Update: 2018 Oxygen Failure on Everest – Regulator Recall
Followers of the Everest 2018 spring climbing season will recall that a few teams experienced a failure of their supplemental oxygen systems provided by the UK company, Summit Oxygen (SO). While alarming, to maintain a sense of perspective, it was 25 out of 500 to 1,000 that regulators failed, not a massive failure as some […]
Preparing for Everest 2019!
With #Everest2018 in the books, I wanted to step back and see what lessons were available from this season and how to prepare for #Everest2019, if that’s in your mind. First off, let me start with a plug for my consulting service, Summit Coach, where I have worked with many climbers over the past 18 months […]
Everest 2018: Season Summary – Record Weather, Record Summits
With an unprecedented weather window, the Everest season is winding down I estimate a total of over 800 summits smashing the previous record set in 2013 of 667 from both sides by members and support climbers. The Nepal Ministry of Tourism reported on 16 August 2018 that a total of 563 people summited during the […]
Everest 2018: May 25 Team Locations and Headlines
UPDATED: May 25, 2018 This is Alan Arnette’s Everest 2018 coverage and annual coverage and based on my own Everest and K2 summits 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. A sincere and deep thank […]
Everest 2018: Wave 11 Recap – All over after 11 Straight Summit Days!
I was told yesterday, 23 May, by Gyanendra Shrestha the senior representative of the Ministry Of Tourism & Civil Avation. Kathmandu at Everest Base Camp “a few more” will try to summit Everest this season. But as of late Thursday 24 May on Everest, it appears to be over. Several of the more ambitious expeditions on Everest have not […]
Everest 2018: Summit Wave 10 Recap – Summits, Avalanche and 3 8000ers in 25 days – Update
For the 10th straight day, there were summits on Mt. Everest. It all began on 13 May when the Sherpa rope fixing team summited from Nepal, then on the next day the ropes were fixed on the Tibet side. With the door wide open, teams took advantage of an advantage streak of suitable weather. I’m […]
Everest 2018: Summit Wave 9 Recap – More Sherpa Deaths with Summits
Two more Sherpas died increasing the total to five Everest deaths and one on Lhotse this season. Again these tragedies cast a pale over the amazing weather for #Everest2018. Several of the few teams left summited on the Nepal side in what is being called “perfect weather.” The summits Tuesday morning 22 May marks the […]
Everest 2018: Summit Wave 8 – Recap, Hillary Step Photo – Update 2
Update 2: Teams are near the summit in what is reported as excellent conditions Alpine Ascents: 3 guides, 8 members, 8 Sherpas- names on the link. Hello everyone, team reported that the entire team is standing on the summit of Everest, as ben mention it was a great summit day not to many peoples, no […]
Everest 2018: Dead on Everest Japanese Alpinist Nobukazu Kuriki
Stunning news that Japanese climber Nobukazu Kuriki was found dead at Camp 2 on the Nepal side of Everest on the Standard route. The Himalayan Times reports that Sherpas found him at C2. I had just reported that he was feeling better after a cough and was prepared to go higher on an unspecified route. He had struggled […]
Everest 2018: Summit Wave 8 – Winds Picking Up
As I posted a few hours ago, there are several teams moving to the summit of Everest both on the Tibet and the Nepal sides. Also to Lhotse. Reports are now coming in of strong wind gusts. I asked Chris Tomer of Tomer Weather Solutions for his view on what was happening: Doesn’t look jet related to […]