We sometimes hear about a climber who has to make a tough decision as we follow mountaineering each season. Usually, it involves weather moving in that might jeopardize the team’s safety or rescuing a teammate. Well, this spring, my long-time friend, Wilco van Rooijen, 55, faced a difficult decision, but it involved staying true to his style.
The Dutch mountaineer cheated death in 2008 on K2, but we both lost a dear friend, Ger McDonnell, that year. Wilco, who always climbs without supplemental oxygen or Sherpa support, had summited K2, Everest, plus many technical climbs in the Alps. He had a sold attempt in 2018 on Kanchenjunga, the 3rd highest mountain at 8,586 m (28,169 ft), with his best friend and climbing partner, Cas van de Gevel.
This 2022 spring, they returned to Kanch for another try in their style. They had perfect weather day after day and had acclimatized on Meru Peak before arriving at Kanch’s base camp. They made one attempt but were going too slow behind a large group, and it was getting late in the day, so they returned to base camp. It was then that their expedition began to experience problems. The operator they had paid to provide base camp logistics told them they only had three days left as they were going. Cas developed health problems. Soon Wilco found himself high on Kanch with a climber he didn’t know and a very young and inexperienced Sherpa. Wilco faced a decision that would test his character and test his commitment to the style head sworn to honor.
It’s a fascinating interview where we talk about our Broad Peak experience, Wilco and Ger on K2 in 2008, and Wilco and Cas this year on Kanch. I take the opportunity to ask Wiclo his views on the changes we are seeing in the world of mountaineering of excessive use of oxygen, inexperienced clients with unqualified guides, helicopters, and more.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
Video Interview Wilco Van Rooijen: No O’s Kanchenjunga 2022 Tough Decisions
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
The Podcast on alanarnette.com
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8 thoughts on “Video Interview Wilco Van Rooijen: No O’s Kanchenjunga 2022 Tough Decisions”
as always Alan, you bring mountaineering to our living rooms for the benefit of those of us who will never climb a mountain. Great respect for all you. Thanks for this interview.
Fantastic interview with Wilco. Old school and a real true climber. None of this helicopter business. If people use helicopters to get half way up Everest, they have not really and truly climbed Everest even if they reached the summit. Just my opinion. I really enjoyed the interview Alan. Thank you.
Thanks as always J
I agree. I have no desire to climb Mt. Everest, but if that ever changes, I would want to start at the base, otherwise I wouldn’t consider it a real climb. People using helicopters to go half-way up, I’d consider that a half-way practice climb.
Great Conversation, Alan…
A big thankyou for this video and being such a great interviewer by listening and letting Wilco tell his story. He has such great depths when it comes to finding meaning and the difference between essence and perception or instant vs delayed gratification. It always is a joy to hear him speak on his passion and spiritual experience of mountaineering. I had the pleasure interviewing him in 2016 and to this day he knows who I am and encourages me to dream ,dare, share and do which is his motto.
Appreciate this Guido. Wilco has such depth of experiences.
Glad you liked it, Guido.
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