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Dale Darling

Climbing enthusiast leans on FFA experiences

Dale Darling

Former Michigan FFA state officer Dale Darling reaches his goal of climbing the tallest mountains on each of the seven continents.



March 2008

Former Michigan FFA secretary, State Star Farmer and national proficiency winner, Dale Darling has made an even bigger name for himself since his FFA membership.

Today, Darling is considered one of only 130 people in the world to have climbed the Seven Summits – the highest peaks of each of the seven continents, including Asia’s Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, at 29,085 feet. Besides his climbing adventures, Darling handles international exports of almonds for Blue Diamond Growers in California, the world’s largest almond cooperative. Read more about this adventurous former member.

QHow did you first discover your passion for climbing?

AGrowing up on a dairy farm, I was used to physical labor and long hours. After graduating from college, I moved to Visalia, Calif., to direct dairy genetic exports for World Wide Sires. Visalia is one hour from the Sierra Nevada, which has peaks over 14,000 feet high. I started hiking on the weekends and really enjoyed it. My next goal was to climb in other countries. Then I read the book Seven Summits, by Dick Bass, about his experience climbing the revered Seven Summits. This became my goal. Each year I would take my vacations to climb abroad.

QWhat do you consider the most rewarding part of any climb?

AHaving completed the Seven Summits! Being alive! Appreciating life and what we have in our lives! Standing on an 8-inch ledge near the top of Mount Everest at 29,000 feet over an 8,000-foot drop-off allows you to appreciate what’s all around us.

QDo you think FFA and your agricultural background prepared you for the mental challenges of climbing?

AAbsolutely! FFA taught me how to communicate with people. During each of my climbs, I met people from five to 10 different countries, who all spoke different languages. An agricultural background and childhood on a dairy farm prepared me for the hard work, long hours, grueling conditions and extreme temperatures associated with mountain climbing. 




Web Extra

Climbing Mount Everest 2004

Excerpts from Dale Darling’s Climbing Journal

March 28, 2004
Years of dreaming, planning, organizing, and training to gain the necessary experience to climb Mt. Everest have now become a reality.
The journey started long ago in Michigan as a youngster when I climbed in the straw piles and hay mound in the big barn on my family’s dairy farm, and later climbing trees became a favorite past time. In 1989 I moved to California, and one day a friend, Jim
McWay said, “Let’s go for a hike in the Sierras out of Mineral King. I became hooked on the mountains, the outdoors of the back country of the mountains. Then, as I traveled, I always looked forward to the hikes I would take in Kenya, Austria, South Africa, Colorado, California and many other locations.

Day 5-Sunday, April 4, 2004
Today we flew from Katmandu to Lhasa, Tibet (China).  During the hour and half flight, we were able to see Everest! Yes, this was the first time I ever viewed it. Impressive, massive, tall, fierce, humbling, and cold were the initial thoughts that ran through ones mind. We all made photographs of the mountain, and then sat back in our chairs and quietly told ourselves, “Oh my goodness…that is gigantic!”

Day 11, Saturday, April 10, 2004
The teams had breakfast at 8:00 a.m. and we departed by 9:15 a.m. After an hour, we came to a pass at 5,200 meters that provided us a breathtaking view of Mt. Everest. The skies were blue and clear and there was only a small white plume of snow blowing from the top. At a distance, you are intimidated to see the mountain. It rises up another 13,000 feet above our base camp. It strikes fear into your mind, heart and soul when you initially see it. While looking at the mountain, you wonder how will we ever get up it? 
Then you realize you will climb this famous mountain in sections (not all at one time).
We finally arrived at Base Camp after eleven days! At base camp we had lunch and then we unpacked our gear into our individual tents. We will be spending at least five or six days at base camp to acclimate with day hikes before we head up the mountain.

Day 12, Sunday April 11, 2004 Easter Sunday
Our two teams combined have 20 climbers, plus four western guides, and 26 Sherpas.  We have over 700 barrels of food or enough to feed one man for 4.5 years!
Our tents are separated. Each climber has his own tent. Team B is on the south side of the Memorial Hill and Team A is on the east side of it. We have separate eating areas. 
There is one overall communication tent and two separate cooking tents.
The days start out calm and then we get the first winds by 11:00 a.m. The sun is very intense at this elevation so we must protect our skin and eyes from it.

