Quite impressed to wake up

A decade on from losing his leg during a volcanic eruption, William Pike is hoping to summit Mt Scott in Antarctica, an 880m peak named after the famous explorer Robert Falcon Scott.

The 32-year-old, alongside three other young people, was selected by the Antarctic Heritage Trust from more than 100 applicants for its Inspiring Explorers’ Expedition to Antarctica.

“Going over rough terrain is tough for me, the [prosthetic] ankle doesn’t accommodate the different angles so I’m really having to place my foot carefully.”

But the ever-optimistic Mr Pike sees the upsides.

“I’m able to go uphill all day long, definitely get no calf burn in the right leg. Right foot doesn’t get cold.”.

The expedition aims to encourage the spirit of exploration by continuing the legacy of the early Antarctic explorers.

The expedition members, include Royal New Zealand Airforce officer Sylvie Admore, film maker Simon Lucas, Newshub reporter Isobel Ewing and Mr Pike, alongside Trust Executive Director Nigel Watson and two professional guides, departed for South America on February 13, before boarding a ship to Antarctica.
The Antarctic Heritage Trust was formed in 1987 with the purpose of conserving the historic huts and sites in the Ross Sea region of Antarctica.

It’s just raised $960,000 to restore Hillary’s Hut, the first building constructed at Scott Base and the base for Sir Ed’s famous expedition to the South Pole by tractor in the 1950s.

You can follow William’s journey via his twitter or facebook accounts.
UPDATE: William and his companions reached the Mt Scott summit, yahoo! At 8:05 pm on 18th Feb. “We stepped onto the summit and were rewarded with a sense of satisfaction and views so good, it brought tears to our eyes.” William Pike.

Read William’s story below

William Pike has quite a story, and is brilliantly understated in his re-telling of it. When Mt Ruapehu erupted in 2007, he and his best mate James were holed up in the dome hut near the summit. The explosion badly injured William, leading to the partial amputation of his leg.

“I was unconscious for about eight hours, and actually, I was just quite impressed to wake up at all,” he says with a grin. “Honestly, that was the main thing for me. I didn’t expect to survive, so everything from there was a bonus.”

That is a pretty ‘impressive’ attitude for a young man, who had always been heavily involved in outdoor pursuits, health and fitness. His rehabilitation took about nine months, and there was an adjustment required, learning to walk again with an artificial leg, but if anything, it created opportunities. “I really don’t think I got depressed or too down,” he says. “For the first while, I was on some pretty strong drugs, so I didn’t feel too bad, and then it was just a matter of getting on with it. I have a great family and support network.”

A trained primary school teacher, William has now evolved his career into one that combines both his passions – education and the outdoors. He has devised the William Pike Challenge – an 12-month outdoor skills and confidence building programme for Kiwi kids. He also wrote a book, Every Day’s A Good Day, about his accident and subsequent recovery.

“I want to help create well-rounded, confident kids,” he says. Our programme is being offered over 55 intermediate schools in 2016, but there are potentially 1200, so I’m keen to see it grow.”

The William Pike Challenge sees children complete eight outdoor activities throughout the year, as well as each child performing 20 hours of community service. “The William Pike Challenge is more than a school camp,” he says. “Camps are great because they introduce kids to a lot of new things, but the challenge expands on that and teaches them practical and survival skills too.”

Many children, due to geography, finance, family circumstances or their parents’ busy schedule, aren’t exposed to a wide range of outdoor activities or don’t know how to handle themselves should they find themselves in strife.

The programme is partially funded by a grant from the Tindall Foundation, and William travels around the country, designing specific activities depending on the location, and offering support and motivation. “The great thing is that we can offer the challenge to schools regardless of their decile,” he says. “The cost can be met by fund-raising, parents or the school in various percentages, depending on the circumstances.”

He is in demand as a public speaker for adults as well, having survived in incredible circumstances, and refusing to give up on his goals. He has been back to the hut at Ruapehu. In true William Pike style, he wanted to go when he was fit and able to make the trip under his own steam. “James was there, which was special, as he was the one who had been there at the time of the accident and had gone to get help,” says William. “There was also a school group with us, so it was a great experience.”

Click here for more articles by William.

For more information on William and the William Pike Challenge, visit www.williampike.co.nz

Article originally published on March 2015, updated February 2017.