Yandy Núñez is getting closer to the summit of Everest

April 24, 2023

Cuban Yandy Núñez is seeking these days to climb Mount Everest. To do so, he is already at the base camp and will attempt to reach his goal in May.

This is Yandy's second attempt, who resides in Iceland, to climb the highest mountain on the planet.

The mountaineer's wife, Halldóra Bjarkadóttir, commented to the media outlet mbl.is that Núñez departed from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, on April 8, and arrived at the Everest base camp a week later.

Early last week, the Havana native, who emigrated from Cuba in 2015, headed to Mount Lobuche to reach its summit on Thursday, April 20. It was his second ascent there and this time it took just over four hours.

He had to practice on Lobuche to adapt to the conditions. "The air is very scarce there and the body has to get used to it." But "it was faster to adapt to the conditions now than two years ago," according to his wife.

According to these statements, it was so unusually cold on the way to Lobuche that some group members were unable to complete the journey. However, Yandy was carrying an extra coat in his backpack and was able to do it.

In May 2021, Yandy attempted to climb Everest, but did not succeed because he contracted coronavirus.

Had he done so, he would have become the first Cuban to reach the so-called top of the world. At least, he managed to become the first person born on the island to reach an altitude of 7000 meters and above, according to this report.

In the coming days, Núñez, who carries his triumphs also in the name of Iceland, plans to go to camps one, two, and three and then return to base camp. Next, he will wait for the opportunity to reach the summit of Everest, something he will likely accomplish in early May.

"I think it will be wise, and if he considers the situation is dangerous, he will stop. Things have gone very well for him so far. His health is good and he is physically strong and as long as that remains the case I am not worried about him. But it becomes stressful when the final push comes," his wife commented.

Yandy Núñez has climbed all the major peaks in Iceland, including the Hvannadalshnjúk, after which he set the goal of climbing the highest mountains in the world.

In 2019, he climbed Mont Blanc in France and that same year became the first Cuban to climb Elbrus in Russia. Toward the end of 2019 he reached the summit of Mount Aconcagua in Argentina.

"All of this has been part of my preparation to achieve my goal. I will not stop until I plant the Cuban flag on the highest peak in the world," the mountaineer has stated.

Mount Everest is 8849 meters high and it is estimated that more than 400 people will attempt to reach the summit this year.