MATTHEW Stevens is being hailed as the first person from Ipswich to climb Mt Everest, a feat that marks the culmination of a dream he’s carried since he was a teenager.
At 36 years old, Stevens told Local Ipswich News that what began as a bold ambition had evolved into something much deeper over time.
“When I was younger, I think I just wanted to be heard, seen, acknowledged, and respected,” he said.
“I figured if I could do something that gnarly, people would notice. But as I got older – my perspective changed, even though the dream didn’t. I had started something, and I needed to finish it.
“The achievement, to me, meant closure. It was the final chapter in something I’d been chasing for years. And finishing what you start – that’s priceless, no matter the dream.”
The journey took six weeks from Kathmandu back to Kathmandu, with Stevens undertaking an extraordinary physical and mental challenge along the way.
Although official planning began about a year ago, including bookings and payments with an expedition company, the path to Everest was much longer.
“That’s when training really kicked up a notch,” he said.
“But in truth, I’ve been climbing mountains in the Himalayas on and off for over five years, slowly preparing myself for the day I’d take on Everest.”
Stevens trained six days a week in preparation, pushing his body and mind to new extremes.
“Everything from long bush walks – sometimes lasting up to 12 hours – to indoor rock climbing, beach runs and swims, and gym sessions,” he said.
Despite reaching the top of the world, it wasn’t until Stevens was safely back at Base Camp that the enormity of the accomplishment finally set in.
“You’d think it would sink in at the summit, but it didn’t. I still had to get back down safely – and descending can be even more dangerous when you’re totally spent. But when I finally walked into Base Camp, cracked a local beer, and sat down – it hit me.”
Reflecting on the experience, Stevens said nothing else in life quite compared.
“I’ve had incredible moments in life – getting married, the birth of my kids, finishing ultramarathons and Ironmans.
But I’ve never done anything that intense, for that long, before.”
Looking ahead, Stevens already has his sights set on an even more daunting challenge.
“There’s a mountain in Pakistan called K2. Some say it’s the most dangerous mountain in the world, where one in three climbers either turn back or die – so, naturally, I’m interested,” he said, laughing.
“I just wish I could pick a safer hobby – like stamp collecting or knitting.”
