The first time I heard that an 11 year-old was climbing the 7 Summits, I dismissed it. 11 years old? Where does he get the money. Who will take him on these climbs? And, what does a 11 year-old know about climbing anyway. Well a few years went by and I heard about this kid again, but this time he had climbed 5 of the 7 and was on his way to Everest. Whoa. Jordan Romero is not your ordinary 8th grader and his father Paul is not your ordinary Dad. Jordan saw a painting at school showing the highest [continue reading]
Everest 2010
Please continue to follow the climbing news and my own adventures by reading The Blog on alanarnette.com. Everest 2010 is now over so all future updates on Everest and other climbing news will be posted on The Blog. I regularly add dedicated pages to my main site for my own climbs such as the recent climbs of Colorado’s infamous Little Bear Peak or the US’s highest peak, Mt. Whitney. Use the menu in the upper left of this page to explore the site.
With the controversial summit from the Tibet side by 13 year old Jordan Romero, China seems to feel enough is enough. Starting this fall, 2010, climbers must be between 18 and 60 to be issued a permit. This was announced by the China Tibet Mountaineering Association (CTMA) who manages mountaineering in Tibet. In a report they said
Even though the season is over and climbers are back home, the ramifications from 2010 still echos throughout the climbing world. There are two developments – youngest records and the search for proof that Mallory and Irvine summited in 1924. First, the records race. This is precisely what people feared from the 13 year-old Jordan Romero’s summit. According to this article, Sherpa Pemba Dorje wants to find a younger climber to summit in 2011 saying that all Everest records should belong to Nepalese.
Jun 032010
By recent standards, Everest 2010 was a safe and successful year. There were about 513 summits with 4 reported deaths, all on the north, and several injuries and rescues. The total Everest summits broke the total 5,000 (about 3500 are multiple summits by Sherpas and guides) level since the first in 1953. This year’s story line for climbers and their families was the weather, however it was all Jordan Romero and Apa Sherpa for the rest of the world. For the first time in several years, the north operated in an almost normal manner. Teams dealt with a few border [continue reading]
It looks like the Everest season has finally ended with a big cold slap in the face to many teams on both sides. The weather deteriorated for the few teams making a push this week so much so, some classified it as the worse ever. Another death was reported earlier this week of a Japanese climber on the north, still no details. But another death was also mentioned and again now. Details are vague at best. Duncan Chessell told the Australian news: “They were the worst conditions I have ever encountered by a factor of at least 10 on the [continue reading]
With the summits mostly ended, climbers are making their way back down to Base Camp. As they recover from their summit push, stories are emerging of rescues. Once again, we are seeing tangible proof that the climbing community is a tight one; especially in times of need. We are also seeing that pure accidents happen in spite of every precaution and mountaineering is dangerous and altitude treats everyone the same; regardless of experience. While impressive and motivating to non-climbers, one of the downsides of having a 13, 16 and 22 year old summits this year is that it could portray [continue reading]
May 252010
On what could have been the final push for 2010, many climbers summited from the south including a record 12th summit for Dave Hahn who was guiding Leif Whittaker. The weather cooperated for the teams however it was extremely cold at 18 below zero F. Once on the summit, the winds started to pick up so climbers hustled down as quickly as possible. In addition to Hahn and Whittaker, climbing under the First Ascent/RMI banner, the rest of team made it to the top including Michael Brown topping out for his 5th time. They commented once back at Base Camp [continue reading]
May 242010
update #3: South summits. First from RMI: Seth Waterfall is on the summit of Mount Everest. He has the summit all to himself. It is a bit chilly but he has plenty of oxygen and is feeling good! The rest of the team is at the Hilary step continuing up. Then Dave Hahn and Leif Whittaker. Thus far another 12 summits. Their announcement: Dave, Leif, Seth, Casey, Michael, Scott, Tendi, Tshering Dorjee, Dawa Jamba, Da Gyldjen, Nima Tenji, Pasang Temba. On top of the world. All are doing well. Robert Hill and his team reached the South Summit and made [continue reading]
May 242010
Sunday night saw the last large push of the season however, climbers still remain in position for summit bids Monday night, May 24th. There were summits on both sides in spite of variable conditions and heavy snow at time. Most of the summits occurred in very snowy and cloudy conditions. On the South AAI (17) and IMG (9) put a combined 26 climbers on top. AAI commented on the heavy snow resulting in not only difficult climbing conditions but also making radio communications challenging. This was IMG’s second group and put a total of 42 on the top of the [continue reading]
May 232010
update 7: Summits!! With late news, as expected, there are more summits Monday morning on the north. Adventure Dynamics reports 6 members and 7 Sherpas on top. 7 Summits Club put their second team up with 6 members plus an undetermined number of Sherpas, they do not list their Sherpas unfortunately. A foot of new snow was noted at the North Col making conditions difficult. update 6: Summits!! I would estimate we had at least 50 summits tonight on both sides making season total approaching 400. Still more on the north and a few on the south for tomorrow, Monday [continue reading]
May 232010
updated with more team summits. more than 108 for both sides now! It was another long day on Everest for an estimated 200 climbers, split evenly on both sides. The weather at the high camps was reported to be so warm that climbers were in T-Shirts and complaining about their down suits. The ever-present wind was nonexistent. At that point their biggest concerns were getting ahead of the crowds to avoid the bottlenecks on the way up, and down. However the weather forecast had a nasty kick up in the winds for Sunday afternoon. And there were summits! Starting with [continue reading]
May 222010
update #6: As we are in mid afternoon, Nepal time, it appears the south side had a lot of success with over 50 new summits. The north remains very, very unclear with limited reporting. IMG reported 100% success with 15 climbers plus 15 Sherpas summiting and are back down now. Patagonia Brothers puts 8 Argentinians and 5 Sherpa on the top of the world. The Australian Everest placed 3 there as well. In a bit of a mystery, Mountain Trip’s home team said they received a phone call that went dead then a brief audio blog implying a summit and [continue reading]
May 222010
May 22nd, 2010 will be a day recorded in history: the youngest person to summit Everest and the person with the most summits in history on the same same day yet from different sides. Apa Sherpa at age 47 made his 20th summit with the Eco Everest team and on the other side of the mountain, 13 year-old Jordan Romero along with his dad and Sherpa team made the top of the world, his 6th of the 7 summits. What a day. Jordan showed his strength by going directly from camp 2 to the summit. I am not sure of [continue reading]
