Eight Friends From Malta Climb Three European Mountains In Five Days
A group of eight friends from Malta recently embarked on a challenging journey to summit three mountains in Europe over a span of five days.
The mountaineers – Nigel Camilleri, Roberto Galea, Natalino Farrugia, Nicky Ellul, Sergio Sammut, David Micallef, Andrea Agius, and Sam Kearley – started off by summiting Italy’s Gran Paradiso at 4,061 metres, which took them around seven hours for a round trip.
They then spent three days summiting five peaks on Monte Rosa, the highest of which was the Punta Gnifetti at 4,559 metres. This is the site of the Capanna Margherita, known as the highest hotel in Europe, which serves as a mountain hit for alpinists.
Reaching the hotel was a longstanding dream of one of the mountaineers, and although they battled fatigue and altitude sickness, they managed to pull together and reach the top.
Finally, they climbed the famous 4,487-metre Matterhorn, renowned as one of the hardest mountains to climb.
“We approached it from the Swiss side, as the Italian side was still laden with snow and no one had reached the summit from there this summer,” Nigel said.
“The views over Zermatt were breathtaking, and the imposing Toblerone shape of the Matterhorn was humbling. The 1,200-metre climb from the last Refugio was relentless and unforgiving as we were exposed to the elements on both sides all the way up.”
“Three of our group made the summit, and for me, it was a gruelling 15-hour round trip. The Matterhorn climb is unique in its challenge, pushing climbers to confront their inner fears. It was more of a mental than a physical battle; while my legs and arms kept moving, my mind faced the true challenge.”
The group aimed to raise awareness for the ACAMH Malta mental health campaign, “Healthy Body, Healthy Mind”.
Nigel said that throughout the trip he found solace in the words of the late, great Anthony Bourdain.
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”
He said he embarked on a journey of introspection, drawing energy from his loved ones, particularly his children, while being haunted by dark thoughts – such as concerns about the rescue helicopters circling the mountain and the well-being of his fellow climbers.
“What kept me going was the law of impermanence. Having completed a full Ironman just two weeks prior, I knew that no matter how long this climb was, it would eventually end,” he said.
“Embracing discomfort was crucial—pain, fatigue, dehydration, hunger, and fear were constant companions. But venturing beyond our comfort zones teaches us new things about ourselves.”
“Climbing a mountain differs from a race; it’s not about competing with others but about personal growth, peeling away the layers of ego exposing all that lies beneath and getting in true touch with oneself. I hope to inspire others to use sports as a coping strategy for daily life, as it is a powerful way to manage stress and improve overall well-being.”
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