Everest/Lhotse 2016: I’m Returning to Nepal and to Climb Lhotse … again
So many reasons to stop and only a few to keep going … – The devastating earthquake in Nepal on April 25, 2015 took 9, 000 lives and destroyed millions of homes plus created havoc in Nepal’s tourism industry. It would be easy to stop going to Nepal … – Only 1 of 244 compounds in 413 Alzheimer’s […]
Everest 2016: A Changing Mountain – Part 3
Some people are questioning the wisdom of climbing Everest from Nepal. Is the North safer? Is this another change in climbing Everest that could result in a serious economic impact for Tibet, but more so for Nepal? The Nepal (south) side of Everest has seen a tragic series of events the past few years including Himex abandoning their entire expedition […]
Everest 2016: Who’s Climbing This Year?
Most Everest climbers are finishing their training, wrapping up last minute gear s and preparing their loved ones for that send-off at the airport. Only two weeks to go for many. It is always dangerous to note certain individuals climbing as, in my opinion, everyone making the sacrifices to attempt Everest are unique in their […]
Everest 2016: A Changing Mountain – Part 2
“How can I get on a team to climb Everest?” This is the second most asked question on my blog other than “How much does it cost to climb Everest?” The short answer on how to get on a team is money. Sadly, these days most anyone can join an Everest team if they have the […]
Everest 2016: General Updates
We are now about a month out for climbers to arrive in Nepal to begin Everest 2016 so these are some general updates. Icefall The Icefall Doctors are planning to begin setting the route through the Khumbu Icefall on March 7. There is some concern about the stability of the Icefall after last year’s April 25th and May 12th […]
Everest 2016: Interview with an Everest Weather Expert
As regular followers of Everest climbs know, the weather is the make/break factor for all expeditions. And the forecasts are critical for the safety of teams. While it may seem straightforward given the success rate we see in modern times, predicting the weather is far from a science as this interview with Michael Fagin shows. […]
Everest 2016: A Changing Mountain – Part 1
The Everest 2016 season is now only six weeks away and it looks to be a critical year in terms of commercial guiding. This is part one of a multi-part series I will run looking at the changing commercial landscape on the world’s highest mountain. And why for some operators 2016 is their last year guiding Everest. There are […]
Everest 2016: Expedition Communication Gear – Updated June 2018
Updated June 2018 As the Everest 2016 season approaches, many climbers are researching how to stay in touch with loved ones back home. This post takes a brief look at the options. While staying in touch is mandatory and part of an expedition for me, some people want to get away from it all and escape […]
Everest 2016: Welcome to Everest 2016 Coverage
Welcome to the kick-off for my Everest 2016 coverage! This will be my 14th season of all-things Everest: 9 times providing coverage, another 4 seasons of actually climbing on Everest and then last year attempting Lhotse when the earthquake hit Nepal. I did similar coverage for the 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 […]
How Much Does it Cost to Climb Mount Everest?
“How much does it cost to climb Mount Everest?” is one of the most common questions I get after a talk. The short answer is, a car, or at least $30,000 but most people pay about $45,000. This post is the 2016 update of the most common questions and expedition prices. The headline for 2016 is that the high-end […]