Indonesian Digital News Archive

The snow leopard is one of the most elusive and endangered species on the planet, but their predatory nature often brings them into conflict with people living in the Himalaya. That conflict is the subject of a great looking new film called The Lama and the Snow Leopard, which is being made by Chinese director Zhou Bing, who traveled to the mountains to shoot his documentary. He chronicles the efforts of Lama Zhujia, a Buddhist monk who strives to bring harmony between the big cats and the people whose herds they prey upon.

The teaser trailer for the film can be found below and the visuals look beautiful.

Snow Leopard Film Teaser from gebrueder beetz filmproduktion on Vimeo.

Last week when I posted about the emerging 2012 fall season in the Himalaya it was to report that most of the teams were arriving in Kathmandu and making their way out their respective Base Camps across the region. Now, a week later, several of those teams have not only established their BC but have started the process of acclimatization and building their high camps as well.

The Mountain Professional squad has spent the past few days acclimatizing in Sama Gaon, a small village in the shadow of Manaslu. They plan on heading up to BC today where they'll spend the next few days getting settled before going higher. Modern base camps are much more comfortable than in the in past, with many climbers bringing a number of tech toys with them to keep them connected and in communication back home. As a result, one of the first things that they'll do is set up the solar panels to help power all of their electronic gear as well as establish their lights and communications equipment too.

Meanwhile, the IMG team has been on the mountain since last week and even had their Puja ceremony on Thursday. That traditional blessing allows them to begin their climb up the mountain, which they did yesterday by making the first trek up to Camp 1, located at 5700 meters (19,695 ft). After spending last night at that altitude, they'll now continue up to Camp 2 today (6400m/20,992 ft) before returning to BC for a rest. The logistics team reports that the Sherpas have stocked both camps with gear and that more than 600 meters of rope have been fixed leading up to Camp 1 and an additional 600 meters to Camp 2. They also report that the route is in good condition early on in the season.

Over on Makalu, Billi Bierling reports that her squad has arrived in Advanced Base Camp at 5400 meters (17,716 ft) yesterday. On the entire trek to the mountain Billi has noted that there is a distinct lack of trekkers and climbers in the region this so far this year and ABC is no exception. As of yesterday they were the only squad on the mountain.

Finally, 73-year old Carlos Soria doesn't appear to be slowing down one bit. He had intended to climb Kangchenjunga this fall, which is the third highest mountain on the planet at 8586 meters (28,168 ft). Due to the continued closure of the Tibetan border however, he has instead turned his attention on Dhaulagiri (8167m/26,795 ft). Carlos is expected to arrive in Base Camp today and will begin climbing the mountain later this week. The Spaniard hopes to become the oldest person to summit all 14 of the 8000 meter peaks. Good luck Carlos!

This past spring Mark Jenkins was part of the National Geographic/North Face climbing team on Everest. That group of climbers originally had their sights on the West Ridge but thanks to some unusual weather, which included drier and colder than normal conditions, the team abandoned that approach and went up the standard South Col route instead. Jenkins, along with his his teammates, reached the summit, and he is currently putting together a story about the climb for National Geographic magazine. That story isn't due until 2013, but Nat Geo Adventure managed to catch up with Jenkins recently and posted an interview on their blog.

In the article Jenkins talks about how crowded Everest has become since guided expeditions started to become popular in the 1990's. He also discusses ways that the climb could be safer and advocates requiring those attempting the world's highest peak first earn some experience and skills on another Himalayan mountain. Mark also shares his thoughts on keeping Everest cleaner, pondering why "Leave No Trace" isn't the de facto standard for climbers.

Mark touches on the mainstream view of Everest and how the non-climber sees it as the "ultimate trophy" in the climbing world. He says that there will always be people who want to test their skills on the mountain and therefore it could always be crowded, but in the mountaineering community it is looked on a bit more skeptically. Everest is seen as a "very surreal experience" according to Jenkins.

