Video: Everest Summit Day

Are you going through Everest withdrawal? Does the spring climbing season seem like a distant memory? Than you'll want to check out the video below which was shot on the world's tallest mountain in 2008 and features some great views of the peak above Camp 4 on the South Col route and all the way to the top. The video gives you a pretty solid idea of what it like on the mountain during the final push to the summit.

Jordan Romero Launches Find Your Everest Tour To Inspire Youth

Seven summiteer, and youngest person to climb Mt. Everest, Jordan Romero is setting off on a summer tour that he hopes will inspire young people to get active and pursue their own adventurous aspirations. Along the way  he also hopes to climb the highest point each of the 50 states and he wants us to come along with him.

Dubbed the Find Your Everest Tour, Jordan launched the first leg yesterday appearing at the YMCA in Bar Harbor, Maine. Today he sets out to climb Mt. Katahdin, which is the tallest peak in that state at 1606 meters (5270 ft). He'll follow that up with a climb up Mt. Washington (1917 m/6288 ft) in New Hampshire tomorrow and Mt. Mansfield (1340 m/4395 ft) in Vermont on Thursday. He'll also cap the week with a stop off at Polartec Headquarters in Lawrence Massachusetts on Friday.

Jordan has always said that he had hoped to inspire other young people to get outside and explore the world around us in a more active way and it seems that he is doing just that with this tour. He invites anyone who is interested in coming to meet him or join him on his climbs to "like" his Find Your Everest Facebook page where updates and information will be posted on a regular basis. Obviously he'll be making his way around to each of the U.S. states, so keep a close eye out for when Jordan will be appearing in your area.

Seems like a great way for Jordan, who is now 15, to continue to set goals for himself and inspire others. I'll definitely be watching to see when he'll appear in Texas.

A Mugging On Everest?

Yesterday Outside magazine posted a story about a disturbing incident that took place on the North Side of Everest back in May. It seems that a group of young men, all graduates from the Tibet Mountaineering Guide School (TMGS), assaulted a Chinese climber that they suspected of being on the mountain without a permit. When the man raised his ice axe in an attempt to defend himself, the group over powered him, roped his hands together and proceeded to force him back down the mountain. One witness who saw the incident is quoted in the article as saying, "It was disgraceful. They literally kicked him down the ropes. It was a disgusting example of a pack of bullies egging each other on and literally beating him down the hill."

Obviously being on the mountain without a permit is a major offense and Outside writer Grayson Schaffer says this climber was keeping to himself, which is a dead giveaway of someone trying to keep a low profile on the world's tallest mountain. But that certainly doesn't justify the treatment of this man, who would normally be fined heavily, kicked off the hill and possibly banned from climbing in Tibet for a period of time.

To add a bit more fuel to the fire, the climber also happened to be Chinese. Considering the delicate nature of the relationship between the Tibetans and the Chinese, its possible that the young men involved in this incident may have let pent up frustrations boil over to a degree. There is also a fear that the Chinese government could react harshly to the treatment of a Chinese citizen, possibly cracking down further on the Tibetans.

The Outside article says that the entire incident was captured on film mountain guide Kari Kobler who is one of the founders of Kobler & Partner, a company that leads expeditions to the North Side on an annual basis. Kobler says that he has no intention of releasing the film and that he has ties to the TMGS, where discipline is being handled internally. Kobler also indicated that the same group of thugs may have been involved in other problems on the North Side this year. He didn't wish to elaborate, but Schaffer speculated it had to do with the theft of bottled oxygen.

Stories like this are always a bit unsettling, as we like to think that their is a camaraderie that exists amongst the climbers on these big mountains. Hopefully this won't escalate into something really nasty between the Chinese and the Tibetans, but we do know that Beijing doesn't take kindly to any kinds of displays of aggression there.

The North Side has always been a bit more unruly than the South Side and this could be an indication that that side of the mountain still has a long way to go before it is completely tamed.

Debunking The Myths About Everest

As I mentioned in my Everest wrap-up post yesterday, the season may be over but the analysis and speculation continues, particularly in the mainstream press and those that are outside of the climbing community. Earlier today British climber Mark Horrell, who recently summited the mountain on the North Side, wrote a very thoughtful and interesting piece in which he addresses five common myths about Everest that the media tends to perpetuate. I found it to be a good read and I thought you would as well.

In the article Mark discusses his experiences on Everest this past season and his thoughts on traffic jams, the challenges of the climb and sensationalist journalism. He then proceeds to discuss some of the things that journalists who are not climbers continually get wrong when they write about Everest. For example, because of the fact that more than 500 people topped out this year there is a common belief amongst media types that climbing the world's tallest peak is no longer difficult. This is of course not the experience of those that are there and as Mark points out from his own experience, it was anything but easy. He notes that his summit push took six days, and on Summit Day itself he climbed for 18 hours round trip. He says on most days he would arrive at camp and immediately get sick. He lived on very little food, as his appetite was destroyed be altitude, and dehydration dogged him much of the way. Fortunately he did not have to deal with bad weather, as he mentions that many times climbers are also going up in extremely cold conditions on top of the physical ailments they are dealing with.

