#FollowTheFlag... The Summit!

At 6.30pm (GMT) on Sunday 21st January 2018 the Flag reached the summit of 'The Roof of the Americas: Mt Aconcagua for the 2nd time!

65 Degrees North team members Rich and Brendan battled on for 10 hours through heavy snow and horrendous conditions, exhausted and emotionally battered from leaving Jason, Al and Danny behind, but determined to give it everything they had left in them.

This Flag was not just a flag...

It was a flag that had given them all a sense of pride and purpose. It was a flag that gave them focus when times got tough, and it was a flag that had pushed them on when they struggled with their own doubts and fears.

The first time this flag reached the summit was on 31st December 1999 when adventurer, Simon Brooke and 3 of his friends, took on this mammoth mountain to celebrate the Millennium.

Just like Jason, Danny and Al, two of his team were also beaten by the altitude.. but Simon made it!

Tragically, less than 3 years later aged just 29, Simon was killed in car crash.

Thinking it would be a wonderful way to honour Simon's memory his Mum and Dad, Mike and Pippa, and brother James approached 65 Degrees North to request they carry his flag with them... not knowing at the time just how significant it would become to the team!

Rich made an emotional call on Inmarsat's #iSatPhone2 to Mike and Pippa to inform them their son's flag had returned to the summit!

Mike said: "This is a truly awesome achievement by Rich and Brendan which has had us all on the edge of our seats. Thank you, more than words can say, from Pip and me for honouring Simon's memory through this incredible feat by the whole team of Rich, Brendan, Al, Danny, Jason and of course their unsung hero and mountain guru, Dave."

To read about the story behind #FollowTheFlag please follow the link > http://www.65degreesnorth.co.uk/the-story-behind-followthe…/

#ACO2018 #RMfamily