4 Ways to Help Nepal
The Nepali people are working hard to rebuild their homes and their spirit is strong. The world community has been generous thus far but there is so much more to be done. In this post I will give an overview of the current status, per my understanding, and make firm recommendations on how you can help. Also, I want to promote help for the village of Pangboche where Lama Geshi and Kami Sherpa lives. This small village is slightly off the main trail from Namche to Everest Base Camp but frequently visited by climbers to receive a blessing from the Lama. Many of their homes were destroyed after second earthquake on May 12, 2015. There are four ways to help: Donate to large relief organizations Donate to long term, smaller organizations located directly in Nepal Donate to small direct efforts lead by individuals Travel to Nepal to support the tourism industry A Huge Problem with Individual Faces My personal fear is that all the negative publicity of a corrupt Nepal government that refuses help for outside its borders (source) or skims money for personal gain will discourage people from giving. Or the magnitude of the problem will deter donations. Or stories of ineffective aid in Haiti will spill over to discourage help for Nepal. (source) While there is substance to these stories, they are not reasons to freeze into inaction; and thankfully few have. The Nepal government has provided some degree of help. International relief agencies have delivered tons of tarps, food and water to remote villages. Smaller organizations continue with their focus in their traditional areas. Individuals with direct contacts and relationships are also making a difference. The annual monsoon rains have begun. There are mixed reports on the ever-present threat of more landslides. But it is clear that the earthquakes have disrupted the ability of villages to grow their own food. Some people are now living in structures formally used to store wheat, rice, potatoes and in some cases their animals – for these villages, their entire way of life has been dramatically impacted. Adding to the misery is a shortage of skilled masons and craftsmen to rebuild homes. Finally, with the desperate need for money, many young men are leaving Nepal, as many as 1500 per day, for work in countries like Qatar thus taking away the ability to rebuild homes in their local villages. (source) This catch 22 situation is made worse when their labor is underpaid, or countries refuse to let them return home to help. This map shows the location and severity of the destruction: If you are uncertain about making a donation to a large organization, look up their rating on this site, CharityNavigator.org for a score on their overall use of money. Another good test is whether you can obtain a receipt for your donation. Of course indviudals working directly with contacts in Nepal most likely will not offer these reassurances. Donate to large relief organizations The United Nations is doing great work in Nepal coordinating efforts and gathering funding from member countries. Also other countries are making significant contributions, for example the USAID. These are funded through tax dollars but sometimes have short term objectives and some are not a long term presence in the impacted country. Often the UN will partner with large relief organizations like the World Food Program, Red Cross, UNICEF, Save the Children, Mercy Corps who are funded through donations from companies and individuals alike. The International Medical Corps is working to relieve the suffering of those impacted by war, natural disaster and disease by delivering vital health care services that focus on training, helping devastated populations return to self-reliance. Our team doctor who was killed at Everest Base Camp, Marisa Eve Girawong, was part of this organization. Most of the major world powers have been and continue to send money, but even this is problematic with the UN recently saying only 22% of the promised funds have been delivered. (source) Donate to long term smaller organizations located directly in Nepal Non-governmental organizations aka NGO are making a huge difference. Nepal has more than 5,643 NGOs (source) so selecting one that matches your personal goals can be difficult. These are my suggestions based on personal experience and relationships DZi Foundation: In Nepal since 1998. Today they have a full-time staff of almost 20 Nepali nationals working between the headquarters in Kathmandu and the remote communities where their projects take place. dZi currently serves almost 30,000 people in an expanding network of remote villages, focusing primarily on basic infrastructure like school buildings, toilets, drinking water systems and bridges as well as agriculture initiatives. For the earthquake they will work on the reconstruction of at least 20 damaged schools, impacting 4,200 children. Himalayan Stove Project: We donate and distribute, free, clean-burning, fuel-efficient Envirofit cook stoves, transforming the lives of individuals and families who now cook with traditional, rudimentary stoves or over open fire pits inside their homes, consuming excessive amounts of precious fuel and polluting the indoor air to dangerously levels. For the earthquake, their overarching goal is to provide as much emergency aid and redevelopment help as we can, with the support of our partners on the ground, and our donors and supporters. Juniper Fund: They provide funds to affected families to cover cost of living expenses for years after the loss of a worker. For the earthquake they will work with the 10 Nepali families who lost their primary wage earner at Everest Base Camp. Donate to small direct efforts lead by individuals The climbing community has rallied to support one of the premier climbing destinations on the the planet. Almost all major guide services have a donation program in place where they will help their Sherpa and climbing staff in Nepal to rebuild their homes. Visit your favorite guides website to see their program and make a donation. But by far the largest of the small scale efforts is by individuals through crowd funding websites. I’m told