Other topics that Mark discusses include whether or not someone climbs the mountain as part of their "bucket list," whether or not traffic jams played into the deaths this year and if walking past a struggling climber shows a lack of compassion.

As I said, it's a very interesting read. I've been planning a similar piece for Gadling.com, as the crowd there is much more mainstream and has a different view of climbing than we do here. I'll probably write that piece next week, but Mark has managed to put into words much of what I've been feeling on the subject as well.

Everest 2012: That's A Wrap!

Another season has come and gone on Everest and of course it is time for reflection and analysis of everything that happened on the mountain this spring. As usual, it was another crazy, busy year for the world's tallest mountain and one that continues to leave people talking even as the climbers themselves head for home.

Yesterday Alan Arnette posted his recap of the season and as you would expect, it is thoughtful, well written and very complete. Alan does an excellent job of encapsulating all of the events that took place on Everest this spring and putting them in perspective for all of us who have never climbed the mountain. The blog entry provides plenty of history, context and analysis and is a great reminder of everything that has happened over the past two months. On an annual basis it is difficult to beat Alan's coverage of Everest and all of that experience and knowledge is much appreciated by those of us who follow the proceedings there very closely.

As with nearly all Everest climbing seasons there were sadly more deaths on the mountain this year. Alan lists ten confirmed deaths on his page, including three Sherpas. The remaining deaths were climbers from various countries on a variety of commercial teams on both sides of the mountain. Surprisingly enough, the number could have easily been one higher, as 69-year old Italian climber Luigi Rampini was stranded above 8300 meters (27,230 ft) for four  nights without oxygen. But he managed to survive and was rescued by some other climbers while he was descending.



Of course, any deaths on Everest prompt the mainstream media to write sensationalist pieces and provide mountaineering coverage when they typically wouldn't. Such is the case with The Guardian in the U.K., which published a pair of stories yesterday about the overcrowding that has become such an issue on the Big Hill in recent years. The first piece, which can be found here, quotes Ralf Dujmovits in his calls for stricter regulations on is allowed to climb the mountain, including a set of guidelines for determining who is physically fit enough to attempt the ascent. Ralf, who is amongst the most experienced climbers in the world, took that now famous photo of the line of climbers waiting to go up to the summit. He believes that the Nepalese government is simply taking who ever applies for the climbing permit with little regard to their health or experience. It is a compelling read with a lot of good insights from a man who knows what he is talking about.

The second Guardian article is an editorial by Jonathan Jones who says that Ralf's image is a mockery of what mountaineering and exploration is all about. He decries the fact that so many people now climb Everest on an annual basis and feels that most do it without any kind of regard to history. The fact that anyone with enough cash can now make an attempt on the mountain is a bit insulting to Jones, who warns that Everest is not a tame place and that overcrowding is likely to lead to disaster in the future.
(Thanks to my friend Colm for sharing both Guardian stories with me!)

One of the big stories from this past season was the decision by Himex to pull out of Base Camp before the summit push began. The team's leader, Russell Brice, felt that the mountain was simply unsafe to climb and he didn't want to put his clients, guides or Sherpas in any kind of unnecessary danger. Now that the season has ended however, and there were no fatalities as a result of the things that concerned him, it'll be interesting to see if there is fallout for the organization. Obviously Brice was doing what he felt was right and it is easy to second guess him now, but as a client who didn't even get the opportunity to climb, you can understand that there would be some disappointment there as well. On the other hand, the Himex squad is traditionally the biggest on the hill, and can you imagine what adding another large batch of climbers would have done to the already crowded conditions?

A few days back I wrote about speed climber Patricio Tisalema who was attempting to set a new record on the North Side of the mountain but was forced to abort that attempt when his support Sherpa took ill.  Patricio, along with his partner Rafael Martinez, had to administer first aid to the Sherpa and help him back down to C3 in order to save his life. They were later joined by Spanish climber Ferran Latorre, who aided in the rescue efforts and helped get the Sherpa back down to ABC.

After descending, Patricio was quoted as saying that it was the "hardest decision of his life" to turn back when he was feeling so strong and the weather was good. That comment has caused a few people in the climbing community to question why exactly it was a hard decision. Shouldn't someone's life always trump going for the summit and shouldn't the decision have been an easy, if disappointing, one? My feeling is that the quote was taken a bit out of context, and perhaps lost a bit in translation. It doesn't seem like there was hesitation on the part of Patricio or Rafael in turning back. They are most likely still feeling the sting of missing out on the summit, which of course hurts, but deep down inside I think they always knew it was the right choice.

