With physical limitations and lack of financial support, but with the motivation to see the Ecuadorian flag at the top of the highest peaks in the world, the mountaineer from Quito, Santiago Quintero (46 years old), resumes his project in 2021 to reach the 14 eight-thousanders. A heart operation in 2019 and then the pandemic halted his dream, but now a plan that started in 2009 resurfaces.
What is the project about and what obstacles has he encountered?
I call it "Ecuador at the Highest Point 14 x 8,000" and it consists of reaching the summit of the 14 mountains that exceed 8,000 meters in height. I started this project in 2009 (Broad Peak, Pakistan-China) and in 2017 I climbed the eighth mountain (Dhaulagiri, Nepal), then the project was halted due to financing and a health problem that arose.
What problem?
They discovered that I was born with a heart defect and I needed an expensive operation, but I didn't have good results in the country. I sought help from sponsors and was able to travel to Colombia for the surgery. I have medical clearance to resume the ascents. That was in 2019. Last year, the pandemic halted all sponsorship and planning.
How does the project continue?
It is being reactivated. I have the possibility to resume planning, actually since September I have been working on it. It is a representation of the country, in a project that has obstacles, like my amputation of half of my feet (Aconcagua, 2002). Accomplishing this project emphasizes values and generates a lot of joy and positivity.
How much of the project has he accomplished and what is left?
I have climbed Everest, Dhaulagiri, Broad Peak, Manaslu, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Gasherbrum II, and Shisha Pangma. I will resume it this year, I have six peaks left: three in Nepal, with Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, and Annapurna; and three in Pakistan, with K2, Nanga Parbat, and Gasherbrum I. Four of these six mountains are very complex.
- Ecuadorian mountaineer Santiago Quintero reached the summit of Dhaulagiri
How does he have the plan defined?
The ideal would be to go to at least two peaks this year, but due to the pandemic conditions, it is complicated. We will focus on one, Pakistan would be the objective, we are already in the process of visas and other procedures. I am 46 years old and I want to finish the project by the age of 50.
What are the main preparations to undertake such an expedition?
There is demanding physical preparation, medical exams, similar to what footballers do in preseason; then there is the essential equipment, which in my case starts with prosthetics ($5,000) and special gel socks. For everything, there is financing, for example, to go to K2 it would cost around $35,000. The costs are high, and there are also visa and permit procedures for the ascents.
How did the idea of undertaking this plan come about?
It started when I was 14 years old. I fell in love with the mountains, it has been my passion. I became a mountain guide and have been fulfilling the dreams of tourists who want to climb mountains in South America for 25 years, but my personal dream was to go to the Himalayas and their 8,000-meter peaks, which for mountaineering is like any summit competition in sports.
What other projects has he undertaken?
The most complex was Aconcagua (Argentina), due to the consequences. I faced the south face alone, the journey became complicated, my feet froze, and half of them were amputated; from there it took me five years to get back on my feet, eliminate unbearable pain, and overcome the psychological trauma of losing my feet.
What would be the ideal scenario for this year and his project?
Many factors come into play. It depends on how well my body holds up, especially my feet. Then it would be about climbing one mountain between April and May, returning to the country, and then going for another one between June and August, but the weather factors also play a big role.
What motivates him to fulfill these types of ascents?
Beyond passion, it is about demonstrating that a human being with prosthetics can climb these peaks with all the paraphernalia. It is almost a miracle for everything to go well, and that needs to be conveyed. This is the story of an Ecuadorian without feet in the mountains, a crazy feat that goes beyond anything else.
Are there any personal limits or deadlines that he has set?
The line of risk is very thin, and completing the project depends a lot on the decisions. The ideal would be to finish the project in three years, but I am taking it step by step, it is an exercise in humility that I want to fulfill. (D)