Everest 2022: Weekend Update April 10 – First 8000er Summits
Activity is picking up with climbers getting closer to Everest Base Camp plus many more have arrived in Kathmandu. The permits have increased as expected this past week but still lag behind last year. The fixed lines are now to Camp 2 in the Western Cwm. Teams will arrive at EBC this week. We saw the first 8000er summits of the 2022 Spring season this past week.
Interview with Jennifer Drummond – First Woman for the 2nd Seven Summits
Jenn Drummond doesn’t let much stop her from achieving her goals. Having all of her climbing gear not show up for a climb was a mere inconvenience for this 41-year-old mother of seven children. Jenn is on a mission to be the first female climber to summit the so-called Second Seven Summits. We are all familiar with the first seven, and around 500 people have accomplished that goal. Still, only a handful have completed the 2nd, and no females.
I met Jenn via my Summit Coach consulting business almost two years ago. She called me to discuss climbing Ama Dablam, which she did a few months later. Jenn is unique. An accomplished businesswoman, now retired, mother of seven, ranging in age from nine to 15, including twin daughters. She is an avid skier, triathlete, and played college soccer.
We had a wide-ranging conversation about how the idea was born, her children, and how she manages the complexities of being away so often, and of course, some of the climbs got started.
Everest 2022: Interview with Garrett Madison from Namche Bazaar
The #Everest2022 season is taking shape as teams continue to receive climbing permits and others are well on their way to Everest Base Camp. The first 8000er summits are expected soon.
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There has been an expected surge in new permits for Everest, now at 200 including 46 female climbers. The United States represents the largest country on Everest this year with 49 climbers, a spot recently ceded to India and China which only have 15 and 9 climbers respectively. The UK comes in at 25 with Canada at 11 and Australia at 10 thus far. Russia has 14 climbers on Everest this season.
Everest 2022: The Moments I First Considered Climbing Everest, and Your’s?
Teams continue to arrive in Kathmandu from afar. Many are proudly posting pictures of receiving their Everest climbing permits, but as of today, the pace is way off what we saw only a few years ago or even last year. In this post, I talk about the first time I thought about climbing Everest, back in 2002.
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By early April 2021 Nepal had issued 222 permits for 23 teams, but this year that number is 138 on 16 teams. It looks like Everest will get somewhat of a respite this season with less than 300 foreign climbers. And that is good news for the mountain but bad news for Nepal tourism. We are seeing a lot of pictures of the trek, most feature Ama Dablam – perhaps one of the most recognizable mountains on earth since almost every climber and trekker takes a few hundred each year – not kidding! I have hundreds myself!! But Ama is a special peak for me as it was on her summit that I first considered climbing Everest. #everest2022
Everest 2022: Weekend Update April 3 – Trekking
Now that we are in April, the trekking and climbing season will get serious. Many teams have already arrived and are trekking. Several teams are acclimatizing on their 8000-meter peaks while the Icefall Doctors are constructing the route through the Khumbu Icefall to Camp 2. Soon it will be time to climb! #everest2022
Everest 2022: Climbers to Watch – Updated
Each year on Everest, a few climbers try to stand out from the crowd. Their motivations range from deeply personal to seeking fame and fortune. Regardless, they offer something different for followers than the usual climb, which is sad on some level.
I’ve always felt that if you are qualified and have earned the right to be on Everest, you should be applauded, regardless of your result. No matter what you read, Everest is not a walk-up; it hard, and people die. With that, let’s look at a few climbers with unique stories. #everest2022
Willie Benegas Injured in Avalanche
Many long-time Everest climbers and fans know twin brothers Damian and Willie Benegas, 54, founders of the renowned Benegas Brothers guide company. On March 12, around 12:30 p.m., Willie became seriously injured in a large avalanche. In my interview with Willie, he says, “As I was trapped, I thought, so this is how I will die.”
Everest 2022: Weekend Update March 22 – And We’re Off!
The Everest 2022 season is about to get started in earnest. Climber after climber and team after team are leaving home. In many cases, scores of Sherpas are on their way to Everest Base Camp to begin the arduous process of establishing a home for over 500 people this spring season. The Icefall Doctors are already at work. #everest2022
Winter Himalayan Climbs Over
High winds and heavy snow thwarted all of the ambitious plans for the 2021/22 winter Himalayan season. Using the end of February as the end of winter, it’s over. It’s time to turn to Spring climbing. There were attempts but no summits on five of the fourteen 8000ers: Everest, K2, Nanga Parbat, Manaslu, and Cho Oyu.
Video Interview with Kuntal Joisher – 100% Vegan Mountain Climber
Every person who climbs Everest is unique. So, of course, that person feels special, but some stand out. Take Kuntal Joisher, for example. He has summited Everest from the Tibet and Nepal sides, plus Lhotse, and completed many other amazing adventures like the Northern Icecap in Chile. But what makes Kuntal stand out is his dedication to a vegan lifestyle that goes all the way to shunning any item that uses animal products – including using a full synthetic climbing suit. We discuss how he got to this point, his outstanding photography skills, and what it’s like being an ambassador for “Save the Ducks.” We also discuss his next climbing project his passion for bodybuilding and photography. Finally, we share a common family situation with my mom, Ida, and his father, both dying from forms of Dementia, Lewy Body syndrome, and Alzheimer’s.