A TWO-pronged Mildura adventure team has recently returned from a successful expedition in Vanuatu that put six climbers on the summit of Mt Tabwemasana -- the highest mountain in the archipelago.

In reaching the mountain top, the climbing team became the first westerners on the summit in 2009, and joined a select group of less than 200 to make the top over all time.
The tour party included team leader Mark Wilgar, and Will Hudson, Debra Carter, Josie Bowes, Courtney Bailey and Sydney-based Chris Raywood.

Mr Wilgar said that "with similar numbers parading up and down Mount Everest every year, it has made the experience feel unique and highlights the challenge involved in making the climb". "Big mountain climbs demand a fair bit of luck," he said. "We did well with the weather and had a magnificent team of local guides carving a path with machetes through thick jungle. Without their expertise and support we were no chance."

The Mildura team began preparations for the trek months in advance, including regular training hikes along the Mildura riverfront complete with backpacks. However, Mr Wilgar said the team could never have prepared for what they were about to experience in Vanuatu. "We did do some uphill work, but in a flat region like the Mallee and with little known about Mt Tabwemasana, nothing could have prepared us for the trek," he said.
"There was so little information available on the mountain, however we were able to track down a man from the United States who reached the summit last year and provided some useful information."

The group flew from Mildura to Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu, via Melbourne and Sydney, followed by a four-wheel-drive trek to the south-west of the island, and a slow ocean journey up the west coast to remote Kerepua village in a heavily laden small boat powered by just a 25 horsepower motor, ... but the real journey was yet to begin. Mr Wilgar said part of the challenge of climbing Mt Tabwemasana was simply getting there.
Rugged 4WD trails, open ocean travel, and multiple river crossings all came before the mountains proper.

Over the following days members of the party would question themselves, both physically and mentally and teamwork would be crucial to success on the mountain. "There was never any thought about turning back, but given the dangerous terrain, constraints of time, and fickle mountain weather, we were no certainty to make the summit," Mr Wilgar said. "We all had our moments of fatigue, but our local guides made an enormous contribution, picking up heavy packs when team members struggled," he said. "Their efforts were simply amazing".

The packs were filled with light-weight tents, basic cooking facilities and enough rations to last the journey. "We had a checklist that made us self-sufficient for six-days away from civilization, and even a bit longer should our plans fall apart," he said. "In a crisis the locals can always find food in the forest including bush pig, freshwater eels, mountain crabs, yabbies, and wild fruit."

The local guides cut a swath through dense tropical forest and thickets of razor grass on the climb, but nevertheless the vegetation took its toll. "We were a bit of a mess from the knees down," Mr Wilgar said. "We were pretty badly lacerated on exposed skin, and one of our party was stung by wasps when one of the guides disturbed a nest, but in the scheme of things we survived relatively unscathed," he said. "Given the climate, the terrain, and the change of food and water, it was remarkable that there was nothing more serious than minor infections". "The trek was quite relentless and we were physically and mentally drained, but we all arrived home in one piece."

Mr Wilgar said the thick jungle presented just one of many difficulties along the journey.
"There was the small matter of ascending almost 6000ft above sea level in dangerous terrain, before negotiating a frightening ridgeline to the summit," he said. "We almost lost a guide through a gaping hole in the mountain, and found a place or two where your life was hanging by a tree root, but it did make for great adventure!"
"We all had moments of hardship, and I'm not sure anyone would go back for a second attempt.
"There were a few days of hard climbing and nights of uncomfortable sleep, but we battled our way through with a wonderful team ethic and a bit of good fortune".
"The degree of difficulty and danger was much higher than we anticipated, but the views above the clouds were unforgettable and made the challenge all the more worthwhile."

But as the group neared the summit and as a final test of mental (and physical) strength, each of the team bridged an exposed and weathered section of mountain, with only grass tussocks and roots to pull you through 2000ft of thin air! "I think we were all too nervous to look back at each other," Mr Wilgar said. "We were relying on these roots to not give way and leave us in a 2000-foot freefall," he said. "We were literally hanging out into thin air and hanging on for dear life". "It was a great final test of will, but upon reaching the top we soon realised that we would have to come back past that same empty space. Twice the fun!"

As an aside to the mountains, the team raised a flag for a Berlin-based AIDS/HIV awareness organisation looking to have their flag on the top of every national high-point on earth.

In a second part to the Vanuatu adventure, a team including four young children, trekked their way across Tanna (southern Vanuatu), camping everywhere from surf beaches to an active volcano. The Fraser girls -- Ellen, Lauren and Mikaela -- and Mark's own son Patrick led a treacherous and at times frightening traverse of booming Mt Yasur before descending 1500 feet of steep slope to the volcano's ash plain.

"The kids were quite amazing and willing to go places that had the grown-ups looking the other way," Mr Wilgar said. "Walking the rim of an active volcano is a slightly unnerving experience, but we're all home in one piece and looking forward to 2010."

Early 2010 planning may see the team back on Espiritu Santo, traversing the island from the south via a pygmy village and a hair-raising 1.5km ridgeline. Follow Mark's adventures at www.runningwateradventures.com.au