May 212010
update #4: the next wave of summits are moving up in good weather. Best of luck to all these climbers. Saturday morning climbers are moving down the mountain on both sides. No problems reported as of now. The weather continues to be good. update #3: Multiple south summits from Adventure Consultants and Eco Everest team in excellent conditions. Special congratulations Ang Dorge Sherpa with his 14th summit and Apa Sherpa with his 20th. Mandy Ramsden, 1st SA for 7 Summits and Arjun Vajpayee, youngest Indian to summit. Jordan Romero bags his summits as well at age 13. His SPOT map [continue reading]
After fighting fierce winds on Wednesday and Thursday, team after team made progress and climbed to the launching point on both sides of Everest Friday, May 21st and are ready to go for their summit bids starting Friday night, Nepal time (see sidebar for current time). The good news is the winds have calmed somewhat as reported by several teams at the South Col and Camp 2/3 on the north side. I know many people are following Jordan Romero, the 13 year-old on the north and from his SPOT tracking unit, they appear to have left camp 2 going higher. [continue reading]
May 202010
The last summit window was heralded as a great success by many teams. However it was not without incidents and many were not reported. EverestER, the base camp medical facility on the south posted a very revealing report on this summit window. And there are other reports on both sides from this season. First from the south and EverestEr: Approximately 90 people reached the summit of Everest in the last few days, a rough total of Sherpas and foreigners. Congratulations to all for getting down alive, summit or no summit. There were no fatalities. Along with summit bids, however, comes [continue reading]
Focus on Everest
Everest 2010
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May 202010
Teams are all over Everest today, some climbing; other stuck. High winds on both sides made progress difficult and sometimes impossible for some teams as they continue to push hard to avoid the impending weather. It is snowing at Base Camp on the south and the winds are pummeling the north side; stopping some teams only as high as the North Col. This from 7 Summits Club: The first group of expedition 7 Summits Club is blocked at the North Col (7000 m) by strong winds. For the second day, no one could go up. Sherpas, who were unable to [continue reading]
May 192010
A huge wave of climbers on both sides of Everest have moved to their respective Advanced Base Camps. Many have declared a summit day of May 22nd but are monitoring the weather closely. This season is beginning to look identical to 2009 when bad weather basically shut Everest down around May 23rd and eventually delayed departures from base camps by almost week due to the heavy snow. Leaders who were there last year want to avoid a repeat, especially on summit night. Mountain Trip, led by Scott Woolums with climbers Cindy Abbott and Paul & Denise Fejtek are looking at [continue reading]
May 182010
Excitement is building once again for more summits as team after team left Base Camp for camp 2 on the south and ABC on the north. Their enthusiasm, however, was tempered by talk of monsoons in India; more on that in a moment. There were talks of additional summits for Tuesday, May 18th, but nothing has been reported. As the weekend summiters return to base camp on the south, more details are coming in of summits. First up is on the north, Julio Bird’s wife Maribel sent me this email: I just talked to Julio. He reached the top on [continue reading]
May 172010
There were at least 40 summits on Monday morning, May 16th from the south side. It is still not clear if there were any from the north. The winds did pick up late Monday bringing a stop to this brief window. There were no reports of serious problems with any of the climbers at this time. After a false start on Saturday night when the winds did not cooperate, teams huddled at the South Col, some spending an extra night which is usually avoided. But Sunday night, the winds still between 40 and 50 mph at the Col, let up [continue reading]
update #4: Multiple teams are reporting summits this morning in Nepal. I estimate well over 30 summits from the south, probably much more. Weather was holding as of early morning. Congratulations and well done to all. The tracking chart is updated based on available information but so please check their sites for details on their sites and a summary later here. update #3: teams at South Summit. Note: Please remember that my Everest coverage is to raise money for Alzheimer’s research. Please read my story. Please make a donation that goes 100% to research, nothing to me. Thank you. update [continue reading]
Everest 2010 Weekend Update May 16
Everest 2010, Weekend Update
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May 162010
We can summarize the week in one word: weather. After the excitement of summits on May 5th and 7th, teams on both sides watched this week as the jet stream sat parked on the summit of Everest creating a huge plume of ice crystals that provided second thoughts on going to the summit. But first a quick update for today, Sunday, on Everest. Teams are progressing higher with reports of acceptable winds for the moment. There could be 50 or more climbers on the south and perhaps the same number on the north since the ropes were fixed to the [continue reading]
update 2: 50+ climbers to South Col on Sat May 15, few, if any, went for summit as winds picked up. Look for big Sun night, Nepal time with summits Mon morning assuming weather holds. Next big window now May 24(?). update: as we approach midnight Saturday at the South Col, some teams are delaying summit push to start Sunday night Nepal time since winds have kicked up a tad. After a week of consternation about the weather, so far it looks like the forecasts of a lull are right on schedule. Multiple teams are in position for Sunday and [continue reading]
The situation on the south side of Everest continues to be quite fluid. I have confirmed Phil Crampton of Altitude Junkies’ update that Ann-Marie will NOT attempt the summit during this narrow window. Phil had already kept the rest of his team back at base camp. They are planning on using the longer weather window in the forecast about a week from now. The situation is simply too dangerous according to Phil.
The summit push is on and the south is pushing hard. Teams are at camp 3, Sherpas are at the South Col with tents and oxygen ready for the summit push. If the weather window holds, per some forecasts, teams should arrive at the South Col mid-day Saturday, Nepal time and start their summit bids later that evening, May 15th. This would have summits on Sunday morning, May 16th starting perhaps as early as 6:00Am. Of course all of this assumes the winds die down enough for them to climb. The competition continues and now is a bit ugly with feelings of deceit designed to trick the competitors. The Sky Climber team down at base camp report Carina Räihä at the South Col prepared to go for the summit anytime and Anne-Mari Hyryläinen has climbed to Camp 3.
