Everest 2024: First 8000er Death

Camp 1

We have the first death on an 8000-meter peak of the season; a Sherpa with Seven Summits Trek died while descending from Makalu’s summit. Teams are getting in position for Nepal side summits while more teams enter Tibet for Everest. Remember that both Cho Oyu and Shishapangma are closed to foreigners for climbing this spring.

First reported by Everest Chronicle, Lakpa Tenji Sherpa, 54, passed away at Camp III after saying he didn’t feel well. His fellow Sherpas were helping him descend. He was from Mahakulung in the Solukhumbu district.

Nepal Update

On the Nepal side, the ropes should reach the summit on Thursday or Friday. Many teams have already left EBC to be positioned at Camp 2 for their summit dash. IMG noted they are anxious to go:

The fixing Sherpas are aiming to establish the route to the summit of Everest in the next couple of days. Phunuru reports that the IMG climbing team is eager to get started! Today, the team practiced with their oxygen systems and fine-tuned procedures for use at high altitudes in very cold conditions, where all skin must be covered and masks and valves can freeze. The team will head to Camp 1 and Camp 2 in the next couple of days, depending on weather forecasts and the progress of the route fixing. We’ll keep you updated!”

Summit Schedule

Most teams take two nights at C2 on their summit push, using it as Advanced Base Camp. Teams will hold there if there’s a sudden weather change or to allow the Sherpas to fully stock Camps 3 and 4 (aka the South Col) with tents, fuel, stoves and oxygen bottles.  The usual schedule is as follows:
  • EBC- C2: 6 hours (note: some teams will stop at C1, and go to 2 the next day)
  • C2-C3: 6 hours – sleep at C3 using supplemental oxygen (note: some teams start Os at C2)
  • C3-C4 (South Col): 4 hours – leave SC around 8 pm the same day (note: some teams will spend a full night at the South Col)
  • C4-Summit: 8-12 hours- stay on the summit for 15 to 60 minutes
  • Summit-C4: 3-5 hours – quick 30-minute rest and drink water
  • C4-C2: 2-4 hours – sleep at C2
  • C2- EBC – 2-4 hours – celebrate!

Nepal has issued around 414 Everest permits, so using one and a half Sherpa in support for each client and assuming a 40% dropout rate, i.e., they will not make a summit attempt, we have around 600 climbers set to attempt a summit.

I find the level of risk some teams take by choosing to be patient and wait as much as possible for good conditions interesting compared to those who jump at the first chance. Thankfully, the wind forecast appears to suggest gusts under the limit of 30 mpg/48kph for the next seven days. Let’s hope that is true, thus allowing the nearly 600 people to spread out.

Denali

Not to be left out, it’s climbing season on North America’s highest, Alaska’s Denali, at 20,310 feet/6,190 meters. The season was declared officially open on April 27, 2023, with Park Rangers flying to their base camp at 14,000 feet. They will stay there and conduct patrols the entire season, something I wish Nepal officials would copy, stationing qualified and empowered rangers at Camp 2 and rotating a few from the South Col.

According to the National Park Service, 953 climbers have registered, but only 43 are on the peak, and no one has summited.

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything


Podcasts

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You can listen to Everyday Everest on SpotifyApple Podcast, Breaker, YouTube, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Anchor, and more. Just search for “alan arnette” on your favorite podcast platform.

Previous Everyday Everest Series Episodes


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