Mountaineer With Knee Prostheses and Cancer-to Summit 22,800 ft. Mt. Aconcagua About Age 135

Dr. Dahl's first attempt to summit Aconcagua inDr. Dahl has a checkered mountaineering career,
Argentina (at 22,800 feet the highest mountainincluding summitting Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mt. Elbrus in
outside of Asia) was in 1996, just one year afterthe Caucasus Mountains in Russia (the highest
being fitted with a Johnson & Johnson totalmountain in Europe), and Popo and Ixta in Mexico... as
knee prosthesis by its inventor, Richard Scott, M.D.,well as hundreds of less famous but equally arduous
at the New England Baptist Hospital in Boston. Atmountain peaks throughout the world.
that time, Dr. Dahl reached 21,600 feet. In FebruaryHowever, his most infamous climb was on a simple
2002, he reached 21,700 feet when high winds drovehike on New Hampshire's Mt. Washington in October
him and his guide off the mountain.1999 that almost ended in disaster. Rescued from
His wife and climbing partner, Elaine, noted that atnear-death during a sudden blizzard with whiteout
this rate, if he climbs every six years and gains anconditions with hurricane-force winds, he was
additional 100 feet on each attempt, he will summitinterviewed by Associated Press and reported in
Aconcagua when he is 135 years old. Will he returnnewspapers and on network television nationwide.
for attempt #3 in 2008? Stay tuned!Subsequently, he was involved in a reenactment for
Recently, Dr. Dahl returned to Boston where Dr.The Learning Channel, and all this publicity led to a
Richard Scott installed a brand new replacement totalnew speaking career in venues outside of medicine.
knee prosthesis and did some creative bone grafting.Controversy surrounding his rescue include his use of
In November 2005 visionary orthopedic surgeon,a cell phone to call for rescue and the fact that he
Garrett Martin, M.D. installed a total knee prosthesis inwas hiking alone. Dr. Dahl is no Reinhold Messner (the
Dr. Dahl's left knee. Soon after the healing process,first mountaineer to summit Everest solo). It seems
Dr. Dahl will start the training program to return bythat Dr. Dahl's near-death experience has gained a life
2008, when his target will be 21,800... or higher!of its own.