Imagine | Winter 2025
A digital magazine from Irwin Mitchell
Imagine | Winter 2035 A digital magazine from Irwin Mitchell
Imagine | Winter 2025
A digital magazine from Irwin Mitchell
In October 2024, our Imagine client, Richard, and his best friend, fellow amputee Richard Potter, tackled the Snowman Trek in Bhutan. The trek, known for its length, altitude, and 11 high mountain passes, is gruelling even for seasoned hikers, making it an unlikely challenge for two amputees.
What motivated Richard to take on the trek? How did he prepare, and how did he fare? We caught up with him to find out all about it.
In October 2024, our Imagine client, Richard, and his best friend, fellow amputee Richard Potter, tackled the Snowman Trek in Bhutan. The trek, known for its length, altitude, and 11 high mountain passes, is gruelling even for seasoned hikers, making it an unlikely challenge for two amputees.
What motivated Richard to take on the trek? How did he prepare, and how did he fare? We caught up with him to find out all about it.
Why did you decide to take on the toughest trek in the world?
“We’re not mountaineers or adventurers; we’re just two one-legged idiots who wanted an epic challenge.”
“We wanted to share our story to motivate and inspire other amputees and raise money for the military charities who helped us during our recovery. But we also wanted to prove to ourselves that we’re capable.
“Not everyone will take on a challenge this big, but setting goals is crucial. Every day with limb loss can be a journey. Conquering one challenge and then setting a slightly bigger one helps with moving forward.”
What training and preparation did you do before the trip?
“Living in Norfolk, the flattest county in the UK, meant our altitude training was almost non-existent. We focused on cardio and getting as fit as possible.
“A big concern was how our legs would hold up. No day is guaranteed in terms of how your leg will behave. We went on daily hikes and had regular soft-tissue therapy to get ourselves in the best condition.”
How important is it to have the right prosthetics?
“We could hardly find any information about the terrain before we left, but we knew that our everyday feet wouldn’t be suitable. We needed something durable, without any mechanical parts that could fail in the cold weather or at altitude. We were fortunate that one of our sponsors provided us with custom-made prostheses and the new Evanto foot. The movement in the toes and ankle was crucial on the loose, rocky, uneven terrain. We also needed good boots with a strong grip. With a prosthetic foot, you don’t get the same feedback as from your other foot, so you need to know you’ve got a strong foothold.
“There were a few hairy moments during the trek, complicated by our prosthetics. One day I was using my running blade – the spring absorbs some shock, which was helpful when I was achy. I slipped on some rocks, and my left foot, which is my missing foot, went forward. My right foot got stuck under my bottom. I was stuck between the mountain edge wall on my left and a 150/200-foot drop down to the river on my right. There were just a few little bushes lining the edge, not enough to stop me going over. Because of the shape of my blade, I couldn’t get my foot pad to grip, the spring was just sliding on the rock. I had to rock from side to side to free up my right leg without falling down the side of the mountain.”
Packing list
How did you fit everything in your bags, and more importantly, how did you carry it all?
“We had 12 horses to carry our luggage from the start until the resupply at the halfway point, upping to 16 for the rest of the trek.
“I also had a day sack with around 15 kilos of kit, including water, snacks, carb gels, and clothing for the fast-changing weather. With my own weight, plus my rucksack, I was carrying close to 100 kilos. My leg’s not used to carrying so much weight for such long periods of time.
“In the first 12 days of the trek, I lost three kilos in weight. Amputees use up to 40% extra energy just going about our normal day. I reckon I was using that full 40% just carrying the load.”
Reaching the halfway point
“I couldn’t sign into my music account when we arrived in Bhutan, so I was walking with only my thoughts for company. Sometimes our guide didn’t get the distances quite right, and he’d tell us we had a few more kilometres to go when our watches said we should have finished for the day. As fatigue set into our legs, we focused on taking one step at a time, reminding ourselves that we were there to show what amputees are capable of.
“As it turned out, our pace was a lot quicker than anyone anticipated, and we made it to the halfway point, a place called Laya, in just 10 days. We’d walked 110 kilometres, roughly 200,000 steps, and crossed four high altitude mountain passes – a world first for amputees.”
A difficult decision
“Shortly after completing the half-snowman my leg swelled up. I couldn’t use my specialist leg or even my running blade. I squeezed into my everyday leg and forced myself to keep going. It was a short, but challenging, six-kilometre day and every step was agony.
“In the end I had to consider the safety of my whole team when I decided to retire on day 12. We were at the last place with a road between the start and finish line. If I went any further, a helicopter couldn’t land and I’ve have needed a couple of guides and a horse to get me out, which would have put us all in danger.
“It was so incredibly difficult to leave. We started off as a team, and I couldn’t be there to finish it.”
Coming home
“I was really emotional getting into the pickup truck to head to Timpu. Rich had left to carry on with the trek and I felt like a failure. It’s not often I really despise being an amputee, but at that point I hated it. My mind and my body were in good shape, but my stump hadn’t got the message. I was angry, I felt really depressed in that moment because my stump had let me down – after all that training, all the effort in planning, the logistics, securing sponsorship. I felt like I’d let everyone down as well.
“I arrived home on 21 October and spent the first week in a wheelchair. Two months later, I still have swelling in my leg and I’m using a year-old socket which should be huge on me.
“My wife and close friends have reminded me to focus on what I’ve achieved. I know I didn’t leave because it got too difficult, or because I missed home. I had to withdraw because my stump was so swollen I couldn’t use any of my sockets. The day I left I couldn’t fit into any of them. I was on crutches. My leg failed me, and unfortunately that’s the harsh reality an amputee faces.
“I’ve been there when getting out of bed is the hardest thing that day. The trek is now one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, I probably ever will do. I didn’t get the goal I set out to achieve, but I’ve come to realise that I’m incredibly proud of what I did manage to achieve. Me and Rich became minor celebrities in Bhutan because it’s just not done.”
How important was it to you that Rich completed the trek?
“Rich went on to complete the trek in 28 days, which is a phenomenal effort. We originally aimed to finish in 35 days but managed to get that down to 30 with some clever planning. After getting to the halfway point a day ahead, Rich got to the finish line a day early as well. I’m incredibly proud of him, although I’m devastated that I couldn’t have been there with him.”
What response have you had to the trek?
“I’m hopeful that over time our story will inspire the people who hear it. It’s something I’ll talk about whenever I have the chance, and I’ll continue to do everything I can to raise awareness and encourage conversations in the amputee community. We’re both incredibly grateful to our sponsors and our amazing wives, for supporting us and keeping everything running at home.
“I’m an expert in my disability, and I’m learning that sharing my experience can be beneficial in ways I’ve not yet fully realised. If I can inspire one therapist to find out more about supporting amputees, or one person considering amputation to realise that life can be fulfilling in ways you never imagined, then it’s all been worthwhile.”
Legal support
Find out more about the circumstances leading to Richard’s amputation and how we support him, and clients like him throughout their rehabilitation.