Dublin woman who climbed 32 peaks in 32 days takes on Mont Blanc for charity
Samantha Toner will be taking on Mont Blanc in September in aid of Husky Rescue Ireland
A Dublin woman who conquered 32 peaks in Ireland in just as many days last year, is now gearing up for another challenge.
Samantha Toner (38), from Rathfarnham, now plans to scale the highest mountain in Western Europe in support of Husky Rescue Ireland.
She will depart for Italy on September 6 and aims to begin her ascent of Mont Blanc on September 10, expecting the climb to span 3-4 days.
A few days before tackling Mont Blanc, she plans to climb Gran Paradiso, one of Italy’s highest mountains, to acclimatize to the altitude.
She undertook the feat of climbing 32 peaks last year while working full-time, raising over €3,000 for the same charity.
“I volunteer at Husky Rescue Ireland, and I see the constant pressure they're under,” she said.
“Andy Cullen, who runs it, has such a passion for it. Right now they’re at maximum capacity and have so many vet bills taking care of some dogs which are traumatised and need love.”
We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity.
Ms Toner had an Akita breed which was he constant companion for 14 years before he passed away.
“Akitas are quite rare, they’re massive and much bigger than huskies, but they share some similarities,” she said.
“Husky Rescue Ireland is one of the few animal charities that accepts this breed.”
She is currently undergoing rigorous training for her upcoming Mont Blanc challenge and has been using a special mask to prepare for the altitude.
“The summit of Mont Blanc is a seven-hour incline. I’m training hard to adjust to the altitude; when I’m up there, I’ll have only 52pc of my usual oxygen intake,” Ms Toner said.
“Currently, I’m training with a 25pc reduction in oxygen, and it’s quite challenging, so I need to step up my training.”
She likened the sensation of reduced oxygen to experiencing a panic attack, unable to catch her breath, but noted that it is helping her learn to pace herself for the September expedition.
The Gouter Route on Mont Blanc involves navigating steep rock faces and high-altitude snowfields
Ms Toner is currently engaged in strength training 3-4 times a week and hiking the tallest peaks in Wicklow twice a week, using her training mask to reduce oxygen intake.
As she approaches her departure date, she plans to intensify her training to seven days a week before resting up for the climb.
Mont Blanc, at 4,807 metres (15,774 feet), presents a daunting challenge as Western Europe’s highest peak.
Ms Toner will follow the Gouter Route, a popular yet demanding path that involves navigating steep rock faces, potential rockfalls, and high-altitude snowfields.
Ms Toner plans to document her journey on her social media page @samantha_hikes_ireland and has set up a fundraising page for Husky Rescue Ireland.
