Enjoy a photographic, personally-narrated talk by this best-selling author, inspirational speaker, photographer, and Mt. Everest veteran.

In 1988, Ed Webster, with three partners, ascended a new, never-before-attempted route up Mt. Everest’s remote and dangerous East Face. They did this without the usual assistance of oxygen bottles, radios, and Sherpa climbers to carry their equipment. That Webster and his companions succeeded in accomplishing this outstanding climb is a testimony to both human endurance and remarkable teamwork. Ed Webster reached the mountain’s South Summit—at 28,700 feet. Then, enduring a storm-bound, avalanche-plagued, four-day descent off the mountain without food, suffering from frostbite and near death, Ed led the way to safety.

Come take a journey to Nepal and Tibet, then climb Mt. Everest “The Really Hard Way”!

More about the climb: Ed Webster, Stephen Venables, and Robert Anderson were all frostbitten. Each climber lost toes—and because of his extensive photography on their summit day, Webster also lost eight fingertips. Their Mt. Everest ascent was documented in a lavish 12-page story in the 1989 Sports Illustrated Superbowl issue. Snow in the Kingdom: My Storm Years on Everest, Webster’s acclaimed autobiography published in 2001, was also voted by Outside Magazine as One of the 10 Best Mt. Everest Books.

More about the presenter: Ed Webster and his family live in Harpswell, Maine. His 50 articles and stunning photographs have been published in dozens of magazines, by National Geographic Books, and the Sierra Club. And he has lectured worldwide—even in Antarctica! His website is https://www.edwebster.org/

Sponsored by the Billerica Public Library Foundation