By Brendan Rees
A Narre Warren South mother and her teenage son have taken on the challenge of a lifetime, trekking to the foothills of the world’s tallest mountain.
From facing freezing temperatures to altitude sickness, and a gruelling 156km trek through the Himalayas to the base camp of Mt Everest, Jenni Walden says “Nothing could compare to what this trip showed me, as a mother, as a leader, as a member of the community.”
For Jenni and her son Mitchell, 17, their 15-day trek in March was more than just than just an adventure. It was to honour a scouting brother.
At only 17 years of age, the death of Nick Sangston in 2016 left a “massive hole” at the First Cranbourne Scout Group where Jenni was also a group leader.
Nick and Mitchell were close scouting friends and just two days prior to Nick’s death by suicide the pair had made a pact that they would climb Mt Everest together one day.
“As time passed, Mitchell was determined to bring this dream to reality,” says Jenni.
“At the request of the family we took Nick’s replica Australian Scout Medallion to our highest point – Mt Everest Base camp, 5836 meters above sea level. The next day we made it down to the memorial park to lay the medallion.”
With the support of their fellow trekkers gathering behind them, Jenni said: “Our thoughts were silent as we reflected on a life lost to us too soon.”
Their group of 12 trekkers consisting of five Australians and seven Americans. They also had a guide and an assistant guide.
As they climbed higher, the effects of altitude became more apparent. “The lack of oxygen meant that walking became so much harder and it took longer to get to places as you were constantly stopping to catch your breath.”
Jenni and Mitchell found their dietary choices were limited to just vegan foods and their accommodation was were so basic, the walls were paper thin, says Jenni.
Climbing to the foothills of Everest has been Jenni’s biggest challenge yet. Every step was in slow motion, she says with “one foot in front of the other” in the face of windy and dusty conditions.
“We discovered so much about ourselves, about others and also about how those in a third world country live/survive,” she says.
“I think when you have had time to reflect and had a dozen hot showers, you realise just how amazing it all was and to honour a fellow scout in the way we did gave the trip a real sense of purpose,” she says.