One of the residents of Base Camp on the South Side of Everest for the past five weeks has been Grayson Schaffer who has been covering the climbing season for Outside magazine. Grayson is attempting to head home now, but he reports that the seasonal monsoon has moved into the area and heavy rains are causing many flights to be delayed or canceled. As a result, climbers are stranded in Lukla and patiently waiting to catch a lift back to Kathmandu and eventually home. There is nothing worse than having completed an expedition or physically demanding trip and just wanting to head home to your own bed, only to be left stranded somewhere. I feel for those that are stuck in Lukla, although I can think of worse places to be stranded.

Finally, as this season comes to an end at last, I'd just like to say that it was once again a real pleasure for me to not only share the news from the mountain but also interact with so many other people who share that passion and interest. The Internet has made it a simple affair to connect with others from around the globe and Everest is one of those places that seems to draw so many of us together. I appreciate everyone reading my blog and sharing their thoughts and comments. It was another great spring in the Himalaya.

Now on to Denali and the Karakoram!

Everest 2012: Speed Climb Update!

Yesterday I mentioned that there appeared to be just one climber left on Everest and that it was Patricio Tisalema who was attempting to set a new speed record on the North Side of the mountain. At the time of that posting we knew that he was above 8500 meters (27,887 ft) but we were still waiting to hear if he was successful or not. Today we have an update from ExWeb that indicates that Patricio was forced to abort the attempt because his Sherpa ran into trouble.

According to the story, the Ecuadorian climber was feeling very strong and moving fast. In fact, he was moving so well that Patricio estimates that he could have potentially reached the summit in a little more than 18 total hours. But unfortunately soon after he left Camp 3 with his climbing partner and their support Sherpa, the Sherpa passed out and required first aid to be resuscitated. At that point, the decision had to be made whether or not they would continue up or assist the Sherpa back down. They wisely chose to go down.

Patricio called the decision the hardest of his life, but he also knows it was the right one. The climbers are all back in ABC now, and doing well, but according to ExWeb Patricio has taken the decision to turn back very hard. He knows that you only get these kinds of opportunities on rare occasions and that he may have missed out on his chance. It is doubtful that he'll be able to rest up and give it another go, but it is still possible. The weather window is likely to close in the next few days however and when it does, the season will officially be over on Everest.

Once Patricio has had a chance to reflect on the situation he'll know that turning back was without a doubt the best decision. Hopefully he'll get another chance in the future, but for now that is little consolation.

Everest 2012: Speed Attempt Still Underway

In my earlier post on this past weekend's activities on Everest I mentioned that the season was almost over. There does appear to be at least one climb underway and it is an attempt at the speed record from the North Side of the mountain.

Ecuadorian climber Patricio Tisalema waited until the slopes were clear before making his bid and now, according to ExWeb, he is well into the climb. An updated was posted last evening that said Patricio had reached 8500 meters (27,887 feet) in just 15 hours of climbing, but since that time there has been no update on his progress.

We'll have to wait for updates to see if he actually topped out and made it back to BC in record time, but 15 hours to 8500 meters is a great effort. If everything went as planned, he should be on the descent by now, so hopefully we'll get another update later in the day.

Everest 2012: Another Season Nearly Done

While I was enjoying a long weekend here the States, the 2012 climbing season on Everest wound to a halt. On Saturday the final teams made their last summit bids as the good weather conditions provided them with an ideal window for topping out. While the final push mostly went as expected, there are certainly a few expeditions that are worth nothing.

As expected, the RMI team reached the summit on Saturday led by Dave Hahn and Melissa Arnot. It was a milestone for both of those talented climbers as Dave now has 14 successful Everest climbs under his belt and Melissa has four of her own. The group descended safely to Base Camp on Sunday and are now preparing to trek back down the Khumbu Valley. Congrats to Dave, Melissa and the entire RMI team for a job well done.

Climber Mkie Moniz pulled off a double-summit over the weekend, first topping out on Everest and then Lhotse the next day. After reaching the top of the world's highest peak, he descended to Camp 4, rested for a short time, then skirted over to Lhotse and managed to knock it off in short order as well. Climbing two 8000 meter peaks in a season is always an impressive feat, doing it in less than 24 hours is incredible. Congratulations to Mike on such an impressive display of strength and endurance. Get home safe!



Unfortunately Chad Kellogg was unable to complete his speed attempt on Everest. While he hasn't sent a dispatch yet with details, we do know that he turned back at about 8600 meters. He was hoping to climb without oxygen and set a new speed mark for going from Base Camp to the Summit and back, but apparently ran into some issues along the way. His sponsor, Outdoor Research, sent the following tweet on Saturday: "8600m. Things werent going well. Chad made tough decision to turn back. Is at S Col now. Kudos on great effort & a brave decision." I'm sure we'll hear more once Chad has the chance to collect his thoughts.

