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As we get closer to the predicted weather window, plans are taking shape, and some don’t like it. West Ridge Canceled As expected Conrad Anker has pulled the plug on the National Geographic sponsored climb of the West Ridge due to dangerous conditions. He will now join their South Col team. No word on the Eddie Bauer effort but I fully expect the same decision. Anker posted: “It’s a very dry and windy season. Normally we have terrain that’s snowy. Your crampons have good purchase, and you can move along at a good clip. But what we have now is continue reading

Multiple reports this morning say the jetstream has returned with a vengeance on Everest shutting down the carries and rope fixing. This was expected and teams on both sides have made remarkable progress over the past week as the new snow made conditions safer and faster. The South Col is stocked for many teams and the fixed line established at bit above the Col. I expect it will be fixed to the summit along with the first summit push later next week. The Sherpas have stocked the highest north camp at 8300m – the highest, High Camp in the world; continue reading

Everest teams are spread all over the Khumbu and southern Tibet at the moment. A few are still at the high camps but most are holding at base camps or down in the villages enjoying the richer air. There are 10 Sherpas from multiple teams working together to fix the rope to the summit on the south. They almost reached the Balcony, just above the South Col, when heavy snow stopped them. This is actually good news as the climbing conditions will be safer with more snow, but not too much! The Sherpa Train In addition to line fixing, the continue reading