Everest/Lhotse 2016: Winds Let Up for Next Summit Push
After the surprise wind storm on Tuesday 17 May, the winds seem to have let up on Wednesday 18 May and teams at the South Col are preparing to give it a go tonight – in a few hours actually. Potentially close to 200 people. Those positioned at Camps 2 and 3 will move up […]
Everest/Lhotse 2016: Huge Winds Stop Summits
After a span of six consecutive summit days, the jet stream got revenge today with high winds that have stopped summit pushes and even forced some teams to re to lower camps to wait out the storm. This is not unusual. In fact, most of the summits thus far this year have been in high winds, but […]
Everest/Lhotse 2016: Wave #3 Summits and Major Push On
Once again the Everest 2016 teams are getting summits from the Nepal side but they are having to work for it dealing with high winds and deep snow. Russell Brice told me by email “When they [Himex Sherpas] made the route to the summit the snow was thigh deep between South Summit and top of Hillary Step.” […]
Everest/Lhotse 2016: Fast Summit Start Slows with Wind
Gambling that the current high winds will let up during the summit climb, multiple climbers and at least one team, Adventure Global are on their push to summit Everest. Most teams however are looking at topping out on the 18th or 19th of May. Fast Start to the Season After a fast start to the season with an […]
Everest/Lhotse 2016: Summit Wave #2 has Success – Updated
After a few individuals – three foreigners and three Sherpas – summited just after nine Sherpas fixed the route to the summit, the first commercial teams are seeing success on Friday morning, May 13, 2016 Himex sent their entire team up and are reporting that all six have summited about 9:00 am along with at least that many Himex […]
Everest/Lhotse 2016: Sherpa and Western Summits
For the first time since May 24, 2013, climbers officially summited Everest from Nepal. First this year was the rope fixing team of nine Sherpas then on their heels were two Sherpas and two UK climbers. A slew of other teams are on stand-by but the weather is closing the window quickly so it will be a […]
Everest/Lhotse 2016: A New Face of Everest Guiding?
Before I get to an interview with a new face on Everest, a quick update on the summit push news from the mountain. The ropes were fixed to the summit from the Nepal side on Wednesday, May 11. The Sherpas were from Adventure Consultants, Ascent Himalaya, Asian Trekking, Arun Trek, Himalayan Ascent, Himalayan Expedition, International Mountain Guides, Madison […]
Everest/Lhotse 2016: Stampede for the Summit
With a narrow summit window opening, many teams are rushing to make their summit bid while many veterans are content to wait this one out. In spite of the warm temps at Everest Base Camp, the summit conditions can be deadly and a few more days can make all the difference in conditions. There are two currently anticipated […]
Everest/Lhotse 2016: Normal Season, Summit Windows Next
What can I say but 2016 continues to progress like the seasons of old – acclimatization rotations getting completed, ropes put up to the Cols and soon will be to the summits. Teams are eagerly awaiting that spat of calm winds that define the summit window. The summit window is rumored to begin around May 11, but in […]
Everest/Lhotse 2016: All Good in this Weekly Update
The spring Everest season continues to move along nicely. A bit of snowfall this past week slowed the rope fixers down but nothing seriously in spite of gripes from a couple of small western commercial guides that they were inconvenienced by the delays. South Many teams have now completed their acclimatization rotations to Camp 3 on the […]