It's a good interview with a man who isn't afraid to share his thoughts on the annual spring circus that is Mt. Everest. I had the chance to hear Mark speak as part of a panel at Outdoor Retailer a few weeks back and made some very interesting points. He pointed out that there are in the neighborhood of about 15 routes to the summit of Everest and yet each year everyone crowds into the two main routes instead. Mark rightfully pointed out that there is still plenty to do on the mountain, but most climbers don't really want to risk exploring one of the lesser known routes when they can join the stampede to the top along the usual paths.

If you're an Everest fan, you'll definitely want to read what he has to say in this story. Can't wait to read his full article in NG mag next year.

A few months back I wrote a piece about the Himalayan Stove Project, a fantastic non-proft organization that is dedicated to providing clean cookstoves to the people living in the Himalaya. At that time the organization was still ramping up their efforts for the first round of distribution, but this past spring they made their first visit to Nepal, where they gave out over 1500 stoves, dramatically changing lives in the process.

Traditional Himalayan cook stoves are incredibly inefficient and require a lot of fuel just to prepare a simple meal. That fuel, which typically consists of wood and yak dung, can be quite scarce in many areas of the Trans-Himalayan region where the gathering of kindling has led to deforestation. Additionally, the new stoves are far healthier for the people using them as they vent noxious smoke and fumes outside of the living space. In the past it wasn't even possible for families to eat their meals together indoors as their homes were too filled with smoke to make the experience an enjoyable one. Thanks to these new stoves however, that is already changing.

The team behind the project has set an ambitious goal of distributing 10,000 stoves in five years. Their efforts this past spring served as a pilot for the program and by all accounts it was a smashing success. They now believe that it is possible to distribute as many as 3000-4000 stoves each year and with the proper support and backing, the realization of their goal is more than within reach. I'm told that the organization has secured some high profile backers that will assist moving forward, but this is a great project that can still use more help.

The video below, which was shot in Nepal this past spring, clearly shows how the project is having an immediate impact on the lives of those that it touches. It is evident that this grass-roots effort is both good for the environment and the health of those living in the Himalaya, and it's not often that you see an organization make such a profound change on people's lives in such a short amount of time.

For more information on the Himalayan Stove Project, be sure to visit their website.

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.

According to the Telegraph, China has once again closed the borders to Tibet, barring any foreign travelers from visiting the country. The move comes just a few weeks after two protestors set fire to themselves outside of a temple in Lhasa in protest of Chinese occupation of the Himalaya country and as a new round of unrest is expected there.

Unlike in previous years when Tibet's borders were shut down, this move comes after the busy Himalaya climbing season. But the peak travel season is just about to begin and this move will have an impact on those who hoped to travel there this summer. The popular Saga Dawa festival is also set to begin today, although it seems outsiders won't be participating.

According to several travel companies that book tours to Tibet, the Chinese government has instructed them to stop accepting foreign visitors for an indefinite period of time. That could mean that the disruption of travel in Tibet could last just a few weeks or it could go on for some time.

Unfortunately a large segment of the population there makes its living from tourism and travel. Any disruption means that they will struggle to find work and provide for their families. Lets hope that this closure doesn't last long and that not only will they all be back to work soon, but the travelers who have been dreaming of visiting Tibet will get their opportunity to go there soon as well.

Standing 8013 meters (26,289 ft) in height, Shisha Pangma is the 14th highest mountain in the world. In 2010, a group of four mountaineers that included Mark Fisher, Andy Tankersley, Todd Passey and Kim Havell traveled to the peak, which is found in Tibet, to not only climb it but make the first ski descent as well. That expedition resulted in the video below, which I came across this morning on the National Geographic Adventure Blog. In a post to that blog, which can be read here, Havell shares some of the details of their adventure, which sounds like it was truly epic in every sense of the word.

Enjoy this amazing short film that is guaranteed to put some adventure into your Thursday afternoon.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

Over the past few weeks I've shared a number of impressive videos of the route up Everest, but they were mostly from the South Side. The video below is an animation, but it does a fantastic job of showing the route up the Northeast Ridge and includes some of the important landmarks/milestones along the way including the position of George Mallory and Sandy Irvine at their last sighting. This is the route that the climbers on the North Side of the mountain will be taking this weekend as they head to the summit.