Video Interview with Jon Gupta: 7 Himalayan Climbs in 2021

Jon Gupta on K2

I caught up with British climbing Guide, Jon Gupta of Mountain Expeditions to discuss his amazing 2021 where he guided mostly one client, fellow Brit Rebecca ‘Becks’ Ferry on six 8000-meter mountains. He also climbed a 7000er with a friend and is now on Ama Dablam. Overall he climbed (the time the discussion starts in the video)

Everest (Summit) at 19:50
Lhotse (Summit) at 22:00
Makalu (reached 7500m)
K2 (Summit) at 25:05
Pobeda (reached 7200m)
Manaslu (Fore Summit ~8160m) at 40:00
Dhaulagiri (reached 7817m) at 36.09
Ama Dablam – TBD

Video Interview with The First All Black American Team to Attempt Everest in 2022

Full Circle Everest

It was an honor to do this video interview with three of the nine members, seven male, and two female, of the Full Circle Everest team. They hope to make history as the first Black climbing team to attempt to summit Everest. As of late 2021, there have been 10,184 summits but only eight Black climbers have stood on the top. I spoke today with Phil, Rosemary, and Dom about the expedition. We discussed their “why”, who they are trying to reach and of course, all things Everest including their acclimatization and training efforts.

Everest 2021: Video Interview with Art Muir – Oldest American Summiter

Art Muir at age 75 became the oldest American to summit Mt. Everest on May 12, 2021, with Madison Mountaineering. He surpassed Bill Burke who held the American Everest age record for 11 years. Burke summited at age 67 on the Nepal side and again from the Tibet side in 2014 at 72. Japanese mountaineer Yoichiro Miura is the oldest person to summit in 2013 at age 80.

I spoke with Art about his motivation, how his family felt about his plans, his 2019 attempt, prior climbing experience then we got into his training, diet, and experience on the climb. We wrapped up with Art’s thoughts on seniors climbing and staying active.

Everest 2021 Season Summary: The Year Nepal Broke Everest

Satire sprinkled with a few annoying facts.

As I sat down to write a recap of the 2021 spring season on Everest, these words came to mind: COVID, coverup, lies, misdirection, personal attacks, denials. Oh, and cyclones, wind, waiting, risk, and yes, summits. But, oh my, at what a cost? If 2019 was the year Everest broke, 2021 was the year Nepal broke Everest.

Everest 2021: Wave 6 Recap. And the Season is a Wrap!

C2 in 2021 by Tashi Sherpa

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.