Upward Ho! Lining Up For Everest

By Sora Song

Last June, Erik Weihenmayer, right, became the first blind climber to reach Mount Everest's icy 29,035-ft. peak, and on his way he carved a hint of approachability in the mountain's otherwise treacherous face. Now there's a veritable buffet line of hopeful summiteers, from amputees to an all-woman team to the descendants of the first climbers to reach the peak. It's no easy trek: though a record 182 people made it to the top last year, 90% of Everest climbers fail. --By Sora Song

PETER HILLARY AND TASHI TENZING Son of Sir Edmund Hillary and grandson of Tenzing Norgay The descendants of the pair first to summit Everest, in 1953, hope to do the same next month. Hillary and Tenzing--both have reached the top before--will climb separately and meet at the peak

AL HANNA Oldest, at 72 The Chicago businessman took up climbing at 58 and has made three attempts at Everest. He'll try again this spring--and says this time will be his last

GARY GULLER First with one arm With funding from a Texas advocacy group for the disabled, Guller, whose arm was amputated after a 1986 climbing accident, will attempt to summit Everest in spring 2003. Last year he turned back at 25,000 ft.

ED HOMMER First double amputee Hommer ascended 20,320-ft. Mount McKinley in 1999 and last year climbed 3,000 ft. short of Everest's peak. Now he's training for a new try next spring. The first person to summit with an artificial leg was Tom Whittaker in 1998