Everest 2024: Rope Team Summits Nepal Side–Game On!
Sherpas had fixed the route to the summit on the Nepal side as of 8:35 p.m., May 10—exactly when they predicted about a week ago. This opens the Southeast Ridge to about 600 people, clients and support, to make their summit attempts. The Tibetan rope-fixing team summited on May 7, opening that side to about 100 climbers. #everest2024
Everest 2024: Interview with Uphill Athlete’s Founder Steve House
You know you’ve made your name in the climbing world when Reinhold Messner calls you “the best high-altitude climber in the world.” Today, Steve runs one of the most successful broad-based coaching services. Uphill Athlete, founded by Steve House and Scott Johnston in 2014, has become synonymous with all things mountain sports, from trail running and mountaineering to ski racing. I caught up with Steve for a wide-ranging Podcast.
Everest 2024: First 8000er Death
We have the first death on an 8000-meter peak of the season; a Sherpa with Seven Summits Trek died while descending from Makalu’s summit. Teams are getting in position for Nepal side summits while more teams enter Tibet for Everest. Remember that both Cho Oyu and Shishapangma are closed to foreigners for climbing this spring. #everest2024
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 15–Summit!!
Part 15 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 46, 47, and 48. I’ll continue my annual coverage as usual.
Based on my 2020 Virtual Everest series, Everyday Everest follows a fictional team of nine climbers and their personal Sherpas from leaving home to trekking to base camp, acclimatizing, and finally, on their summit push, returning home. I’ll have a twenty-minute episode a few times weekly for the next two months.
In Part 15, our protagonist, Harper along with Mingma, took a few more steps towards a snow bench and the prayer flag-covered summit. They could go no higher. Mingma keyed the radio and let out a yell, “Summittttttttttttt.”
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
Everest 2024: First Everest Summits
We have the first Everest summits of the spring 2024 season. Adrian Ballinger of Alpenglow, now in Chengdu on his way to Chinese Base Camp on the Tibet side, tells me the Tibetan rope fixing team summited today, May 7, opening the route to all climbers.. #everest2024
Everest 2024: Normal Season with more 8000er Summits
The Himalayan season continues pretty much normal while we have summits on a few of the “other 8000ers. China has issued climbing permits for their side of Everest. #everest2024
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 14–Summit Push
Part 14 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 43, 44, and 45. I’ll continue my annual coverage as usual.
Based on my 2020 Virtual Everest series, Everyday Everest follows a fictional team of nine climbers and their personal Sherpas from leaving home to trekking to base camp, acclimatizing, and finally, on their summit push, returning home. I’ll have a twenty-minute episode a few times weekly for the next two months.
In Part 14, our protagonist, Harper, is on her summit push with Mingma, her personal Sherpa. Dawa checks in on them. “Mingma heard the radio crackle, “Mingma, where are you?” It was Dawa monitoring the team from the South Col with three other Climbing Sherpas. “On the Ridge above the Balcony,” Mingma told the Sidar.”
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
Everest 2024: Weekend Update May 5: Winds Calm, Climbing Continues
The biggest news from Everest is the lack of news. Typhone-force winds strafed the mountain like a summer hail storm in Colorado. Reports of forty or more tents were damaged at Camp 2. Despite this, a few teams continued their rotations, and more made plans as hopes increased the fixed ropes would reach the summit next week. The high winds of last week have calmed, and there is no typhoon activity of substance in the Bay of Bengal. Let’s hope for a May of long weather windows! #everest2024
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 13–Climbing Above Camp 3
Part 13 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 40, 41, and 42. I’ll continue my annual coverage as usual.
Based on my 2020 Virtual Everest series, Everyday Everest follows a FICTIONAL team of nine climbers and their personal Sherpas from leaving home to trekking to base camp, acclimatizing, and finally, on their summit push, returning home. I’ll have a twenty-minute episode a few times weekly for the next two months.
In Part 13, our protagonist, Harper, experiences climbing above Camp 3 for the first time. She moved in lock-step behind Mingma, who led the train. He set a steady but swift pace, knowing that speed is your friend in these conditions and keeps you warm.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
Everest 2024: Nepal Supreme Court Passes Climbing Rules
While tents were being blown around at Camp 2, the Nepal Supreme Court issued a series of well-intended vague rules that potentially will join a long list of ignored rules. The largest and most well-connected operators have long learned that doing whatever they want has no consequences other than making more profit.
I applaud the authorities for the WAG bag experiment this season and their RECCO program, even if they did not think through it. Also, the Supreme Court ruling effort is well-intended and may be the start of meaningful changes to enhance safety and environmental protection. #everest2024