Everest 2019: When is a Rest day, a Rest Day?
Another day, and another step closer to base camp. A bit of news mostly from the Nepal side. I post these headlines on the tracker page everyday and update with the latest as I get them and then cover the newest headlines in the next blog post. These are the latest: First teams […]
Everest 2019: Morning View and Prayers at the Monastery
The migration continues, slow and steady in the Khumbu. The Everest-Tibet teams are starting to arrive in Kathmandu. Some will trek for acclimatization before moving over to the Tibet side while others will go directly to Lhasa and drive to Base Camp-Tibet. Traffic is picking up on the trail to Everest Base Camp – Nepal […]
Everest 2019: Trek to Tengboche Monastery
Traffic is picking up on the trail to Everest Base Camp, Nepal as more teams are flying into Lukla. The weather continues to be good. It looks like the Kathmandu airport nightly shut down for maintenance is having some impact as most teams are using helicopters to get to Lukla. Adventure Consultants noted: 4.30am start […]
Everest 2019: Namche and Everest View
Today has been a relatively quiet day on the trek, according to the reports I’ve seen and messages I’ve received. Note that I’m reporting all of this from Colorado and I’m not in Nepal. Again, no one is climbing Everest from either side quite yet. Look for the first teams to enter the Icefall after […]
Everest 2019: The Namche Hill
There are parallel universes happening right now in Nepal – trekking to base camp, building base camp and putting in the climbing route. Climbers and trekkers are well into their six to eight day journey taking in the sights and having their lives changed as they experience the grace and beauty of the Khumbu. Meanwhile […]
Everest 2019: The Trek to EBC Begins
All is good in the Khumbu according to climbers and trekkers there. For most Everest and Nepal climbing teams, they start their journey at Lukla but this year there is a slight problem. As I reported last month the Nepal aviation authority announced last December that the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) will be closed due […]
Everest 2019: Weekend Update March 31
The end of March evokes all kinds of emotions for those who follow Everest each spring. Each weekend during the season I will try to post a “Weekend Update” summarizing the main stories for the past week. The headlines this week are all about climbers flying into Kathmandu and some starting the trek to base camp and […]
Everest 2019: Kathmandu Gets Busy
Kathmandu, Lukla and the Khumbu are all filling up with climbers, and trekkers this spring. The last fixed wings flights to Lukla are running about normal before being shut down for airport construction April and May. Everest Base Camp on the Nepal side is taking shape with team after team sending their Sherpas to build […]
Everest 2019: Interview with Garrett Madison – A Leader on Everest
What attributes would you look for in an Everest guide? Number of summits, zero climber deaths, years in the business, experience? Well, if these are on your list, Garrett Madison, founder and owner of Madison Mountaineering might be your person. Up front, full disclosure, I summited K2 with Garrett in 2014 and was with him […]
Everest 2019: Stories to Watch This Season
Even though its late March and most teams don’t start climbing Everest until mid-May, there are multiple story lines developing for this 2019 spring season. Let’s review a few that I’ll be following closely and reporting on often. Climbers to Watch I already did a post of a few climbs that are out of the […]