By BILL MCKELWAY
RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH
Published: April 25, 2008

An American mountain climber yanked off Mount Everest this week for hiding a “Free Tibet” banner in his gear is a Midlothian resident with ties to a long-established Virginia family.

A family member confirmed last night that William Brant Holland is a former tree service operator and world traveler who is the son of a longtime Richmond doctor.

“He’s just a very normal guy who had set out to climb seven of the world’s tallest mountains,” said Greg Holland, a cousin. “He’d done five and had two left—Everest and a peak in Antarctica.”

Holland, who goes by Brant, is the son of Dr. William E. Holland and a Midlothian High School graduate, his cousin said. He graduated last year from Montana State University with a bachelor of science degree in business. He is in his late 20s.

Brant Holland attracted international attention this week when he was forced off the famous peak and apparently ordered to return to Kathmandu in Nepal, The Associated Press reported.

Investigators watching the mountain, which is expected to be scaled next month by Chinese climbers carrying the Olympic torch, uncovered a “Free Tibet” banner in Holland’s belongings.

It was not clear if the banner actually belonged to Holland or what his intent was.

There are news reports that the entire expedition Holland had joined, called Eco-Everest Expedition 2008, might be scuttled over the incident because of growing tensions concerning Tibet in the months before the Olympics get underway.

Holland’s cousin described him as an engaging person who is not married and spends much of his time traveling. He ran a tree service business in the Richmond area for several years and still calls his boyhood community in Midlothian home.

Greg Holland said the family had not heard directly from Brant Holland as of last night.

Brant Holland was caught with the banner in his bags at Everest’s base camp, officials at the Tourism Ministry in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, told The Associated Press. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to reporters.

Umid Bhandari, an employee with Kathmandu-based Himalayan Guides Treks and Expeditions, which got the permit for the climber, said the government has issued a notice to the agency seeking clarification on the incident. It was not clear what the government would do about Holland’s case once he returned to Katmandu. Officials said he would probably be banned from mountaineering in Nepal for the next few years.

Holland is the first mountaineer to be stopped by soldiers and police officers stationed on the Nepalese side of the world’s highest mountain to prevent anti-China protests during the planned torch run to the summit.

The climb will take place on the Chinese side of the mountain. But the Nepalese government, complying with pressure from the Chinese government, has posted soldiers on the southern side and banned climbing near the summit between May 1-10 as a precaution.

Police and soldiers have been ordered to stop any protest on the mountain using whatever means necessary, including use of weapons, although the use of deadly force is authorized only as a last resort. Contact Bill McKelway at (804) 649-6601 or .

The Associated Press contributed to this report.