Shisha Pangma Expedition FAQ
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In 2007 and 2008, I am undertaking a challenging goal: The Road back to Mt. Everest. This is a year long journey where I will attempt to summit Everest in 2008 plus raise $100,000 for Alzheimer’s research. In preparation, I attempted Denali in June 2007 and Shisha Pangma in September 2007 then summitted Aconcagua and Orizaba in January 2008 and finally will return to Everest in April 2008. In between I am climbing more of my Colorado 14ers. Using a system of a digital camera, PDA and satellite phone, I send dispatches directly from the climbs. Sign up for notification on the dispatch page.

Alzheimer's is a horrible disease that impacts so many. Researchers are making great progress but more is needed. The Cure Alzheimer's Fund is a non-profit organization that raises money and funds targeted research with the highest probability of slowing, stopping or reversing Alzheimer's disease.

The Fund is supported by grants from three families that covers all of their overhead. This means 100% of your donations go directly to Alzheimer's research! None go to Alan's climbing expenses. I encourage you to read more about the Cure Alzheimer's Fund at their website and to make your tax deductible donation today to Memories are Everything through the Cure Alzheimer's Fund.
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About Alan The Expedition Preparation The Climb Shisha Pangma Facts

About me :

Q: Who are you, Alan?
A: I am just a guy who likes challenges and accomplishments. I am 51 years old and recently retired from an almost 30 year career at a high-tech company. I started climbing in 1995 with a summit of Mont Blanc being my first big mountain. I don't pretend to be anything special or particularly gifted but I am ambitious and have some common sense. I think I know my limitations and my potential so I like to test myself in many areas. Alpine mountaineering is a great sport for me since it tests my physical, emotional and mental strength.

Q: Was was your motivation for climbing Shisha Pangma?
A: I am raising $100,000 for Alzheimer's research. My Mom has this horrible disease and I am seeing first hand her forget all her life's precious memories. I have dedicated the next year of my life to this project and it includes four climbs: Denali, Shisha Pangma, Orizaba and Everest in 2008. Shisha was a true test for me at extreme altitude.

Q: Aren't you too old for this, especially an 8000m mountain?
A: Could be. But I won't know if I don't try. I know my body performs marginally at altitude so that is why I am going with a proven team with strong Sherpa support. If I start to get in trouble, I'll stop. It is that simple. I do know that many climbers of 8000m mountains are well above 50 years old and do OK so I don't think age in and of itself is the primary limiting factor. I think each person reacts differently to altitude and I know myself very well by now. This was my 5th 8000m climb.

Q: I thought you had given up on Everest . You did not summit Everest two years in a row, what makes you think you have a chance?
A: Yes, I had given up on Everest. But now is not the time to go into it. There will be more on all this in an updated Everest FAQ in early 2008.


The Expedition:

Q: Who ran the expedition?
A: Jamie McGuinness of Project Himalaya.

Q: What is their history on Shisha Pangma?
A: Jamie had run three expeditions to Shisha reaching the Central summit twice. He is based in Kathmandu and uses the same Sherpa team for many expeditions including Everest and 8000m climbs in Pakistan.

Q: How did Jamie and his team do?
A: The logistics from Kathmandu and Lhasa to and at Advanced Base Camp were outstanding with no surprises. The on-mountain leadership was dependent on each individual since this was not a "guided" climb with a formal Western Leader or Lead Sherpa (aka Sidar). So there was some confusion from time to time on who was going where, when. However there was never a shortage of tents, stoves or fuel at the high camps. Jamie ran the expedition enabling each climber to be very independent and the team in a consensus manner. There was minimal direction as to the on-mountain activities. The food at BC and ABC was excellent. We had freeze dried food at the high camps and cooked it ourselves.

Q: How many climbers were on the expedition?
A: It was too big. We had two teams of 8 people plus Sherpas, cooks and kitchen help. There were over 25 in camp. But the team dynamics were the best I have ever experienced and everyone got along well. All Base Camps camps were comfortable except for the small 2 person tents at the high camps. I would not recommend the Mountain Hardware EV-3 tents due to their narrow size and poor ventilation. However they are lightweight and I never had to carry one up so I can appreciate the trade-off.

Q: Was there web site coverage?
A: Yes. On this site on the dispatch page. Also on Jamie's site. Other team members posted Blogs and they are listed on Jamie's site.

Q: How do you communicate back home?
I used a satellite phone from Thuraya for my personal use to transmit both voice and data from anywhere on the mountain as well as during the trek in. The phone works extremely well but I experienced some surprises with my subscription since the SIM expired two days after I arrived. I was unaware that this would happen. My service provider tried and failed to get it resolved but my wife was able to work miracles to get it renewed. I used Jamie's Bgan data only satellite station for dispatches from ABC. It was faster (128KB vs 9600 baud) but more expensive than the handset ($11 per mb).


Preparation

Q: What was your training like?
A: Aerobic capacity, muscular strength, balance and attitude. I ran, lifted weights, stretched and used visualization techniques to address these areas. I climbed Colorado 14ers regularly. I had to reduce my running since my knees just would not take it anymore so I used an elliptical machine instead. When I did run, I changed from long 8 mile runs to 3 miles runs with intervals. I climbed to 17,000 on a three week Denali expedition in June 2007 and felt fantastic until a mysterious abdominal cramp stopped me cold. More details can be found on the Denali 2007 page. I firmly believe this was a fluke and not associated with altitude since my blood-oxygen level was around 90 when I got sick.

