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Everest 2014: Season Summary – A Nepal Tragedy

 40 Responses »
Jun 092014
 
Everest 2014: Season Summary - A Nepal Tragedy

The 2014 spring season of mountaineering on Everest had more to do with politics, advice fame, power and positioning than mountaineering. These agendas dwarfed the deaths of 19 people. The final summit numbers will take months to determine but most likely will be the lowest total since 1997. From Tibet over 100 people summited. And from Nepal, six summits, albeit aviation assisted since the climbers flew to Camp 2 instead of climbing through the Icefall. This post will provide my analysis of the season, what went wrong along with ideas on going forward. These are my conclusions but with input continue reading

Everest 2014: Team Locations

 21 Responses »
May 312014
 
Everest 2014: Team Locations

Welcome to Alan Arnette’s Everest 2014 coverage My coverage is based on my own summit 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. Latest Everest News – May 31, 2014 My summary of this tragic season http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/?p=19748 NORTH: The season is over on the North side. I am estimating about 125 summits. NO deaths reported on the North side for 2014. SOUTH: The season is over on the South side. – 6 summits 19 deaths on South side in continue reading

Everest 2014: Summits – Update 6

 169 Responses »
May 232014
 
Everest 2014: Summits - Update 6

Update 6: Looks like about 100 people went for the summit from Tibet on Sunday but not all teams have reported. There were many comments about crowds preventing fast climbers from moving around slow ones. Weather was expected thus the season may be over, but for 2014, I have learned never to say closed …. The controversy around Jing Wang’s summit continues. She refused to discuss the use of helicopters but in a report today said she did not use a helicopter disputing the statements of her organizer and the helicopter pilot. According to Wang’s application stating her itinerary from continue reading

I am proud to be called a Climber

 69 Responses »
May 212014
 
I am proud to be called a Climber

On May 21, shop 2011 at 5:30am, I stood on the summit of Mt. Everest. I felt small, tiny, and insignificant as I watched the sun rise over the world’s tallest peaks. I felt grateful as I hugged a down covered Kami Sherpa (Ang Chhiring Sherpa – Pangboche). I felt immense joy and relief as I heard my wife, Cathy’s, voice on the satellite phone. I felt sadness and inspiration as I dedicated the summit to my mom, Ida, and the millions of Alzheimer’s s and their caregivers around the world.   Standing on the summit of Everest, provided fuel continue reading

Everest 2014: North Teams Begin Summit Push – Update 4

 14 Responses »
May 172014
 
Everest 2014: North Teams Begin Summit Push - Update 4

Teams on the North side of Everest have been ly waiting for lower winds to begin their summit push. It now appears that window will emerge around May 23-26. This is a bit later than normal for the North side but still about right as that side receives more severe winds than the South.  There is no hard stop to the season as on the South when the Icefall doctors, in a normal season, try stop maintaining the route at the end of May due to warming temperatures. Summits on the North can easily go into June. The lines have continue reading

Everest 2014: Climbing Everest at any Cost from Nepal – Update 2

 103 Responses »
May 092014
 
Everest 2014: Climbing Everest at any Cost from Nepal - Update 2

This is a season with no end from Nepal. As I reported yesterday, IMG noted the Icefall Doctors were removing the ladders from the Khumbu Icefall and, assumed, the season would finally come to an end. I noted there was one climber attempting Lhotse still there determined to climb with or without ladders. Cleo Weidlich, made this comment on her Facebook page a few days ago: This is just to let you know that my climb on the Everest Massif will continue with or without ladders. I have climbed some of the world’s most dangerous mountain WITHOUT them and this continue reading

Everest 2014: North Teams Target Summit Date

 45 Responses »
May 082014
 
Everest 2014: North Teams Target Summit Date

Right on schedule, s the teams on the north side of Everest are completing their acclimatization rotations and looking at potential summit dates. Thus far, the season is going very smoothly on that side. Bill Burke, at age 72, is climbing with Asian Trekking and posting regular audio updates. In today’s dispatch he noted they had competed their rotations and were going to the Tibetan village of Tingri for a little rest. He also said they were looking at a potential summit window of May 17 -19. I heard from Norwegian, Knut Grotli with Kari Kobler’s group. They are back continue reading

Everest 2014: Weekend Update May 4: Climbing Continues, South Withdrawal

 52 Responses »
May 042014
 
Everest 2014: Weekend Update May 4: Climbing Continues, South Withdrawal

Climbing continues on Everest’s north side with over 100 climbers making steady progress with their acclimatization rotations. Also, teams on Cho Oyu and other Himalayan 8000m mountains are preparing for their summit pushes. The only place it is not business as usual is on Nepal’s side of Mt. Everest where April 18th will be remembered forever as the day 16 Sherpa climbers lost their lives. Tibet The rope fixing by the Tibetans from the China Tibet Mountaineering Association, CTMA, continues toward the summit as members with commercial teams are spending time at Advanced Base Camp and even the North Col continue reading

Everest 2014: Climbing from Tibet

 41 Responses »
Apr 282014
 
Everest 2014: Climbing from Tibet

As almost all the teams wind down their efforts on the South side of Everest, try over 100 climbers are in full season on the North. There are at least 10 teams on the Tibet side ranging from two people to the largest team, 7 Summits Club with 19 climbers. This also makes them the largest team on Everest for 2014. Politics Climbing on the North side is a bit different from the south in many ways. When you a permit it includes not only the right to climb the mountain but also transportation and lodging from either Lhasa or Zhangmu  continue reading

Everest 2014: Violence, Threats, Intimidation

 109 Responses »
Apr 252014
 
Everest 2014: Violence, Threats, Intimidation

Teams are packing on the Nepal side and still climbing on the North as the aftermath of the Sherpa tragedy slowly winds down. A few small teams remain at the Nepal Everest Base Camp holding onto a tiny bit of hope for a chance to climb this year, but it is quickly slipping away. There is a report that a Russian team is still there wanting to climb. If anyone can do it without support it will be these tough climbers. Some news outlets are reporting on another avalanche. It is important to remember that avalanches occur all the time continue reading

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