A reported 41 people (22 members with 19 Sherpa) summited on Tuesday, June 1 ending the season. Others canceled for various reasons from health to conditions. Heavy snow stopped additional Lhotse summits. By my count: 195 members with 339 Sheras thus far, for a total of 534 summits. The season should be over now with the Icefall Doctors closing the route on June 3.

Asian Trekking is having a good season with 12 summits on June 1. Dawa Steven Sherpa posted:

JIMWS (Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports)- NIM (Nehru Instutute of

Congratulation to our NIM-JIM&WS team from India and our Asian Trekking Sherpa team led by Sirdar Lhakpa Nuru Sherpa for successfully reaching the summit of Everest this morning. Determination in the face of adversity, patience in uncertain circumstances and adaptation to ever changing events have paid off for our team as they stand on the summit today. They made an incredible effort to go directly from Camp 2 to Camp 4 on the morning of the 31st and then pushed to the summit this morning on June 1st. Our incense have been burning through the night and our prayers are constantly with them for a safe descent down.Summiters:

1. Col. Amit Bisht (Principal NIM)
2. Hav. Anil Kumar (NIM)
3. Mr. Deep Sahi (NIM)
4. Hav. Mohd Iqbal Khan (JIM&WS)
5. Hav. Chandra Negi (JIM&WS)
6. Mr. Mahfooz Ilahi (JIM&WS)
7. Lhakpa Nuru Sherpa (11th summit)
8. Pemba Tshering Sherpa (10th Summit)
9. Parita Sherpa (13th Summit)
10. Tshering Tashi Sherpa (9th Summit)
11. Dorje Sherpa (10th Summit)
12. Ang Chhombi Sherpa (4th Summit)

@amit.bisht1
@nehru_instituteofmountaineerig #jawaharinstituteofmountaineering

The massive commercial operator Seven Summits Treks summitted on the same day. Overall, they had 135 members supported by over 135 Sherpas. June 1:

The entire team from Arnold Coster Expedition successfully climbed the Mt. Everest (8848.856m) this morning, we Seven Summit Treks are proud of you all. Due to the bad weather and dual cyclones effect team waited a long time at basecamp, seeking a favorable weather window for the summit push. It was well planned, well managed and well-organized expedition, and finally ended up being a SUCCESS. Huge Congratulation to the entire team members and Arnold Coster.

Summiteers:
1) Colin C’brady
2) Jon Kedrowski
3) Jenna Marie
4) Mike Posner
5) Hylke b. Knot
6) Zhong Miao
7) Erix Abasolo
8) Jur redmarkers
9) Dawa chhiring Sherpa
10) Dawa dorchi Sherpa
11) Pemnuru Sherpa
12) Dawa Sangee Sherpa
13) Dawa Finjok Sherpa
14) Pasang Sherpa
15) Chhonorbu Sherpa
16) Nima Sherpa

And:

17. Mykyta Balabanov
18. Nataliia Vladykina
19. Sergey Denisenko
20. Vitaly Khinenzon (1st Tajik on Everest)
21. Sergejs Belovs
22. IURII SOLODUKHIN (31st May 2021)
23. Josette Valloton from Switzerland
24. Mingma Ongdi Sherpa.

Also 7 Summits Club made more summits with their last group on June 1. As usual, they didn’t list the names of their Sherpas:

at 6:00 local time, Katya Kalabukhova and the guide of the 7 Summits Club Artem Rostovtsev reached the summit of Mount Everest! With them, the highest point was reached by four Sherpas, high-altitude guides-porters. Now the whole group is going down. We hope that tomorrow the new heroes of Everest will be in Kathmandu.

The conditions were tough, leave no doubt. Tashi Sherpa posted this from C2 on May 31:

First time I have seen this kind of hit at Everest camp 2 during my 19th Everest expedition. Lots of tents got collapsed and damaged at camp 2 by an avalanche last night. I really feel mountain guide short life. But this time survived…….

A first-person, unfiltered account from C2 on May 31 from Hemant Leuva:

Dear friends.

Sorry to inform you that I am returning from Everest without summit.

We waited at Camp 2 (6400 mtr – 21,000 feet) for 5 nights for weather to improve. Those 5 days and nights were of continuous wind and relentless snowfall. On 29 morning we had first rays of sun and clear sky. We decided to move for summit bid on 30. 5-6 days of heavy snowfall meant there was a heavy chance of avalanche on Lhotse face, that is climb from camp 2 -4.