Alan Arnette is reporting that the team of female climbers from the Indian Army managed to put several of its members on top as well. The group was climbing without supplemental oxygen, which was a first for the squad. Alan also estimates that there have been roughly 527 summits this year through the May 26th push. That number isn't likely to go up substantially, although there are a few climbers still on Everest.

That said, the season is nearly over and in the books. It has been an interesting one to say the least and I doubt we've heard the last of some of the stories we followed closely this season. By now, Base Camp on both sides of the mountain is nearly deserted and the climbers are starting to make their way back to Kathmandu and eventually home. Lets hope they all make it back safely and enjoy a great meal at the Rum Doodle before their adventure is done.

Everest 2012: Lots Of Summits Amidst Good Weather

The second weather window on Everest opened as expected today, with winds dropping off dramatically and temperatures remaining relatively warm, even at the summit. As a result, there were all kinds of teams topping out in what sounds like far better conditions than last week.

Some of the teams that we've been following all season long had success once again today. The Adventure Consultants and Peak Freaks both put climbers on the summit and conditions were so good that the AC squad says that some of the their team even descended all the way back down to Camp 2 before resting. The National Geographic/North Face team also summited as a group, despite some reports that they might hold off until today and Kenton Cool was amongst the first to reach the summit, carrying a gold medal from the 1924 Olympic Games with him as he went. Kenton had hoped to conduct an interview from the top, but the laptop he took along with him succumbed to the cold and refused to cooperate. He later conducted another interview at lower altitude. This was his tenth successful summit of Everest.

The season hasn't wrapped just yet however and more teams are looking to head up today. Amongst them will be the RMI squad led by Dave Hahn, who hopes to nab his 14th summit of the mountain and the IMG team as well. Both groups are in Camp 4 and will be heading up shortly. Of course, speed climber Chad Kellogg will make his attempt at the speed record today as well, hopefully going from Base Camp to the summit and back again in under 30 hours. We'll see if he actually makes it.

Most indications are that not only will the weather hold out through the weekend but that there are far fewer people on the mountain for this window. Additionally, the teams seem to have staggered themselves nicely and traffic jams appear to be almost non-existent. As a result, I have yet to hear of a single fatality from this round of climbs and lets hope it stays that way. Obviously we're still waiting for everyone to be accounted for as they may their way back down the mountain, and with more summit push to go, we're not out of the woods just yet. But things are looking good at the moment.

Finally, I'll close this post with yet another excellent video from the Peak Freaks. This one explains why we climb. Simply beautiful.

Everest 2012: Updates From The Mountain

If you're not completely sick of all the Everest news yet, here is one more update for you as the teams move up. As I write this, climbers are on their way to the summit and are reportedly experiencing perfect weather. Updates have indicated that teams are already above the balcony and will soon stand on top of the world. We'll no doubt have a host of updates on their progress tomorrow, but for now there were a couple of stories I wanted to spotlight.

First, it appears that Chad Kellogg is now ready to start his attempt at an Everest speed record. He is currently still in Base Camp, resting and getting ready to go, and in his latest dispatch he shares details of his plan, which includes attempting to go to the summit and back in a single push. He hopes to do this in about 30 hours total, provided everything goes to plan. When he reaches Camp 4, he'll be joined by a Sherpa who will pace him to the top and carry bottled oxygen for him just in case he needs it. This is going to be an epic climb but it looks like things are lining up nicely for Chad now. The weather is reportedly great and the number of climbers going up are far less than last week, which should help alleviate the traffic jams.

On a different note, Jake Norton has called off his ascent of the mountain saying he just doesn't feel like it is safe to go up at the moment. Earlier Jake sent a letter out to his supporters explaining his decision and outlining his goals moving forward. Jake and his team were on the West Ridge, and as we've heard already this spring, that has been a particularly treacherous route due to the lack of snow and ice. When that route became too dangerous, Jake decided to pull the plug and go home, saying that 70 days away is plenty.

You may recall that Jake is climbing as part of his Challenge 21 organization, which seeks to raise awareness of need for clean drinking water around the planet through climbing. The plan is to summit the three highest mountains on each of the seven continents over the next four years. So far, they've already knocked off seven of those, and Everest would have been eight.

Stay tuned for an update tomorrow. We should have word on the progress and success stories from a number of teams. Keep your fingers crossed that everyone gets back down safely.

Everest 2012: Climbers Ready For Round 2

There isn't a lot of news to report from Everest today as things seem to be proceeding exactly as planned. The teams have all moved up on both sides of the mountain and most are now in place to take advantage of the next weather window. The forecast once again seems to be right on target and the high winds above 8000 meters are starting to die down. As a result, the climbers are either in Camp 3 or 4, conserving their strength and getting ready to go.

