Calgarian Completes 7 Summits With Vinson in Antarctica
Laval St. Germain, a Calgary resident and one of the world’s top explorers, has wrapped up his Antarctica expedition, where he successfully attained his “Seventh Summit” after reaching the top of Mount Vinson (4,892m) on Dec. 31, 2018.
The next day, he successfully reached the summit of Mount Shinn, the continent’s third tallest peak, at 4,661m. The Seven Summits is an accolade for the few climbers who have successfully reached the summit of the tallest peak on every continent, including Antarctica.
St. Germain’s original expedition also included an unsupported solo ski to the South Pole, but he made the difficult decision to end that portion of the journey early when he encountered challenges pulling a warped sled.
Despite the adversity of his expedition, St. Germain’s commitment to raising funds for the Alberta Cancer Foundation never wavered. He says, “From the start, I wanted to dedicate this expedition to raising much needed funds for the Alberta Cancer Foundation. I thought about the adversity that every cancer patient must face, and their courage helped me get through some challenging days in Antarctica.”
Climbing close to the Earth’s pole can pose challenges. Beyond the frigid temperatures and windchill factor, the physiological effects of altitude are magnified due to the way the earth’s atmosphere is ‘compressed’ or thinner nearer the poles.
Says St. Germain, “Some experts estimate a 10-15% greater perceived altitude near the Poles due to this effect, not to mention the ever-present threat of frostbite.”
Donations are still being accepted by the Alberta Cancer Foundation through Laval’s expedition page, https://albertacancer.ca/southpole. To date, this expedition has helped raise more than $25,000 towards the cause.
St. Germain’s outdoor adventure accolades and expertise to date are numerous, and include:
· Completion of the Seven Summits
· Only Canadian to summit Mount Everest without oxygen
· Only person to climb and ski Iraq’s highest mountain, Cheekah Dar
· Climbed and skied Nunavut’s highest mountain, Barbeau Peak
· Climbed and skied Canada’s highest mountain, Mount Logan
· Climbed the highest peak in 19 countries
· Cycled from the Arctic Ocean to Yukon in winter
· World-record crossing of the North Atlantic ocean by solo row boat
· A Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society
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