With teams now heading higher, the race between Carina Räihä and Anne-Mari Hyryläinen to be the first Finnish woman to summit Everest is being explained fully by their support teams, Peak Freaks and Altitude Junkies. Both are viewing it as a friendly race (kind of) and this is supported when I interviewed Anne-Mari back in February. She commented then on the “race”:
May 132010
More teams have made the decision for a summit bid this weekend. The latest include the Malta Everest team, half of Peak Freaks and a two person team from First Ascent. They are now at camp 2. Why are these climbers going to the top in marginal weather? Well maybe the weather will not be marginal – at least according to some weather forecasts. Before looking at the weather, an quick update on the teams. There is movement on the north perhaps to fix the rope to the summit. On the south, the vast majority of the teams have chosen to wait for a longer weather window and the teams at C2 are resting up and waiting for the winds to calm before going higher. Most top teams pay for a professional weather forecast. These are teams of meteorologists who not only look at the data but also interpret it and then communicate the forecast and recommendations to their clients. Climbers pay for these services and keep them private since it is a value to their team members and a safety issue.
May 122010
The lure of Everest’s summit has taken on new dimensions and is spreading throughout the south base camp. First up, we have an old-fashion foot race on Everest. Two Finish women are literally racing to claim bragging rights to being the first Finish woman to summit Everest. Then in addition to the previously announced summit intentions, including the Hanesbrands team, the entire Summit Climb team is heading up. The concern is that summit winds are currently in the 80 mph range. The forecast calls for a reduction on Saturday night and then regaining strength. Climbers like to see the summit [continue reading]
With several teams targeting Sunday, May 16th as a summit window, the question of rescues often comes to mind; especially if the weather looks marginal as this one does. Followers of Everest know that rescues are difficult and sometimes impossible above base camp or 17,500′. In his book, Into Thin Air, Jon Krakurer details the daring rescue of climbers at the top of the Icefall at 19,800′. Now a new service from Fishtail Air is underway that designers are confident can rescue climbers deep in the Western Cwm, well above 19,500′. While an experiment this season, it has already proven to save lives on other high peaks.
May 112010
It is getting interesting on Everest. Almost in Vegas fashion, teams are placing their bets on multiple weather forecasts but the stakes are higher than the table minimum. Most are content to stay at base camp and socialize, rest and wait for the clear window that appears year after year. Others are more aggressive with their bets looking to position themselves at the high camps and then take advantage of the next narrow opening. As we saw last week, this can work, but the most experienced teams are content with a wait and see approach.
May 102010
With teams mostly enjoying the comforts and electricity of low villages or base camps, the blogs are full of rich details about their recent acclimatization climbs. As I have said so many times, I deeply appreciate it when a climber takes the time, and sometimes risk, to describe what is happening on the mountain. Not so much for the mountaineering details but for the insight into the human experience of climbing Everest. Thanks to you all. But first some mountaineering status.
May 092010
Teams on Everest seem to be taking the day off and sending best wishes to all their mom’s back home. Most teams are down valley looking to stay for at least 3 nights. But Peak Freaks has issued a call for their climbers to return to base camp by May 11th thus portending the start of a summit bid. However more than likely we will see the next wave of summits around the 19th.
May 082010
This was a busy week on Everest with the first summits for the 2010 season along with a risky gamble. And several accidents and, sadly, a reported death on nearby Lhotse. A team of nine Sherpas fixed the ropes to the summit on the south side. They included Sherpas from IMG, Alpine Ascents and Himex. One western guide who was doing route work high on the mountain also joined them to the summit. Over on the north, it is an entirely different story. According to teams, the ropes are currently fixed only to camp 3 or about 27,300′, far short of the summit and thus stopping most summit attempts. The weather has been difficult this year. As usual, the north receives more snow and wind than the south and increases the difficultly of climbing on that side. It appears no summits attempts until May 11th when the winds could begin to ease but more likely it will be a few days later than that.
Threading the weather needle and taking a gamble that paid off, Domnhall O’Doughartaigh, an independent climber, and Lucille deBeaudrap from Tim Rippel’s Peak Freaks team along with their personal Sherpas Tshering Sherpa and Pemba Sherpa made the summit of Everest on Friday, Nepal time. On the north, Bill Burke reported in from ABC on the north that the fixed lines are not in to the summit thus no summit push for him and David Liano. The lines are only up to 27300 or camp 3. The China Tibetan Mountaineering Association (CTMA) is responsible for fixing lines on the north.
There is a summit bid currently underway in what could be difficult conditions. But first a small surprise on yesterday’s summits. Previous reports emphatically said no western climbers were to be allowed to join the Sherpa rope fixing team, however, it seems that western guides were exempted.As I have previously mentioned the search for Sandy Irvine and the infamous 1924 camera might be underway again this season. This has become an annual event with most searches conducted under a tight veil of secrecy. The question everyone is trying to answer is did Mallory and Irvine summit Everest in 1924? Well, Jake Norton is writing a multi-part series on his site about the mystery.
May 052010
Eric Simonson’s IMG Blog is noting the first summits of 2010 on Everest. As expected it came on the south side from the Sherpa team fixing lines to the top. Adventure Peaks, amongst other teams, reports on heavy snow on that side. They noted a meter (3.3 feet) of snow at the north col limiting further clibms up the Northeast Ridge for the moment. Summit Climb commented that high winds destroyed some tents at the Col as well.
