Zoe Smalley, from Trowell, aims to complete the feat next month on the 50th anniversary of Sir Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tenzing's ascent of the mountain.

22-year-old Zoe is training in the French skiing resort of Chamonix.

She says she's looking forward to the challenge, which will be undertaken with three colleagues - another snowboarder and two skiers.

Zoe first came to Chamonix at the age of 16. Due to an ongoing love for snowboarding, skiing, mountaineering and biking she chose to make it her home.

She's no mug when it comes to snowboarding, earning first place in the renowned Derby de la Meije Freeride Competition in 2002.

In ten weeks the quartet hope to have trained, trekked and climbed to 23,150 metres above sea level ready for the historic descent.

Mount Everest is actually 29,035 feet above sea level so they're not actually going right to the top but still, would you?

The expedition will start on 7th May 2003 in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The group, led by and experienced Himalayan mountain guide, will travel to the Forbidden City of Lhasa in Tibet.

At over 12,000 feet it's one of the highest capitals in the world and where the team will begin their acclimatisation.

From here the team will set off in jeeps across the Tibetan plateau towards Mount Everest.

If all goes according to plan they hope to be back in Kathmandu on 2nd June 2003.