The four of us set out not really knowing what to expect and what we found was a classroom with spectacular views, teachers of the highest qualities and an environment where your learning curve needed to be pretty steep.

Four climbers that had never all been in the same room at the same time came together to launch The Makevek Challenge. The critical point of this like any expedition is how the team will work under pressure. It was never an issue. The team gelled effortlessly proving that we had a solid foundation. While Chris and Brent worked together with Roger, and Jules and I worked with Andy, at the end of every day we would sit down and exchange stories and tactics of dealing with the cold, blisters or vertigo! Having been separated into two teams it would be easy to have found an “us and them” situation but this never materialized, rather the effect was that we were glad to see each other unharmed at the end of each day.

One of the most important lessons we learnt was that amongst all the nerves, all the wind and all the miles we walked we were able to see exactly what the Makevek Challenge entailed. From plodding up the face of the Aiguille d’Argentiére nervous with every clumsy step that we might slip, to the winds on top of Cosmiques Arrête leaving one cold to the bone it became evident that The Makevek Challenge was going to be a huge undertaking. Climbing Mt Blanc, a task that should have been relatively simple in comparison to tasks ahead, was a test of nerves and will power in ways that we had not experienced leaving one to contemplate what exactly we had gotten ourselves into.

The aim of the Makevek Challenge is to raise money and awareness through the completion of the Seven Summits. What we is now clearer than ever is that this we will require more that just an ability to handle the cold but a willingness to put a large portion of our lives on hold for the best part of ten years. Gone are the possibilities of heading to the ski slopes or Caribbean for a bit of R&R. With limited vacation allowances “R&R” will be spent at 5,000 meters plus. It will also require a support system of friends of Makevek Challenge who will continue to help raise funds and give so generously.

Our first expedition has come to a close but the Makevek Challenge has just started. Our time France allowed us to come together and see if we had what it took to complete The Makevek Challenge. There is no doubt in my mind that this can be achieved, but the true success of the Makevek Challenge will not be judged by how many mountains we climb but by how much we as Team Makevek Challenge can raise to help Dr Judson in his important work.

Please check back in the following weeks for a daily journal from the Makevek Challenge Team as they describe thier fantastic trip to the Alps and some reflections from the first of many challenges to come.