The Weather Game
Everest 2010, Weather
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May 042010
Once again we find teams all over the Khumbu. Many are down valley in the village of Periche enjoying some time at the teahouses and the richer oxygen environment but others are still high on the mountain. The weather continues to play havoc with those climbers. AAI reported an aborted attempt to reach camp 3 on the Lhotse Face due to high winds. They will try again on Tuesday, Nepal time. But as usual, the Sherpas rarely get a day off as described by Phil Crampton of Altitude Junkies: Our Sherpas have been doing a fantastic job of getting the [continue reading]
May 032010
With yesterday’s fresh snow, teams were content to take a day or so to let it settle. Unlike expeditions on Denali where you are stuck for a week at the 14 camp or High Camp in your tent or snow cave, on Everest, climbers have the luxury of large tents, folding chairs and tables. And at Base camp, heaters! … One more item to note, Tim Ripple tells us that Nepal Telecom has turned on coverage for Everest. When first announced they said it would reach the summit but let’s wait for confirmation before making that claim.
May 022010
Well, right on schedule a somewhat unexpected snowstorm, complete with lightening and thunder, rolled into the Everest camps. Climbers stopped in their tracks, literally, to wait it out. Needless to say, this put a bit of a chill on talks of an early summit. But we will see. As I had mentioned before, it uncanny how the weather is excellent in April then turns ugly on May 1st almost every year – happy May Day!
May 012010
There are good weeks and bad weeks on Everest, a bad week is when someone dies. On Monday, April 26, Hungarian climber Laszlo Varkonyi was swept into a crevasse by an avalanche on the North Col. A desperate search ensued, however, by Thursday, the search was called off. Teams on the south, while aware of the north side events, continued their acclimatization rotations with many climbers spending the uncomfortable night at camp 3. The weather continued to play nice and Sherpas took the fixed line all the way to the South Col on the south and to camp 3 on the north. They are now being supplied with oxygen bottles, stoves, fuel, tents and other suppliers needed to launch summit bids. Both camps are roughly at 8000m. As of today, the ropes are not fixed to the summit from either side.
Climbing for a Cause
Everest 2010
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Apr 302010
As we spend the last day of April monitoring the climbers on both sides of Everest, I thought it would be good to look at their motivations. Climbing historians know of the famous 1923 George Mallory quote, “Because it’s there” but others have more personal reasons. The primary action on both sides right now is working on their acclimatization through rotations to from low to high camps.
Apr 292010
On one of my Everest climbs, I was told outright – “If you can’t get to camp 3 in under 5 hours, you are out.” After a discussion with my grim reaper on people skills, the logic of the statement made sense. Speed is your friend on any mountain, much less the highest in the world. The Lhotse Face is the eastern side of the world’s 4th highest mountain Lhotse, 8516m or 27,939 feet. Many climbers attempt Lhotse itself in pursuit of all 14 8000m mountains or as a difficult 8000 meter mountain. The route is identical to climbing to the South Col but takes a hard right, upwards, just above the Yellow Band to the technical and rocky summit. But the Lhotse Face is the gatekeeper to all of this.
Apr 282010
News travels quickly on Everest. Teams on both sides are sadden by the avalanche incident and have a heightened awareness of the dangers of high-altitude mountaineering. However, they push on knowing that danger comes with the sport. For teams on the north is has been a difficult few days with the avalanche on the North Col. The missing climber is László Várkonyi is a well known Hungarian climber. I contacted Ang Tshering Sherpa who is the Founder and Chairman of Asian Trekking who provided them with logistical support. He sent me this immediate reply for which we deeply thank him:
As you know, I only cover Everest each year to raise awareness and research money to cure Alzheimer’s. Today, I am asking you to vote to help. I am not asking for money, just your vote. It is easy and if you appreciate what I am doing on my site you will help.
The weather on both sides is proving difficult even stopping the Sherpas from fixing the route above camp 3 on the Lhotse Face. So most climbers are resting in their -40F sleeping bags, reading or playing cards in the dining tents. The Sherpas continue to carry oxygen bottles to camp 2 in anticipation of further carries to the South Col. IMG reports over 130 and Altitude Junkies 70 already at C2. A strong Austrian team lead by Jochen Hemmleb could be searching for the infamous camera of 1924 British climbers George Mallory and Sandy Irvine. As I reported February 3 this year with my interview with Everest historian Tom Holzel; he had made significant progress in narrowing the search area for the camera. He posted the map and GPS coordinates on his site and the race was on.
UPDATE: In a statement by climber David Klein on expeditions.hu, he and his partner Laszlo Várkonyi were involved in the avalanche and Laszlo is still missing. Original story: I received an email overnight from Duncan Chessell of Chessell Adventures. He is leading an expedition along with Adventure Dynamics on the north. Jamie McGuinness of Project Himalaya, passed through Duncan a first hand account of yesterday’s accident on the North Col. Over on the south, the Icefall continues to be tricky with a small incident that did not hurt any climbers but created a period of anxiety.
There was a large avalanche near the North Col on Monday, Tibet time. Before going further, remember that breaking news of accidents from Everest, especially from the north side, in almost every case is inaccurate. The early reports from multiple teams are contradictory. Some say it was a rock fall but most eyewitness are saying it was a large serac or cornice that collapsed near the fixed ropes.
Apr 252010
The north has become quite busy in spite of some difficult weather, meanwhile on the south, climber after climber has slept at camp 3 – their ticket to the summit – and are back at the lower camps.
For most Everest climbers this is week three or four away from home. They are making good on their acclimatization efforts with over 100 climbers now having spent a night or two as high as camp 2 on the south however significantly fewer even touching the North Col on the north. The fixed line on the south is already to the Yellow Band above camp 3 and should be to the South Col in a few days. This will enable the Sherpas to begin the incredibly hard work of ferrying hundreds of oxygen bottles for their climber’s summit bids.
The big news is that the route to camp 3 on the Lhotse Face is now in thus preparing the way for climbers to spend the night at the highest camp prior to their summit bid. Many teams on the south have now spent a few nights as high as camp 2 and on the north only a couple have even made it up to the North Col due to harsh weather at the moment. Over the years, the strategy of acclimatization has not significantly changed. The primary tenet is to climb high and sleep low thus stressing the body to create more red blood cells needed to provide oxygen to the muscles.
