Heroes Project ends climb out of respect for dead

Marine Returns to US, Abandons Mount Everest Summit Attempt
The Heroes Project said it will return in 2015 to complete the group's first Everest summit
NBC 7 San Diego
By Vanessa Herrera and R. Stickney
Friday, Apr 25, 2014

A U.S. Marine is returning home after abandoning his attempt to scale Mount Everest.

Up until Thursday, SSgt Charles Linnville was waiting at base camp to scale the world's highest peak despite losing a leg in Afghanistan three years ago.

However, before his group could attempt a summit, there was a widespread walkout of Sherpas in response to the deadliest disaster on the mountain.

An avalanche killed 13 people April 18. Three Sherpas were still missing in the ice and snow, and are presumed dead.

Linville's group “The Heroes Project” announced Friday that they, like other groups prepping for the climb, have decided to abandon their attempt to summit Everest.

In a written release, the project said the group's founder Tim Medvetz, will leave Nepal with the rest of the team including Linville, and members of a film crew.

"They are members of our team and out of respect to our Sherpas, we are not continuing," he wrote.

"We fully support their decision to leave the mountain and we will leave the mountain together the same way we came up, as a team.”
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Afghanistan Veteran Marine Amputee Taking on Mt. Everest

Veterans train to climb Denali, while blind

Blind veterans train on Quandry Peak and Mt. Lincoln for Denali ascent
Summit Daily
Melanie Wong
March 28, 2014

SUMMIT COUNTY — To Scott Smiley, Colorado mountains are the crunching of snow underneath his shoes, the scent of pine needles, the chirping of birds and the feel of fresh, alpine air on his skin.

Because the military veteran and instructor is blind, what he won’t see is the whiteness of snow or the sight of towering peaks, until guide Eric Alexander paints a mental image of the rugged mountains.

“I still think it’s one of the most beautiful things,” Smiley said. “The air is fresh, pure and clean. I live in Spokane, Wash., and you don’t get those senses hitting you all the time. There’s the beauty of seeing things, but those pictures go to my mind and it puts a smile on my face.”

Smiley and fellow veteran Marty Bailey both fought for the U.S. Army in Iraq, where they lost their sight — Smiley to a car bomb and Bailey to a grenade explosion. But being blind hasn’t dampened their sense of adventure. The two were in Colorado in mid-March to train for a May trip up Alaska’s Denali mountain (Mount McKinley) — North America’s tallest peak. Joined by Vail Valley resident and mountaineer Eric Alexander, the two got some altitude training in Summit and neighboring Park County by climbing Quandary Peak and Mount Lincoln — two of the state’s above 14,000 foot peaks.
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Extreme sports used to help war veterans

Extreme sports used to help war veterans

By Gregg Bell - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Jul 28, 2009 14:09:33 EDT

FORT LEWIS, Wash. — Sgt. Sylvia Portillo went first.

Secured with elastic cords to a railroad bridge more than 200 feet over a gorge south of Mount St. Helens, Portillo's mission was to dive over the edge. She pretended to throw up, getting a nervous laugh out of the troops behind her. Then, keeping her own anxiety in check, she bungee-jumped into the lush green below.

Dozens of soldiers in the 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment and the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team took the plunge that day last fall. Most had been recently deployed in Iraq. Few had bungee-jumped before.

As he stood at the edge, Sgt. Steve Damron felt a mix of trepidation and adrenaline that he likened to patrols through Baghdad. "It's a chance to calm our brothers down," he said, "to push that adrenaline out."

That's the idea.
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http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/07/ap_extreme_sports_072809