By Gregg Zoroya
Two Iraq war veterans who lost right legs to roadside bombs aim this week to become the first combat amputees to reach the top of Mount Everest.
They are climbing the less-traveled northern route of the world’s highest mountain from China and plan to summit the 29,029-foot peak Friday, weather permitting. Unpredictable conditions and deep snow could delay them, climbers say.
The two men  â former Army reservist Chad Jukes, 31, and Thomas Charles “Charlie” Linville, 30, who served as a Marine sergeant â are on separate expeditions sponsored by different veterans organizations.
He is climbing with a group called U.S. Expeditions and Explorations (USX). Two other members of his team 
are Army officers who, if successful, would be the first active-duty American soldiers to reach the Summit.
This is the first climbing season in two years for Everest. An avalanche that killed 16 Nepalese guides in 2014 and a deadly earthquake last year in Nepal led to the cancellation of those climbing seasons.
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