Anthony “Staz” Stazicker; 41; Ex-UK Special Forces

We climbed towards Camp One on Mount Everest, moving single-file on a fixed line connected to our harnesses. It was around 5:00 a.m. First light just appeared when we heard the crash to our left. Avalanche.

There were twelve of us: four ex-UK special forces, including me, and eight Sherpas. Our goal was ambitious: Fly from London to Nepal, climb to the summit of Everest and back, then arrive back home in seven days. We knew high-altitude mountaineering was dangerous. You hear avalanches happening all over the mountain but cross your fingers it doesn’t affect you. But how you react to situations is down to experience. We’d been in hairy situations before, from gunfights to being blown up. We’re not risk averse. We’re risk aware.

The snow

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