Could You Do 4,250 Pull-ups?

Major Phil Packer – the inspirational injured British Serviceman recently climbed the 3593-foot “El Capitan” in Yosemite. He cranked out over 4,250 pull-ups to complete the climb.

phil3 Major Phil Packer’s life changed in an instant. Following a rocket attack in Basra last year, which sent him into somersaults underneath a runaway 4X4 and left him paralysed from the waist down, that much was inevitable. What was not inevitable, but has changed his life for a second time, was what he has done since.

El Capitan, on the north side of Yosemite Valley, is a 3,593-foot wall of granite. The overhanging rock face is considered a challenge even for able-bodied climbers. He hauled himself up the rock in a specially-adapted paragliding chair, using his arms to do what, in effect, more than 4,200 pull-ups. With no shelter and nowhere to sleep, nights were spent on a “portaledge” – a collapsible stretcher suspended by ropes from the rock face. He accepted the gruelling challenge to raise money for Help For Heroes, a charity for injured servicemen and women.

phil4 “It’s about making the most of the situation,” he says. “I am at a huge crossroads in my life and I still have a huge amount of thinking to do. All the young people who have written to me – I don’t want to let them down.”

“If I can get a positive message across to young people, then I’d like to do that. I’d like to show it’s still possible to enjoy climbing something like El Capitan, disability or not.”

About a year after his injury, Packer participated in the London Marathon, using crutches to complete the 26.2-mile trek two weeks after it began. Since the paralyzing attack, he’s also rowed across the English Channel and sky-dived with the Red Devils.

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It’s all part of his attempt to raise $1.9 million for Help for Heroes, a charity for disabled veterans. He’s become something of a celebrity in the UK, and the El Capitan climb helped him exceed his goal.

He was assisted in the climb by veteran mountain climbers Andy Kirkpatrick, Ian Parnell and Paul Tattersall. Kirkpatrick, the expedition leader, has scaled El Capitan’s face more than 10 times.

To help Packer around the large obstacles, the climbing team strategically hung a series of ropes, swinging him to the next position. They battled wind, fatigue and dehydration. At 1,200 feet up, Packer said his arms were getting sore.

phil2 El Capitan is a popular challenge for rock climbers around the world. A “couple hundred” climbers attempt to scale its granite face each year.

Upon reaching El Capitan’s peak, Packer told his 862 Twitter followers that he was “feeling very tired but emotional at the thought of what we have achieved, looking forward to a hot bath.” A few minutes later: “I think I have cured my phobia of heights.”

You can read more about his adventures by visiting his website: www.philpacker.com