Hubbard Ice Sponsors Himalayan Cancer Relief Challenge

Hubbard Ice Systems the UK distributors for Scotsman Ice Making Machines is sponsoring a two-man team who are undertaking one of amateur mountaineering’s greatest challenges – The Island Peak Challenge 2010. Following in the footsteps of Hillary and Tensing, Darren Nolan a 34 year old Midlands based Refrigeration Service Engineer for Flowrite Services and his climbing partner Scott Bushell of Northampton are aiming to raise funds for Cancer Research by climbing the 20305 ft Himalayan peak, which sits alongside Mount Everest, in October 2010.

Hubbard Ice System’s £1000 contribution has enabled the fearless duo to commence early training for the gruelling 17-day challenge. The test of stamina and mental endurance will require the pair to trek through the Himalayas for 9 days before stopping at Everest Base Camp in Nepal to acclimatise at an altitude of 5,360 metres (17,590 ft). They will then set out on the four-day ascent of Imja Tse (Island Peak) at temperatures of minus15 degrees Celsius and little oxygen due to the thin atmosphere.

Imja Tse, known as Island Peak, is set in eastern Nepal. The peak was named Island Peak in 1951 by Eric Shipton's party acknowledging its appearance as an island in a sea of ice. The peak was renamed Imja Tse in 1983.

Imja Tse was first climbed by a British team in 1953 as a training exercise for the conquest of Everest. Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, was one of the members of the first ascent team.

From base camp the Hubbard Ice sponsored pair will move on to high camp through a broad open gully. At the top of the gully a glacier begins and proceeds up to a steep snow and ice slope. Here an exhausting ascent of nearly 100 metres (330 ft) to the summit ridge begins. The climb to the summit is known for its difficulty due to the steepness of the climbing. At the summit Mount Everest is ten kilometres to the north but the pair’s view will be blocked by the massive wall of Lhotse, towering 2,300 m (7,500 ft) above them.

Team leader Darren Nolan says;

“I have been a refrigeration engineer for 6 years and with the cold climate in the Himalayas expected to be between minus10 and minus 15 degrees my day-to-day working experience in and out of cold stores and freezers is going to be very useful in helping me to acclimatise quickly. We hope to raise a substantial sum for Cancer Research, which is a charity close to my heart as my wife successfully beat breast cancer in 1993 and made a full recovery. We will be keeping all of our supporters and sponsors updated on our progress through ‘Twitter’ and ‘Facebook’ as long as our fingers don’t succumb to frostbite!’.

Hubbard Ice Systems are pleased to be sponsoring this noble cause and anyone else wishing to support Darren and Scott can make donations to Cancer Research Island Peak Challenge 2010, online at www.justgiving.com/islandpeak or by visiting www.hubbardicesystems.co.uk and following the progress of the pair on the Island Peak News page.

BREAKING NEWS

Darren and Scott prepare for the big test.

Island Peak Update - Brecon Beacons August 7 & 8th 2010

Darren & Scott are due to get into a serious training mode with a gruelling hike across the Black Mountains in the Brecon Beacon National Park.

It will be an ideal opportunity to test some of their basic equipment even though it is midsummer it can be cold and windy on the hills throughout the year so the pair is hoping to be able to trial some of their bad weather gear.

With the departure for Kathmandu only 80 days away the intrepid duo is pushing hard to get as much training under their belts as possible and to raise their stamina levels.

The Black Mountains represent good training for the trek to Everest Base Camp, with the highest mountain being ‘Waun Fach’ (811 metre (2,661 ft).

Darren says: ‘This is our first real test against the elements and the trek to the highest point of the Black Mountains in just 24 hours will give us a good reckoning of how tough Island Peak is likely to be – but it’s all in a good cause, so we’re determined to beat whatever nature can throw at us – baking sun or pouring rain’.

Support Darren & Scott’s efforts in aid of Cancer Research DONATE HERE