One of the first climbers to head up will be Kenton Cool, who has been doing a wonderful job of blogging and sharing videos from his climb all season long. If the Twitter feeds are to be believed, as I write this Kenton is departing Camp 4 for the top. Yesterday he posted a great video of what he will be wearing on this summit push. You can see that video after the jump.

The National Geographic/North Face team was in Camp 3 yesterday and planned to head up to C4 today. They slept in the shadow of the overhanging seracs last night, which seemed to leave them a bit nervous about their position. Still, it seems those ice shelves have held and they are on track to move into position today and go for the summit most likely tomorrow.



Also heading up to Camp 4 today is the RMI squad which includes Dave Hahn who is going for his 14th summit of the mountain. Joining them on the ascent will be the second wave of climbers from the Peak Freaks, IMG, Mountain Trip and Adventure Consultants.

Two teams of female climbers representing the Indian Army are also on the move. Bad weather caused them to delay their first summit bid, but now they are ready to go and are looking forward to the climb. The first group is expected to summit tomorrow morning with a the second team reaching the top on Saturday.

Finally, the mainstream press has picked up on the 2012 Everest season, mainly due to the reports of fatalities. I'm often reluctant post links to their stories, as they are usually sensationalistic and don't always represent the situation all that well. MSNBC has one, that includes video, that discusses the traffic jams that were an issue last weekend (and have been for several years!) and USA Today has a report on the Everest deaths this year as well. While of course this is news, it is a bit troubling at times that the only reports from the mountain that anyone ever hears are bad. Most people don't have a good understanding of what the situation is on Everest, nor do they realize that hundreds of people go to the summit and return safely each and every year.

Early indications are that we can expect roughly 150 climbers on Everest in the next few days, which is about half the number that went up last weekend. Hopefully that means fewer traffic jams and an overall quicker pace. That makes for a much safer climb all around. Good luck to everyone going up. Be safe!

Everest 2012: Italian Climber Rescued On North Side

Some good news arrived from Everest yesterday when we received word that 69-year old Italian climber Luigi Rampini was rescued on the North Side of the mountain. As was widely reported earlier in the week, Rampini was climbing on the Montarosa permit and was believed to have perished at Camp 2 when he was unable to descend in bad weather.

According to this story, bad weather prevented Rampini from coming down the mountain on Sunday, but a rescue mission was launched on Tuesday to try to retrieve him. The weather once again hampered those efforts on Tuesday, but yesterday a team of five climbers managed to reach Rampini and administer first aid. The Italian is said to be suffering from mild frostbite on his fingers and nose.

The news of this rescue actually reduces the number of fatalities on Everest this year down to ten. That is still obviously more than we'd ever like to hear, but when you consider the number of people on the mountain, it is a very low percentage. Hopefully the teams headed up in the next few days will all safely get up and down without further adding to the number.

Thanks to Alan Arnette for the update on Luigi.

Everest 2012: Here We Go Again!

The climbers have spent another day jockeying for position on the world's tallest mountain. The teams that missed out on last week's weather window are now getting into place to take advantage of the next one, which forecasts indicate will open tomorrow. As of now, most of them are either in Camp 2 or Camp 3 with an eye on summiting on Friday or Saturday.

Included amongst the commercial teams that are now working their way into position are the IMG and Mountain Trip squads. The IMG climbers report cool temperatures on their hike up the mountain, which comes as quite a relief considering the Western Cwm is well known for becoming quite hot in the afternoon sun. They'll stay in C2 today for a rest day before proceeding up to C3 tomorrow. The Mountain Trip group is already in C3 however and will head up to C4 tomorrow, where some of the team will split off and head towards the summit of Lhotse. They report improving weather conditions and few climbers on the mountain, which means less chance of a traffic jam this time around.

Also in Camp 3 at the moment is Kenton Cool, who is on his way up to the top for the tenth time of his illustrious career. Yesterday Kenton posed a brief video of his view from C3, which judging from the excitement in his voice, never get old. You'll find that video at the end of this post. Judging from his track record, I would be willing to bet that Kenton will be amongst the first to summit once this weather window opens in a couple of days. (Update: I barely had this posted when we received word that Kenton is now in C4. Definitely ready for that dash to the summit!)



Joining Kenton at C3 today is Dave Hahn and the RMI squad. They took a rest day at Camp 2 yesterday, where they ate, hydrated and prepared to move up. Dave is going for his 14th summit of Everest, the most of any non-Sherpa, and he reports that everyone is in good spirits and feeling good heading into the final summit push.

Simone Moro is also on the move, looking to summit Everest without oxygen. No word on whether or not he still intends to make an attempt on Lhotse as well, but my guess is that he'll wait and see what the mountain, and the weather, allow him to do in the next few days.

