Overcoming disabilities to climb Kilimanjaro

Max Adventure were tasked with running a selection weekend for the 'Expedition Project Management' company, who were organising a Kilimanjaro climb for the Enham disability charity.

In June 2008 a mixed ability group will attempt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. This expedition will fit in with Enham's philosophy of empowering disabled people to extend the limits of their capability.

The aim of the weekend was to expose the candidates to some of the skills they would require; see how they operated in team and individual challenges and to assess how well they would blend into the team when everyone had been moved out of their day to day comfort zone.

The days were very long and busy, including classroom and practical instruction in navigation, lectures on the effects of altitude and advice on clothing and equipment. The applicants were tested during a night navigation exercise held in the countryside surrounding Enham Alamein near Andover, Hampshire.

The weekend was coordinated by Max Adventure's Training Manager, Steve Holland, who has extensive experience in team selections, including those about to embark on extreme expeditions with Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

Dr Sundeep Dhillon, a veteren of two successful Evererst summits and formerly the youngest person to climb the 7 Summits (the highest mountain on each continent) enthralled the applicants with his tales of climbing Kilimanjaro. Max Adventure director, Mac Mackenney, gave a practical presentation on the right clothing and equipment to take onto the mountain.

The selection process culminated in a very realistic scenario involving a car crash with multiple casulaties early in the morning. The applicants did amazingly well to cope with the pressures that were put on them.

The successful candidates will now move forward to further training in the UK, which will prepare them for the climb in June.

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