• Former professional rugby player and incomplete quadriplegic Ed Jackson is first to climb 4,720m mountain in Kyrgyzstan
• Believed to be the first time someone with a disability has made the first ascent of a high altitude peak
• Expedition is raising funds for Ed’s charity Millimetres to Mountains and local charity CDI Children at Risk

Jackson and his team reached the summit on Saturday 23 August, and he is believed to be the first climber with a disability to make the first ascent of a high altitude mountain. The climb marks a milestone in adaptive adventure, as Jackson continues to defy the odds after a life-changing spinal cord injury.

 Ed Jackson completes the first ascent of a 4720m peak in Kyrgyzstan photo credit Toby Roney

Ed Jackson is a former rugby union professional and lifelong outdoor enthusiast. In an accident in 2017, Jackson fractured multiple vertebrae in his spine and doctors warned him that he may never walk again. He has since confounded the experts and found a way to return to the mountains. Jackson works closely with British outdoor brand Berghaus, which modifies kit to help him climb.

The expedition to Kyrgyzstan had been in planning for over two years, and saw Jackson and his small team establish a remote advanced base camp with the support of local nomadic shepherds, before tackling the technical ascent across glacial terrain, steep ice and a rocky section to the summit. The successful climb adds to Jackson’s reputation for redefining what’s possible in the world of adventure and resilience.

 Ed Jackson tackles tricky terrain in Kyrgyzstan photo credit Toby Roney

Reflecting on the climb, Jackson said: “I’ve been working towards this for so long, and for it to finally come to fruition feels incredible. The climb was far more technical and demanding than I could ever have imagined, and it took absolutely everything to reach the top. There were moments when I doubted whether my body could do it but I wasn’t climbing alone. I felt the strength of everyone who has carried me to this point. This summit isn’t just mine, it belongs to all of them too.”

Jackson, who founded the Millimetres to Mountains Foundation (M2M) to support people facing adversity through outdoor challenges, dedicated the climb to the beneficiaries of the charity and the local Kyrgyz children’s organisation CDI Children at Risk. The mountain’s name will not be chosen by the team themselves, but rather by the children supported by the CDI programme in Bishkek. Jackson and the team will meet with them in the coming days.

 With the Millimetres 2 Mountains flag on the summit photo credit Jake Holland

Jackson adds: “Climbing this peak was never just about standing on the summit. It was about carrying with me all the people who can’t be here, and giving something back in the process. The fact that the children we’re supporting in Kyrgyzstan will get to name this mountain only seems right to me.”

The expedition was led by Adrian Nelhams, a highly respected mountaineer and guide, whose mentorship Jackson credits as the reason that the ascent was possible. Sponsors and partners included Berghaus, Petzl, Grangers, Inigo Insurance, Texel Group, Airolo, LEKI, and ISM, whose support helped make the expedition possible.

The climb has also raised funds for M2M’s projects in the UK and CDI’s work with children with disabilities in Kyrgyzstan. Donations can be made online at

https://www.givengain.com/project/ed-raising-funds-for-millimetres-2-mountains-foundation-106370.