Summit Murder Mystery Series

  Dana al- Anzy, a Georgetown University in Qatar ( GU-Q ) student has become the first Qatari woman to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the world’s tallest free standing mountain. The Culture and Politics sophomore was part of a 12-person team of young Qataris and expats, including 3 guides, working to raise money for the “Elevate to Educate” expedition to build and renovate schools in Gaza through Reach out to Asia (Rota). The team was organised by Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah al- Thani, who last year became the first Qatari to climb Mount Everest. “Dana's climb demonstrates one of Georgetown's core values: "women and men for others". Her selfless climb to raise funds for Rota's Elevate to Educate exemplifies commitment to improving our shared world. The entire GU-Q community is proud of Dana’s achieveme...

A Hot-Air Balloon Ride Over Mt. Everest Will Cost You $2.6 Million Greg Keraghosian Associate Travel Editor The Everest balloon ride would cost two people $5.215 million. (Courtesy: IfOnly) Is the garden-variety hot-air balloon ride not an exciting enough date for you? Got a few million dollars stashed under your mattress? If so, one man is offering the adventure of a lifetime – possibly a short lifetime. Chris Dewhirst, the man who in 1991 completed the first hot-air balloon ride over Mount Everest is looking for two passengers for his second attempt: it costs over $2.6 million per person . And lest you get cold feet, the trip is non-refundable, with no guarantee of a successful crossing. Pilot Chris Dewhirst, who was aboard the first successful balloon ride over Everest. (Courtesy: IfOnly) Looking down on the frosty peaks of the world’s highest mountain from over 30,000 feet is bound to be worth the price for someone – people ar...

Webster resident Robert J. Wheeler becomes oldest person to reach mountain's summit by Linda Jarrett Robert J. Wheeler and his son Jack at the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. photo courtesy of Robert Wheeler ( click for larger version ) What do octogenarians do to keep in shape? Swim? Run marathons? Not Webster Groves resident Robert J. Wheeler. He climbs mountains. Wheeler, 85, recently returned from climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak at 19,340, and will soon be listed in the Guinness World Records as the oldest person to reach the summit. Enjoying a well-earned rest in his Webster Groves century home, Wheeler, who returned Oct. 7, said he wanted to "demonstrate to people that they don't have to become couch potatoes just because they're old." Wheeler gave two reasons for doing this particular climb. In 2010, he published a book, "Mountains and Minds," that alternates chapters wi...

'I'm incredibly proud' says father of Wembley quadruplets set to climb Kilimanjaro for disabled children charity Bindya, Vanisha, Urvashi and Vinay, all 17, are setting off for Africa this month and have already raised thousands of pounds. The four 17-year-old Wembley-based Varsanis who are quadruplets about to climb Kilimanjaro. Quadruplets are to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for a disabled children’s charity. The four 17-year-old Wembley -based Varsani’s, named Bindya, Vanisha, Urvashi and Vinay set off for Africa on August 22. To date, they have raised £2,108 for Friends of Kera, a charity which works to help disadvantaged and disabled children in providing them with wheel chairs, hearing aids, braille and organises events to raise awareness of their needs. Their father and IT technician Jay said: “I am incredibly proud of them. “At their age, to go to Africa and climb Kilimanjaro, it is a big challenge...

Tanzania: Kilimanjaro - Untold Story of Africa's Highest Peak TOGETHER with Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater, Mount Kilimanjaro was named among Africa's new 'Seven Natural Wonders' in February, this year. Apart from being known worldwide as Africa's highest peak and the World's tallest free-standing mountain, Kilimanjaro which pumps into the national coffers revenues amounting to nearly 80 bil/- is not usually given its deserved credit of supporting people from poor communities directly and transforming lives of nearly 30,000 Tanzanians annually. Mount Kilimanjaro apparently boasts more than its legendary astounding height, three gigantic cones and battalion of trekkers who set out every year to conquer its highest elevation at Kibo; Kili is reported to be pumping more than 20bil/- cash into local residents' pockets annually. Local communities around Mount Kilimanjaro, according to recent studies earn in excess of 1.7 bil...

While attending the Lion's International Convention in Toronto, Canada, I stayed at the Fairmont, a beautiful hotel.  Imagine my surprise when I saw the picture below.  Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to summit Mt. Everest signed in as a guest at the same hotel!!  Very cool!  For more information about the Summit Murder Mystery series, CLICK HERE  To order your copy of Murder on Everest, CLICK HERE  To order your copy of Murder on Kilimanjaro , CLICK HERE Follow Charles Irion on Twitter HERE Friend Charles Irion on Facebook HERE Visit Charles Irion's YouTube channel HERE 

Everest, Kilimanjaro, Mount Rainier ... why people are risking their lives to climb mountains Just looking at Everest begs the question ... why? Source: AFP IT’S been the deadliest mountain climbing season in history, and it’s not over. With the tragedies on Mount Rainier in Washington and Nepal, one question remains: Why do they do it? Why do people regularly risk their lives to summit a mountain peak or scale sheer cliffs? “Because it’s there,” George Mallory famously replied in 1923 when asked why he was trying to climb Mount Everest. The quote caught the public’s imagination, as it expressed both the childlike whimsy of doing something just for the fun of it, and the adult heroic ideal of dedicating oneself to meeting any challenge, no matter how tall. Although Mallory perished the next year on Everest (and his body was not found for 75 years), his legacy of big mountain climbing remains. Last year, ...

