Climbing hits new peak for thrills but no spills

FORGET sitting around the house, these Gold Coast schoolgirls say there’s a new activity on the market for the school holidays - climbing Everest.

The group of four St Hilda’s girls made the trek to the iconic Everest Base Camp in the September school holidays.

Year 12 student Ebony Gallagher, Year 11 students Olivia Gallagher and Grace Flynn and Year 6 student Sage Gallagher all made the trek as a way to “do something different”.

For Grace, 17, the trip was a chance to challenge herself, though she admitted there were times she could think of better ways to spend a holiday.

“When you looked up and all you saw was steps, just never ending steps, you really thought ‘why am I doing this’?” she said.

“But when you got to the top and looked down, it was worth it.”

Mum Karen Flynn said she could see the impact the trip had on all of the girls.

“The girls like to try different things that are a bit more adventurous,” she said.

“Grace, Olivia and Ebony all went on a trip to Africa last year and climbed Mt Kilimanjaro.

“They enjoy the cultural aspect of it and they actually come back realising just how privileged they are.

“It gets them away from their comfort zone and technology, because we had quite a few girls in the group they were able to just connect and do things without the mobile phones.”