Beijing, May 20 (Reporter Wang Xiaguang) — According to information from the Everest Base Camp of the China University of Geosciences Mountaineering Team, at 8:16 a.m. on May 19, four members of the university's mountaineering team successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest from the north side, standing atop the world’s highest peak at an elevation of 8,844.43 meters. They became the first university mountaineering team in China to conquer the world’s highest mountain. The four summiteers included three university students — Deqing Ouzhu, Ciren Danda, and Chen Chen — and their teacher Dong Fan. At the top of the world, they offered heartfelt congratulations to their alma mater on its 60th anniversary.
It is understood that as early as 2010, China University of Geosciences decided to organize a faculty-student mountaineering team to climb Mount Everest as a way to celebrate the university’s 60th anniversary. This effort was intended to embody the university motto of “hard work, simplicity, truth-seeking, and pragmatism,” showcase the university’s glorious history, distinctive educational characteristics, and firm resolve to build a world-class institution in the field of earth sciences.
In November 2010, China University of Geosciences formed the Everest Mountaineering Team. After a series of selections across the university, multiple rounds of testing, and two years of rigorous training, 26 mountaineers were finally chosen, including nine teachers and 17 students. In late March 2012, the Everest Mountaineering Team officially set off. Following two months of acclimatization training in the Lhasa region and the Everest area in Tibet, the team officially launched their summit attempt on May 13 and successfully reached the peak on the 19th. During the climb, the student members overcame challenges such as oxygen deprivation, dryness, intense sunlight, cold, insomnia, and monotony. They dared to challenge, climbed bravely, and fully demonstrated the bold spirit, pioneering courage, tenacity, sense of responsibility, and indomitable will of today’s college students. The Everest climbing activity received attention and support from all sectors of society.
China University of Geosciences has a strong tradition in mountaineering. The footprints of generations of its members can be found on many of the world’s seven continental high peaks. Over the past 60 years since its founding, the university has trained and sent out a large number of outstanding mountaineers to the country, including Wang Fuzhou, Yuan Yang, Cong Zhen, Li Zhixin, Wang Yongfeng, Ci Luo, and Yuan Fudong, making outstanding contributions to China’s mountaineering endeavors.