Apr 222010
Starting with the north today. Teams are now occupying Advanced Base Camp. They will use this as their launching point for acclimatization rotations to the North Col and most will eventually climb to camp 1 on the Northeast Ridge. As we know, the north can be much colder and windier than on the south. Multiple reports are coming in that Everest is quite dry this year. This can increase the difficulty for some people not used to climbing on rock with crampons.
Climbers are making great progress with their acclimatization rotations on both sides of Everest. The Sherpas are now starting to fix the ropes to camp 3 high on the Lhotse Face – a great sign. On the north, Adventure Peaks is looking to move to the North Col For some teams, the next climb through the Icefall will result in the almost mandatory night at camp 3. This is quite early at this point. As always, the weather will have the last say. It seems to happen like this every season, great weather through late April when everyone gets excited about an early summit, then the snows start and the mountain is shut down in early May.
Apr 202010
Climbers continue to spend time in the contradictory environment of the Western Cwm on Everest’s South Col route. One minute they are freezing; another stripping off clothes trying to cool down but not so much to risk severe sunburn. Many teams climb to camp 1 at the top of the Icefall and then take a day hike to camp 2 to get the red blood cells working. This is their first introduction to the Cwm – a welsh word for valley.
Apr 192010
The Khumbu Icefall is quite the busy place these days. Teams are starting as early as 3:00AM to avoid the heat of the day and thus the melting and instability of the ice. But some reports are showing an extra long time this year. Peak Freaks said the normal 5 hour first trip took some of their members 10. Tim Rippel commented that there were more ladders and congestion with climbers and Sherpas ferrying gear to the high camps. Adventure Consultants also commented on the speed with their reported 7 hours.
Teams into the Western Cwm
Everest 2010
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Apr 182010
Right on schedule this weekend, teams mad their way through the Icefall and into the Western Cwm for the first time. Some went all the way to camp 2, or sometimes referred to as ABC on the south side. But most were content to put in a sleep at camp 1 just above the top of the Icefall. Meanwhile over on the north, Bill Burke reports in from their ABC that it is snowy and teams have already made day hikes to the North Col.
Another good week on Everest with teams settling into base camp on both sides of the mountain. Alpine Ascents was the last large team to arrive at south BC on Wednesday. They spent their time adjusting to the high altitudes of over 17,000′. Teams conducted their Pujas and even practiced some ladder walking skills before the real thing.
Apr 152010
It is getting busy! Climbers finally started going through the Icefall on Thursday, Nepal time. It is always surprising during the first trip to see where the route goes. Climbers look for the milestones: the Prayer Flags, the Popcorn, the Football Field, Vertical Ladders. At each break, they look ahead in vain for the top but are rewarded with a full layout of Everest Base Camp down below.
Climbers: Ready, Set, Wait
Everest 2010
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Apr 142010
The ladders are in. The ropes are fixed. The Sherpas have already gone up. Now it is time for the climbers to ascend to camp 1. But, as is sometimes the case, they were all dressed up with nowhere to go. Some teams made their foray into the Icefall with a short trip to the first ladders – no gear, just a walk-through. But others wanted to go all the way.
Apr 132010
Life is getting into a rhythm at Everest Base Camp. Report after report note the cold nights and warm days. They will wish for the cold once they get into the heat of the Western Cwm! Over on the north Bill Burke reports heavy snow overnight, not unusual for the north side. He also said that ABC has not been established on the north. We may see the first summits from the south this year. Also, an update on Jordan Romero.
Apr 122010
Update: Jordan does have a permit to climb on the north. The article below was from a Nepal official where the minimum age is 16. 13 year-old Jordan Romero had captured the world media with his bid to summit the highest mountain on each of the earth’s continents, the 7 Summits. He had already summited 6 (actually 7 including Kosciuszko in Australia) and is currently on his way to Apparently, there is a snag.
Saving Lives at EBC
Everest 2010
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Apr 122010
Right on schedule, the second week of April, camps 1 and 2 are already in. It was April 14th last year when the first teams reported these camps established, identical to 2007. During this time at base camp, teams are reviewing and brushing up on skills, including a few techniques many climbers have not experienced – walking across a ladder with crampons.
Apr 112010
Everest south receives a lot of attention due to the sheer number of climbers but let’s not forget the north side. Adventure Peaks’ large team of 21 climbers have arrived and now will spend the next 5 days adjusting to the altitude before trekking to ABC via the Interim Camp.
For the past 15 years, early April in the Khumbu welcomes the sound of footsteps, yak bells, hushed conversations and dreams seeping from aspiring climbers. This past week, the dirt trails were quite busy. Also, new resting place for Hillary’s ashes and making reservations on Everest.
More teams arrived at base camp today. One of the early chores is to set up the electronics. This means solar panels, deep cell batteries and generators. All this drives the never ending thirst for power. As is normal these days, many climbers have their own blogs. In 2009, I counted 25. I have 23 listed already for 2010! EverestER reports some interesting patients and just how tall is Mt. Everest?
Apr 082010
RMI and Peak Freaks have arrived in Everest Base Camp in Nepal. The first of many. It is critical to take your time getting to BC. Tim Rippel explains that two of his climbers are going lower, not higher, due to the impact of altitude. He does an excellent job of explain what is happening:
Apr 072010
Leif Whittaker is walking in large footsteps. You see, his father, Jim Whittaker, was the first American to summit Everest. He and the nephew of Tenzing Norgay, Sherpa Nawang Gombu, summited on May 1, 1963. They ran out of oxygen but managed to reach the summit. Now Leif is on his Everest climb with the RMI team lead by Dave Hahn. Also, teams are well into Tibet and the south route is all the way to Camp 1 in the Western Cwm.
Apr 072010
As you know, I only cover Everest each year to raise awareness and research money to cure Alzheimer’s. Today, I am asking you to vote to help. I am not asking for money, just your vote. It is easy and if you appreciate what I am doing on my site you will help.
