Peak Success for Wheelchair Climber

25 year old Aron Anderson has become the first person to reach the top of Mount Kebnekaise, Sweden’s highest mountain, using a wheelchair.

Aron lost the use of his legs and became a wheelchair user when he was younger, after surgeons had to remove a tumour from his spine.  After this, he turned to stories of exploration and adventure for inspiration, which eventually prompted his bid to reach the top of the 6,909 feet (2106 metre) peak.

Disability First

Excited Aron commented: “It’s always special to be the first to do something.

“If it hasn’t been done, you don’t know if it’s possible.  It’s like the four minute mile – no-one believed it could be done until Roger Bannister did it.  Now people break the four-minute mark all the time.”

Preparation

Getting ready for the mammoth task took Aron months of preparation and lots of hard work.  The climb, which took three days, required extraordinary strength and endurance.

Aron explains: “I did a lot of work on my fitness beforehand.  I can kind of stand on my legs, but they’re very weak – so during the climb I was using crutches, my arms, I was even crawling a bit, anything really to get me to the top.”

The climbers took three days in total to scale the mountain, with an unexpected stop halfway through due to unexpected bad weather.  Aron had to take extra precautions on the mountain’s rocky surface.

Aron recalls: “The rocks were a big challenge for me. I had to be really careful where I put down my crutches so the stones wouldn’t dislodge.”

Now that Aron has defeated Mount Kebnekaise, he’s already thinking ahead to his next big challenge: “My next goal is probably to win a medal at the Paralympics in Rio!”

Well done Aron and good luck with Brasil!