In April, human polar bear Lewis Gordan Pugh will take an icy plunge into a glacial lake on the Khumba Glacier of Mt. Everest. The Himalayan glaciers are shrinking faster than any other glaciers in the world and, according to scientists, could disappear in just 25 years.
To bring attention to the threat of receding glaciers, Pugh will swim one kilometer in hypothermia-inducing waters at 5,400 meters up the world’s highest mountain. While it sounds impossible, Pugh is no stranger to cold water; in 2005 he completed long distance swims in both the Arctic and Antarctic. And like the the pole swims, during his Everest plunge Pugh plans to abide by Channel Swimming Rules, which allows only a Speedo, goggles and cap.
The combination of temperature, altitude and water buoyancy will undoubtedly make this the toughest swim of Pugh’s career. Anyone who’s ever jumped in freezing water knows how difficult it is to breath, and anyone who’s ever climbed at high altitudes knows how hard it is to breath. Now imagine the combination of the two in water with very little buoyancy to help stay afloat. If successful, this could be titled the most difficult swim in history and would certainly help bring attention to the threat facing the glaciers that provide water to a fifth of the world’s population.
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