Lhotse
27,940
feet 8516 meters
I attempted Lhotse twice, 2015 and 2016, both times without summits. As always, I used
my attempt to bring awareness to Alzheimer's Disease.
A Personal Commitment
The day my mom, Ida, asked me "Who are you?" was the day my life
changed forever. I made a personal commitment to do everything I could to make
a difference in finding a cure for Alzheimer's. I began to dedicate my climbs
to raise awareness about AD: no cure, always fatal, not a part of normal aging.
Thus far, thanks to many of you, we have reached 50 million people and raised
$250,000 for Alzheimer's research.
But there is so much more to be done, more
I can do. Please visit the donations page to consider a contribution to one of the non-profits I support.
Project 8000
With my summits of Everest, K2 and Manaslu, I have set an ambitious goal to
summit the remaining 11 of the 14 8000 meter mountains over the next five years.
Through my climbs, I hope to reach 100 million people, and make a difference
in the fight against Alzheimer's through raising awareness, promoting the desperate
need for joining clinical trails and raising $1 million for research.
If I'm
successful, I would become only the second American to summit all 14, following
in the steps of Ed Viesturs - though in astyle more sutiable to a 60 eyar-old than a 30 year-old at the time. Also, I might be the oldest American to summit
many given I'm 60 now. Read more on Project
8000 including the schedule.
Lhotse
 I feel like I have climbed Lhotse four times already, just
not to the summit as it shares 80% of the same route used to summit Everest.
I will fly into Katmanduin early April, make the life-changing trek to Everest
Base Camp and begin my acclimatization rotations before attempting to summit
Lhotse in mid to late May.
In 2016, I clibmed with Phil Crampton's Altitude JunkiesEverest team, but I'm the only one on Lhotse from his group. I summited Manaslu and Alpamayo with Phil previously. In 2015, I clmbed with Masdison Moutnaineering. Both times, I was also thrilled beyond
words to have Kami Sherpa (Ang Chhiring Sherpa – Pangboche) climb with me.
I summited Everest in 2011 with Kami as well as K2 in 2014.
Lhotse is
known as a "technical" climb meaning you need to use protection,
climbing gear and full on hands and feet to gain the summit.
The real crux of
climbing Lhotse is the final 300 meters or last 1,000 feet. Once leaving
the Camp 3 at 23,500 feet on the Lhotse Face, I will cross the Yellow Band
and then turn right continuing straight up the Face instead of contouring across
the Geneva Spur to the South Col as I did on my Everest summit climb. We will
make camp at 25,750 feet or 7850 meters on the snow covered steep slopes of
Lhotse. It is almost 2,200 feet to the
summit on 50 to 60 degree slopes.
 Leaving
early the next morning, we will climb about 400 feet eventually reaching
the bottom of the Lhotse Couloir, a narrow, rock filled gully that leads to
the summit that is only 9 feet wide in some spots. This is the most challenging
part of a Lhotse climb and will require every mountaineering skill I have obtained
on my previous 37 expeditions. I will stem off the rocks, scramble and full
on rock climb the final sections. Lhotse's summit is a small rock block that
is often covered in snow making it dangerous.
The return involves rappelling and arm rapping back to Camp 4 or Camp 2 where
I will spend the night. The entire summit push will take 7 days. Thanks to
Ellen Miller for the Lhotse photographs.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
Lhotse Resources
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