Michael reaches basecamp on fundraising climb to the top of the world
A security manager at East Midlands Airport who has embarked on a gruelling 23-day fundraising trek up one of the world’s tallest mountains has made it to base camp, just shy of the height of Mont Blanc.
Michael McCorkindale is with an Argentinian Sherpa scaling Aconcagua in the Andes, which at 6,960.8m is the second highest peak outside the Himalayas. He made base camp at the weekend, located 4,300 up - just 500m below the height of Mont Blanc, Europe’s tallest peak.
Already he has suffered the effects of altitude sickness as well as jumping over boulders to avoid mudslide rapids and narrowly avoiding falling rocks. The toughest bit is yet to come and local people are urged to donate to his fundraising efforts to help spur him on to reach the top. Crampons and ice picks will be needed for the next stage and temperatures are expected to drop as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius.
Michael is undertaking the incredible challenge to raise funds for The Children's Society, Magic Breakfast and Medcare - charities being supported by EMA’s parent company MAG (Manchester Airports Group.)
The 36-year-old from Anstey, Leicestershire, known as the airport’s resident action man, has been inspired to raise money for children’s charities after spending much of his own childhood isolated in hospital due to an illness, as well as fleeing domestic abuse with his mother. A former soldier, he now undertakes many physical challenges including climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, marathons and backpacking across Egypt, with a view to eventually climbing Mount Everest.
Mike Grimes, Customer & Planning Director at EMA, said: “When Michael suggested doing this in aid of our charities, we just had to get behind him and after some pretty aggressive training, he’s now actually doing it!
“We are incredibly proud of him, it’s a really tough challenge and he is doing it for such great causes. Also, Michael had a difficult start in life so it’s amazing what he is doing now, he’s a real inspiration.
“I know that if we could get more donations, however large or small, it would help to spur him on up the mountain to get our charities to the top of the world!”
He already has more than £4,000 pledged and anyone wishing to donate can do so at https://www.givewheel.com/fundraising/1858/michaels-aconcagua-climb/