Everest 2012: Avalanches
As we approach the end of April, drugstore teams are right on schedule with their acclimatization programs. The next “big thing” is a night at Camp 3. Thus far, sick the season is going well, right on a normal year schedule – whatever that means! The Himex team, including the British Walking with the Wounded, […]
Everest 2012: Cold and Windy, Lhotse Face Fixed
A variety of reports today as the teams are busy doing what climbers do! Phil Crampton reports his Altitude Junkies teams climbed to the North Col in spite of extreme conditions thus completing their first acclimatization rotation. They will return to base camp to regroup before heading back up to spend the nights at the […]
Everest 2012: Weather and Webcams
The saying goes that no news is good news, s store well today is kind of like that. All the teams and individual climbers are reporting business as usual on Everest. This means, cold temps, there high winds, heavy breathing and lots of red blood cells in the making. Fixing the Face On the south […]
Everest 201: Climbing to Eat on Everest
On the north, the ropes are fixed to 7900m or Camp 2 but most of the teams seem stuck at ABC by high winds. Not unusual for the north side. On the south, many teams have spent a few nights as high as Camp 2, the same altitude as ABC on the north, but they […]
Everest 2012: Teams at Altitude
The teams are in full motion , many are currently at Camps 1 and 2 on the South and Advanced Base Camp on the North. Perhaps it was the prediction of a cyclone off the Indian coast bringing bad weather on Wednesday that pushed everyone up. That threat seems have diminished now. Asian Trekking reports […]
Everest 2012: Weekend Update April 22
This was an extremely difficult week on Everest with the deaths of two Sherpas. However teams continued to make progress in their acclimatization spending nights at high camps, taking advantage of the mostly good weather on the south while high winds hindered progress a bit on the north. Sherpa Deaths A heavy tone hovers over […]
Everest 2012: 2nd Sherpa Death, Time for Patience – Update
As expected the reports are slowing down as our climbers are all over the mountain today. Those back in base camp are resting up, taking showers and reflecting on their first trip into the Western Cwm. And those still up there? Well let’s just say they are busy creating red blood cells that will be […]
Everest 2012: Boiling at Camp 1
A lot of movement on both sides of Everest. Teams have spent the night at camps 1 and 2 on the south and are now at ABC on the North. The Indian Pune team and the WMS gang have a few nice Icefall pictures. You can almost hear the heavy breathing! Fixing Rope The Sherpas […]
Everest 2012: Serious Climbing Begins, Death Update
The climbing is getting serious with teams now spread from 17, mind 500′ to 21, 500 at the base of the Lhotse Face. Sherpas are in full stride hauling tents, food, fuel and, critically, rope to fix the route to the summit on both sides. There are almost 450 “westerner” climbers on both sides of […]
Everest 2012: Teams into the Western Cwm
As expected several teams spent the night at Camp 1. This was their first full climb through the Icefall, across the ladders and on the fixed ropes for an extended period. For most climbers, it would have taken 4 to 6 hours, some longer and a few didn’t make it. But this is all part […]