Everest 2015: Season Summary – Summits Don’t Matter
Over 9, 000 people died in April 2015 from a 7.8 magnitude earthquake near Kathmandu. And no one summited Everest – from either side, from any camp. Summits don’t matter. As has been my custom since 2002, I will summarize the season but this time from my first hand experience as I was climbing Lhotse which shares 80% of the route with Everest. I was between Camps 1 and 2 when the 7.8 magnitude earthquake reached the Western Cwm. This summary, while about the Everest season, is also about a human tragedy where thousands lost their lives, multiples of that are now homeless and many no longer have a way to make a living. Earthquakes are mean beasts, natural disasters, that strike with no warning, destroy at random. I spent one evening this week speaking with helicopter pilots and people who have just returned from the earthquake epicenter regions. They say there are villages flattened, with landslides and down trees seemingly erasing entire villages off the trail systems – these are areas trekkers seldom touch, nor apparently relief agencies at the moment. There are many, many small, individual efforts to reach these villages in addition to the large scale multi national efforts – the progress is not for lack of trying but it all seems to be moving too slowly. The largest organizations with resources to hire helicopters, deliver food and medicine are making a real difference. If you want to make a donation where your money makes an immediate difference in Nepal, these are a few suggestions International Medical Corps Juniper Fund Himalayan Stove Project Cholera is a growing concern with dead animals, and humans not being cremated or buried. Once this takes hold, the fear is the death toll will sky rocket. For an excellent overview of impact on Nepal as of 3 May 2015, please see this article on the Economist. High/Low Expectations The Everest 2015 season began with much trepidation, and attention. The number of permits issued surprised even the most jaded Everest observer: 358 individuals for Everest 114 for Lhotse and 56 for Nuptse – these were record numbers. With 16 mountain workers killed after an ice serac fell onto the Khumbu Icefall and over 40 trekkers killed in a snowstorm in the Annapurna region last autumn, many in Nepal feared the industry would take a hit with lower numbers. Some thought Everest climbers would prefer to climb from Tibet or trek in Bhutan. However, history shows us once again that it is a fine predictor of the future. After record deaths in 1996, 2006 and 2012, the following year delivered record climbers on Everest; 2015 was no different. Even on Everest from Tibet for 2015, records permits were issued, over 200 foreigners . The Everest Machine continued to be strong. Including the foreign permits, local Sherpa, Tibetans, cooks, cook boys, porters, over 1200 people were gathered on both sides of the world’s tallest peak, awaiting their turn for the summit. The human psyche is an interesting phenomenon. Migrating towards EBC Thus in early April people streamed into Kathmandu, flying to Lukla or driving to Chinese Base Camp on the north. The weather was, interesting. A few weeks earlier, Sherpas from the largest teams had already visited Everest Base Camp (EBC) at the foot of the Khumbu Icefall to mark spots for their teams and reported deep, wet snow everywhere – 3 feet of the white stuff. The trails were filled, as were the teahouses; trekkers and climbers alike jammed into the stone and wooden structures, staff short tempered trying to meet the need. The promise of Wifi, fell short with schemes and technical problems thwarting the promise of Facebook selfies or emails back home. Yes, a first world problem in a third world country. Capturing the Moment Video cameras were as common as Dzos and yaks. It was reported that eight major film crews were on the south side this year, all waiting for some kind of Everest disaster so they could capture the human drama, package for television and make a name for themselves, until the next reality show. The only question was, if they could be at the right place at the right time. Writers and reporters from newspapers to magazines to websites, called contacts to get their background stories pre-written as early as February. Many published a soon to be annual article on April 18, the anniversary of the Sherpa deaths in the Icefall. A week later it would be worse. Arriving at EBC, it was stark, rolling glacial hills covered in white powder, and it was cold, extremely cold. Mid April is supposed to be somewhat warm. The traditional weather patterns for the past decade: clear, cool mornings changing to afternoon light snow showers changing to crisp clear nights – 2015 was full of harsh cold and heavy snow. The “New” Everest Route The team of specialized Sherpas, aka the Icefall Doctors, had arrived in mid March, aerial photographs in hand with expert consulting from some of the Everest climbers around, their remit was to find a “new, safe route” through the Khumbu Icefall. Last year’s route hugged the West Shoulder of Everest, putting each person in the direct fall line of the hanging serac. The consequences were deadly when it released. For 2015, they wanted to return it more towards the center, or near Nuptse, climber’s right, to reduce this exposure. As teams got settled at EBC, everyone wanted to know about the route. Where was it, was it safer, how many ladders? The early reports said shorter and safer. But when the first westerners entered the Icefall, there was a huge surprise. The lower section was in fact almost direct, no ladders until half way, or higher; it was fast. But the top section had an obstacle, some call it an aid, that would stop both foreigners and Sherpas alike: two vertical snow walls near the top had ladders, six to be exact, lashed together with nylon
