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Climbing the World to End Alzheimer's

Update: 2018 Oxygen Failure on Everest – Regulator Recall

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Aug 262018
 
Update: 2018 Oxygen Failure on Everest - Regulator Recall

Followers of the Everest 2018 spring climbing season will recall that a few teams experienced a failure of their supplemental oxygen systems provided by the UK company, Summit Oxygen (SO). While alarming, to maintain a sense of perspective, it was 25 out of 500 to 1,000 that regulators failed, not a massive failure as some described. Neil Greenwood, the founder and Managing Director of SO, has sent me an update on what caused the problems the solution. He is recalling several batches of faulty regulators. Regulator Failures at 8,000-meters. First reported by Lucas Furtenbach’s north side Everest team, multiple teams continue reading

Preparing for Everest 2019!

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Jun 022018
 
Preparing for Everest 2019!

With #Everest2018 in the books, I wanted to step back and see what lessons were available from this season and how to prepare for #Everest2019, if that’s in your mind. First off, let me start with a plug for my consulting service, Summit Coach, where I have worked with many climbers over the past 18 months to help them successfully summit Everest, Gasherbrum II, Denali and other peaks across the world. More on this in a moment. Everest 2018: The Good and the Bad This season was good in many respects with my estimate of a record 700+ summits and a continue reading

Everest 2018: Season Summary – Record Weather, Record Summits

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May 242018
 
Everest 2018: Season Summary - Record Weather, Record Summits

With an unprecedented weather window, the Everest season is winding down I estimate a total of over 800 summits smashing the previous record set in 2013 of 667 from both sides by members and support climbers. The Nepal Ministry of Tourism reported on 16 August 2018 that a total of 563 people summited during the spring of 2018 made up of 302 High Altitude Workers (aka Sherpas) and 261 foreigners (aka members) using the standard Southeast Ridge route in Nepal. I estimate 239 summits on the Northeast Ridge in Tibet. Nepal issued 347 Everest climbing permits to foreigners, including 20 continue reading

Everest 2018: May 25 Team Locations and Headlines

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May 242018
 
Everest 2018: May 25 Team Locations and Headlines

UPDATED: May 25, 2018 This is Alan Arnette’s Everest 2018 coverage and annual coverage and 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. 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: Season is Over 800+ Summits, 5 Deaths See all the Everest 2018 posts here Latest News: 25 May 2018 (Everest time: GMT+5:45) Current Headlines continue reading

Everest 2018: Wave 11 Recap – All over after 11 Straight Summit Days!

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May 242018
 
Everest 2018: Wave 11 Recap - All over after 11 Straight Summit Days!

I was told yesterday, 23 May, by Gyanendra Shrestha the senior representative of the Ministry Of Tourism & Civil Avation. Kathmandu at Everest Base Camp  “a few more” will try to summit Everest this season. But as of late Thursday 24 May on Everest, it appears to be over. Several of the more ambitious expeditions on Everest have not succeeded this year. A Record Year? #Everest2018 appears to a record summit year. I estimate 715 total (476-Nepal, 239-Tibet). 2017 had 648 (411-Nepal, 237-Tibet). The record was 667 in 2013. An unprecedented 11 straight summit days made it happen plus unusually warm temperatures on many days. continue reading

Everest 2018: Summit Wave 10 Recap – Summits, Avalanche and 3 8000ers in 25 days – Update

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May 232018
 
Everest 2018: Summit Wave 10 Recap - Summits, Avalanche and 3 8000ers in 25 days - Update

For the 10th straight day, there were summits on Mt. Everest. It all began on 13 May when the Sherpa rope fixing team summited from Nepal, then on the next day the ropes were fixed on the Tibet side. With the door wide open, teams took advantage of an advantage streak of suitable weather. I’m Melting And even today, 23 May, there were more summits on Everest but climbing in late May has serious concern as it is warm. Sangeeta S Bahl told me about her trip through the Icefall on 22 May after summiting the previous day, “But coming down continue reading

Everest 2018: Summit Wave 9 Recap – More Sherpa Deaths with Summits

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May 222018
 
Everest 2018: Summit Wave 9 Recap - More Sherpa Deaths with Summits

Two more Sherpas died increasing the total to five Everest deaths and one on Lhotse this season. Again these tragedies cast a pale over the amazing weather for #Everest2018. Several of the few teams left summited on the Nepal side in what is being called “perfect weather.” The summits Tuesday morning 22 May marks the 10th straight day of summits. Three of the oldest Everest guide companies summited this morning, Alpine Ascents International (AAI) and International Mountain Guides(IMG) on the Nepal side and Altitude Junkies from Tibet. They selected a strategy of summiting near the end of the weather window continue reading

Everest 2018: Summit Wave 8 – Recap, Hillary Step Photo – Update 2

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May 212018
 
Everest 2018: Summit Wave 8 - Recap, Hillary Step Photo - Update 2

Update 2: Teams are near the summit in what is reported as excellent conditions Alpine Ascents: 3 guides, 8 members, 8 Sherpas- names on the link. Hello everyone, team reported that the entire team is standing on the summit of Everest, as ben mention it was a great summit day not to many peoples, no wind and sunny. Team starting to summit from 6:27 till 7:28 they are going to take photos and starting to decent to south cool soon. Thank you for staying with us. Will be updating from camp for tonight. IMG had 5 members with 7 Sherpas summit continue reading

Everest 2018: Dead on Everest Japanese Alpinist Nobukazu Kuriki

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May 202018
 
Everest 2018: Dead on Everest Japanese Alpinist Nobukazu Kuriki

Stunning news that Japanese climber Nobukazu Kuriki was found dead at Camp 2 on the Nepal side of Everest on the Standard route. The Himalayan Times reports that Sherpas found him at C2. I had just reported that he was feeling better after a cough and was prepared to go higher on an unspecified route. He had struggled in 2018 with a high fever and a cough. Personally, I am shocked as I always found his climbs inspirational. Update: Its now being reported that he reached C3 on the Lhotse Face and began to have problems with coughing and pain. Intermittent radio contact continue reading

Everest 2018: Summit Wave 8 – Winds Picking Up

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May 202018
 
Everest 2018: Summit Wave 8 - Winds Picking Up

As I posted a few hours ago, there are several teams moving to the summit of Everest both on the Tibet and the Nepal sides. Also to Lhotse. Reports are now coming in of strong wind gusts. I asked Chris Tomer of Tomer Weather Solutions for his view on what was happening: Doesn’t look jet related to me so the gusts will pass.  Could be a 3 to 6 hour spike.  Then much lighter into Tuesday.  My best guess is some spin in the middle of the atmosphere. In more general terms, the best summit window of the season is winding down.  continue reading

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