No Everest Traverses in 2010
It seems the Chinese are playing havoc with the more ambitious Everest climbers this spring. Not content with a “simple” summit, several climbers wanted to do various forms of traversing Everest. This involves climbing from one side to the summit and then down to the other side’s base camp. Some climbers wanted to then return thus a double traverse. It is now clear the Chinese are not issuing permits for such climbs probably based on their desire to keep a successful double traverse in reserve for a national climber. However, not to be denied, two former Everest summiters, David Liano and Bill Burke, will be attempting what they call a double ascent this spring. Bill posted this on his website: My current plan is to complete a double ascent of Mt. Everest, which has also never been done: ascend and descend on the North side in Tibet, travel to Nepal and then ascend and descend on the South side. I will be joined by my good climbing friend from Mexico, 30-year old David Liano. David is a highly accomplished mountaineer, having climbed the Seven Summits and summitted Mt. Everest twice from the South side. Mingma, who was my Sherpa last year, and is now part of my family, will be my Sherpa again this year on this unguided climb. I have chosen to climb the North side first for three reasons: (1) if I am able to make only one summit (e.g., because of weather or fatigue), I want it to be on a North side climb since I have already climbed Everest from the South side, (2) generally Everest teams on the North side summit earlier in the season than teams on the South side and (3) I will be able to acclimatize on the North side without having to go through the deadly Khumbu Icefall three times (the North side does not have an icefall). There had been two other traverse plans previously announced. Gavin Turner who wanted to complete the never before accomplished double traverse and and another from Australian Andrew Lock, who has competed all 14 8000m summits. Andrew wanted to do traverse north to south without supplemental oxygen. This to be his last climb of his multi-year project. I have no official word from Andrew as to his plans but Gavin has now switched to Annapurna and still hopes to attempt the Double one day. Bill and David will be climbing with Asian Trekking. I wish all these climbers the of luck on all their efforts. Climb On! Alan
Andrew Lock: Everest 2010 Traverse
Andrew Lock, hospital the eminent Australian climber who has climbed all 14 8000m peaks has made a startling announcement for this upcoming 2010 spring season: Andrew plans to return to Mt Everest in the pre-monsoon season (April-May) of 2010 to complete one final climb in his Summit 8000 project. Having climbed all fourteen of the world’s 8000 metre mountains, medicine his plan is to summit Mt Everest for a third time but this climb will be a traverse from Tibet to Nepal, oxygenless. This will be interesting since I have been told that the Chinese are not issuing permits for a traverse. But Andrew is one not to be told no. He is an amazing individual and a talented speaker and climber. This would an appropriate finish for his quest and I hope he does it. I wish him the of luck. You can follow his progress via his website Climb On! Alan PS Those who want to make an immediate contribution, there is a quick and easy way to do so. By texting “HAITI” to “90999” a donation of $10 will be made to the Red Cross and charged to your cell phone bill.
Double Traverse Attempt Announced
Everest is a mountain of lifelong dreams and huge ambitions. Most climbers are happy to just try to reach the top of the world. A few dream to climb up one side and down the other – a traverse. Then there are those that want a return trip aka the double traverse. By the way, it has never been done. A single traverse is incredibly difficult – physically mentally and logistically. A double amplifies the challenge. It has been tried a few times, medical most recently with a world-class effort by David Tait with one of the Sherpas in the world, Phurba Tashi and the services of Himex and Adventure Consultants. David and Purba made the traverse from the north to south but then David called a halt to the return. He told the world: However, during the later part of the endless painful descent I realized two things. Firstly, I was not going to be able, in all seriousness to motivate both mind and body to turn around and do it all again, at least not in the time-scale allowed. There might be some supermen in this world, but I discovered that I am frankly not one of them. The men who are however, are people like Phurba Tashi, and his band of awesome cohorts, who day-in day-out climb, stock, rope and carry loads up and down Everest without the slightest hint of complaint – in fact they appear to accept it as a priviledge. The have an almost alien mindset, and a work-ethic, no-one in Britain can even imagine. To be clear what a double traverse entails, the climber starts from the north side, for example, climbs to the summit then, instead of returning to north base camp, continues to the south base camp. There they replenish their energy through excellent rest and food before the next phase in short order. They climb again, almost as a new expedition altogether, to the summit and continue to the original base camp. There is a reason it is rarely attempted and has never been done Undeterred by David’s experience, Australian climber Gavin Turner, is now planning the double. Gavin took some time from training on his nearby Mt. Rainer to speak with me. Q: You live in the Pacific Northwest and Rainier is in your backyard. How often do you get to climb it? I recently moved to Seattle after about 10 years living in Nepal and India. I first climbed Rainier in June 2007, but this has been my first full year living in Seattle and I’ve tried to take advantage of it! I’ve climbed Rainier 9 times this year, 7 times to the summit, including 4 solo ascents. All up I’ve got 9 summits, via 6 different routes. It’s an incredible mountain and I feel a deep connection with it. It’s not just about going to the summit, although that’s always nice. It’s about the experience of being there, what the mountain teaches me each time I return. The solo climbs on Rainier have been some of the most enjoyable mountain experiences of my life. In August, I started one solo climb from the carpark at Paradise (5400feet) at 9.30pm. There were a few tourists walking around the carpark, enjoying the long summer days, and a few of them approached me as I geared up. I got a few strange looks and comments. When I explained to someone what I was doing, he asked me if I was a crazy physics professor! It doesn’t seem crazy to me. A night on Rainier, just me and the mountain, the energy, the stars, the snow and ice, it was wonderful. I climbed right through the night to the summit and returned back to the carpack, with only a short break here and there. The whole thing took about 12 hours. Q: When did Everest come into your plans? I first trekked in the Everest region in spring 1999. I hiked in from Jiri and did the full-circuit, about 30 days and crossed the high passes and visited base camp. It was incredible. I hiked right to the end of the Gokyo valley and scrambled up an 18,000feet peak known as Ngozumpa Tse. It was an extraordinary 360degree view from the summit. Further north than Gokyo Ri and to the west of Kala Patar, the view of Everest from the summit of Ngozumpa is astonishing – you see most of the North Face, the steps on the NE Ridge, the West Ridge, much of the South West face, some of the Lhotse face and the South Col. Dreams are born in such places. Q: In 2010 you will be attempting the never before accomplished double traverse. What is your motivation for this? I’ve always appreciated a good challenge and this seems like one! Actually, for many years I didn’t think I would climb Everest. The crowds on summit day, the complicated politics of the region and all the other shenanigans that takes place there these days…it’s a crazy place, in some respects. But it’s not the 1970’s anymore and I know I will not get the mountain to myself. It’s Everest and I am drawn to it, almost inexplicably, like many others are. It’s a connection you feel to the mountain, to the whole region, the Khumbu. And then there is wanting to experience the final climb up the summit ridge, ice axe in hand, to the summit. The Double Traverse is appealing to me because it has never been done before and it represents pushing the boundary of human endurance. I am fascinated by the psychological aspect of high altitude mountaineering, the mental endurance and conditioning necessary for these big climbs. That’s not to say physical fitness is unimportant – I’ve been training very hard for this climb. But you look at all of the great endurance athletes of our time and it’s their mental strength that sets them apart from the pack. Aside from that, I’ve always believed