While we say congratulations to all the well deserving athletes for their win at the Olympics, there is a sport that some say is even more extreme. The challenge of conquering the highest mountain peaks in the world.

Now don’t race away in disgust, just stay for a few minutes longer. You may learn something interesting.

As I see athletes give of their utmost I weep tears of empathy. After years of discipline, pain, perseverance and self-denial, that most athletes never accept or attempt, it is nothing short of a tragedy to see them pipped-at-the-post by a thousandth of a second. I salute these hard working athletes for all their efforts.

However, some say to try and conquer one of the world’s highest mountains is an even more demanding extreme sport. Once an athlete is standing on the podium, it is just a short jump down, to the post-Olympics parties with other athletes and friends. It’s not so for the mountain climber. Once the climber has reached the summit, the job is only half finished.

Once the level of oxygen drops, the body system compensates. All climbers must go through this process if they want to survive the long struggle to get to the top. It is known as altitude acclimatization. The heart rate increases, extra red blood cells are produced and non-essential body functions temporarily shut down. Breathing becomes deeper and more often. Food digestion efficiency decreases.

Mountain climbers are forced to huddle in groups, for up to two months, at the base camp on Mt.Everest, 16,000 feet above sea level, as altitude acclimatization can take up to several days, or even weeks. Anxiously they wait for their turn to climb to the summit. The results of not getting used to the icy environment are disastrous and deadly.

In the Death Zone, which is anything above 22,950 feet, the human body can no longer acclimatize. Above 24,600 feet sleeping becomes difficult and digesting food nearly impossible. An extended stay results in deterioration of body functions, loss of consciousness and ultimately death. The longest ever recorded stay on the top of Mt Everest was just over 21 hours. However, most climbers only stay for around twenty minutes.

There are no millions watching and applauding them. It is a very solo achievement and experience. Even other climbers pay little attention. Their entire focus is simply on surviving.

After achieving their long awaited and hard-worked-for goal, there is no easy 'step off the mountain and let’s go home'. There is no quick helicopter ride off the top. No slippery slide to the bottom, unless the climber wants to go home zipped into a body bag. Every hurting step of the ascent must now be painfully repeated, on the exhausting trek home.

If someone is hurt or injured, there is no rescue mission. Often fellow climbers are unable to help their companions. Mountaineering has to be the ultimate experience in self-reliance, where mountain and man meet in a head on collision of will.

Sir Edmond Hillary and Peter Tenzing were the first to conquer Mt. Everest in May 1952. It was the crowning glory to the British Empire, as Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne.

In 1966, eighty-four climbers summited, while 12 people died. To that date, it was the worst year in the mountain’s history. Sadly, these records have continued to be broken.

The oldest climber was a 71 year old Japanese, in 2007. This has now been topped by a Nepalese 76 year old, who thinks he may just do it again. Over 3500 Nepalese have ascended, acting as guides to the climbers who pay up to $US50 thousand for the privilege of trying to conquer the world’s highest peak. The Nepalese government charges $US25 thousand to each person trying for glory.

Sherpa guides climb without using oxygen. Appa Sherpa has climbed Everest 11 times, while Ang Rita Sherpa and Babi Chiri Sherpa have both climbed 10 times.

At the Olympics no participant has to worry about the rubbish they make. Just throw it in the bin and walk away. Not so on the mountain. All climbing parties are accountable for the removal of their litter, particularly empty oxygen tanks.

Mt Everest is well thought of as a jealous goddess, by the local Sherpa people. One that rigorously punishes illicit sex performed on the mountain. However, she is not the only mountain to covet the high slopes and act treacherously towards the would-be conquerors. She has a far more dangerous sister known as K2.

K2’s treacherous slopes have recently taken 11 more lives. This is the worst incident since 13 climbers died over a period of two weeks in 1986. K2 has been nicknamed, 'The mountain that invites death'.

Criticism is once more rife about lack of adequate preparation and obvious wrong choices. The same things that were said after the 1986 tragedy.

From the Olympic platform to extreme adventure sports, there will always be men and women for whom the unattainable challenge has a special attraction. They are not experts. They just have higher ambitions and desires than everyone else. They have four things in common:

1. Faith in themselves
2. Great determination
3. Driving ambition
4. And endurance.

They are people who dare to dream big dreams. They absolutely refuse to quit and through planning, patience and perseverance, get to the top.

Like these elite athletes and mountaineers you too can dream big dreams through a Blue Moon Opportunity.