A father and son team leaves for Nepal Friday to climb part way up Mt. Everest, as thousands have done, but this time it's a very special feat.

Eli Reimer, a 15 year old student at Bend High, who happens to have Down's Syndrome has been training for this trip for a year. 

Eli’s dad, Justin says it's "all systems go."  "Eli's been given a clean bill of health from his heart doctors and pulmonary specialists as well. So it will be a challenge for him, though, stamina, just different things like that. for anybody, it's going to be hard, but I’m feeling pretty confident about his ability to do this."

Reimer says they hope to begin the Himalayan trek by March 5th and will take about 15 days to hike the 9,000 feet. 

The project is a fundraiser for The Elisha Foundation, an organization the Reimers created to support families with disabled children locally, and bring awareness of the plight of disabled children abroad.