ARGENTINA, February 23, 2007, (WAFA)- Palestinian well-known female mountain climber, Suzanne Al-Houby said that climbing Aconcague- highest mountain in South America has been called off and descended down to safety from 17,500 feet.

In a statement, al Houby mentioned that after twelve days of climbing Aconcagua she called the attempt off because the weather was windy and one of the worst storms that hit Aconcagua in 7 years.

" We held on at 17,500 feet hoping for improved weather conditions soon, on the 15th the wind confided us to our tents that started weakening under the force of the storm, on the 17 th, our stoves didn't work and we couldn't melt any more snow to have water to drink, the temperature fell below - 20 and the wind speed was 80 miles per hour, al-Houby said.

In spite of Suzanne spending the night hoping and praying, the morning came with a harsh reality, at 10 am, her tent could not stand the wind any longer and it broke down. Exposing her to fierce winds and cold temperatures. In few minutes, the decision was to leave all things behind and take only necessities for survival and turn back down. " My guide asked me to put all the layers of mountain clothes I have on, carry my sleeping bag in my pack, stuff my feet in my super plastic snow boots and rush down".

In knee deep snow, in poor visibility of less than one meter, in a total white out conditions that caused total disorientation, and in 80 miles per hour winds that knocked her off her feet few times, she became more and more determined to fight back the storm and make it down safely.

" Few minutes after we started our descend, my face mask froze. It blocked the air from my nose which also filled up with hard ice. I pulled my guide's sleeve as he couldn't hear my shouts and signed to him that I couldn't breathe. I started pulling off my mask which exposed my skin to the extreme cold temperatures which caused few hours later a frost bite on my cheek. I didn't care about the frost bite as I cared more about being able to breath," she added.

The expedition started on Feb 4 with five climbers all from the United States except for Suzanne , a Palestinian resident of Dubai, who was after the record of being the first Arab woman to ever climb Aconcagua. At 14,300 feet, two climbers had to turn back and head down. At 16,000 feet another climber also decided to go down due to chest infection and Altitude Mountain Sickness. This meant that only two, including Suzanne, were still fit for the summit push. Until the storm hit.

" Even though I was forced to turn down and did not reach the summit, I am so grateful that I came down safely with a minor frost bite, twisted ankle and few bruises. I just learned new lessons this time on this mountain. Nature's anger is something that we have to respect and not challenge. Few days later and I still cant get rid of the " noise " of the storm, the sound of wind is higher and crueler than anything I have ever experienced, the thin air was not what defeated me this time, it was the anger of nature," al-Houby concluded.

Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere outside the Himalayas and is the highest in South America, making it one of the seven summits. The harsh weather conditions on Aconcagua and the far lower tree line make it comparable to 8,000 meter peaks else where.

M.H.(11:40 P)(09:40 GMT)