After reaching the highest point in North America, Johan became interested in mountains.
There is some kind of magical atmosphere in the mountains that is hard to explain. Heinrich Harrer was an Austrian climber who got to know His Holiness Dalai Lama in the early 1900s in Tibet. He was asked by the Dalai Lama what he loved about the mountains. This was his answer:
“ The absolute simplicity. That is what I love. When you’re climbing, your mind is clear and free from all confusion. You have focus. And suddenly the light becomes sharper, the sounds becomes richer and you’re filled with the deep, powerful presence of life.
So when Swedish climber Göran Kropp asked Johan Ernst Nilson in 1997 if he wanted to climb an 8000-meter peak in the Himalayas, the answer was “Yes”. Together with skater Tomas Gustafson, who had won three Olympic Gold Medals, this could become an interesting climb. There were 11 members in the team, but none of them made it to the summit because of bad weather.
Johan climbed to 8000 meters, and he was more than happy about that. He now knew he could climb to 8000 meters without O2, which was the most important. You never know how you will react at 8000 meters. Some people can do it, while others can’t. No scientific study explains the exact reason behind Altitude Sickness, so without spending time at 8000 meters, you shouldn’t attempt Mount Everest.
Johan was happy since this was his second mountain, and he knew that we would have reached the summit if it wasn’t for the bad weather. Now, he knew that he could reach the top of the world: Mount Everest.
