Everyone at some point in their life has dreamed about climbing a mountain, whether it be Everest, or Snowdon or the Himalayas. It’s always viewed as an exciting, adrenaline filled adventure with lots of risks to your body, however, not everyone considers the psychological aspect of climbing lathe mountains.

Climbing mountains isn’t easy, trust me i know, I’m half way up Everest, and it is super f***ing difficult. There’s snow all around me, deep enough to cover up a body. There’s massive rocks and boulders all around me, sitting there watching my every step. My face is numb, to the post that I can’t tell if I’m talking or not.

Looking around me, all is see is just an endless expanse of white, something so white, hiding so much darkness. You can’t hear anything either, all i can hear is the wind slamming into me and my climbing crew. Their voices are so faint, it’s almost like their at the bottom of the mountain shouting up, but they’re standing right next to me. The mental fortitude you need to climb a mountain, especially Everest (which is what I’m attempting) is beyond compare.

The sheer will you need to carry on, knowing the worst is yet to come, and that there’s a decent chance you could die and be left up here is only put into perspective once you’re on the mountain. The feeling of continuously walking through snow and ice is draining, the constant leg strength needed to push yourself forward along with the painfully cold temperatures is enough to make you want to quit.

Not only that, but you’ve got to deal with the drop in air pressure and having to wear oxygen masks and gear and having to haul that as well. It takes all your resolve not to call it quits and turn back. The fear of climbing something so daunting even before you set foot on the mountain is enough to make you reconsider your life choices.

Having previous climbing experience really helps in the constant motivation and handling of certain scenarios you face. The constant battle between logic and desire is mentally draining as well, logic says to go back down as you’re unsafe and could very well die, however desire says to keep going and to reach the summit and work your way down, and even if you die, you’ve made it.

I highly recommend trying to climb a mountain, maybe start at something small and work you’re way up, or if you do go big at the start, surround yourself with highly experienced climbers and people who know the respective mountain. However, I strongly advise to be ready for the mental challenges of which ever mountain your choose, the physical challenges are tough, but mental fortitude is what is gonna either make you quit, or push you to glory.