Everest 2015: Team Locations
Welcome to Alan Arnette’s Everest 2015 coverage My coverage is based on my own summit 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. I will be climbing Lhotse thus will be reporting from Everest Base Camp this year with all the regular features plus videos and interviews directly from the mountain as it happens. Latest Everest News – Sunday, May 3, 2015 – Nepal time EVEREST CLOSED FROM BOTH NORTH AND NO ONE CLIMBING FROM THE SOUTH Everest has been closed by the Chinese and practically so on the Nepal side after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal at 11:56 AM on Saturday April 25. The epicenter of the quake was Lamjung, which is 48 kilometers NW of Kathmandu and approximately 100 kilometers west of Everest Base Camp. These are the latest headlines. Scroll down for the latest blog post. Alan Arnette (me) was between Camp 1 and 2 in the Western Cwm when it hit. The Nepal Government finally admitted on 3 May 2015 what everyone knew- Everest is closed from from South side. The Icefall Doctors have given up, no strong, large teams remain at EBC to fix the route a vi C2. Finally the season on both sides is officially over. This will be the first time since 1974 that there will BE NO summit on Everest. In further embarrassment, Nepal’s tourism department said on 4 May, 2105 that Everest open, and it is up to anyone with a permit to climb. personally, I hope no one tries. Almost no one is at EBC but there are always individuals with their own agenda. Prior Headlines The Indian Army remains at EBC to assist in clean up. To my knowledge, there will be no further attempts from Nepal for 2015. Only a few large teams still trekking down the Khumbu Many climbers have already or are scheduled to leave Kathmandu by commercial flights Kathmandu airport has been closed to heavy military, relief airplanes due to runway wear/tear considerations, still open to smaller aircraft, including most commercial flights. HIMEX has declared they will not attempt any Himalayan Peak. I think this is the last major team to have kept their decision open thus making it 99% that no one will attempt Everest from Nepal … but there are always individuals like last year that could try. Nick Ciensk (Founder and CEO and Under Armour Senior Director of Innovation), climbing with Himex trying to climb Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and 3 other 8000m peaks in 6 months has canceled his efforts May 1, 2105 – this may be the last holdout for Everest 2015 from Nepal Nepal Government says Icefall Doctors will return to fix Khumbu Icefall route “within a week” The Chinese (CTMA) have officially announced that ALL mountains in Tibet are closed to climbing – unclear if that extends to the autumn season. CTMA close Everest North for fear of aftershocks Nepal side teams are streaming out by helicopter or by foot through the Khumbu Himex adopting a wait and see approach after getting approval to fly loads (not people) into Cwm At least 19 dead at EBC, over 120 injured 170 climbers evacuated out of Western Cwm Ice serac releases off Pumori caused by 7.9 earthquake near Kathmandu on Saturday, April 25 The casualty count at EBC is 19+, many, many injuries ~ 120_ as of this post – 7PM April 27 Most of the injuries and casualty were from wind blast off Pumori and associated impact with rocks EverestER and Doctors with others teams doing amazing work Alan was between C1 and C2 when earthquake hit causing major avalanches off Nuptse and Everest W Shoulder Alan now at Gorak Shep starting long journey to return home, comms spotty at Multiple aftershocks created uncertainty a about Khumbu Icefall causing evac from Cwm and cancellation of many team’s expeditions. Over 150 helicoptered from C1 in Western Cwm today, April 27 No one ever in real danger at C1 and C2, plenty of food and supplies 4 minute turn around time to EBC with 2 per helicopter Outstanding cooperation with some exceptions Many have found personal items in flattened tents Many teams have left EBC and are in teahouse in Khumbu Some are back in Kathmandu via helicopter Almost all teams are preparing to leave EBC and stop south side attempts Indian Army team of 35 to remain at EBC to assist with humanitarian efforts Some small teams will stay and make a decision in a few days Icefall Doctors have stopped maintaining the route due to safety, aftershock concerns – they may return – unkown A sincere and deep thank you to everyone who joins the Registry or makes a donation to one of the Alzheimer’s non-profits. Manage email notifications of new posts using the form in the lower right corner of this page South Col Route (map) Nepal CLOSES Everest as Icefall Doctors says route unrepairable Everest only TEAMS (members/western guides) 359 Climbers/350 Sherpas EBC C1 C2 C3 C4 S.Col Summits Adventure Consultants (9/2) e Adventures Global (4/1) e Alpine Ascents Int. (6/2) e H Arnold Coster Expeditions (10/1) e Asian Trekking Eco Teams e H Altitude Junkies e Benegas Brothers (2/1) e Gurkhas (15) e Himex e IMG Classic (19/0) e H IMG Hybrid (10?/4?) e H Jagged Globe (9/2) e RMI (6/2) e H Madison Mountaineering (12/4) e H Mountain Gurus (2/1) e Mountain Trip (1/1) e Sean Wisedale (4/1) e Summit Climb (8/1) e Tim Mosedale e Trek 8848 e 360 Expeditions (1/1) e others e SOUTH TOTAL (est) Northeast Ridge Route (map) Everest from Tibet CLOSED by CTMA fearing aftershocks TEAMS (members/western guides) 150 Climbers/175 Sherpas CBC ABC C1 N.Col C2 C3 Summit Asian Trekking e Alpenglow (6/2) e Adventure Peaks (8/1) e British Army e Kari Kobler e Summit Climb (11/1) e 7 Summits Club e others e NORTH TOTAL (est) L=Lobuche,e=climb
Everest 2015: Earthquake Devastation Spreading
