All-Black group makes history by summiting Mount Everest

Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, has been reached by about 4,000 people. Only eight of these people have been Black.

This is why Full Circle, a group made up of Black climbers and mountaineers was created.

It is an expedition that is definitely about climbing. It is not only about climbing, but it also involves building community, global community. Rosemary Saal, who is a Full Circle member, says that it’s all about changing the narrative in America for Black people and how they interact with the outdoors.

Saal has a knack for scaling both literal and metaphorical heights. She was part of an all-Black team, which hiked Denali in Alaska with another group that reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Full Circle, however, is different, she said. The mountaineering community can be small and Everest is the name most people recognize.

Abby Dione, another Full Circle member says “This mountain gets attention.”

Coral Cliffs Climbing Gym, which Dione owns and runs, is located in Fort Lauderdale. She is passionate about helping women of color see the outdoors and is one of two Black women in America to own a climbing gym.

Dione says, “The goal of Full Circle is to demystify the process.” “Regardless of how high the mountain is, our real goal is to reverse engineer things for people.

Seven members of the Full Circle team reached Mount Everest’s summit on May 12. They included both Dione as well as Saal.

“The Full Circle Everest team, led by Philip Henderson of California, has made history as being the first all-Black team ever to reach the summit, which is the highest mountain on Earth,” Jiban Ghimire (managing director at Shangri-La Nepal Treks), confirmed to the Himalayan Times.

Dione and Saal were not the only climbers to reach the summit. Manoah, Frederick Campbell and Eddie Taylor were also among the climbers. Desmond Mullins and Thomas Moore, as well as eight Sherpa guides, reached the top. Henderson was the leader of the team, but he did not reach the summit.

THE MOUNTAIN IS THE METAPHOR

Full Circle is committed to being respectful of the Sherpas and Nepalis who accompany climbers on their ascents.

For example, take the most well-known Everest climb — Sir Edmund Hillary was the one who received the most attention in 1953. Tenzing Norgay, his Sherpa guide, wasn’t added to the records for decades.

Hillary was also referred to by many as the first person who climbed to the top Everest. However, there were numerous accounts of Sherpas reaching Everest before foreigners.

Dione says that Full Circle seeks to “decolonize” Everest climbing. This is not about increasing visibility for mountaineers of color, but also about using inclusive language.

“Our goal is not to make people feel bad about the outdoors. The titleTo it, but All are welcomeYou can do it. It is possible to do it right if you see it as possible.

Saal, who is bi-racial, said that her community was the one where she found the people she wanted to stop her childhood passion for sports and the outdoors.

“I took my first mountaineering and rock climbing courses when I was young. I would tell my family and friends, or anyone else in my life about the things I was doing. It was like, “Oh, Black people don’t do that.” This is the White side. Black people aren’t allowed to go skiing. Black people don’t go climbing.'”

Saal was able to pursue her interests thanks to community groups in Seattle. She met educators from many different backgrounds and helped silence the voices that said it couldn’t happen.

Dione had additional questions about outdoor women that she couldn’t answer.

“What is it like for men to have a period at 6,000m and more? She speaks aloud.

THE HERO’S JOY

Both women mention Phil Henderson, the founder of Full Circle as an inspiration.

Henderson’s nickname was Uncle Phil after Will, who mentored Henderson on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”

His nickname, “Avuncular”, is well-deserved. Henderson, a California native, has been a pioneer in outdoor activities for Black women and men. He was the leader of an all Black climbing team to Mount Kilimanjaro’s summit and is now a long-standing instructor at the National Outdoor Leadership School in Wyoming.

Henderson, like many other young Black men was encouraged to take part in team sports. Although he excelled in football, a serious injury ended his NFL dreams. From there, he discovered his love for outdoor sports.

Henderson led an all-Black climb group to Mount Kenya’s summit in 2000. It was a transformative experience for Henderson, who was not only leading a literal adventure but also a new generation Black outdoor experts.

He wrote that “there is representation of Black people mountaineering and climbing and the overall outdoors industry,” but “our stories aren’t being told.”

Henderson is the only member of this team with Everest experience. In 2012, he was the only Black member of an American climbing expedition at Everest. He refers back to Chomolungma, the Tibetan name for the summit.

COMING OFF THE JOURNEY

In January 2022, the group of nine climbers arrived at Nepal to begin altitude acclimation.

If Full Circle’s members all complete their climb, the number Black people who have reached Mount Everest will more than double.

The cost of climbing the highest peak on earth can be prohibitive.

Full Circle Everest now has corporate sponsors such as North Face, Summit Coffee and Smartwool.

The cost of blazing the trail is worth it.