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K2 and Everest Winter Teams on the Move

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Dec 312017
 
K2 and Everest Winter Teams on the Move

The Polish K2 team is now in Pakistan and the Everest team in the Khumbu. It will be weeks before they begin actually climbing either peak. See this post for full background on both expeditions and the history of winter attempts on the highest two mountains on Earth. Winter K2 I received this update today from the Polish team: News from Pakistan: The expedition crew arrived in Skardu today by morning, all rested and in excellent moods. Repacking and preparing jeeps and tomorrow they will drive to Askole, from where the caravan will go to K2 Base Camp. Everything according continue reading

K2 and Everest Winter Climbs are on!

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Dec 222017
 
K2 and Everest Winter Climbs are on!

After months of speculation, Alex Txikon will return to attempt a winter, no supplemental oxygen summit of Everest. And the Polish K2 team will leave Poland on 29th December for their winter K2 attempt. UPDATE: The K2 team has left Poland. Winter Dates To claim a true winter ascent of a northern hemisphere peak, the summit must be reached during the calendar winter of the northern hemisphere. For 2017/18 this begins with the winter solstice on December 21, 2017 at 11:28 am EST and ends with the spring equinox on March 20, 2018 at 12:15 pm EDT. Also to be fully continue reading

Young Sherpa Brought to U.S. Before Amputation

 3 Responses »
Aug 222017
 
Young Sherpa Brought to U.S. Before Amputation

One of the tragic stories from Everest 2017 was of Dawa Sange Sherpa who had all of his fingers severely frostbitten while working with a member who reportedly refused to turn back in bad weather. Thanks to the generosity of the climbing community, Sange is now in Vail, Colorado receiving treatment from some of the world’s best doctors but he needs our help. Good Samaritan David Snow was trekking to Everest Base Camp with his group from Utah. Sange was guiding them on the trek and on to attempt Lobuche Peak. David found the young Sherpa eager to help his continue reading

Everest 2017: Loose Ends

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Jun 222017
 
Everest 2017: Loose Ends

Now that the last summits of Everest 2017 are about a month old, there are a few storylines that continue to get press. In the grand scheme, nothing really changes with any of this “news”. Big Summit Numbers from Nepal Nepal Tourism reported for spring 2017 there were 445 summits from the south (Nepal) side consisting of 190 foreigners, 32 fee-paying Nepalis, 233 Sherpas. They issued 375 foreign permits thus a 50% foreigner success rate, much lower than recent history in the 70+% range – this was perhaps due to flu and an elongated summit window of a few days continue reading

Climber Selfishness Causes China to Close Autumn Climbs

 20 Responses »
Jun 072017
 
Climber Selfishness Causes China to Close Autumn Climbs

Without thinking of anyone else but himself, Polish climber Janusz Adam Adamski, 49, made an illegal traverse from China to Nepal this Everest 2017 season. Now, not only will he will be punished by Nepal and China, but his action have costs others their opportunity to climb in Tibet this autumn. Follow No Rules Adamski made an illegal traverse from China to Nepal, knowing he needed a permit.  He said that he believes there is no border on mountains and thus ignored the rules apparently feeling they didn’t apply to him. Amazingly his total disregard for rules was flaunted in this quote to the Himalayan Times: “I am ready to face continue reading

Everest 2017: Season Summary – A Mountain with Two Sides

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Jun 052017
 
Everest 2017: Season Summary - A Mountain with Two Sides

This is one of the more difficult seasons I have covered to sum up in one word so let me use several: wind, tragedy, misinformation, spin and summits. Overall it was a good year, a normal year with many summits on both sides plus the average death toll. I think we saw how the pressure to be first with news can backfire with incorrect stories but we also saw the power of dreams. Similar to 2016, there were no natural disasters or issues with people getting along, other than a few individuals acting very irresponsibly and selfishly. While weather forecasting proved to be continue reading

Everest 2017: Team Locations and Headlines

 22 Responses »
May 312017
 
Everest 2017: Team Locations and Headlines

Alan Arnette’s Everest 2017 coverage and annual coverage is based on my own Everest and K2 summits and climb experiences, research, sources, and public information. I try to provide insight and interpretation of the activities ranging from routes to weather to the challenge of climbing Everest. I am home in Colorado this season after a climbing accident in February that stopped me from a planned Dhaulagiri climb this spring. A sincere and deep thank you to everyone who joins the Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry or makes a donation to one of the Alzheimer’s nonprofits. HEADLINE: Normal Season, Windy, 7 Deaths, 600++ Summits See continue reading

Everest 2017: Weekend Update May 27

 25 Responses »
May 272017
 
Everest 2017: Weekend Update May 27

This season had more twists and intrigue than a U.S. Presidential election. While not completely over, this past week brought a strong end for almost all the teams on both sides of Everest. Many dreams came true, like that of my climbing buddy Jim Davidson (who is already back home in Colorado!), and for others they set a difficult goal but were disappointed like Ralf Dujmovits. Perhaps the strangest twist of the week, or season, came from the report of four bodies found at the South Col. Then it was said they made a mistake but came back and said there are bodies, just continue reading

Everest 2017: Who is left? – updated

 45 Responses »
May 252017
 
Everest 2017: Who is left? - updated

It has been a season of wild swings from the weather to information from the mountain. But it’s not over. Let’s look at who is left and where they are. Heavy snow appears to be arriving on 28 May, so there is a sense of urgency for those still heading higher. UPDATE: Summits thus far Saturday 27 May: South: 11+ summits Ferran Latorre – Summit per his tracker, used Os late in push Yannik Graziani – “”Too much snowfall, too much wind, you freeze on the spot … I turned around at 8 500m, too risky without oxygen, now safe on the south pass.” continue reading

Everest 2017: South Col Dead Body Report was Wrong

 14 Responses »
May 252017
 
Everest 2017: South Col Dead Body Report was Wrong

The same people that reported 4 bodies – 2 Sherpas, 1 foreign woman and 1 foreign male – were found at the South Col now say they got it all wrong. I spoke live with both key sources last night. Managing Director at Seven Summit Treks, Mingma Sherpa, who provided the the information to Himalayan Times reporter Rajan Pokhrel who wrote the story. Both now say it was a mistake and were no 4 new bodies. I also confirmed with another Nepali operator Navin Trital plus long time Everest climber and guide, Willie Benegas of Benegas Brothers contacted me from the South Col and said no new bodies. He said he checked every tent. Too Many Bodies? continue reading

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