I spent this evening speaking with helicopter pilots and people who have just returned from the earthquake epicenter regions. They say there are villages flattened, order with landslides and down trees seemingly obligating entire villages off the trail systems – these are areas trekkers never touch, nor apparently relief agencies at the moment. Many of my readers think of Nepal as the Khumbu and the trek to Everest Base Camp or the Annapurna Circuit, but these areas did not take the brunt of the earthquake. There are many many small, individual efforts to reach these villages in addition to the large scale multi national efforts – the progress is not for lack of trying but it all seems to be moving too slowly. I believe the government of Nepal is finally internalizing the scope of this destruction, but is struggling on how to effectively receive aid. For example, they have insisted on inspecting each relief load that arrive in the country, slowing down the help to their people. Also, the infrastructure is breaking underneath the aid, causing officials to close the only airport in Nepal capable of receiving large airplanes and the heavy military aircraft that are bringing in tons of desperately needed provisions. To be clear, it is still open to most commercial aircraft and I am hearing late night flights daily with commercial passengers. There have been hundreds of aftershocks, each one sending people scrambling outdoors for fear of their home collapsing. Keep in mind that Kathmandu, with exceptions, is not the problem, the remote villages where homes are built with stone and mud are the ones collapsing and the people are in need of medical help. This scale of destruction requires a massive scale of help. Individuals and small efforts help but they are a finger in the dike – a helpful one but much more is needed. The attached story from the Himalayan Stove Project is one of the I have seen that gives a clear overview of the areas impacted the most and what you can do to help https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/help-urgently-needed-support-our-humanitarian-nepal-basch Follows is a cut and past but please go to the link for pictures and more details: Help is urgently needed to support our humanitarian in Nepal Vivid images of the devastation caused by the massive April 25th earthquake in Nepal continue to emerge as rescue efforts slowly reach more isolated and severely affected parts of the country. #TheHimalayanStoveProject, in cooperation with Rotary International Clubs and individual Rotarians and a generous global donor community is making a difference in helping to ease the suffering and help people begin the process of normalizing their lives.Your donations will help us provide immediate earthquake relief. Please give generously – every dollar makes a difference. Your donations will provide immediate earthquake relief. Please give generously – Every dollar makes a difference. To donate click here: http://himalayanstoveproject.causevox.com/ The death toll has now exceeded 7,000 and is expected to rise still higher, and the destruction of homes (and their stored food stocks) approaches 80% in some of the hardest hit regions. The dangers of the current situation have been clearly articulated by UNICEF – “Hospitals are overflowing, water is scarce, bodies are still buried under the rubble and people are still sleeping in the open … this is the perfect breeding ground for disease.” We, through our partners, are addressing: Providing shelter – many homes have been obliterated, and the monsoon rains will arrive by the end of May (unless they come early, which many fear) – shelter is crucial – tents and tarpaulins at a minimum, and more substantial shelters wherever possible. Water, food and sanitation – some of this will be provided directly, but our principal impact will be through logistical support. Our relief efforts are tightly focused (and remain flexible as new information becomes available). The key elements are: #1 – Providing immediate relief and reconstruction help in areas where our Himalayan Partners are active, and “know the territory”. Specifically: Gumpa Village in the Sindapulchowk District, Megre Village in the Ramachamp District, The Gorkha District Upper Mustang Some of the near-in areas in the Kathmandu Valley Off the Wall Trekking (Ian and Sarita Wall) is one of our key (and early) Himalayan Partners and have close ties to Gumpa and Megere villages. Sarita grew up in Megere, and it is still home to her extended family. In 2012 and again in 2013 we delivered stoves to these communities, so they are part of our “family” as well. Sindapulchowk District (where Gumpa is located) has been particularly hard hit – there were more deaths recorded than anywhere else in Nepal — 2,560 (so far), compared to 1,622 in Kathmandu and up to 90 per cent of the homes have been destroyed. Gorkha District – The Gorkha Foundation is one of our early and active partners. The district has sustained extensive damage as well. They are establishing a logistics office in Gorkha Bazar, and we will be helping them with shelter and other needs. Upper Mustang – A hauntingly beautiful region of Nepal, once an independent kingdom, it became part of Nepal 100’s of years ago. The Himalayan Stove Project was born in the stark and beautiful landscape of Upper Mustang, and more than 900 stoves have been delivered and are changing lives there. Our partner in this region which is on the Tibetan border is the former Royal Family of Mustang; the Bista family, and our principal contact is Jigme Bista; the “crown prince” who is the “custodian” of Mustang and it’s people. The full extent of earthquake damage in Mustang is not yet known because communication is fragmentary. It is remote and high and at the of times communication can be challenging. However, we do know Jigme is hard at work to identify current conditions and what work, and help, is needed. Because of our close connections with the Bista family and numerous visits to Mustang we are in a unique position to help provide whatever assistance
Everest 2015: Icefall Doctors and Helicopter Rescues – Justified or a Crutch?