Ueli Steck hasn't posted a full report on his Everest without oxygen climb from last weekend, but he has shared some great photos. Check out his gallery of shots by clicking here. All of the images are quite striking and I love the one that shows all the oxygen bottles stacked up and ready to be used.

Finally, if you've ever wanted to know what it is like to climb from the North Side then you'll want to read Mark Horrell's first hand account of his recent summit. He shares some scary details of what it is like high on the North Ridge, including a knife edge approach to the summit, with the trail barely the width of a boot. On either side is a 3000 meter (9842 ft) drop that is impossible to ignore under the best of conditions. It is quite a good read.

Tomorrow should give us a good indication of how wide this weather window will be and what conditions will be liking heading into the weekend. It appears that everything is on schedule on both the North and South Sides and that this will indeed be the final summit wave for 2012.

Video: Everest Summit Day 2012

Outside continues its great coverage on the Everest season with a video shot by Grayson Schaffer on Summit Day on the South Side. The video gives you a good idea of what the crowds were like last weekend and why there are now traffic jams on the tallest mountain on the planet.

Everest 2012: North Side Fatalities

Everest climbers are back on the move today, heading up on both sides of the mountain as they ready themselves for the next, and possibly last, weather window of the season. By Thursday of this week the teams will be in place once again, and Friday and Saturday should be busy days on the summit once again.

While we wait for that window to open there is more news from the mountain today, most notably from Alan Arnette who reports that there have been three confirmed deaths on the North Side as well. The full names of the three climbers haven't been released, but Alan says that a Spanish climber by the name of Juan, who was part of the Himalayan Guides team, perished of exhaustion after reaching the summit on the 19th or 20th. A German climber with Montarosa reportedly broke his leg on the Second Step and later died there, while an Italian climber named Luggi, who is also on Montarosa's permit, has now spent four nights at 8300 meters (27,230 ft) without oxygen. He reportedly refused to descend and most likely then became stuck there, and is now presumed to have died.

Alan is quick to point out that in all three of these cases the climbers has very limited support and were climbing without western guides. It appears they had paid to be on permits and were using team logistics, but had little or now Sherpa support as well. By his count, Alan now says that there have been 11 deaths in total on Everest this season.



Once again, my condolences to friends, family and teammates.

Outside magazine's Grayson Schaffer has checked in from Everest's South Side again today with a report on the four deaths on that side of the mountain. He says that this weekend there were about 300 climbers, guides, and Sherpas that went up the mountain, which created traffic jams at various points along the way. (See the picture above!) He shares some details on what happened with Nepali-born Canadian Shriya Shah, who continued to climb up the mountain, along with her team, well after the cut-off time for when most climbers should turn back.

Shah summited around 2:30 PM and was on her way down when she started to run into trouble. Reportedly she was back at the Balcony around 9:30 PM when she ran out oxygen in her last bottle. At that point she had used nine bottles of oxygen and without it she soon started to struggle. By 10 PM she had collapsed, not far from the body of Scott Fischer, and her Sherpa guides, who has been assisting her down with a rope, were unable to revive her.

Schaffer also touches on the other deaths on the South Side as well and says that they have had a definite impact on the mood in Base Camp, which has been understandably gloomy. But other climbers and guides say that these deaths are more a result of bad luck and poor personal decisions rather than the mountain itself being particularly dangerous. Considering the number of people that did successfully summit, versus the number of fatalities, these numbers are actually quite low. Although the growing crowds on Everest aren't helping the situation.

The entire article is a good read, with lots of information straight from Base Camp. I definitely recommend you read it if you have any interest in the happenings on the Big Hill.

Finally, ExWeb has posted a warning for climbers using Summit regulators on Everest or Lhotse in the next few days. Two of the regulators have failed on the mountain before those using them have even set out. As a precautionary measure climbers are urged to test their regulators ahead of time in order ensure they are in working order in the days ahead.

More to come soon!

Everest 2012: Other Climbs Of Note

With the general Everest update out of the way, I wanted to take a moment to share some updates on other high profile summit attempts on the mountain that took place over the weekend or will be taking place in the next few days.

One of the first summits of the season was achieved by Ueli Steck, who happily reached the top without supplemental oxygen. You may recall that Ueli turned back from the summit last year less than 100 meters from the top because of cold feet. Rather than risk losing toes to frostbite he knew it was better to return and give it a go. His patience and good judgement were rewarded this season, as he climbed to the highest point on the planet alongside Tenzing Sherpa, a 21-year old friend who was more like a climbing partner than a guide. Congrats to Ueli on a job well done.

70-year old Bill Burke, climbing from the North Side, wasn't so luck in his attempt. He went as high as the Second Step, located at 8580 meters (28,140ft) before turning back. Bill reported horrible weather, with high winds and blowing snow, and after passing a few bodies on the way up, he decided it wasn't worth taking the chance of pushing his luck. He did say he felt strong and healthy, and if the weather had been better he would have gone for it, but this is another example of a climber making the right choice to turn back.



