Tributes for Inglis' Everest conquest

Mark Inglis

Phil Doole is not surprised his climbing buddy Mark Inglis has scaled Mt Everest with two artificial legs.

"We lost our feet, but we didn't lose our knees - we're still pretty mobile," he said. "Good on him."

Doole knows better than anyone the pain Inglis endured on his way to the world's highest peak. In 1982, the pair lost their legs below the knees after being trapped in a Mt Cook ice cave by a blizzard for two weeks.

Doole also still climbs and has since reached the peak of Mt Cook.

Inglis conquered Mt Everest on Monday. His wife, Anne, said he had called her from the 8850m-high peak about 9.20pm, but they could speak only briefly.

"He literally only had time to say 'I'm at Camp 4, I did it', and the phone cut out," she told National Radio yesterday.

He spent a tough 40 days on the mountain. One of his limbs snapped and he lost his voice.

"I ordered up a new leg from [other climb team members] who luckily were a few hundred meters below," he wrote on his website. "In the meantime a bit of Kiwi know-how enabled me to rebuild the leg well enough to slowly move down the hill."

Doole is not tempted to follow his mate up Everest. "There's things I wouldn't try because it's too much of a hassle. The climbs I do and the places I go are about enjoying myself."

He said he and Inglis had not allowed themselves to become "couch potatoes", despite their disabilities.

"Perhaps it's because it [loosing their feet] happened when we were quite young, but also it's because of the reaction.

"Some people said we were silly buggers, and they were probably right, but most people were supportive and you could not help be buoyed by that."

The Prime Minister said she hoped to congratulate Inglis personally for his "absolutely incredible feat".

"As a very amateur climber myself with two sound legs, and having got to 6000m, I can appreciate what an amazing achievement this is."

Asked whether she would like to scale the world's highest mountain, Helen Clark said: "No, not even with two sound legs. No, it's too tough."

Matthew Faid, a friend and sponsor of the expedition, said Inglis was an "awesome" guy.

"It's just amazing what he does. He doesn't have an attitude that says 'Why not?' He says, 'How?"'

Sir Edmund Hillary yesterday hailed Inglis' achievement as "a remarkable effort".

"I have to admit that I admire his considerable effort ... He's done a pretty good job," said the 86-year-old.

The National Party's disability issues spokesman, Dr Paul Hutchison, said Inglis was an inspiration and showed "extraordinary courage, bravery and determination".

Helen Clark also said Inglis had sent a signal to others with disabilities "that your ambitions should never be limited".