A Basingstoke explorer came close to being swept away in an avalanche.
James Ketchell from Eastrop was making a push for the summit of Everest at the weekend when disaster struck.
The 29-year-old had been at base camp for less than a month when he was given the green light for a summit attempt.
But he was forced to abandon the climb after 200mph winds started to buffet the peak.
James had reached camp two – 6,500m up the 8,848m mountain.
From there, climbers scale the Lhotse Face to camp three at 7,470m and then to camp four at 7,920m.
Talking from base camp in Nepal, James said he was caught in the avalanche while navigating his way up Lhotse .
“To start with, all I heard was voices shouting get down,” he said. “I then heard the thunder of snow coming down the face.
“At this point, I got really quite worried. There was a Sherpa next to me shouting ‘get your head down’. As I did, chunks of snow, some snowball size and others the size of a TV came flying past me. You could hear them whistle past like bullets.
“I tucked myself into a ball, hoping that my rucksack would take the force if any hit me.
“Fortunately, apart from a few small hits, I was okay.
“How anybody wasn’t smashed off the mountain I don't know.”
James, who flew out to India to start his expedition on March 30, is currently waiting for the weather to clear before embarking on a final summit bid.
He said there may be an opportunity to make an assault on the peak today (May 13).
James is aiming to raise up to £25,000 for the Elifar Foundation, which provides disabled children with life-saving equipment.
He said: “They are run entirely by volunteers and do an incredible amount work for a lot of children.”
To follow James’s progress or to donate to the charity visit www. jamesketchell.net