By Ed Payne, Manesh Shrestha and Dave Alsup , CNN updated 1:35 AM EDT, Fri April 18, 2014 Climbers and guides were preparing for the spring climbing season. STORY HIGHLIGHTS The deadliest year on Mt. Everest was 1996, when 15 people died More than 300 climbers have been given permission to tackle Everest this spring About 400 Sherpas will help them Climbers and guides had been preparing the route to the summit (CNN) -- Two Sherpa guides were killed and seven others were missing Friday after a high-altitude avalanche on Mt. Everest, officials said. A group of about 50 people, mostly Nepali Sherpas, were hit by the avalanche at more than 20,000 feet, according to Tilak Ram Pandey, with the mountaineering department of the tourism ministry. The avalanche took place just above base camp in the Khumbu Ice Fall. The climbers were accounted for, Pandey said. "Rescue teams have gone ... to look for the missing." Readying for clim b ...

Great Amazon review of the first book in my Summit Murder Mystery series, Murder on Everest. "Photogenic murder mystery with enough twists to keep you guessing. Mt Everest is really the main character, and you feel like you are on the mountain. Good character development for a book of this sort. I will read the next book in this series." Have you climbed Mt. Everest yet? Get your copy by clicking the link below. Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Murder%C2%A0-%C2%A0Everest-Summit-Murder-Mystery-ebook/dp/B003B3O5P4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408648489&sr=1-1&keywords=murder+on+everest For more information about the Summit Murder Mystery series,  CLICK HERE  To order your copy of Murder on Everest,  CLICK HERE  To order your copy of Murder on Kilimanjaro ,  CLICK HERE Follow Charles Irion on Twitter  HERE Friend Charles Irion on Facebook  HERE Visit Charles Irion's YouTube channel  HERE 

Volcano climber edging closer to record    A WORLD-RECORD chasing Bucks woman has just finished climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro as she edges closer to the overall finish-line. Sophie Cairns, is attempting to climb seven volcanoes in just four months, in memory of her late father. It is the second time she has reached the summit of Africa’s highest peak, after also scaling all 5,895m in 2009. She said: “I’m not sure if I was dizzy with exhaustion or happiness, but it was fantastic to reach the top. “All this in memory of my father – all donations go towards a cure for oesophageal cancer.” Sophie, 35, from Denham, is hoping to climb the highest volcano on every continent in just four months. Originally from Hong Kong, Sophie has got just two more volcanoes to climb and has until April 28 to finish, if she wants to do it in four months, which would slash the pre...

Welcome to all the new people stopping by the blog!  It's been a while since I've shared my Summit Murder Mystery series video and so I thought I would do that.  Take a look below!  Get lost in the climb...

Hi Everyone!  Thank you for reading my blog!  Did you know that I'm the author of not just one, but thirteen books?  For more information, please visit www.charlesirion.com , www.irionbooks.com and/or www.summitmurdermystery.com 9 & 11 Year Old American Girls Summit Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa With She Climbs TANZANIA, AFRICA-- Helen Simons "HS" Berenyi, 9 year old Silverton, CO resident  and Alexis "Lexi" Peats of Perrysburg, OH summited Mt. Kilimanjaro on January 10 th , 2014  at 10:08 am, Tanzanian time. HS and Lexi were 2 of 4 climbers who successfully summited with She Climbs , a non-profit organization whose mission is to build and strengthen the self-esteem of female individuals of all ages, one mountain climb at a time. This is both girls' first time climbing and living on a mountain for 7 days. Lexi Peats said shortly after the summit, "I learned that if I try hard enough, I can do anything!" While fact ch...

Scott Devlon is the hero of the Summit Murder Mystery Series .  Working for the Defense Intelligence Agency, he is sent on mission after mission to each of the world’s seven continental summits.  An avid adventurer and mountain climber, he continues to face each challenge head on and with determined perseverance to get off each mountain alive. Scott’s first climb up Mt. Everest was devastating due to the death of Derek Sodoc, Scott’s friend and fellow climbing enthusiast.  Following the climb, Quentin Stern wrote a “tell all” book about the climb, which resulted in Derek’s Father being convinced that foul play was involved in the death of his son, instead of due to the natural elements and dangers the mountain itself presents.  Mr. Sodoc gathers all the climbers from the first Mt. Everest trek to retrieve Derek’s body in which is told in Murder on Everest .  It becomes quite clear however, that Mr. Sodoc has more than just laying his son to rest...