The scope of the Nepal earthquake tragedy is a huge human disaster yet the climbing community is consumed with Icefall Doctors and helicopter rescues on Everest. I believe it is good to question and understand major life events yet I am sometimes dismayed how the climbing industry seems to literally consume itself with criticism that lacks information, prescription indictments without evidence and a vision that is sometimes based on past achievements that, while admirable, is exclusive and unwelcoming to the next generation. All this seems to be occasionally fueled by organizations, media and personalities that make a living off the sport itself. I guess I fueled it for my readers with my one recap comment (see full post) about the Icefall Doctors so let me try to give my perspective as someone who was there, involved and rescued. Obviously, I have no corner on the truth, only on what I saw with my own eyes and felt in my heart thus I submit this for your consideration and information only. Icefall Doctors When the earthquake and associated aftershocks occurred, I know our team understood it would take days, if not longer to repair the route in he Khumbu Icefall in order for us to down climb to EBC – there was little thought of helicopter rescue at the onset. World class professional mountain guides including Damien Benegas, Jeff Justman and Justin Merle spent the day after the initial quake searching for a new route down, starting from Camp 1. Others, sorry don’t know their names, did the same climbing up from EBC. They worked up to the point when the third aftershock and the warming of the day made the Icefall more unstable thus putting their lives at risk and they failed to find a suitable new route. I personally listened to the radio conversations. The Icefall Docs who knew the route because they had studied photographs and spent the previous five weeks putting it in and maintaining it were not part of this initial team. They had reed to Gorak Shep as their camp had been destroyed by the blast. To my knowledge they didn’t ask other camps to host them similar to what other teams did in order to stay and support their climbers still on the mountain. This was similar to 2014 when violence at EBC sent the Docs to Gorak Shep thus effectively closing the Icefall for the season. The Icefall Doctors are funded through part of the $11,000 climber permit fees with $600+ going to the Sagamartha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC). This totaled $215,000 for 2015 with 358 climbers. It is estimated the eight (8) Icefall Doctors are paid about $2,500 each for the season with the rest of the fees ($195,000) staying in Kathmandu. All Everest/Lhotse/Nuptse expeditions are required to allow the icefall route to be installed and maintained by the SPCC and have little to no choice as to where, when and how the route is maintained. To be clear, I and I assume most everyone, fully understood their top priority was the safety of their families. I personally gave my sat phone to Sherpas for them to call home but the cell service through this part of Nepal was down for days thus families were unreachable. It was a two to five day walk for them to get to their villages and some left EBC immediately with the full support of team members and expedition leaders. The “disappointment” with the Docs comes from the simple fact that they had the knowledge, skills and access to evaluate the route for repair, and sustainability after the quake, yet they left. If you are still reading this, here is the analogy. You want to build a home with a sprinkler system to protect it from fire yet the city tells you don’t do it because there is a fire station next door, and you pay for it with your taxes – you don’t have a choice. One day, your home is on fire you call for help and are told they won’t come because the weather is bad. You had a contract, counted on it with people who agreed to it and when you needed it the most, it wasn’t available. I appreciate what the Docs do for climbers, their job is hard, physical and dangerous. And it is not always easy. Helicopters The other area of controversy is why were helicopters used to rescue climbers in the Western Cwm and not used to rescue Nepalis in the impacted parts of Nepal. Fair question. Again, I was there and these are my observations. Like it or not, choppers have become part of the climbing fabric, especially on Everest. They are routinely used to carry people to base camps, resupply expeditions and perform medical rescues. This is not up for debate as it is the reality and will probably never change. On the day before the quake multiple choppers were working Everest plus taking ill trekkers out from Gorak Shep and below. The day of the quake the weather had closed in and visibility, at least in the Western Cwm was virtually zero. Some of the choppers had been grounded in Lukla, normal so they can quickly access the upper Khumbu. Let me pause to say the obvious, the helicopter services run a business and a lot of it is funded by insurance paid for by the climbers and trekkers. It should be no surprise they go where the money is … Ten years ago, helicopter rescues were run by the Nepal Military, similar to Pakistan today. It was cumbersome, slow to respond and ineffective at times. Also the financial investment to high altitude helicopters like the modern Aérospatiale B3 helicopter at ~ US 3 million each is a far reach for a poor country like Nepal. The private services have saved many lives since taking it over. Think back to the amazing 1996 rescue performed by Nepal pilot and army captain, KC Madan with
Everest 2015: North Closed, South Res – a full recap
First, I want to say that this earthquake is a Nepal tragedy, not a mountaineering event. My deep, deep condolences to all of Nepal, victims, injured and homeless. No country deserves this, much less the gentle people of Nepal. I am now at the Panorama Lodge in Namche Bazaar, safe, with most of the Madison Mountaineering team. In recap, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal at 11:56 AM on Saturday April 25. The epicenter of the quake was at Lamjung, which is 30 miles northwest of Kathmandu and approximately 62 miles west of Everest Base Camp. To keep this in perspective, this is the largest event in almost a century according to the USGS: The April 25, 2015 M 7.8 Nepal earthquake occurred as the result of thrust faulting on or near the main frontal thrust between the subducting India plate and the overriding Eurasia plate to the north. At the location of this earthquake, approximately 80 km to the northwest of the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu, the India plate is converging with Eurasia at a rate of 45 mm/yr towards the north-northeast, driving the uplift of the Himalayan mountain range. The preliminary location, size and focal mechanism of the April 25 earthquake are consistent with its occurrence on the main subduction thrust interface between the India and Eurasia plates. Although a major plate boundary with a history of large-to-great sized earthquakes, large earthquakes