Everest 2018: Weekend Update April 15
Mid April is always a milestone for the spring Everest climbers. One by one they are arriving at base camp on both sides of the mountain. It looks like the first member rotations will start in about a week on the Nepal side, perhaps earlier. The Sherpas are already making carries into the Western Cwm. […]
Everest 2018: EBC Filling Up
Activity is increasing as we approach mid April. Several teams have crossed the border with China heading for Chinese Base Camp (CBC) and many others are already at Everest Base Camp (EBC) on the Nepal side. There have been the normal annoyances but nothing major. One of the Icefall Doctors was hurt in the Icefall […]
Everest 2018: First Teams at Base Camp with new Rules
The flood of climbers continues to arrive in Kathmandu, trekking to base camp or crossing the border into China. The weather is decent and no serious issues have been reported thus far. 2018 like 2017 Nepal’s Ministry of Tourism has released a few numbers: Everest teams: 29 Everest foreign permits: 275 (thus far) Everest Sherpas: […]
Everest 2018: The Critics Corner
I’ve been covering Everest since 2002 and each year about this time in my coverage I get the usual comments decrying the commercialism, the tourism, the lack of skills by the climbers, the lack of challenge and more. Usually I ignore the comments and in rash cases delete them when they become personal or simply […]
Everest 2018: Week Two Begins
This week starts like last week – teams trekking or driving to base camp. So far, the season has no big surprises, just what we like this early. There has been a bit more precipitation than normal, but that could be, um, well it could just be the weather 🙂 Lobuche As the #Everest2018 season […]
Everest 2018: Weekend Update April 7
The first Sherpa team arrived at the Chinese Base Camp (CBC) on Tibet side for #Everest2018. Meanwhile more teams are arriving at Everest Base Camp (EBC) on the Nepal side. Everything seems to be on schedule thus far for the season. The Big Picture This past week on Everest has been busy with no surprises, […]
Everest 2018: Route to Camp 1 in Early
The fixed ropes are a pacing factor for all Everest expeditions so the progress is watched closely. With the Icefall Doctors doing the hard work, team after team are making the journey either on foot in Nepal or by Toyota 4Runner in Tibet to their respective base camps. It is extremely early in the season, […]
Everest 2018: Climbers to Watch
While every climber is special to their friends and family, a few stand out each year try to do something special. Teams are all over Nepal today, with many in the Khumbu, others still in Kathmandu. The flights to Lukla are full and thus far going smoothly. Every year, Everest attracts highly driven individuals seeking […]
Everest 2018: Interview with Kuntal Joisher – Integrity in Motion
This interview with Kuntal Joisher is one of an ongoing series I do each season with Everest climbers. Not the famous, sponsored ones who get plenty of publicity but the regular people, who often have full time jobs, full time families and climb for the love of the climb. I welcome suggestions for anyone climbing in 2018 I […]
Everest 2018: Blessings on the Trek
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, so says the famous Chinese proverb. For some of our Everest climbers their journey started on the other side of the planet, others a few hundred miles, or even tens of miles down the Khumbu. For all that first step in the Khumbu or at […]