On March 20, Spokane County, Wash., Commissioner John Roskelley, 54, set out to climb Mount Everest, accompanied by his son Jess Roskelley, 20, fellow mountaineer Jim Wickwire, 62, and previous Everest summiter Richard Bass, 73. Roskelley had attempted the climb four times previously, though a variety of circumstances, including a potentially fatal pulmonary edema, possible frostbite and monsoons, kept him from the summit. Although Wickwire and Bass did not complete the expedition, John and Jess Roskelley successfully summitted Mount Everest on May 21, 2003.

Q: How did you get your start in mountain climbing?

John Roskelley: I read “Annapurna” by Maurice Herzog when I was 14 and “Borders Of The Impossible” by Lionel Terray about the same time. I thought it would be great to do what those two French climbers did. I told my dad about my interest, and he put me in a climbing school when I turned 16. It soon became an obsession.

Q: Was it difficult to take time away from your responsibilities as county commissioner to climb Everest?

A: This was my first major expedition away from work since I took office. [Usually], I take three to four weeks vacation in some remote part of the world, such as Bhutan, leading treks for a San Francisco-based company. I never received a negative comment for taking the time to [climb] Everest. It didn't take long to get right back into the swing of things after my return.

Q: How do you stay in shape, and how did you intensify your training to prepare for Everest?

A: [Besides climbing], I run, ski and race mountain bikes. There were a variety of things I did to prepare for this expedition. For instance, I would run six miles and then bike for an hour. The most challenging part of Everest is really the altitude, though.

Q: Were your previous attempts helpful this time?

A: With each trip to Everest or any of the peaks in the Himalayas, I gained experience. In 1984 and again in 1993, I was on the same route, so I knew the terrain to at least 25,000 feet. I also knew the wind would eventually subside on the ridge and we would get an opportunity to make a summit attempt.

Q: What made a difference in your success this time: weather, training, the route, technology, the partnership with your son?

A: It was a combination of the above, plus a few other factors. Probably the most important elements to success were using Sherpas and bottled oxygen. In the past, the teams I was on did not use climbing Sherpas. We carried all our loads, set up our tents, fixed rope and cooked our meals. The Sherpas on this trip had been on the route [before] and carried quite a few of the loads to higher camps. Until this trip, I never used bottled oxygen. I felt strongly that I could make the summit without it. Unfortunately, conditions have to be perfect to summit without it, and I never was lucky enough to get the perfect conditions. This year, I decided to use oxygen, and it made a huge difference in how warm my body stayed and how strong I felt. My son was a great partner, [though] not any stronger than some of the climbers I had been with on other Everest attempts, just more fun.

Q: Wickwire and Bass were unable to summit. Was leaving them difficult?

A: Jess and I didn't want to see them go, but it was best for them. [Then] it was like a whole new expedition with just the two of us. The weather was windy, cloudy and snowing. [When we reached the top,] we savored the moment because of where we were and who we were with, not because of what we could see at a distance. We were on top about 10 minutes.

Q: What is next in your climbing future?

A: The highest summit is not necessarily the best. Countless peaks and routes intrigue me, such as Makalu (12 miles from Everest) and Jannu (in eastern Nepal). I would tackle Everest again because it's not so much the mountain, as it is the route.

Q: Do you have any plans for future adventures with other family members?

A: I'd like to sea-kayak from Vancouver, B.C., to Anchorage, Alaska, along the inner passage with my daughter Jordan. She's 13 now, but she's a good athlete, and, in a few years, just might want to go with me.