Day 28, Tuesday, April 29
Well, we moved up to 7,033 m (over 23,000 ft.) to spend the night. We went up the North Col Route that is steep, with many vertical ice climb sections.  I was able to get there in five hours and that was good. There was an early section where it was all sunny and hot and we were able to strip down to a bottom weight capilene on our torso, and we still felt we were burning up.

Day 34, Monday, May 3
Russell Brice runs a pretty tight ship. He has 100 tents on the mountain, 29 Sherpas, five sets of cooking tents, two communication tents, and four laptop computers for e-mails and weather reports. He is one organized chap!

Day 44, Thursday, May 13
Based on the weather reports, a week from today, we might be standing on top of
Everest! We left Base Camp today and went up to the Interim Camp at 19,000 (5800m). 
It took me three hours and 45 minutes, and I was the first from our group of six.

Day 48, Monday, May 17
Mood in the camp is alive with energy today! Two modified teams will climb the mountain starting on Wednesday and Friday! We are all focused that we will move forward up this mountain! Having a definite goal, a starting point, knowing we are moving is phenomenal! Harry and I will be on Team One leaving on Wednesday. 
We have gathered our food as we will cook and boil our own water at each of the four upper camps! Starting Wednesday, it will be five long days! Plans are for:
May 19 - Wednesday Camp 17,000 meters
May 20 - Thursday Camp 27,400 meters
May 21 - Friday Camp 37,900 meters
May 22 - Saturday Camp 48,400 meters
May 23 - Sunday SUMMIT! 8,848 meters
May 24 - Monday ABC 6,400 meters
One week from today, we (our First Team) should be back in camp.

Day 54 SUMMIT DAY!!, Sunday, May 23
There were over twenty of us including the Sherpas and clients who would be departing. 
It was dark and only our headlamps lit our path.  The snow was sometimes very soft and loose and other times the passage up the rock wall was vertical for 8 to 12 feet straight up.  Other times you felt like you were in a chute at an 80-degree angle, yet the space was confined so you sometimes had difficulties getting your backpack to fit through.
Finally, at 9:44 a.m., I arrived at the Summit!  Exhausted, emotional, drained, and above all, scared.  I was the third client from our team of ten clients to arrive.  I sat down a foot from the high point.  I cried. My time on top of Everest was short, only ten minutes maximum. One asks after more than nine hours of climbing and seven years of training, why would you only stay for ten minutes? The answer has always been easy. Over 80% of all accidents and fatalities of Everest happen on the descent when the climber is exhausted. I wanted down before I realized how tired I really was and before I would lose my nerve.
We finally reached the High Camp 4 about 3:30 p.m. I repacked my backpack after resting for 15 minutes to begin moving to the 7,900-meter camp.
I arrived at Camp III at about 5:30 p.m.  I had been climbing for approximately seventeen hours today, a good days work on the farm in Michigan. Inside the tent, I was alone. My boots came off, the down suit came off and I slipped into my down sleeping bag. The day had hit me hard. I cried with tears dropping off my face.  I praised the Lord, thanked God, prayed for my family and loved ones, knowing they had been with me for the past six weeks in heart and soul.

Day 55, Monday, May 24
At Camp 2, North Col, Russ and Mark sat in a tent with their telescope watching our
Second Team attempt the Summit. I sat outside their tent and told Russell thank you as a dream of six years had come true. I started crying!

Day 60, Saturday, May 29
The food during the seven weeks on the mountain, consisted of cauliflower, cabbage,
rice, pasta, oatmeal, potatoes, Spam, pizza (one every two weeks) and a chicken leg (once a week). During the days, I also snacked a lot on Pringles and potato chips. During the two months, we had tea at 7 a.m., breakfast at 8 a.m., lunch at 12:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m.

Day 67, Monday, May 31
Sitting on the plane from Katmandu to Bangkok, I was subdued, in a trance, thinking about the past seven years. I realized that I had fulfilled a part of a dream, a dream to summit the seven summits – the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. Now
I had succeeded in reaching the top of five of them, leaving only Antarctica and
Australia.  I am amazed to be here. Thankful for the blessings bestowed on me. 
Thankful for the wonderful family, friends, colleagues and loved ones in my life! It will take months for all of what has happened in the spring of 2004 to sink in!
I am definitely more emotional at moments as tears filled my eyes quickly now. I appreciate, respect, and thank the Lord for my health and life he has given me.



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