Because if this, half of the teams waiting at Camp 2 cancelled their expeditions and returned back to Base camp. Still we stayed.

On 29 there were few small avalanches on surrounding mountains. At night around 11:30, there was a huge avalanche from Mt. Nuptse on the camp 2. As camp 2 is spread out widely, only 3-4 camps were affected. Ours was the worst. Our most of the tents and dining tents were torn partially. My tent completely collapsed under the snow. My lower body was completely immovable. Within minutes, my sherpas came out and cleared the tents. I spent the night with my sherpa in his partially torn tent.

On 30 morning, I decided to call it off and returned to Base camp. Few more teams called it off. There will be few brave summits on 31 and 1, but I followed my gut feeling and did not went for summit.

I left the mountain with a promise to come back again with more physical preparations.

In these 60 days I had 3 deadly experiences, one on 12 night at camp 4, one while crossing the khumbu icefall, I missed one step and nearly was in a crevasse, and one on 29 night. But by the prayers and wishes of friends like you all, each time I escaped and did not have any physical problems.

May be if I would have persisted for 3 days more, I would have returned victorious but I had to make sure that I return.

I am thankful to each and every one of you for believing in me and praying for me. I am indebted for the love and support you have shown. Thanks. 

Elite Exped cancelled their Lhotse summit attempt due to risk according to a message directly to me from Jenn Drummond. Her Everest summit announcement in very risky high winds:

I MADE IT. We successfully summited Everest! Even with 45 MPH winds at the top I had to make sure my kids were there with me. WiFi here isn’t the best right now so I’m only able to share this for now. I can’t wait to share more. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone for all of your support, it truly lifted me up in the most difficult times and with every step I felt all of your love, energy, and support.

And Kilian Jornet and David Gottler also cancelled their climb: They remained coy about their true plans. From David:

No.

No, we didn’t climb Everest.

Finally, after a lot of waiting for tropical cyclones to pass and snow to settle, we began an attempt, but on reaching the South Col we both decided to stop.

@kilianjornet left from BC and I left from C2. We both climbed through the night and met at South Col and we both experienced the same sensation of not feeling well or strong. It was a bizarre moment when we regrouped at South Col and told each other we were not ok, both of us having had exactly the same experience and feeling equally not right.

So actually, it was easy to know we should stop. It would have been foolish to continue to climb higher in that state. You can’t climb Everest in our style if you don’t feel 100%, and luckily both of us know very well how we should feel at those altitudes.

So, we stopped our climb and descended. Even though we could blame the wind for having prevented us from going on (it was pretty windy at S Col), it wasn’t the wind or bad weather or bad conditions on the mountain. It was our bodies and how we felt, and it’s equally important to listen to your body and respect it. It’s just one more piece of this difficult puzzle. When the margins of safety are this slim, if one piece doesn’t fit you don’t get to finish the puzzle.

Disappointed, of course. Regretful. Not a bit.

If there was any doubt the season is officially over, this from EverestER:

It’s a wrap for Everest ER. Thanks to our volunteer doctors Prakash Kharel, Sangeeta Poudel and Suraj Shrestha and to our logistics coordinator/rescue expert Lakpa Sherpa for their service during what has certainly been one of the most challenging seasons on record. Rest well, be safe. Tashi delek

Two foreigners died this season, both with Seven Summits Treks. The operator recovered both bodies, Abdul Waraich and Puwei Liu. Two Sherpas also died. There was no update on the body of Wong Dorchi Sherpa who was working for 7 Summits Club. These four deaths are at the low end of the usual death count. There were 11 in 2019.

Finally, the Government released a flight schedule with 10 flights effective from June 1-30, 2021, to facilitate traveling during the pandemic.

See who summited and the latest status on the location table.

Why this coverage?

I like to use my coverage to remind my readers that I’m just one person who loves climbing. With 37 serious climbing expeditions including four Everest trips under my belt and a summit in 2011, I use my site to share those experiences, demystify Everest each year and bring awareness to Alzheimer’s Disease. My mom, Ida Arnette, died from this disease in 2009 as have four of my aunts. It was a heartbreaking experience that I never want anyone to go through thus my ask for donations to non-profits where 100% goes to them, and nothing ever to me.

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

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