Thea-Mari - Going to the top

On the 25^th October 2003 Thea-Mari reached the top of Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia, making this the 5^th Continental peak to be climbed by this attractive, soft spoken 5ft tall South African lady.

Kilimanjaro was the first. As a different way of celebrating her graduation (a Bachelors degree in Sport Science) from the University of Stellenbosch, Thea-Mari summited the highest peak in Africa on the last day of 1998. And thus discovered that climbing was her passion. So a letter from David Ker , a mountaineering friend from Johannesburg, inviting her to join a party attempting Mt Elbrus, Europe’s highest peak, found her leaving Stellenbosch once more. This time it was the 10^th of August, a week after her 24^th birthday, that Thea-Mari stood on top of Europe.

Hiking the Drakensberg traverse, training for Carstensz	Sean Wisedale and myself packing for Carstensz	Pure bliss in the Drakensberg

Next was Mt Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America and the Western hemisphere. In spite of almost no time to prepare, she joined the South American expedition late in 1999 and on 16 December reached the top of Aconcagua.

With three of the world’s continental peaks achieved, Thea –Mari realised that conquering all seven, as the world’s youngest woman to do this, was achievable. She had no hesitation when Sean Disney, an experienced mountaineer and expedition leader, invited her to join his group for an attempt on Mt McKinley (North America’s highest peak, situated in Alaska, and from bottom to top the longest climb of all). The team consisted of 4 South Africans, Thea-Mari being the youngest, and the only woman. But it was not to be. The day before the attempt on the summit, she became dehydrated and it was too dangerous for her to continue. Agonisingly, she had to wait whilst the other 3 successfully made it to the top.

Hiding from the relentless wind - Drakensberg	All I need now is a Guinness...	-40 Degree Celcius inside the tent - Denali

The mountain wasn’t going anywhere. Thea-Mari went to Scotland to work and raise funds, and one year later she stepped on to the summit of Mt McKinley. It was the 28^th May 2001.

Many people give up trying to gain permission to climb the Carstensz Pyramid in Irian Jaya, Indonesia, and opt for ascending Mt Kosciusko in Australia instead. (Not the purists, you can drive up Kosciusko in your car, and Carstensz is a lot higher and infinitely more difficult). After 2 years and 6months of trying to gain permission, 3 cancelled expeditions (because of guerrilla warfare in the area) and an incredible amount of red tape, Thea-Mari finally summited Carstensz in October 2003. With her was Sean Wisedale, the only South African to date to have achieved all 7 summits.

The challenges left for this young woman, schooled in George in the southern Cape, and graduated from Stellenbosch, are the Vinson Massif in Antarctica and, of course, Mt Everest.  Thea-Mari has the capacity to push herself to limits incomprehensible to most of us, a God-given talent in the ability to climb, and the passion to achieve what she sets out to do. All that is lacking now in seeing her as the youngest woman in the world to have conquered the 7 continental summits, and the only South African woman to have achieved this, is the financial backing for the final expeditions. Physically, mentally and emotionally she is ready………….

Camera shy - Mount Everest Resort - Free State, South Africa	Weekend escapism - Drakensberg	After reaching the summit - Aconcaqua

Some Favourites:

Books: Alive - Piers Paul Read

Wild At Heart - John Eldredge, Captivating - John & Stasi Eldredge

Movies: Faith like Potatoes, Facing the Giants

TV Show: Survivor, Amazing Race