This week, the majority of the 2010 expeditions are working their way up the Khumbu towards Everest Base Camp on the south side. Permits and visas have now been issued for north teams and they have left Kathmandu, crossed the boarder and are already in Tingri and other Tibetan villages. Plus the Icefall route is now in!
Predicting Everest Weather: Art or Science?
Everest 2010, Weather
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Apr 052010
As regular followers of Everest climbs know, the weather is the make/break factor for all expeditions. And the forecasts are critical for the safety of teams. While it may seem straightforward given the success rate we see in modern times, predicting the weather is far from a science as this interview with Michale Fagin shows.
This past week saw Everest 2010 come alive; and real for the climbers and families back home. Teams came and left Kathmandu as weather lifted enough for more flights to Lukla. Multiple dispatches spoke of uneventful landings at the dangerous airstrip and then the more peaceful start to the trek to base camp. But there was news that captured attention as well.
Apr 022010
Many teams are now passing through Namche Bazaar, the informal capital of the Khumbu. Teams spend three days there because it is about 12,500′ and some people begin to feel the altitude for the first time.
Apr 012010
Regular readers of my expedition dispatches know that I find genuine satisfaction in interacting with the local people on a climb, especially the children. My first trek in the Solo Khumbu area of Nepal introduced me to some special people. On my second trip, I was forever changed. By my seventh trip, it was home. I am not sure I can put a finger on it but the Khumbu kids have a uniqueness to them unmatched in my travels. They smile easily, welcome interaction and have a laugh that makes you laugh along – years into the future.
After last week’s flight delays to Lukla, Yeti Airlines and others are running full loads this week. Multiple reports from teams speak of their uneventful flights to Lukla – which is a good thing! Lukla is generally ranked in the top three most dangerous airports in the world due to the short runway perched on a cliff. For the next few weeks, however, teams will be in Kathmandu and in the villages throughout the Khumbu.
And the season begins. This week, climbers started arriving in Kathmandu. Some immediately tried to get to Lukla, without success, and others tried to get into Tibet, without success. Another normal beginning to the season.
One measure of climbing difficulty is the rating and climbing has a terminology of it’s own. You read that she just redpointed a 5.12c and wonder if this was something from NASA, or Congress. I have seen Everest described as a simple “walk-up” meaning that no actual climbing is involved so I thought a quick review of what defines climbing might be helpful. I will use the South Col route as the example.
Mar 252010
Climbers continue to stream into Kathmandu from all around the world. I updated the expedition count and can already identify over 150 named climbers just on the south side and over 50 on the north. But the true number could easily exceed 350 on both sides. To put this in context, in 2009, we saw over 300 summits and sadly, 5 deaths and nearly 500 summits set a single season record in 2007.
Climbers from all over the world are deep in thought as they go through the final stages for Everest 2010. The deepest thoughts may be reserved for the ones left behind.
When are you too old to climb Everest; or too young? How about 13 or 80? Does age really matter anymore? Let’s take a look at some of the youngest and oldest climbers thus far on Everest and who is climbing in 2010.
Mar 182010
On my first Himalayan expedition, I spent $1 per character to send an email. “Hi, I’m back safely” costs $19! How times have changed. Twittering from the Top is not unheard of today. Expeditions send emails, pictures and videos from trek to summit – all for pennies. Social media is a key tool for climbers and expedition companies to promote and share their adventures. The ability to stay in touch is priceless for some climbers. I know that without my satellite phone to call my wife, I would be lost on long expeditions. The opportunity to bring others along on [continue reading]
Ang Tshering Sherpa is the Chairman and Founder of Asian Trekking, one of the oldest expedition companies in Nepal. He is the current President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association and perhaps the most influential Nepali in mountaineering. He sends a few letters out during the year with updates on the Himalayan climbing scene. His most recent letter has a few interesting tidbits. Everest 2010 Asian Trekking is supporting 9 expeditions, with 3 on Everest, this season including their own Eco Everest expedition. Dawa Steven Sherpa is co-leading the climb as usual. Last year they had an innovative “Cash for Trash” [continue reading]
Mar 092010
After deciding to climb Everest, climbers must choose their route. There are over 18 named routes on Everest and a couple that are still unclimbed. The vast majority of climbers use two routes: South Col or the Northeast Ridge Standard aka North Col route. Let’s look at both route in detail.
Lei Wang may be about to accomplish something by her calculations only nine other people have done thus far: stand on top of the 7 Summits and ski the last degree to north and south poles – assuming she summits Everest about 3 months from now. Growing up in China, Lei spent her weekends catching fish and shrimp but not thinking of climbing mountains and adventure. Her dream was to be a doctor, a scientist or maybe a writer. Her parents never considered her hidden passion for exploration. But all that changed when she stood on top of Kilimanjaro. Something [continue reading]
Ang Chhiring Sherpa now lives in Mercer Island Washington, just outside Seattle. And this man has a dream of helping those back in his native Nepal. With his hopeful summit of Everest this spring he will have completed the 7 Summits he started with his summit of Denali on June 17, 2009. His cause is to raise money for his Himalayan Women and Children Foundation. Also to raise money and awareness for the health clinics, schools, hydroelectric project and airplane strip that he intends to establish in the Salleri area of Solu Khumbu, Nepal. A.C was born in Nepal and [continue reading]
Reinhold Messner: Mental Toughness
Everest 2010, History
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Feb 272010
Most people, even non-climbers, know the name Reinhold Messner. He is arguably the finest Alpinist of all time. His firsts in climbing are legendary and include the first summit of Everest without supplemental oxygen and then he reported the feat on the North side – solo. He was the first climber to summit all fourteen of the 8000 meter peaks without supplemental oxygen. The Italian climber defined what today we call style with his minimalist approach; climbing without ropes or support staff (porters, Sherpas) when possible. In the attached excellent documentary, he speaks a length on the mental challenge of [continue reading]
Feb 232010
A constant debate within the climbing community is not what you climb, but how you climb. Style. It is all about style. Mike Farris found himself in the middle of this argument on the summit of Everest last spring. He climbed with style but paid a price with the removal of portions of seven fingers, both big toes, and portions of six smaller toes. Climbing pundits will rate Reinhold Messner as a superior climber to Ed Viesturs even though both climbed the fourteen highest mountains on earth without supplemental oxygen. Messner climbed new routes and Viesturs used standard routes. Messner [continue reading]
Interview with Anne-Mari Hyryläinen: The First Finnish Woman on Everest?
