and search for Derek Mahon, Adventurer – (https://give.everydayhero.com/ie/derek-mahon-adventurer). Details can also be found on the GROW website – www.grow.ie and @GROWIreland Facebook page.
