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Michael Groom

Michael Groom is unquestionably one of the world's greatest 'big' mountain climbers. In 1999 he successfully climbed Makalu, the smallest and for Michael, the last of the 'big five' - the five highest mountains in the world Makalu, Lhotse, Kangchenjunga, K2 and Everest - Michael climbed them all without the assistance of bottled oxygen, and all but Kangchenjunga he climbed without the front third of both feet.

In 1987, descending the summit of Kangchenjunga, his first big five mountain, he suffered crippling frostbite and later had the front of both feet amputated. He was advised to get a desk job, and that his climbing days were definitely over. He succumbed to the incessant pain and sought refuge in painkillers. He became addicted. For two years Michael withdrew the world and became yet another 'victim' of the wrath of the big mountains.

He grew up in the wild Australian mountains, in a family of mountain climbers. During his very first abseil, at the tender age of 10, his dad talked him over the edge of a 100 metre cliff. Somehow, he got to the bottom, but had experienced a life threatening fear that he would carry with him for the rest of his life. The fear that Michael will tell you has saved him many times, when others have died. In the Himalayas, fear and respect are comfortable bedfellows. The big mountains demand your respect, and respect your fear.