Climber, Everest 2010, Interviews
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Feb 212010
Finland is usually associated with Nordic sports like ski jumping and cross country skiing. Now Anne-Mari Hyryläinen wants to make history by being the first Finnish woman to summit Everest. An accomplished marathoner, she saw Mount Everest for the first time while bicycling from Lhasa to Kathmandu. She stopped at the north side base camp and the dream was born. Her training has taken her to Europe and Asia including Mount Blanc (traverse, Goutier 3-summits route) and several 6/7000 meter high peaks in Nepal (incl. Tukuche Peak, Chulu West, Kang Guru). She currently lives in Dubai with her husband so [continue reading]
South Side Update from IMG’s Eric Simonson
Everest 2010, Guide, Interviews, South
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Feb 192010
Last week we looked at the north side of Everest for 2010, now let’s have a quick look at the south for 2010 through the eyes of IMG’s Eric Simonson. As many know, IMG is one of the largest operators on Everest and the other highest peaks around world. They were featured on the Discovery Channel’s Everest: Beyond the Limit in Season 3, which aired in late December. By my count we are approaching over 20 teams for spring so it will be quite crowded. Safety is always the primary concern of climbers and operators so I wanted to see [continue reading]
It is about a month before teams from all around the world pack their duffel bags for the flights to Kathmandu. Thus far the south looks like business as usual with about 16 teams already announced. To put this in perspective, in 2007, when we saw a record number of Everest summits, there were about 17 teams on each side. One question for 2010 is how the north will shape up. It has been a few years since climbing was open from the north. The Chinese closed Everest with their desire to celebrate the 2008 Olympics in Beijing by taking [continue reading]
Interview with Ellen Miller – the Quiet Climber
Climber, Interviews
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Feb 072010
Ellen Miller is a quiet climber. She is so quiet that many people would never know the achievements of this accomplished athlete and mountaineer. For example, she is the only woman to summit Everest from both sides within the span of one year. I first met Ellen in 2002 on the expedition where she summited from the Nepal side. She was a quiet and confident person with a natural bent towards giving encouragement to others. She was clearly the strongest climber on our team. I remember on summit night as we all left the South Col together, watching her and [continue reading]
The Everest base camp medical clinic “Everest ER” will be on the mountain in April 2010 for our 8th season (!) As always, we offer services to base camp climbers, support staff and trekkers-through in support of our mission to prevent and treat illness at high altitude and to use proceeds for care from non-Nepalis to subsidize free or low cost health care for our Nepali friends. The 2010 staff will be comprised of myself, Lakpa Norbu Sherpa (our faithful logistics coordinator,) Dr Steve Halvorson, and Dr. Peter Hackett, longtime HRA volunteer and world renowned altitude expert (and Everest summitteer!) [continue reading]
Not everyone who attempts Everest, succeeds. And I should know! Last spring French climber Eugene Constant made an attempt with Russel Brice’s Himex team – complete with the Tigress Production cameras rolling for season three of Everest: Beyond the Limit. Climbing Everest was his dream. He had trained for years, even managed a delay of one full year after the Chinese pulled his team’s permit due to the Olympics conflict in 2008. He was determined to do his best and to raise money for his cause. However, Eugene called a halt to his climb. Often we focus on the summiters [continue reading]
Feb 032010
Once again, an Everest expedition is trying to solve the who done it mystery of Everest: did George Mallory and Sandy Irvine summit Mt. Everest in 1924? You see Sandy Irvine, who went missing on Everest’s North side in 1924, had a camera. A plan is emerging for a new search for the missing camera that could solve the mystery once and for all. We have seen this headline but this time is very different – there is a clue and a map! Before we take a look at this effort, a tiny bit of background of the north. The [continue reading]
In 1999, at the age of forty-three, Lori Schneider awoke with numbness in over 50% of her body. Two months later, her entire body was numb. She had Multiple Sclerosis – MS. MS is a disease that attacks the central nervous system, and often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years, because the symptoms come and go. Lori had been experiencing symptoms of numbness and tingling for 10 years prior to that total body attack, when they told her that it was rapidly progressing and she could be in a wheelchair some day. “It scared me. I was really afraid that my [continue reading]
Jan 272010
In the climbing world there are a few people who uniquely stand out: Messner, Viesturs, Moro, House, and many more – you know the names. And then there are those climbers who have forgotten more climbs than most people have attempted. They may not have been the most difficult or garnered the fame but they were climbs nonetheless. Gerry Roach of Colorado has a lock on this category. If you live (or climb) in Colorado you know him from his famous guide book simply called Colorado’s Fourteeners: from hikes to climbs. It is the premier guide book for all things [continue reading]
It seems the Chinese are playing havoc with the more ambitious Everest climbers this spring. Not content with a “simple” summit, several climbers wanted to do various forms of traversing Everest. This involves climbing from one side to the summit and then down to the other side’s base camp. Some climbers wanted to then return thus a double traverse. It is now clear the Chinese are not issuing permits for such climbs probably based on their desire to keep a successful double traverse in reserve for a national climber. However, not to be denied, two former Everest summiters, David Liano [continue reading]
Jan 242010
The human spirit is an amazing creature. Somehow, climbing big mountains brings it out. Cindy Abbott is no exception. With a broken leg on Aconcagua, she hobbled down from the high camps to be helicopter out, had surgery and was climbing again seven weeks later. Now she is going to Everest. Oh and she has a rare disease that baffles doctors to this day. Cindy has the disease Limited Wegener’s Granulomatosis or WG. The Mayo Clinic describes it as an uncommon disorder that causes inflammation of blood vessels, which in turn restricts blood flow to various organs including kidneys, lungs [continue reading]
From Sea to Mountain Top
Climber, Everest 2010, North
