Over 6,000 people have summited Everest. This sounds like a lot, but it’s a pretty small number compared to the population at large of nearly eight billion people. Each one of these Mt. Everest climbers has a compelling story. At the very least, they’ve topped the tallest mountain in the world, and they’ve done it with people they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.
So, what sets apart the story of the Full Circle Everest from any of the other teams who’ve taken a picture at the summit? Well, we’re glad you asked. Because there’s plenty to say.
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Sherpa Relationship - It’s traditional for many teams to meet the Sherpa guides just before the climb. They make it to the top, or they don’t, and then the relationship is over after the visiting climbers fly home. It’s transactional. FCE’s leader, Phil, doesn’t believe in this approach. These guides are Sherpa friends that he’s known for years. He’s trained several of them. He’s met their families. They’ve met his family. And Phil recently took the team to Katmandu to meet and share a meal (plus a shot of whiskey) with their Sherpa partners.
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Black History - The planning for this trip began in 2017, when Phil began having talks with potential team members from all over the world - spanning from America to Kenya. It’s been a long story already, and the next chapter will culminate with the world’s first all-Black expedition on Everest.
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Brain and Brawn - On the Full Circle team, four PhD’s are represented. In addition to being world-class climbers, they’re also scholars of sociology, statistics, and electrical engineering. The combined stack of doctoral dissertation papers is nearly as high as Everest itself.
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Veteran Representation - Demond Mullins is among the small group of combat veterans who’ve climbed Everest. He served in Iraq, and also aided in efforts to keep New York City safe after the 9/11 attacks. We thank him for his service, and couldn’t be rooting for him more.
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FITS socks - You guessed it. The whole team will be sporting our proven Heavy Expedition socks.
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The Summit is Not the Focus - Phil is quick to clarify that making it to the top is not the point of Full Circle Everest. Obviously, everyone wants to summit. And it’s certainly their goal to do so. But, what fires up every member on the team most is making meaningful connections. And there’s nothing like having a historic adventure on the other side of the planet to do just that. In the words of Phil, “By the time the plane arrives in Katmandu, and everyone is together, my job is done.”