Gu Jian plans to carry the blood sample of the 1 millionth voluntary blood donor from the provincial blood center to Mount Everest
For many climbing enthusiasts, the ultimate goal of scaling Mount Everest has always seemed out of reach. But one brave man from Nanjing is about to conquer the death zone in April. Yesterday, Gu Jian, an employee of the provincial blood center and a seasoned mountaineer, stated solemnly, “I will challenge Mount Everest this April.” Climbing Everest is also Gu Jian’s gift to himself for turning 50. Since 2007, his mountaineering record has been continuously refreshed—from Mount Siguniang at an altitude of 5,300 meters to Cho Oyu at 8,200 meters—he has conquered them one by one. And scaling Everest is his ultimate goal.
The Olympic Torch Ignites the “Climbing Dream”
On the morning of the 13th, reporters met Gu Jian at the provincial blood center. With a slight receding hairline, he had a very solid build. Gu Jian told reporters that his passion for climbing was “ignited” by the relay of the Olympic torch.
“I had long noticed the information about the torch relay. At that time, I had just finished climbing Mount Siguniang at an altitude of 5,300 meters. The torch relay inspired me to keep reaching new heights in climbing.” Starting at the age of 30, Gu Jian became passionate about outdoor adventure activities and was once severely frostbitten in the wild, “Out of ten toes, six turned black.” The physical injuries did not stop Gu Jian from continuing to scale new heights. He left his footprints on Mount Siguniang at 5,300 meters, Yuzhu Peak at 6,000 meters, and Muztagh Ata at 7,546 meters.
“When we were climbing Muztagh Ata, one of our team members sacrificed his life there.” Gu Jian told reporters and showed them the successful summit certificate issued by the Tibet Mountaineering Association. In October 2010, Cho Oyu, located within the Tibetan border, became his “major training session” before climbing Everest. “Cho Oyu is 8,200 meters high, and the feeling of finally reaching the summit after going through so much is indescribable.”
Carrying 40 Pounds to Climb Purple Mountain to Build Stamina
Climbing peaks above 6,000 meters requires not only physical strength but also overcoming fear, weather, and other challenges. “On Cho Oyu, I stepped into a crevasse with one foot, my body suddenly sank, and everything went black.” Gu Jian recalled his dangerous experience on the peak. Peaks over 6,000 meters in altitude have visibility of only 4.5 meters and are often hit by winds as strong as level 10. To prepare for such challenges, Gu Jian did a lot of training before the climb.
“I exercise for four hours every day— one and a half hours in the gym in the morning, and in the afternoon, I carry 40 pounds of iron weights to climb Purple Mountain, at least twice a day.” Living at the foot of Purple Mountain gives Gu Jian a unique advantage for training. Long-term exercise has given him a solid and strong physique.
About to Challenge the Death Zone Next Month
“The person I admire the most is Wang Shi, who has greatly promoted the development of civilian mountaineering activities.” For climbing, Gu Jian has equipped himself with full climbing gear. A pair of climbing shoes alone costs 8,848 yuan, and items like down jackets cost more than 7,000 yuan.
Successfully standing at the summit of Cho Oyu, Gu Jian took another step toward his goal of climbing Everest. Reporters learned that he has signed up for this year’s April Everest climbing activity and will head to Lhasa on April 1st for a month of training. “Although my family doesn’t fully support me, I will keep striving for my dream.”
According to Gu Jian, when climbing Everest, it is best to minimize the weight one carries. But in April this year, Gu Jian will carry an additional small “souvenir”: the blood sample of the 1 millionth voluntary blood donor from the provincial blood center.