Q: Can you prepare for the altitude?
A: As you go higher, the barometric pressure decreases, although the air still contains 21% oxygen, every breath contains less molecules of oxygen.You cannot do much to acclimatize at low altitudes but there are companies that claim to help the acclimatization process through specially designed tents that simulate the reduced oxygen at higher elevations. I have no personal experience or knowledge of these systems but you can find more details at the Hypoxic website. They cost about $7,000. However, the common approach is to take several on-mountain weeks to prepare for the summit bid on a big mountain. The body needs to create more red blood cells that carry oxygen. By climbing higher than the previous day then returning to a lower altitude, your body creates these red blood cells. This process cannot be avoided otherwise you will suffer from cerebral edema (the brain swells) or pulmonary edema (fluid build-up in the lungs). The only cure is to get lower fast (at least 1,000 feet) but if you are high up on the mountain this is often impossible and death is the result. Most of used Diamox aggressively on this climb and that seemed to help with the acclimatizion.

The Shisha Pangma Climb Plan

Q: Which route was used?
A: The north ridge route. This is what is considered the "normal" route. There are four camps established at roughly 18,300', 21,000', 23,000' and 24,600'. The summit is 26,335''. An interim camp named the Depot Camp was used on the early climbs to store gear and for one night. It was at 19,200'. The route follows the Shishapangma glacier to the Eastern Cwm, up the North Ridge then traverses the North East face to the summit ridge.

Q: Anything special or unique about Shisha?
A:
Shisha is often called an "easy" 8000m mountain in the sense that there is almost no technical climbing (e.g. vertical walls). However there is always avalanche dangers plus the biggest challenges is that it actually has two summits. Many climbers who claim they have summited Shisha have actually only attained the fore-summit (Central Summit). The true summit (Main Summit) is another 3 meters (12 feet) higher but requires a traverse of a knife edge ridge or a circuitous route from the Central Summit Ridge to reach it.

Q: How was the climbing?
A:
The climbing was straightforward. The route to Camps 1 and 2 were on snow slopes that varied in angle. There were some steep sections near the top of both slopes or just below the Camps. The route to the Depot Camp followed the glacier and was sometimes on a sharp angle of loose rock or scree. We had to cross the glacier and a series of 20 to 30 foot ice spires or Penitentes. This was a little of a surprise and took 1.5 hours the first time. We had a few people slip into the icy cold waters but no serious damage was done. The climb to Camp 3 on the Central Summit Ridge was on a steep snow slope that had avalanche danger. No one even tried it in 2007. From C3 you follow a ridge to the Central Summit.

Q: What kind of weather conditions did you have?
A: We climbed in late September and early October after the annual monsoon season has ended. So generally it was clear but colder than in the spring.We had significant more snow than in previous years and thus stopped all the summit bids from all teams. The winds were strong from time to time and thus cold.


Q: What kind of gear did you use?Click for a larger view of my Everest gear.
A: I have used the same gear for many years now - lot's of layers and down. It was critical to protect my toes, fingers and face since these were most susceptible to frost bite. I have a gear page for reference. I am very pleased with all my gear but have a few standouts items. I note these on my gear page.

Q: Anything new - this time?
A: I switched from a capiline base layer to merino wool. I have found it to wick faster and stay warmer than capiline. It worked great.
Shisha Pangma Facts

Q: Exactly where is Shisha Pangma?
A: In south central Tibet a few miles from the Nepalese boarder and about 75 miles east of Mt. Everest. The nearest airports are Lhasa and Kathmandu. It is the 14th highest mountain on Earth and the lowest 8000m mountain. It is unique since it is the only 8000m mountain 100% located in Tibet and not on a boarder. Similar to Everest's north side, there is a road that goes to the base camp sometimes call DC or Driver's Camp. But after that it is all on foot and Yak.

Q: What does Shisha Pangma mean?
A: It is a Tibetan name meaning “crest above the grassy plain". The Chinese call it Xixabangma which is translated to mean "bad weather" or "severe climate".

Q: What is the history?
A:The first recorded ascent of Xixabangma was in 1964 by a mammoth size Chinese Expedition consisting of 195 climbers. Since it is one of the 14 8000m mountains it been climbed by famous mountaineers from all over the world including Ed Viesturs, Reinhold Messner, Doug Scott, Roger Baxter-Jones, Alex MacIntyre, Alan Hinkes Jerzy Kukuczka and Erhard Loretan.

Q: How many people have summited and how many people have died trying?
A: According to MountEverest.net, as of 2003 there have been about 201 summits (compared with approximately 3000 on Everest). 19 climbers have died, including 1991 when six Japanese climbers were buried in an avalanche and in 1999, when top mountaineers Alex Lowe and Dave Bridges died on the mountain. statistically, Shisha is more dangerous than Everest in modern times with a fatality rate of 17% versus 4.4% for Everest.