Mountainsmith, the maker of backcountry equipment and recreational outdoor gear, announced Mountainsmith athlete Chris Bombardier’s recent summit of Mount Everest amid his quest to conquer the tallest peaks on each continent, also known as the Seven Summits.
Bombardier is the first person diagnosed with severe hemophilia B, a medical condition that hinders one’s blood from clotting, to climb the tallest peak on Earth.
Bombardier started climbing soon after graduating from college and his goal to climb the Seven Summits began on a mission trip to Kenya with the University of Colorado Hemophilia Research Lab. While in Kenya, with his sights already set on Kilimanjaro, Bombardier witnessed the devastation hemophilia is causing in developing communities on the African continent. From that point he dedicated his Seven Summits quest to hemophilia research and awareness, and went on to climb Aconcagua, Mt. Elbrus, Denali, Carstensz Pyramid and finally Mt. Everest, making Bombardier the first person diagnosed with hemophilia to summit the highest peak in the world.
“No longer can anyone say that someone with hemophilia can’t climb Everest, or any mountain for that matter, with proper treatment, training and medical care,” says Bombardier. “By standing there I hope to show what we should be striving for. Not that everyone should climb mountains, although I do believe the outdoors are for everyone, but that everyone should be able to shoot for their dreams.”
“Smart, durable gear is only part of the story for us, says Mountainsmith Marketing Manager Torie Palffy. “The Mountainsmith team is committed to helping others get outside and chase their own adventures, whatever they may be. Everyone has their own mountains to climb and overcome, and Chris is a constant reminder of just how much is possible.”
With all but one of the Seven Summits under his belt, Chris now has Vinson Massif, the highest point in Antarctica, in his crosshairs. For more information on Chris’s journey please visit adventuresofahemophiliac.com/about#chris.
Photo courtesy Bombardier Blood
