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Zed Al Refai (Zeddy)
Encyclopedia
Zed "Zeddy" Al Refai is a Kuwait
i climber
. He was the first Arab
to climb Mount Everest
and the 46th person to climb all seven highest summits
in the seven continents of the world.
and attended university in the United States, at institutions in Florida, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. He spent holidays trekking in New England, the Rockies
, and the Pacific Northwest
. In the mid-1990s he traveled to Nepal, where he was captivated by the Himalayas
and Mount Everest. Mountains he has summitted include Mt. McKinley in Alaska - North America's highest mountain -, Elbrus, the Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia, Everest, Kilimanjaro, Mont Blanc
, the Vinson Massif
in Antarctica, where he reached the summit on January 13, 2004, and, to complete the Seven Summits challenge, Aconcagua
in Argentina on February 5, 2004.
Al Refai is director of the Arabian Mountaineering and Alpine Climbing Club, founded in an attempt to popularise mountain climbing among people in the Middle East
.
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
i climber
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
. He was the first Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
to climb Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
and the 46th person to climb all seven highest summits
Seven Summits
The Seven Summits are the highest mountains of each of the seven continents. Summiting all of them is regarded as a mountaineering challenge, first postulated as such and achieved on April 30, 1985 by Richard Bass .-Definition:...
in the seven continents of the world.
Biography
Al Refai spent part of his childhood in FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and attended university in the United States, at institutions in Florida, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. He spent holidays trekking in New England, the Rockies
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
, and the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. In the mid-1990s he traveled to Nepal, where he was captivated by the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
and Mount Everest. Mountains he has summitted include Mt. McKinley in Alaska - North America's highest mountain -, Elbrus, the Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia, Everest, Kilimanjaro, Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
, the Vinson Massif
Vinson Massif
Vinson Massif is the highest mountain of Antarctica, lying in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, which stand above the Ronne Ice Shelf near the base of the Antarctic Peninsula. The massif is located about from the South Pole and is about long and wide. At the highest point is Mount...
in Antarctica, where he reached the summit on January 13, 2004, and, to complete the Seven Summits challenge, Aconcagua
Aconcagua
Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas at . It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Argentine province of Mendoza and it lies west by north of its capital, the city of Mendoza. The summit is also located about 5 kilometres from San Juan Province and 15 kilometres from the...
in Argentina on February 5, 2004.
Al Refai is director of the Arabian Mountaineering and Alpine Climbing Club, founded in an attempt to popularise mountain climbing among people in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
The Seven Summits
- 1999: Denali
- 2000: Carstensz Pyramid
- 2000: Elbrus
- 2001: Kilimanjaro
- 2003: Everest
- 2004: Vinson MassifVinson MassifVinson Massif is the highest mountain of Antarctica, lying in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, which stand above the Ronne Ice Shelf near the base of the Antarctic Peninsula. The massif is located about from the South Pole and is about long and wide. At the highest point is Mount...
- 2004: AconcaguaAconcaguaAconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas at . It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Argentine province of Mendoza and it lies west by north of its capital, the city of Mendoza. The summit is also located about 5 kilometres from San Juan Province and 15 kilometres from the...
- 2005: Mount KosciuszkoMount KosciuszkoMount Kosciuszko is a mountain located in the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National Park. With a height of 2,228 metres above sea level, it is the highest mountain in Australia...