On Saturday, 10 May 2025, veteran adventurer, business coach, and author Adrian Hayes summited Mt. Kangchenjunga, the world’s third-highest mountain, located on the Nepal-Sikkim (India) border in the Himalayas. The ascent alone, after a grueling 20-hour climb from Camp 4 on what is arguably one of the hardest 8000m mountains in the world to climb, was a formidable achievement for the Nepalese speaking ex-Gurkha officer – whose former regiment recruited from the foothills in the shadows of the iconic mountain. And it enabled Hayes to join a select group of mountaineers who have summited the three highest mountains in the World – Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga.
What followed, however, was one of the most remarkable survival feats in Himalayan history when Hayes – injuring his hand just below the summit – spent the next 36 hours in the ‘death zone’ attempting to descend the mountain alone, with one usable hand, no oxygen or liquids, a broken ski /ice pole, under the increasing debilitating effects of HACE (high altitude cerebral edema), hallucinations, and ultimately severe frostbite to his fingers and toes. His harrowing ordeal has been described by many mountaineers and commentators as one of the most extraordinary survival stories from the high Himalayas.
Join RGS-Singapore at the British Club on 25 September 2025 for a first-hand recount of this remarkable story. Book your tickets via Eventbrite today!
