"All men dream, …but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men,
              for they may act upon their dreams with open eyes, 
              to make it possible."
                                    T E Lawrence

Scott McNaughton, 32

Accountant on the outside, mountaineer on the inside! 

Mountains are my passion. I began to get involved in mountaineering in the late 90's. Then during 2002/03 I spent a couple of years based in New Zealand. It was here three days into a 5 day solo trek in Mount Aspiring National Park that I sat alone, high on Cascade Saddle with Dart Glacier far beneath on one side and the rainforests of the West Matukituki valley on the other. Here I began to imagine something like The Challenge.

I began doing more and more in the mountains. I began to see there was potential to do something big. 

On returning to the UK I was determined to carry on my mountaineering. You’ll find me in the Scottish and Welsh mountains as often as I can. I also added a technical side to my mountaineering and took up climbing.

I gathered the technical skills to take on high altitude mountains. But could I cope with the physiological impact of altitude?  

In late 2004 I joined a month long expedition to the Himalaya to climb two decent sized mountains Mera and Island Peaks, to 6,654m. 

I loved it……..

Other things you might like to know;

·        I lived in Auckland, New Zealand for 2 years 2002/3
·        I hold an AFF solo skydive licence
·        Born and lived in Edinburgh until I was 9 years old
·        I am a Partner in an international accounting firm - London office
·        I have a degree in pure and applied mathematics

Mount Everest, Himalaya. 8848m

The Summit of Everest sticks itself up into the Jetstream, the hurricane force winds that flow high in the Earth’s atmosphere. For a few days a year, changes brought on by the Monsoon lift the Jetstream.  

There is only 33% of sea level oxygen at the summit. One of the reasons a summit attempt takes so long is that acclimatisation is a slow and painful process. The body is under continual strain to create more and more red blood cells to carry much needed oxygen around the body. The blood becomes thick, stocky and deep red. Rushing the acclimatisation process is extremely dangerous and cerebral and pulmonary oedema are frequent killers.

Above 8,000m is known as The Death Zone. Here the body can no longer acclimatise. The levels of oxygen are too low to sustain life for long. I’ll be using supplementary oxygen, at increasing flow rates, from around 7,000m. Problems above 8,000m aren’t worth thinking about…

The mountain was named after Sir George Everest, a British military engineer who served in India from 1829 to 1843. Everest was the first person to record the location and height of the mountain, then known as Peak XV.Nepali people refer to the mountain as Sagarmatha, meaning "Forehead in the Sky". Tibetan people refer to the mountain as Chomolungma, meaning "Goddess Mother of the World".

The climate of Mount Everest is naturally extreme. In January, the coldest month, the summit temperature averages about -36° C and can drop as low as -60° C. Then there's the wind chill.

On May 29, 1953, under a British expedition flag and the leadership of John Hunt, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay successfully completed the first ascent of Mount Everest via the South Col.

Statistically, for every 10 people who summit, 1 dies.

For other interesting facts visit www.mounteverest.net

If I’m acclimatised…..                                                                                                 if the slopes are in the right condition……                                                                     if I’m fit enough ……..                                                                                                 if the weather holds long enough…..                                                                              if I’m at the right camp........                                                                                          if I’ve got the determination ……                                                                                  if I’ve the resources…….                                                                                             if my luck holds ………….…………......................................then  I will get my chance.

Do please leave your inspired thoughts in the Guestbook. If there's more you need to know, or fancy contacting me direct by completing the easy form below.