on the Himalayan thrust are rare in the documented historical era. Just four events of M6 or larger have occurred within 250 km of the April 25, 2015 earthquake over the past century. One, a M 6.9 earthquake in August 1988, 240 km to the southeast of the April 25 event, caused close to 1500 fatalities. The largest, an M 8.0 event known as the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake, occurred in a similar location to the 1988 event. It severely damaged Kathmandu, and is thought to have caused around 10,600 fatalities. This post has video and pictures from the Western Cwm, Everest Base Camp Nepal (EBC) and the trek out. As always I will simply tell you what I experienced and witnessed with no agenda. A few points in the post: – The Chinese Tibetan Mountaineering Association (CTMA) closed Everest North April 29 for fear of after shocks. – Another avalanche off Everest West Shoulder onto the Khumbu Icefall occurred this afternoon (April 29), further encouraging teams to leave Everest South – The scope of death and destruction at EBC was a cross between an F5 tornado and a war zone. – The event was unprecedented for Everest Base Camp. Teams have camped in this area for decades. The ice serac that released was triggered by the earthquake. It between Pumori and Lintgren on a saddle at 20,177 feet; EBC is 17,500 feet and also presumably off Pumori proper. As tons of ice flew down the mountain towards EBC, it gained speed and was compressed as it hit the morane that normally protects EBC. This serac and others similar have released before including a small one I witnessed and videoed last week off Pumori and a large one in 2003 that sprayed me at EBC with a air blast but no damage. Individuals at EBC first reported hearing and seeing an avalanche off the Lho La Pass, but then heard a larger noise to their left. They saw a rush of white snow spray, rocks and debris flying towards them. Our base camp team was in the direct line, some ran for shelter behind the puja rock alter, others hit the ground and tragically, our team Doctor and Base Camp Manager, Marisa Eve Girawong was killed. She was a gentle, kind loving spirit. To say we are devastated by her and the loss of so many, is an understatement. Camps above and below our general area, mid EBC, were almost complete spared. Other team’s camps that were hit hardest included the Norwegians just beside us, Indian, just below us. Adventure Consultants, SummitClimb, Jagged Globe, Henry Todd, EverestER and SPCC were also destroyed. Personal sleeping tents were flattened, large dining and cooking tents were sent tumbling. Gear was found a quarter mile away from the camps. – The stories of “climbers stranded” in the Western Cwm are simply untrue or a matter of exaggeration. We were the highest team on Everest at Camp 2. Others were below us at Camp 1. All had sufficient food, fuel, water and shelter to survive for several days. A few individuals and one team choose to stay in the Cwm hoping the Icefall would be fixed. I cannot say what their motivation was other than the helicopter flight was expensive if you didn’t have rescue insurance. We also hoped the Icefall would be fixed, but after the 3rd major aftershock in 24 hours it became clear the entire area was unstable and the safest decision was to get out as quickly and safely as possible thus Garrett Madison made the decision to take advantage of the weather to helicopter down to EBC as did other major commercial teams. He guaranteed the flight without waiting for rescue insurance to kick in. I have Global Rescue through the American Alpine Club and I am 99.9% sure they will cover the 2 minute flight. We hiked back down to Camp 1 where 170 climbers and Sherpas from multiple teams gather around two makeshift landing pads in the snow. The pilots did an amazing job of touching down for 30 seconds while two people jumped on board with their climbing pack. We flew a direct line over the Khumbu Icefall to a landing pad on the rock where they again touched down for 30 seconds or less while the passengers jumped off. The pilot flew back to the Cwm. This round trip took five minutes or less. I took the video of leaving the Cwm and flying to EBC. Note the huge crevasses near the top of the Cwm, This was the problem in climbing
Everest 2015: First Steps in the Icefall
Long Expeditions are often filled with a lot of down time, sometimes by design to let your body adjust to the altitude and other times due to unforeseen events. Well we have had a bit of both thus far. I have been gone from home for 3 weeks so I’m ready to do some climbing. A combination of poor weather and the new route through the Khumbu Icefall has put everyone on the South side about a week behind schedule. But we have about 6 weeks to go, so there is no need for great concern at this point. Wednesday, April 22 was another perfect day at Everest Base Camp (EBC). I awoke to the sound of prayer flags in a gentle breeze, the sound of teammates quietly chatting in the dining tent, all rudely broken by the deep sound of helicopter rotors as the first of five choppers landed at the pad a short distance from our camp. For the fourth straight day communications from EBC is limited at . EverestLink has been down due to an equipment failure, Imarasat moved their satellite so all the teams counting on them for sat comms have been thwarted. Ncell voice works if you find the right spot, the same for data connection, but it is slow. And Mercantile sat works but also slower than most. So, getting an email or a post out was dicey regardless of the system you used. In spite of trying every trick I know, I was not able to get a dispatch out until now and even now it is painfully slow on EverestLink. But today is nice day, a rest day for our team after our first steps in the Icefall earlier this week and a lot of training in the lower part of the Icefall. But it is time to climb! We will move to four nights in the Western Cwm tomorrow, Thursday, April 23; two at Camp 1 and two at Camp 2. We get up at 1:00am Thursday morning, to try and beat the expected rush of teams with the same goal. Overall Climbing Everest from the South side is business as usual with teams working together well, new climbers and old veterans alike looking at the Icefall with awe. Let me describe our first steps in the Icefall on Monday: The white nylon line stood out even on the white snow next to my bright yellow boots. I reached down, picked it up and attached my jumar, I turned around and as always, Kami was standing nearby. “We are back in the Icefall.” I said. “Good Luck” was his response as we started out climbing the Khumbu Icefall on our way to hopefully summit Lhotse in about four weeks. It was another perfect day at Everest Base Camp and it seemed like every team was out taking advantage of it. It was reported that hundreds of Sherpas started in the dark hours of the morning to go to Camp 2 to check on the gear left there after the 2014 tragedy. Other teams were doing their first sorte’ into the Icefall to work on acclimatization and technique. I was eager to get there myself