RAPID CITY - After climbing Mount Everest, R.C. Scull thinks he's probably done with cold-weather mountain climbing … at least for a while.of Nepal. Sherpas reside in the Himalayas and have become famous for serving as porters for high-altitude climbing. Scull calls Sherpas the "superstars of the mountain."

The 21-year-old Rapid City climber reached the peak of the world's tallest mountain on May 24. It's an experience he'll never forget and an experience he has no desire to repeat.

"It was worth it, but would I do it again? No way," he said.

Scull climbed Everest in his quest to become the youngest climber to summit the seven highest peaks on each continent, plus one. He needs to finish three more climbs - Carstenz Pyramid in Indonesia, Kilimanjaro in Africa and Kosciusko in Australia - by the end of 2008 to accomplish his goal. Due to a dispute over the height of two peaks, many climbers like Scull climb all eight to avoid any confusion.

Although not the most technically difficult mountain in the world to climb, Everest is the tallest at 29,035 feet and by far the most famous. Located in the central Himalayas on the border of Tibet and Nepal, the mountain was first summited on May 28, 1953, by Sir Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay

For most high-altitude climbers, Everest is the pinnacle of their sport. Scull is no exception. He decided to climb it at the age of 12.

Climbing with Seattle company Alpine Ascents International, Scull left Rapid City for Nepal in March in order to hit the May climbing window. Climbers spend about two months acclimatizing, climbing up and down from the four camps located at various elevations on the mountain.

All climbing on Everest was delayed about 10 days when the Chinese government banned any climbing above Camp 2, located at 21,500 feet. A Chinese alpine team climbed from Tibet with the Olympic torch and the government wanted no interference, especially in light of the ongoing protests over Chinese control of Tibet.

Scull said Nepalese soldiers patrolled camps. All cameras were confiscated. Seven sharpshooters were stationed at Camp 2 and climbers were informed they would be shot if they attempted to climb above it.

By May 8, the Chinese team had summited with the torch and restrictions were removed. Scull and his team continued their climb.

The youngest climber on the nine-member all-American team, Scull calls the experience of climbing Everest both terrifying and amazing.

"It was way more difficult than I could have ever expected," he said. "Mentally, I was prepared, but eventually it starts to wear on you."

The two months of acclimatizing left him homesick for family and friends, as well as for a shower and a soft bed. Scull said in addition to the acclimatizing climbs, the team practiced climbing techniques and tried to keep eating and drinking. At high elevation, climbers struggle to maintain their weight. Scull lost 17 pounds.

Not far from Base Camp, located at 17,600 feet, Scull got his first taste of the dangers awaiting him on Everest as the team crossed huge crevasses on ladders strapped together. As the winds blew, climbers struggled to maintain their footing with huge packs on their backs. "I thought, 'This is crazy,'" Scull said.

At another time, a fellow climber caused ice chunks the size of cars to fall all around the team. "That was the first time that I was scared for my life," he said.

By May 23, the team had reached Camp 4 at 26,000 feet, the last stop before the final push for the summit. Because climbers need to be off the summit by early afternoon to avoid storms, they left at 9 p.m. Climbing through the night, winds ranged from 25 to 35 mph and wind chills dropped to 60 degrees below zero.

Scull said the team climbed steadily, stopping briefly to drink and eat. Any extended stop put the team at risk for frost bite. "As soon as you stop, you instantly get cold."

Above 25,000, the air holds only a third as much oxygen than at sea level. The oxygen deprivation increases the odds of hypothermia, frostbite, pulmonary edema (when the lungs fill with fluid) and cerebral edema (when the brain swells.)

Scull said climbing becomes slow and sluggish. Thinking becomes dull, which can result in bad decisions at critical moments. "Your judgment is definitely clouded," he said. "You know you're not sharp."

A climber's thinking remains cloudy even after the descent as the brain returns to normal. Scull said simple math challenged him for days after he returned to the United States.

During the climb, Scull was paired with a Sherpa who has summited Everest 13 times. His experience on the mountain proved critical. "I trusted him. I got lucky," Scull said. But a close call on the Summit Ridge shook both men.

While walking along the ridge just 100 yards from the summit, a ridge that narrowed to six inches at places, a huge cornice dropped away, opening up a 4,000-foot cliff just two feet from where Scull stood. His Sherpa began yelling for Scull to move forward, all the time chanting Tibetan prayers and tossing rice blessed by monks. When the cornice dropped, it took with it a rope anchor, leaving both Scull and his Sherpa unanchored for about 20 feet. "The whole summit day was dicey," he said.

Scull reached the summit at 7:30 a.m. May 24, where he spent about 15 minutes with teammates before descending.

Despite the fatigue and lack of oxygen, Scull said he was able to truly enjoy his minutes at the top. He could see for miles, peering at the world above the clouds. "You're in awe," he said.

Then, it was time for the climb down, sometimes considered the most dangerous part of the climb.

It's estimated that about 40 dead bodies remain on Mount Everest. Close to 200 climbers have died trying to the summit the mountain.

Scull saw one body on the ascent and three more on the descent. Although he knew he might see such things, Scull admits it's still a startling experience.

"Right then and there, you think, 'This is a dangerous mountain' … You knew it already, but …" he said.

During the descent, Scull and his Sherpa were caught in a blinding snowstorm in the same spot where several climbers died during the infamous 1996 climb that inspired John Krakauer's book, "Into Thin Air." Helped by a guide rope, they were able to make it back to the Camp 4 tents by 1:30 p.m.

Within two days, Scull and the team were back at Base Camp, and the next day he left for home.

It wasn't until he reached the camp and looked up at the famous mountain that Scull said his accomplishment really sunk in. "It really doesn't hit you until you get back down," he said. "You just can't believe it."

Scull is grateful to have met his goal and get back home safely. One of his teammates, a surgeon and father of young children, suffered frostbite on three fingers and may lose them.

That and his own close calls on Everest have prompted Scull to discourage anyone with children from attempting an Everest climb. After seeing what the mountain doles out, Scull says it's just not worth it.

As for his own future, he still hopes to meet his goal of climbing the eight peaks. But a return visit to Everest isn't in the cards.

One visit to the top of the world was enough for him.

Contact Lynn Taylor Rick can be reached at lynn.taylorrick@rapidcityjournal.com or 394-8414.