2024/25 Winter Himalaya Climbs: Everest, Manalsu, Annapurna
The winter season has begun for three of the 8000ers: Everest, Manaslu and Annapurna. Each is unique in style, and professional climbers are at the helm.
Category: Everest News
Comparing the Routes of Everest – 2025 edition
This another BIg Picture post before my annual coverage of Everest 2025. The season is still a few months away, and I’ll be posting several updates before the season officially begins in early April:
– Everest by the Numbers: 2025 Edition – A deep dive into Everest statistics as compiled by the Himalayan Database (posted December 16, 2024)
– Comparing the Routes of Everest: 2025 Edition – A detailed look at Everest’s commercial, standard and non-standard routes. (posted December 19, 2024)
– How Much Does it Cost to Climb Everest: 2025 Edition – My annual review of what it costs to climb Everest, solo, unsupported and guided.
– Everest 2025: Welcome to Everest 2025 Coverage – an introduction to the Everest 2025 Spring season.
2025 will be my 25th season of all things Everest: 19 times providing coverage, another four seasons of climbing on Everest, and two years attempting Lhotse.
This is an updated post of my annual “Comparing the Routes of Everest ” blog post. For 98% of all Everest climbers, the choice of routes is the Northeast (Tibet) and Southeast (Nepal) Ridges. For today’s commercial clients, all other routes are too dangerous, complicated, and not commercially guided. This post will examine the various routes and explore the most popular commercial through 2024.
Why do I do this? Well, one word: Alzheimer’s. I lost my mom, Ida, and four aunts to this disease, which changed my life forever. You can read more at this link. I hope you enjoy my coverage and donate to any of my selected non-profit partners or your preference as a tangible thank you. Of course, I never benefit financially from your donations. Just click on the button, which is always at the top right sidebar. #everest2025
Everest by the Numbers: 2025 Edition
Welcome to Everest 2025. The season is still a few months away, and I’ll be posting several Everest 2025 big-picture updates before the season officially begin in early April:
– Everest by the Numbers: 2025 Edition – A deep dive into Everest statistics as compiled by the Himalayan Database
– Comparing the Routes of Everest: 2025 Edition – A detailed look at Everest’s routes, commercial, standard and non-standard.
– How Much Does it Cost to Climb Everest: 2025 Edition – My annual review of what it costs to climb Everest, solo, unsupported and guided.
– Everest 2025: Welcome to Everest 2025 Coverage – an introduction to the Everest 2025 Spring season.
2025 will be my 25th season of all things Everest: 19 times providing coverage, another four seasons of climbing on Everest, and two years attempting Lhotse.
I’ve updated my annual “Everest by the Numbers” blog post. I looked at summit and death rates, the use of oxygen and its impact on summits and deaths, and disturbing trends like the increasing support for climb. I hope this is useful for everyone.
Why do I do this? Well, one word: Alzheimer’s. I lost my mom, Ida, and four aunts to this disease, which changed my life forever. You can read more at this link. I hope you enjoy my coverage and donate to any of my selected non-profit partners or your preference as a tangible thank you. Of course, I never benefit financially from your donations. Just click on this button, which is always at the top right sidebar. #everest2025
Everest 2024 Podcast: Ryan Mitchell on his Everest Summit–”Life Changing”
Massachusetts native 19-year-old Ryan Mitchell summited Mt. Everest on May 23, 2024! This extensive podcast discusses his experience from training to the summit and back home.
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 many companies 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 worked together for the past year.
In this podcast, Ryan explains how he funds his climbs, training approach, and “why.” We cover a lot of topics, including:
1:22 – Was it hard? Was it fun?
2:50 – How did you train to get the required experience?
8:33 – What part of your training meant the most once on Everest?
11:35 – You created a YouTube series documenting each day of the expedition.
12:13 – What cameras did you use, and how did you keep the batteries warm?
18:50 – What other gear did well for you, like the down suit from Himali and your La Sportiva 8000-meter boots?
20:11 – Discuss the trek from Lukla to Everest Base Camp
21:32 – Did video logging distract you from the overall experience?
23:12 – Describe arriving at EBC and meeting the Sherpas for the first time.
26:10 – How was climbing through the Icefall?
31:41 – How hot was the Western Cwm?
33:00 – Did you ever get sick?
34:45 – What were the climbing conditions on the Lhotse Face?
40:10 – Did you experience severe crowding on Everest?
41:42 – Describe the good and bad at the South Col.
48:50 – Walk us through the Summit push.
53:46 – Sunrise from Everest
56:07 – How was the Hillary Step?
59:10 – Seeing dead bodies
1:01:25 – What emotions did you feel on the summit?
1:06:36 – You had a fast climb back to C2. Why so fast?
1:09:30 – Were you happy when you finished your last trip through the icefall?
1:13:03 – How did it feel to arrive back home?
1:15:55 – What are one or two words or phrases describing your Everest journey?
1:17:30 – What’s next?
I know you will enjoy this.
#everest2024
#everest2024
Everest 2024: Season Summary – Everest at a Rubicon
Everest 2024 might be remembered for summits, politics, deaths, ignored rules, near misses and disturbing allegations of sexual misconduct. It’s difficult to put all this in a headline, but I believe the Everest guiding industry is at a Rubicon – a point of no return.
Not to be lost in this mix is the joy and satisfaction felt by hundreds of summiteers. They worked and trained diligently to celebrate standing on the top of the world for only a few minutes. It’s funny how you can work so long for a goal, and the moment is over in a blink, but the memory lasts a lifetime—well done to all who summited, to those who showed up.
Once again, the Sherpas proved they dominated the mountain with impressive altitude performance. The Himalayan Database shows that between 1950 and 2023, 6,097 Sherpas have summited Everest compared to 5,899 members, and that gap is growing each year. However, more foreigners have died than Sherpas, 197 compared to 118. #everest2024
Everest 2024: Last Summits of the Season and Another Death
The 2024 Everest season ended well for the Alpenglow group, but sadly, there was another death on the Nepal side. 2024 was a challenging year that may change the trajectory of climbing Everest, especially on the Nepal side. The Icefall Doctors are removing all the ladders in the Western Cwm and Khumbu Icefall, thus officially closing the season on that side. I’ll do my annual season summary in a few days. #everest2024
Everest 2024: Sabotage or Self-Promotion – Cut Ropes?
The week’s activity on Everest revealed significant issues for climbers. While there were hundreds of summits and several deaths, it wasn’t pretty. Some Tibet-side teams summited. #everest2024
Everest 2024: Weekend Update May 25: Season nears the End with Summits and Death
The week’s activity on Everest revealed significant issues for climbers. While there were hundreds of summits and several deaths, it wasn’t pretty. Some Tibet-side teams summited. #everest2024
Everest 2024: More Summits and Deaths as Season Winds Down
Summits continue on Everest, but the season may end soon as cyclones build in the Bay of Bengal and the monsoon moves in. We saw thirty-five more summits and, sadly, yet another death on May 23rd. Only one team going for the summit tonight. #everest2024
Everest 2024: More Summits and More Missing Climbers
Summits continue, but multiple climbers are missing near the Hillary Step after some sort of route collapse. Through May 22, Everest has seen 379 summits, compromising 214 Sherpas, or 56% and 165 members or 43%. The largest summit days so far were May 19, with 100 summits, and May 21, with 104 summits. Nepal issued Everest permits to 414 foreigners. Perhaps another 60 to 100 people may summit on May 23, and activity will quiet down quite a bit. #everest2024