SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- Mark Luscher has rounded third base and is headed for home for the second year in a row.

He's in a sport, however, in which the slide into home plate is a bit uphill.

AP File photo

Southern face of Mount Everest.

Luscher, an Albany contractor, is close to becoming one of fewer than 100 people to have climbed the highest summit on all seven continents.

His bid was turned back just above 25,000 feet on Mount Everest a year ago when he developed acid reflux and couldn't keep down food or water.

He left March 29th to try again, the goal to touch the top of the world about mid-May.

The 60-year-old has been declared healthy by his physicians, but they've been unable to diagnose what went wrong with his system during the first Everest try.

Luscher had left Albany a sturdy 5-foot-10, 205 pounds, but lost 35 pounds. He estimated he would lose an additional 10 pounds on a summit push.