Kiwi Grant Rawlinson did top out on the North Side, but it sounds like it wasn't an easy go. It took him 13 hours to go from Camp 3 to the top and back, and the weather took a turn while he was on the move. Grant says that it was very windy and cold at the summit, and those winds and cold temps (-20ºC/-4ºF) continue today. He'll head down to ABC this morning then BC tomorrow, with an eye on heading for home on Wednesday. Congratulations to Grant as well.

Ian Ridley was set to climb to the summit this weekend, but the closing of the weather window sent him back down to Base Camp on the South Side for an extra couple of days. He reports a somber mood in BC, where everyone has heard about the deaths on the mountain this past weekend, which is a sobering reminder of the dangers that still lie ahead. Ian will join the second wave of climbers that hope to make an attempt on the summit later this week, and he now says that Friday looks to be the start of the next weather window.

Also preparing to go up late this week is Kenton Cool, who will be carrying the 1924 Olympic Gold Medal with him. Presently Kenton is in Camp 3 (7470 meters/24,500 ft) and is awaiting the opening of the next window as well. Considering this would be his 10th summit of the mountain, we al know he has plenty of experience. I would be willing to bet that he'll be in position to make a quick climb to the top and back just as soon as the winds die down. The question is, will he Tweet, text or make a phone call from the summit?

The RMI team is prepared to have a go at the summit this week as well, which will be particularly noteworthy because it could mean that Dave Hahn will notch his 14th summit of Everest, which is the most of any non-Sherpa. Dave is one of the most experienced guides on the mountain and always seems to make good decisions on when to go up and when to retreat. I'm sure that will be the case this season as well.

The Nat Geo/North Face team left Base Camp this morning and is heading up to be in position for the May 25-26 weather window, which they expect to be the last of the season. Having given up on their attempt of the West Ridge (as has the First Ascent/Eddie Bauer team), the group, which is led by Conrad Anker, will now concentrate on the South Col route instead. This talented and experienced team will no doubt make a good accounting of itself later int he week as well.

Finally, Simone Moro should be heading up to get into place for his planned attempt at a double summit of Everest and Lhotse later this week as well. He plans to top out on the Big Hill first, then return to Camp 4 briefly before skirting across the ridge and heading to the summit of Lhotse as well. We'll have to wait and see if the weather window will be open long enough for him to accomplish that feat.

I told you it was going to be another busy week!

Everest 2012: Triumph and Tragedy

As expected, the summit of Mt. Everest was a very busy place this past weekend with dozens of climbers going up in an attempt to take advantage of the weather window. But on Saturday the winds started to pick-up once again, which abruptly put an end to this round of summits. Today we have news on those who were successful in their bids, and some that were not, as the next round of climbers moves into position to take advantage of the next weather window coming later this week.

Lets start with the bad news from the weekend that just passed. Various outlets, including Alan Arnette and The Guardian are reporting that several climbers lost their lives in their attempts to scale the tallest mountain on the planet. At this point there are three confirmed deaths and possibly more. German climber Dr. Eberhard Schaaf reportedly succumbed to High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) while descending from the summit on the South Side. A Neplai-born climber living in Canada named Shriya Shah also passed away on the descent, as did a Korean climber by the name of Song Won-bin. There are also said to be two others missing at the moment, but their fate has yet to be determined.

Climbing Everest is no easy task and everyone there knows the dangers involved. Still, knowing that doesn't make it any easier for those of us who follow progress on the mountain, nor for their friends and families back home. I want to extend my sincerest condolences to those who were close to these climbers, including their teammates who were with them on the mountain.



Among those with successful summits over the weekend were the Peak Freaks and IMG teams. Both squads saw exhausted climbers straggle back into Base Camp yesterday and they report that everyone got up and down the mountain safely. The second round of IMG climbers had already started to move up the mountain, with an eye on making a summit bid on Thursday or Friday of this week. The Adventure Consultants posted a similar update, with most of their team back in BC today, with some planning on leaving tomorrow, while others are already up in Camp 2 and looking for a summit bid late this week too.

All of the dispatches report early morning departures from the higher camps in order to get through the Khumbu Icefall while the temperatures are still relatively cold. It isn't easy for the climbers to roll out of their warm sleeping bags and tents after putting all of their efforts into the climb, but early morning is the safest time to pass through the Icefall and so far there hasn't been any issues with that section of the climb, despite concerns about its structural integrity.

On the North Side of the mountains the teams seemed to have an even narrower window for their climbs, as the winds picked-up there first. Despite that, most of climbers who were in position late last week had a crack at the summit, with teams like the Altitude Junkies and 7 Summits Club reporting success. All are safely back in Advanced Base Camp now and are expecting to return to BC tomorrow, where they will officially celebrate their accomplishment.

