![\"Icefall](\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\r\nThe Icefall Doctors have been at Everest Base Camp for over a week to fix the route from BC to Camp 2 where 8k Expeditions will set the line from Camp 2 to the summit. They hope to complete the work by late April, but it often slips to May.<\/p>\r\n
Several teams are establishing their camps at EBC: Alpine Ascents International (AAI) and Seven Summits Treks. Many already staked their spot last month and will soon begin building tent platforms and setting up the assortment of tents: storage, cooking, dining, sleeping and toilet.<\/p>\r\n
One welcome news for those on Everest this spring is that Nepal has pushed the permit price increase to September. It will go from $11,000 to $15,000 per person.<\/p>\r\n
For 2025, I expect 700 to 800 summits<\/strong> total from both sides this spring, comprising at least 150 on the Tibet side (members plus hired) and well over 650 on the Nepal side. Even with these numbers, the totals will still lag the pre-pandemic record set in 2019 of 877 total summits, comprising 661 from Nepal and 216 from Tibet. <\/span>Last year, 2024, 787 summits were from Nepal, and 74 were from Tibet.<\/span><\/p>\r\n For the first time since 2019, I expect to see a typical year on the Tibet side. Only a few Western companies, including Alpenglow Expeditions, Furtenbach Adventures, Kobler & Partner, and Summit Climb, regularly, but not always, guide on the Tibet side. Most established Nepali and Tibetan operators run expeditions, like Lhasa-based Yala Xiangbo Mountaineering Adventure Co., \u00a0Nepali Climbalaya and Seven Summits Treks.<\/p>\r\n This past week, a few climbers flew to Kathmandu, but most were taking care of last-minute business at home. In the last five years, arriving later and later in Nepal has been popular to reduce the time spent in Kathmandu.<\/span><\/p>\r\n The increased use of home-altitude tents to “pre-acclimatize” has allowed many climbers to reduce their overall expedition from eight to as little as four weeks, and in some rare cases like <\/span>Roxanne Vogel<\/span><\/a> in 2019, two weeks home to the summit to home! One team is promoting using xenon<\/strong> gas to reduce the Everest expedition to seven days, home to home. <\/span><\/p>\r\n Austria-based Furtenbach Adventures<\/a> says the gas used in anesthesia is safe and will boost climbers’ red blood cells, thus eliminating the need for traditional rotations. <\/span>As reported in the Financial Times<\/a>\u00a0 on January 10, 2025<\/span>: “The hormone, a synthetic version of which is banned in sport, boosts the production of red blood cells, increasing the body\u2019s capacity to transport oxygen.” Concerning doping rules, Furtenbach told FT, \u201cIt\u2019s not an organised sport, so there\u2019s technically no doping in mountaineering.\u201d<\/p>\r\n In another technology twist, Nepal authorities approved using drones<\/strong> to ferry gear from EBC to Camp 2. Also, the Icefall Doctors are using drones to scout the best route through the Icefall. I suspect the noise pollution will be a source of dinner conversation at base camp. It would be interesting to see how many drone flights would take to replace one fully loaded helicopter. I suspect a lot.<\/p>\r\n Once again, there are record seekers on Everest. Tyler Andrews<\/a> will attempt to make history with a speed ascent<\/strong> of Mt. Everest, the world’s highest peak. Andrews holds over 85 mountain speed records, including on Manaslu (8,163m), Kilimanjaro (5,895m), and Aconcagua (6,962m). The current record is 20 hours, 24 minutes from Base Camp to Summit by Kaji Sherpa from 1998. He will climb without supplemental oxygen.<\/p>\r\n I’m expecting between 20 and 30 teams on Everest this spring. The US-based guides, including\u00a0<\/span>Altitude Junkies<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Alpine Ascents International<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(AAI),\u00a0<\/span>International Mountain Guides<\/span><\/a> (IMG), Climbing the Seven Summits<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Madison Mountaineering<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Mountain Professionals<\/span><\/a>, and\u00a0<\/span>Summit Climb<\/span><\/a>, are running teams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n On the Tibet side, Russian-based <\/span>7 Summits Club<\/span><\/a> and Swiss operator Kobler & Parter<\/a>\u00a0are both advertising Everest expeditions, as is Austrian-based <\/span>Furtenbach Adventures,<\/span><\/a> who will also run a team on the Nepal side.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Nepali companies include\u00a0<\/span>8K Expeditions<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Asian Trekking<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Elite Expeditions<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Imagine Nepal<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Peak Promotion<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Pioneer Adventure,\u00a0<\/span><\/a>Seven Summits Treks<\/span><\/a>, and many more.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Of the fourteen peaks higher than 26,000 feet or 8,000 meters, eight are entirely in Nepal or straddle the border with either India or Tibet. Media reports have permits issued for Everest-450, Annapurna-50, Dhaulagiri-20, Makalu-60, Lhotse-80, and Kanchenjunga-40. There are no reports from Cho Oyu, from the Nepal side or for Manaslu. Cho Oyu and Shishapangma will not see climbers this spring because China closed both peaks for undisclosed reasons. It’s assumed they will be available in the Autumn climbing season, but who knows with China?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n On Annapurna, Sherpas have established Camp 3, and teams are waiting in Baase Camp for a good weather window. Due to slightly better weather than on Everest, Anna has become the first peak to see summits.<\/p>\r\n Those who thought mountaineering has become stale may want to watch Italian Gianluca Cavalli and Peruvian C\u00e9sar Rosales, who will attempt to open a new route on Annapurna’s northwest spur.<\/p>\r\n As we officially begin April soon, arrivals will increase, and many will be on the trail trekking to Goyko or Everest Base Camp. Some will tag EBC and then go on to Lobocuhe, Island Peak, or other destinations, while some will settle in at camp, making it their home for the next two months.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Climb On! I use the\u00a0<\/span>Himalayan Database<\/span><\/a>\u00a0as my primary source of Everest summit statistics. If you are climbing in 2022, they ask you to fill in an electronic web-based survey<\/a>, replacing the time-consuming process of visiting each team in their hotel before the climb.<\/span>\u00a0In addition, you can now download the HDB for free at their site.<\/span><\/p>\r\n If you would like to see anything special this year, post a comment or drop me an <\/span>email<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\r\nLast Week-Xenon and Drones<\/h2>\r\n
Teams<\/h2>\r\n
Other 8000er<\/span><\/h2>\r\n
<\/span><\/p>\r\nNext Week<\/h2>\r\n
Alan
Memories are Everything<\/p>\r\n
\r\nHimalayan Database<\/span><\/h2>\r\n
Follow Along!<\/span><\/h2>\r\n
\r\nHere’s the Podcast<\/strong> of this Weekend Update<\/h2>\r\n