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Jan 212010
This is a unique approach! A Dutch team has officially started their 2010 Everest climb with a dive to 152 meters (500 feet) under water off the coast of Egypt on December 16, 2009. The principle climber is Jantoon Reigersman and he will be climbing Everest’s north side as a member of the UK’s Adventure Peaks team lead by Dave Pritt. Next up for Reigersman is training in the Alps, then Aconcagua. Not content with just diving and climbing, he will cycle from sea level to 1300m (4265 ft) in the Pyrenees; then from Kathmandu to the Tibetean basecamp at [continue reading]
Everest Clean-Up Above 8000m
Everest 2010, South
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Jan 212010
Clean-up expeditions have become somewhat commonplace on Everest’s Nepal (south) side for several years now. But they have usually focused on the normal route from Base Camp to the South Col. Today in an article via AFP, a team of Sherpas will conduct a clean-up above the South Col:
Jan 162010
You are upside down, wedged in a deep crevasse at 19,000 feet in the Khumbu icefall. Your team mate is on top of you and you think another is nearby. Everyone knew the serac would give way, they just didn’t know when. Walter Laserer found out, up close and personal. He not only lived to tell the story but went on to summit Everest on an extremely harsh day in the spring of 2009. The 49 year-old, runs one of the largest guide services in central Europe, Laserer-alpin, from his office near Salzburg, Austria. Walter has been a UIAGM guide [continue reading]
Andrew Lock: Everest 2010 Traverse
Climber, Everest 2010, Traverse
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Jan 132010
Andrew Lock, the eminent Australian climber who has climbed all 14 8000m peaks has made a startling announcement for this upcoming 2010 spring season: Andrew plans to return to Mt Everest in the pre-monsoon season (April-May) of 2010 to complete one final climb in his Summit 8000 project. Having climbed all fourteen of the world’s 8000 metre mountains, his plan is to summit Mt Everest for a third time but this climb will be a traverse from Tibet to Nepal, oxygenless. This will be interesting since I have been told that the Chinese are not issuing permits for a traverse. [continue reading]
Interview with TA Loeffler
Climber, Everest 2010, Interviews
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Jan 072010
We hear a lot about the famous people on Everest so I like to focus on the not so famous; however you might define that. In her hometown of St. John’s Newfoundland, TA Loeffler is quite famous; even a legend. If you have ever read her Blogs, book or had been fortunate to hear her speak, you know why. TA is one of those individuals who brings you into her world by inspiring you to be the best in yours. She will be climbing Everest this spring with Canadian Tim Ripple’s Peak Freaks. When not climbing, TA teaches outdoor education [continue reading]
Interview with Dave Hahn
Guide, Interviews
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Jan 022010
Dave Hahn has always stood out to me the consummate mountain guide. While some will certainly argue this point, I have witnessed Dave in action a few times. Once in the Khumbu Icefall, Dave was guiding a huge client. When I say huge, I mean 6′ 3″ 250+lbs – not fat just large, huge. The client was struggling with a big move in the Icefall and Dave was gently providing guidance in footwork. He could have easily taken on the impatient guide persona but Dave showed his patience. The climber made it. On another expedition, I was sitting in our [continue reading]
Interview with Brad Jackson and Sandy Hoby
Climber, Everest 2010, Interviews
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Dec 232009
Occasionally I meet people on climbs that leave a lasting impression. Brad Jackson and Sandy Hoby cross that requirement and more. I met them on Everest in 2008. They were on a different team but also climbing from the Nepal side. As is the case on Everest, you get to know other climbers over dinner in Base Camp, crossing a crevasse in the Ice Fall or struggling to breathe at a high camp. Brad and Sandy stood out for many reasons but mostly for their dedication to one another as well as their climbing ambitions. Now they are returning to [continue reading]
Dec 182009
To start any article on climbing deaths, it must be said that every death is devastating to family and friends and should never be taken lightly. I have helped bury climbing partners on high peaks and never wish that experience on anyone. Sadly, mountaineering often receives mainstream media attention only when someone dies and especially on Everest. This was never more true than during the 1996 season that saw 8 people killed in a storm and then in 2006 when another 12 died while climbing. According to Eberhard Jurgalski’s 8000ers.com website, there have been about 4,024 summits since 1922 with [continue reading]
Dec 152009
Everest 2010 looks to be special for an interesting reason – no drama. The past two years have been difficult with last minute requirements by the Chinese that resulted in almost every team climbing from the south. 2010 looks to return to normal – whatever that means on Everest – but we have come to expect the unexpected recently. The owner of Altitude Junkies, Phil Crampton, took some time to discuss the upcoming 2010 season with me. I wanted to look at the politics, the realities and if the events over the past several years would have any impact on [continue reading]
Double Traverse Attempt Announced
Climber, Everest 2010, Interviews, Traverse
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Dec 072009
Everest is a mountain of lifelong dreams and huge ambitions. Most climbers are happy to just try to reach the top of the world. A few dream to climb up one side and down the other – a traverse. Then there are those that want a return trip aka the double traverse. By the way, it has never been done. A single traverse is incredibly difficult – physically, mentally and logistically. A double amplifies the challenge. It has been tried a few times, most recently with a world-class effort by David Tait with one of the best Sherpas in the [continue reading]
Oct 262009
Welcome to the 2010 Everest Coverage. Even though most teams will not arrive in Kathmandu until late March, climbers are busy training, finalizing expedition members, organizing logistics and for some, making huge plans. Last year we saw over 300 summits and sadly, 5 deaths. For 2010, I am expecting a record number of summits after the nearly 500 summits set a single season record in 2007. There are several factors playing into this season. First, the north side should return to near normal with the Chinese allowing more teams to climb. For the past two years, permits were difficult, if [continue reading]
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