to see what new route held for us. We only climbed to 18,600, about 1,100 above our base camp but I found the new route faster, and more straight forward albeit a bit steeper. We never encountered a ladder. The Icefall typically tops out around 19,300’ so we still had a ways to go when we stopped. Other teams coming back down reported serious traffic jams near the top as it gets very steep as noted in the photos Garrett Madison posted. There is only one ladder, actually several lashed together, and it was reportedly taking one Sherpa ten minutes to climb it. The SPCC and the Icefall Doctors put up a second ladder today, however it is reported to be six ladders lashed together at a 90 degree angle -yes vertical! The also put in a rope to be used for rappelling or abseiling down to reduce this bottle neck. I anticipate this section will create serious delays and be troublesome for some. It felt good to be back in the Icefall, in spite of last years tragedy and the ever present danger. I find the ice sculptures inspiring, the terrain causes me to focus like I rarely do and views unparalleled. The route definitely is to the right of the previous years but not very close to Nuptse, that also has hanging seracs. So to say it is in the middle is not a bad description. There will be a rush now to establish Camps 1 and 2 in the Western Cwm. Each morning will see 200 – 300 Sherpas ferrying tents, stoves, food and fuel. The Expedition Operators Association submitted a formal request to use helicopters to at least ferry tons of fixed ropes and anchors to reduce Sherpas loads but thus far the Ministry has been silent on the request. This would reduce the Sherpa loads through the Icefall by 80. I will do a complete update when I get back to EBC on Monday. It finally feels like the Everest season has begun. Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything
Everest 2015: Weekend Update – April 19
I will try to do a weekend update each Sunday while on Everest/Lhotse. This update is all about the weather. We arrived at Everest Base Camp on Monday, store April 13 to heavy snow, and overcast skies – and that is the story of the week. Each day brought cold temps and culminated with a very gusty night last night, April 18th. But today, Sunday, the 19th, we are enjoying mild temps, a gentle breeze and clear blue skies. The impact of all this weather is that no teams have been able to establish camps in the Western Cwm – Camp 1 and 2. Plans were also stopped when a four ladder traverse half way through the Khumbu Icefall collapsed or became unsteady enough to turn back 80 Sherpas on Friday. This is not all that unusual but did capture some attention as the Icefall Doctors had spent considerable time finding a new route away from the West Shoulder of Everest and that hanging ice cliff that took 16 lives last year. In that spirit, April 18th was a day of remembrance throughout Everest Base Camp as no teams went into the Icefall to honor those who died last year. It was a peaceful and somber day here. The time is being well spent waiting for better conditions as most teams have picked their favorite spot near EBC to set up a few ladders and rappel stations so everyone, including Sherpas, can tune techniques and work on skills. Communications continued to be a challenge ranging from slow to not working. EverestLink, when it worked, was excellent, but there were days when it simply refused to connect. For yet another season, the cell phone provider, Ncell, was spotty at requiring people to gather around “cell phone rock” to get a signal. Also, some teams noted their Bgan satellite modems could not connect for the second year in a row. There seems to be fewer individuals and expeditions posting updates this year. I’m not sure of the reason other than the intense media scrutiny around Everest – rarely positive. There are many journalists here, all with cameras and video equipment asking for interviews from both foreigners and Sherpas. Also this week saw many Pujas, including our own. The sounds of Lamas praying, Sherpas singing and everyone dancing filled the airwaves of Base Camp almost every day, regardless of the weather. Just so everyone does not become overconfident with today’s excellent weather, a small avalanche off Pumori, which guards EBC to the Northwest, this morning reminded everyone that the mountains are deadly and we all need to mind our steps. Over on the North side, several teams have arrived at Chinese Base Camp and a few have already started moving higher to spend time at Advanced Base Camp. There have been similar reports of heavy snow on that side, but similar to the south, not enough to stop progress entirely. OK, look for the activity to really pick up this next week, assuming good weather, with team after team establishing the camps in the Cwm. The Icefall is said to have some difficult sections that include steep ice walls, some with ladders and some without. Its time for the real climbing to begin. Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything Please consider joining ?Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry. Joining does not obligate you, just provides you the opportunity. Many trails are questions and surveys. Open to anyone over 18 worldwide. 80% of all al trails fail due to lack of volunteers http://bit.ly/1HONXgl Pumori Video Photo Gallery
Everest 2015: April 18, A Black Day with Lessons for all
It was one year ago today that a hanging wall of ice fell onto the Khumbu Icefall, the gateway to the south side of Mt. Everest, killing 16 mountain workers waiting for a ladder to be repaired that crossed a deep crevasse. Today, I’m at Everest Base Camp attempting to use almost the same route to climb Lhotse, the world’s fourth highest peak. After several days of harsh cold and snow, today is warm and sunny. Throughout today, there will be small memorial services at each camp to honor the dead on what is called a Black Day, April 18th, in Everest mountaineering. Lessons from Tragedy A year later, what have we learned from the tragedy? Actually the news is quite positive but I doubt you will see that sentence in most mainstream publications or outdoor oriented websites or magazines – positive news does not bring readers, or advertisers sadly. Base Camp is teaming with reporters and film crews looking to cash in on last year’s tragedy. I’m sure they can find someone to provide whatever quote they need to support their pre-defined narrative. One of the reasons I say the tragedy has created change for the good was what I personally witnessed yesterday. The dedicated team of Sherpas who install and maintain the route through the Icefall had lashed together four ladders across a wide and deep crevasse on the climbers right of the Khumbu Icefall. This was a major adjustment to the route that has been used for almost a decade and is designed to minimize dangers. The four ladder structure collapsed sometime in the night and before 80 Sherpas ferrying loads into the Western Cwm approached it. As soon as the Sherpas saw the route was impassable, they immediately turned back to the