The Walking With The Wounded Everest 2012 Expedition led by Captain Martin Hewitt, from Wilmslow, has been suspended for this season.
The inspirational team of wounded servicemen had just one more climb left to make when were forced to postpone the summit attempt due to deadly weather conditions.
2012 has seen the warmest temperatures ever recorded on Everest which has caused extremely dangerous conditions. The unusually warm weather has led to rock and ice fall as well as a far greater number of avalanches. This has resulted in a number of casualties and made it an almost impossible task to climb to 8848m.
Co-founder of Walking With The Wounded, Edward Parker said "The decision not to aim for the summit was not an easy one, but it is the right decision to be made.
"The team are very low as they have worked so hard over the last 9 months to achieve the target, but they do understand why we have made this decision and they were involved in the process."
Martin Hewitt, who received two gun-shots through the right shoulder rendering his right arm paralysed whilst serving in Afganistan in 2007, has written about his 'great disappointment' in his blog.
"Everyone on our team is used to accepting high levels of risk through military service and partaking in pioneering expeditions. There comes a point when one has to swallow a little pride and deal with a short term set back in order to prevent what one feels would be certain serious injury and potential loss of life.
"I believe that this is the situation I find myself in today and as team manager have given my full support to Russell as the expedition leader in his decision. He is the most experienced man on this mountain and has made a difficult, selfless decision that I'm confident will save lives. Whilst other smaller teams may go on and some may summit this year, our team is large and has a significant logistical tail thus requiring many trips through the dangerous areas of this mountain and greater risk."
He added "I write this blog gutted that we have not completed the task we were set 10 months ago but proud to be the manager of such a determined, courageous group of men that have pushed the boundaries of endurance overcoming injury and adversity. The mountain is still there and we are still young! To all our partners, supports, families and friends I'd like to say thank you for your support. We'll be home soon and we will continue to provide more examples of overcoming injury in extreme environments."
The team will, however, return home with a world record under their belts: the highest ever whisky tasting!
The Walking With The Wounded Everest 2012 team will join up with the members of the innaugural Glenfiddich Pioneers Club, who represent the four nations of the UK and have trekked through the imposing Nepalese landscape to join the soldiers to sample the world's finest single malts.
The record-setting event, in support of our wounded servicemen and women, will be broadcast live at 7.30pm today, Thursday 10th May, at www.glenfiddich.co.uk/everest.
