Category: Everest News

Climbing News, Everest, Everest 2024 Coverage, Everest News, Everest Popular Posts, Interview, K2, K2 2023 Coverage

Everest 2024 Podcast: Ryan Mitchell on how a 19-year-old can afford to climb Everest

Ryan Mitchell

How a 19-year-old can afford to climb Everest? Well, Ryan Mitchell, 19, living in central Massachusetts, explains how in this podcast.

Ryan, a Summit Coach client, contacted me about a year ago, wanting advice and coaching on how to climb Everest in the Spring of 2022. He had little to no experience, so while I told him there were many companies who would take his money and have him on Everest, the best approach would be to wait at least a year and gain the skills and experience it would take to make a safe attempt on the world’s highest peak. He agreed, and we’ve been working together for the past twelve months.

In this podcast, Ryan explains how he is funding his climbs, his training approach, and critically, is his “why”

#everest2024

Adrian Ballinger, Climbing News, Everest, Everest News, Everest Popular Posts, Interview, K2, K2 2023 Coverage

Podcast with Adrian Ballinger, Alpenglow: Records, Rescues, Deaths and More

The past few months have been difficult in the mountaineering world. We have seen climbs on many 800ers that turned out tragically: Mohammed Hassan on K2, Anna Gutu, Migmar Sherpa, American Gina Marie Rzucidlo and Tenjen Lama Sherpa on Shishapangma. A few dramatic rescues and a neverending quest for records.

I turned to long-time alpinist Adrian Ballinger, co-founder of Alpenglow, to try and make sense of what’s going on, what can be done to prevent these seemingly preventable deaths and if the pursuit of records is worth the risks. We also discuss his return to Everest planned for 2024 after missing the last four seasons, due to China’s closure of their side of Everest.

Everest, Everest 2021 Coverage, Everest News, Everest Popular Posts

Podcast with Jost Kobusch’s Winter 2023/24 Everest West Ridge Attempt

I caught up with German Alpinist Jost Kobusch, who now lives in Chamonix, France, to discuss his upcoming 2023/24 winter, no O’s, solo attempt of Everest’s West Ridge. No climber has reached the summit using this route and precise style. He will begin climbing on December 22, 2023, the beginning of the astronomical calendar winter. He will complete his climb no later than February 28, 2024. #everest2023 #everest2024

Everest, Everest News, Everest Popular Posts

Nepal Increases Fees to Climb Everest

Everest April 6 2015

The long-rumored Everest permit fee increase will now happen for the 2025 season. The permit fee for a foreigner will increase from USD $ 11,000 to $15,000. For a Nepali citizen, it will be $568. The increase is still in the proposal phase but appears to be pre-approved. As always, wait to see as Nepal will often float news rules or fees, measure the reaction, and then pull back or never implement the idea if there is bad publicity that may hurt tourism revenue. #everest2024

Climbing News, Everest, Everest 2023 Coverage, Everest News, Everest Popular Posts, Interview

Podcast with Author, Journalist Billi Bierling of the Himalayan Database

Close followers of mountaineering know the Himalayan Database and Ms. Elizabeth Hawley. Who you may not know is Billi Bierling who worked with Ms. Hawley since 2004 and continues her work today along with a small team in Kathmandu and the US.

Billi, born in the Bavarian Alpine resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, is a well-traveled journalist working primarily for Swiss Humanitarian Aid as a communications expert. She also writes mountaineering articles for German and English-speaking magazines, translates or writes books and leads mountain treks and expeditions in Nepal and around the world. And she climbs mountains, big mountains including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Manaslu (fore summit) and Broad Peak – the latter three she summited without the help of supplemental oxygen.

Billi recently published a book, a memoir, Riding my Bike iN Kathmandu.

This in-depth podcast introduces us to Billi, her background in humanitarian work, her book and some of her climbs before discussing the changes we are seeing in the ever-commercialized world of mountaineering, especially in Nepal. Finally, we wrap up discussing the future of the Himalayan Database.

Grab a beverage or take a walk and please enjoy meeting Billi Bierling.

Everest, Everest 2023 Coverage, Everest News

Everest 2023: An Insider Story

winter Everest 2017 Puja

The 2023 Everest spring season is over, and most of the climbers are back home with their families. They’re providing an intimate look at their experiences, sharing tears, laughs and holding hands as their loved one reveals their true story. Often are is difficult, as no one likes to see their partner in pain, yet it comes through in their eyes as they describe seeing a dead body or being told the summit push is canceled because of winds. Yet they also share the joy of the summit. While one climbed, the other stayed home, often wondering.

Summit Coach client, Asher Perez, summited Mt. Everest in May with Phil Crampton’s Altitude Junkie team. His wife, Elianna Perez stayed home with their one-year-old daughter, wondering. After all, this spring was the deadliest season in history on Everest. This is her story.
#everest2023

Everest, Everest 2023 Coverage, Everest News, Weekend Update

Everest 2023: Season Summary – Deadliest in History

In this 2023 Everest season summary, I look at the good and the bad during the deadliest season ever on Everest and the much-needed changes. Plus a narrative on the last Icefall passage and co ing home #everest2023

Nepal issued a record 478 climbing permits to foreigners. Add in one and a half Sherpa supporting each foreigner; over 1,200 people pursued the summit this spring. Fears were rampant of a 2019 repeat with long lines and deaths. The lines never developed, thanks in part to colder weather that sent a higher number of climbers home in mid-season, many with a persistent virus. However, the deaths did, but not due to the record permits or climate change. #everest2023