safety of Base Camp. Phil Crampton of Altitude Junkies said: This morning, 6 of our Sherpas, out of a total of 24 working for the Junkies this spring season, departed base camp at 3:30 AM for a load carry to camp one. Unfortunately, halfway up the icefall there was reportedly some collapsed ladders. It seems as if the route needs to be re-routed to avoid a bottleneck at this section as many Sherpas reported that no ladders had collapsed, but the trail of 80 Sherpas came to a standstill. With this in mind, Dorjee Sherpa and myself instructed our Sherpas to descend immediately and drop their loads at crampon point. The icefall is definitely not a place to stand around and wait for ladders to be fixed. The Sherpas returned to base camp with large smiles and even larger appetites. Last year, when the Sherpas came upon the broken ladder, they put down their loads and waited directly underneath the so called “objective danger” of the hanging serac for the ladders to be repaired. When it released, they had no chance. I personally witnessed Sherpas being trained this year on crossing ladders safely, in other words, using the safety line to protect them from a fall off the ladder and to a near certain death into a deep crevasse. It is almost unfathomable that anyone would cross a ladder without using the safety line, but that has been business as usual in the highly competitive world of Sherpa Guiding. The faster Sherpas win admiration from the Sherpa community, safety lines slow them down. This is slowly changing. I personally watched Sherpas being trained on how to use an avalanche transceivers so that if someone, Sherpa or member, was buried under a snow avalanche (unlikely on Everest) or were to be swept into a crevasse from an avalanche or serac release blast (likely), they could be located quickly thus reducing the rescuers exposure to more potential danger. Almost every team provides radios to members and Sherpas, this has not always been the case and there are still low-cost teams that cut this safety corner. Opportunities for Improvement Almost every non-Nepali team this year are equipping at least their Sherpas with transceivers. Note I say “non-Nepali” as therein lies the problem, and lack of learning from last year’s tragedy with Everest ”guiding” Most “non-Nepali” guide services keep their teams relatively small, under 15 climbers, a couple double that but having huge numbers is normal for the Nepali operators. Seven Summits Treks has 60 members this year who reportedly paid $32,000 each. This is compared to an average of $50,000 for “non-Nepali” operators. The difference in price? Primarily, they have no highly experienced Western guides who are trained in medical techniques, member relationships, safety measures, reading avalanche conditions, and more. To be clear there are outstanding Nepali guides who I would trust my life to and have and do, but they are not guiding the same level and it takes an experienced member to create a solid team. My main concern with a team of 30, 50, 60 or more is the ability of the operator to provide qualified support. This year there are over 400 Sherpas supporting the members. This is a dramatic increase from five years ago and it takes time to train support staff thus some for the largest teams may have Sherpas with none to little experience supporting a member with none to little experience – a deadly combination. Some of the promises made by the Nepal Ministry have yet to be fulfilled as documented in an article in today’s Himalaya. The only changes implemented by the government were the ones that increased revenue, not the ones that involved expenses. But no guiding company or climber ever really counted on these to materialize. Yet the impact on the long term health of Nepal’s climbing industry still remains in flux. If Nepal wants to get serious about making Everest “safer” it needs to start with putting minimum requirements on who can call themselves a guide. Today it is a free for all and it is climber beware. The Guiding Machine But back to last year’s tragedy and what came of it. As I
Everest 2015: Blessings on the Mountain
Before climbing in the Himalaya with Sherpas, a Puja ceremony must be held. There can be multiple Pujas, help or blessing. For example we had one with Lama Geshi a few days ago in his home in Pangyboche. Yesterday, Wednesday April 15, we held our Puja at our Base Camp for our Everest and Lhotse climbs. It is a very special ceremony where “members” and Sherpas come together to ask the mountain Gods permission to climb, forgiveness for any damage to the mountain and safety for all the climbers. It was a drawn out ceremony with a Lama coming from one of the lower villages. He chanted and prayed for about two hours from a 300 year-old Tibetan prayer book. We placed our climbing gear against the chorten to be blessed Even though it sounds quite formal it is actually fun and relaxed (see the end of the video) with everyone milling around, taking photos and chatting while the Lama does all the heavy lifting 🙂 Prayer flags are strung from the Puja pole across the tents at Base Camp so every time the wind blows, prayers are sent. The Puja ends with spreading sampa (barley powder) on each other’s faces to represent white beads and long life. Finally, everyone lines up for some Sherpa dancing – some are much better than others at this part! We had perfect weather this morning, albeit a bit chilly with a 7:00AM start! At the end Kami, serving as the Senior Sherpa talked about how we are family and must climb together as a team. Then Purba, who lost a brother in the ice fall last year, talked about how we must all be careful and support one another. All in all a moving ceremony which ended with copious amounts of Johnny Walker, Turborg beer and red wine – go figure! Snow, Snow, Snow Later yesterday afternoon, we all donned our climbing gear (boots, crampons, harness, ice axe, etc) and took a spin onto the Khumbu Icefall. It began snowing, again, and the clouds covered up any views. Today, we worked on more skills. This is happening all over EBC in hopes climbers will move quickly and efficiently thought the climb. Regardless of your experience, it is wise to review your skills and practice before doing the real thing. There were several Sherpas planning to go into the Western Cwm today (Thursday April 16) from multiple teams but the poor weather stopped them. In fact, no team has climbed into the Icefall, much less to Camp 1 or 2 yet. This morning, Thursday, it is still overcast with light snow. This is now three days of snow and cold temps and it the forecast looks like more of the same for a few more days. This is a bit unusual but happen occasionally, but it’s a long expedition so no worries. Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything Please consider joining ?Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry. Joining does not obligate you, just provides you the opportunity. Many trails are questions and surveys. Open to anyone over 18 worldwide. 80% of all al trails fail due to lack of volunteers http://bit.ly/1HONXgl