With this first wave of summits out of the way, Base Camp on both sides of the mountain will now start to empty out as the climbers begin their long journeys home. For some it has been two months since they've slept in a bed or seen their friends and family, so you can imagine that many are eager to get back to their lives. But there are still plenty of climbers that have yet to top out and the next few days will seem like deja vu as they start to head up the mountain and take advantage of what could possibly be the last weather window of the season. Stay tuned for yet another busy week ahead. We're not done yet!

Outside Profiles Chad Kellogg

We're all Everest all the time around here today, but it kind of is the epicenter of the adventure world at the moment.

With that in mind, Outside Online has a great profile of speed-climber Chad Kellogg as he prepares for a run at the Everest speed record. The story was written by Grayson Schaffer, who has been stationed in South Side Base Camp all season long and has had the chance to get to know Chad while he is there.

The story takes a look at all the challenges that Kellogg has had to deal with over the past few years, including the loss of numerous loved one, most notably his wife Lara. He's also dealt with injuries, financial set backs and plenty of other problems, and yet he continues to pursue his passion for climbing all over the world.

At the moment, as the rest of the teams head for the summit, Chad is preparing to have a run at Marc Batard's 1988 record of 22 hours, 29 minutes from BC to summit and 36 hours for the round trip, all done without oxygen. There has been some rumblings about a fast time, turned in by Kazi Sherpa a decade later, who made it to the summit in 20 hours, 24 minutes, but Outside says that Kazi used oxygen on the descent, so his record is in some dispute.

Either way, reading the article I get the impression that Chad is going to hit the slopes and simply see what he can do. If the record is attainable he'll go after it, but mostly this is about him continuing to chase his passions in the mountains.

There are some concerns about the current weather window closing early next week. It would be a shame if Kellogg didn't at least have a go at the record. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Everest 2012: Summit Dreams At Last!

There has been a decided change in the tone of the dispatches from Everest today as the teams are now have a solid idea of when they'll be going to the summit. Better yet, most are already on the move and getting into position, for what now looks like a series of summit pushes that will begin this weekend.

Peak Freaks team leader Tim Rippel lays out the plans on the South Side. He reports that his climbers moved up to Camp 2 yesterday and the are likely still there today. The winds remain high but are expected to dissipate in the next few days. If the forecasts hold true, rope fixing to the summit will likely be complete by Thursday, which could pave the way for the first teams to go up as early as Friday. Tim says that the weather reports seem to currently indicate that this will be a wide window, which means there will be plenty of time for all the teams to get their turn on top. He also reported that the trip through the Icefall yesterday was safe and secure, with few problems. That's good news for those about to follow behind.

Eric Simonson with IMG is reporting nearly the exact same thing. Their squad is taking a rest day in Camp 2 today as well and the Sherpas responsible for opening the route are there prepping for the final steps. The winds should die down tomorrow and the first summits of the season should take place on Thursday when the fixing team reaches the summit. Everyone seems to be in good spirits and are simply waiting for their chance.

Similarly, the Altitude Junkies are reporting in from the North Side and say that their team has all moved to Advanced Base Camp. The report that the fixing teams on that side of the mountain are expecting to top out around the 17th as well, and that the first commercial squads will be hitting the summit by the end of the week too. After spending the day in ABC today, they'll likely head up to North Col tomorrow and be in position by Friday.



On the West Ridge, things are bit more unsettled. You may recall that there are two teams attempting that route this year, one from Nat Geo and Northface and the other sponsored by Eddie Bauer. Both of those squads are weighing their options at the moment and evaluating the route, which doesn't appear to be in the best of conditions. Hopefully they'll still take a crack at it, but it is possible that no one will go up the West Ridge this season.

Finally, Alan Arnette, who continues to have the best coverage of Everest this season bar none, is reporting that a Chilean team on the South Side is moving to climb the mountain before the ropes are fixed to the summit. As you can imagine, that is a dangerous proposition but apparently the team feels that this is a very short weather window and that it may be the only one of the season, so they're willing to take the risk. Lets hope that they don't climb if conditions are not right and that they keep everything in perspective.

Good luck to everyone heading up the mountain on either side. The next few days are going to be very interesting to say the least.

Video: Everest Camp 2 to Camp 3

Last week I shared a good video of the climber up Everest from Camp 1 to Camp 2 and now I have another one, this time going up the Lhotse Face from C2 to C3. This segment of the mountain has climbers ascending from about 6553 meters (21,500 ft) up to 7315 meters (24,000 ft) along a steep portion of the mountain that has been getting a lot of attention lately. This is one of the segments on the South Side that has everyone so concerned with the falling rocks and debris coming off due to the lack of snow. In this video, you'll still see plenty of powder and ice, but conditions are a bit different there this year.

This clip was posted by the Peak Freaks and does an excellent job of showing off another tough portion of the climb.