MOUNTAINEER Ralph Johnson returns this weekend to a Himalayan peak which led to a new career for the retired teacher.

Mr Johnson was part of a trek two years ago to base camp at K2, the world's second highest peak, when he helped a porter badly injured in a fall.

He also helped a second porter who had collapsed, putting into practice his wealth of experience from 35 years in cave rescue.

Trek organisers Himalayan Kingdoms were so impressed by what Mr Johnson did they offered him a job as a trek leader.

Mr Johnson, aged 57, from Long Valley Road, Biddulph, flies out this weekend to Pakistan to lead a group on a 17-day trek to base camp on K2, a height of 5,600 metres.

Mr Johnson will be leading a team of six experienced climbers, with the trip taking in a 10-day ascent of a glacier.

Mr Johnson is a controller for Derbyshire Cave Rescue, and has led many mountaineering treks.

In February he was part of a group which failed by 400 metres to reach the summit of the 7,000-metre Aconcagua in Argentina, the highest peak outside the Himalayas.

Severe weather and illness forced the group to turn back on a climb during which they found the bodies of two of five mountaineers who had died on the mountain this season.

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