Climbing the World to End Alzheimer's
Climbing the World to End Alzheimer's
You know you’ve made your name in the climbing world when Reinhold Messner calls you “the best high-altitude climber in the world.” Today, Steve runs one of the most successful broad-based coaching services. Uphill Athlete, founded by Steve House and Scott Johnston in 2014, has become synonymous with all things mountain sports, from trail running and mountaineering to ski racing. I caught up with Steve for a wide-ranging Podcast.
In 2024, Everest has become completely commercialized. Shock, right? Well, Will Cockrell’s new book, Everest, Inc: The Renegades and Rogues Who Built an Industry at the Top of the World, tells us how it happened. If you love Everest, despise it or don’t really care, this book has something for everyone. #everest2024
We are getting closer to #Everest2024, and there are some new rules Nepal is proposing. In this with Garrett Madison, founder of Madison Mountaineering, we discuss his recent “Aconcagua Ambush,” where he and his client summited the highest peak in South America, spending only one night on the mountain and used an experimental oxygen system that has promise other high peaks. Also, his thoughts on Nepal’s plan to require all climbers to use WAG bags to remove solid human waste from Everest high camps, the use of helicopters on Everest, and a limit on luxuries at base camp. #everest2024
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 climbers.
As we get closer to Everest 2024, I’ve updated my annual post, “How Much Does It Cost to Climb Mount Everest?” Prices have risen on both sides, and there is price parity on the Tibet and Nepal sides. Also, I look at some of the most expensive options – it’s shocking!
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
The Autumn season moves on with climbs on Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri and the very popular Ama Dablam. However, there were more tragedies in the 8000-meter mountains, with a death on Dhaulagiri. Nepal continues to monetize its mountains, issuing 881 climbing permits across forty-two mountains, generating $450,000 in revenue. China and France represent the two largest countries climbing this Autumn.
We continue to see preventable deaths on the 8000-meter mountains. In this article, I’ll explore how they can be safely climbed, minimizing but never eliminating the risk of injury or death. To be clear, mountain climbing is dangerous whether you climb alone, with friends, are a sponsored professional or a client on a commercial team. If you don’t think you could die, you shouldn’t go.
It comes down to five basic principles: experience, leadership, judgment, risk management and personal responsibility. Let’s break them down.
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.
After what was a safe and busy season with scores of heavily supported clients summiting Manaslu, the odds caught up with climbers on Shishapangma, the only 8000er fully in Tibet. American Anna Gutu with Migmar Sherpa are confirmed dead. Reported missing are American, Gina Marie Rzucidlo and Tenjen Lama Sherpa. Lama was Kristin Harila’s partner in summiting all the 800ers in ninety-two days earlier this year. Both Americans were seeking the record to become the first female to summit all fourteen 8000 meter peaks. #manaslu2023
Climbing the World to End Alzheimer's
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