Everest 2018: Skiing and Waiting

The winds have arrived on both sides of Everest above 7,000 meters and may get worse before reducing in speed. It is testing the patience of some but for the veterans, this is normal and understand that patience is key. Given the winds are at fairly high elevation, teams are still able to go on acclimatization rotations to Camp 2 and the North Col but the rope teams are stalled and there are no fixed lines to the summit from either side. Overall, the #Everest2018 season continues in good shape.

Ski the Face

Matt Moniz and Willie Benegas did in fact ski from C3 to C2 on the Lhotse Face. Willie posted: “Well after 10 years dreaming about it, it happen! Managed to ski from Camp 3 Everest 7,200 meters to Camp 2 6.400m. Not much of difficulty but definitely good eyes needed to read the terrain, catching a ice patch will be a bad thing to happen!” By the way if you are interested in learning more about the NASA Twins study they are part of Science has a nice write up.

Windy above 7000 meters

AAI is at C2 hoping to get to C3 on the Nepal side. They report calm winds there but can hear it ripping above: “We have forecasted high winds on the mountain for the next few days and we can hear the wind up high but so far we have had very little wind at Camp 2. We will see what tomorrow brings but right now it seems as though most of the winds are staying very high towards the South Col and Summit.”

Summit Climb on the Tibet side had a bit more wind on their side: “It was indeed windy last night so sleep was difficult with constantly flapping nylon. We’re back at abc having finished our acclimatization rotations. It’s very windy here too and the forecast is for more wind to come. Base camp looks inviting.”

Over on Cho Oyu, the Alpenglow team is on their summit push and Rolfe Oostra of 360 Expeditions gave a brief update on the mountain conditions (windy with lots of crevasses) the Alpenglow risks (strong team but risky push) and his plans (wait): “The team are using O2 which helps with combating the cold and of course with speed and agility. It’s a risk though but having talked to Adrien they are keen to have a stab at it. The team is strong and they have 1;1 Sherpa (also very strong) and if they pull it off it will be a great achievement. As ever the line is fine. Both forecasts I have indicates 120km winds.”

How high you spend a night for acclimatization has been changing over the years. On my first climb in 2002, it was almost mandatory to spend a night at Camp 3 (23,500’/7162m)  on the Nepal side but recently guides feel you only have to “touch” it. This means they spend multiple nights at Camp 2 (21,000’/6400m) on the first rotation and a couple more on the second then do a day climb to C3, spend about an hour and return to C2 then EBC and call it good. Over on the Tibet side it’s a similar schedule but they are actually sleeping at the North Col (23,000’/7000m) instead of just touching it and a few people will take a day hike a bit higher up the Northeast Ridge. So both sides have slightly different strategies and both work well. The key in this era is the use of supplemental oxygen at relatively high flow rates of 4 liters per minute instead of the 2 back in the days, some of the “luxury” guides run at 6 or even 8lpm.

Why Climb?

Absolutely love this image looking up at the route from the North Col by Carole Fuchs. Her description is perfect “Cognitive Dissonance.”

People Updates

Nobukazu Kuriki has finally left EBC and spent the night at C2. He has been sick with a high fever most of the expedition. He is the young Japanese hoping to finally summit Everest after six previous attempts. Its believed he wants to use the West Ridge, but that’s not clear.

Rupert Jones Warner is hoping to be the youngest Brit to summit from both sides in a single season. The Chinese do not allow a climber to traverse from one base camp to the other so the only legal way to do this is to summit, return to BC, then hike/drive/fly to the other and summit again. This is Rupert’s plan and what David Liano did in 2016. Warner is currently on the South side.

Steve Plain hoping to set the record for the fastest 7 Summits time, has completed his acclimatization rotations and is now at base camp waiting for the summit window – like everyone else. He needs to summit by 22 May to break the record. The current record is 126 days and as of today, 6 May he is at 109 days.

Horia Colibasanu and Peter Hámor are planning to climb Everest from the West Ridge then take the ridge to Lhotse, something never done before connecting the two like this. They have been trying to put the route in above C2 towards the West Ridge and it has been exhausting according to this excellent post by Horia. The money quote: “The forecast by 10 may is strong wind, starting in 6. We are on the clock, and the route proves complicated.”

Tenji Sherpa and  Jon Griffith have also completed their acclimatization and are back at EBC. They will Live Stream their attempt to summit Everest and Lhotse back to back, Tenji without supplemental oxygen. I interviewed this past past week.

I have to mention this one,Dave Simpson is climbing Everest and raising money for #Alzheimer’s Scotland at this link

Anish Luitel climbing the north side for the Boy Scouts of Nepal is on his rotation to the North Col. He summited in 2016 from the Nepal Side.

Rasmus Kragh from Denmark is climbing alone, if that’s possible, with no Os on the Tibet side. His goal is to be the first Danish person to summit Everest without Os. He has been up to 7000m and feels good thus far.

Staying with the first theme, Antonios Sykaris is trying to be the first Greek to summit Kanchenjunga. He is 56 and reported doing OK. He summited Everest last year and is aiming for all 14.

Carlos Soria at age 79 is on Dhaulagiri. He continues his acclimation and is doing well but they are seeing the same winds as on Everest and at at BC.

Guy Cotter of Adventure Consultants is with a private member, Leow Kah Shin, attempting Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse. They attempted Nuptse this week but stopped 200m short of the summit due to dangerous and unstable snow conditions. Guy, well known as an excellent photographer, posted some amazing photos of that attempt on Facebook. along with a detailed climb report – well worth a read. Guy goes out of his way to praise the strength and determination of the Sherpas with them: Passang Bhote, Prakash Sherpa, Nima Tsheri Sherpa and Dawa Bhote.

16 year-old Shivangi Pathak is on the south side but no updates.

Kami Rita Sherpa going for a record 23rd Everest summit is doing well leading a small team with Seven Summits Treks. It’s almost certain he will be the sole record holder by the end of the month.

Chinese double amputee Xia Boyu is doing well. Mingma G Sherpa whom is leading the team posted this short video of Xia in the Icefall crossing a ladder. Kind of makes you feel silly for compiling about, well anything! 🙂

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything