More News From Everest

Here is Alan's most recent posting and I encourage all of you who are interested in following the 2010 Everest climbing season to follow Alan or any of the climbing teams that he mentions in this posting. The larger teams have excellent blogs and it is very exciting to follow their progress up the highest mountain in the world. Enjoy!

Everest 2010 Weekend Update March 28

And the season begins. This week, climbers started arriving in Kathmandu. Some immediately tried to get to Lukla, without success, and others tried to get into Tibet, without success. As we enter Sunday in Nepal, the clouds broke and flights to Lukla started again. I am receiving notes from climbers already in Namache. Another normal beginning to the season.

Luanne Freer, of EverestER put it well in her Blog. This is Luanne’s 8th season of providing medical services to climbers, Sherpas and porters through EverestER.

Early this morning, bags all packed and ready, we headed to the airport for our flight to Lukla, 2800m where we begin our trek to Everest base camp. Flying in this part of the world is always an adventure – from the crowded and chaotic terminal to the always stressful weighing of the bags (we’re set to take off with 220kg, which is kind of slim for us) to the hurry up and wait of the actual boarding process. Then there’s the biggest unknown … the weather. Flights to Lukla rely not only on skillful pilots and hardy planes, but on mostly clear skies, since the landing is purely visual, and the landing strip … well … downright scary – an inclined short runway carved into the side of the mountain (see below … I’m sweating already…) Today, for the 3rd day in a row, anxious folks waited in vain for the skies to clear in Lukla. And because of the backlog of the past few days there wasn’t a spare seat in the boarding gates.

A few new climbers to highlight.

Wendy Booker, who has MS, is returning after her attempt last year. She is climbing with RMI this time. Over on the north, a very small team of Julio Bird, Bill Fischer and 70 year-old Japanese Hoshino Kohei will be going for the top. This means we will see a 13 year-old and a 70 year-old on the same side!

Speaking of the north, China officially closed the boarder a few weeks ago and hinted it would reopen around April 10th. This delayed and even caused some expeditions to cancel other climbs. We will see when it really opens but this comment from Jantoon Reigersman tells us the current status. Jantoon is trying to combine cycling, a deep water dive of 1300m (4265 ft) and his Everest summit for a full 9000m experience.

Unfortunately, we are still having delays in getting the permits and due to possible strikes in China, we will not be able to file any paperwork until March 29th. Now I will have to start figuring out what the alternative plans would be if we cannot get the paperwork in time. Already (even if everything goes perfectly smoothly), entering Tibet on April 1st is very tight and will mean that I cannot take on any delays during the cycling. leaving much later will start making the planning a lot more complex and there will be a moment where I will have to decide to skip the cycling and go with the rest of the team. Now it is a game of wait and hope. Patience is not my strongest side, so I will have to start working on some back up plans.

Many of the commercial teams have started to post updates including AAI, Adventure Consultants and IMG. And a few of the individual climbers are sharing as well. Look for teams to get to Lukla soon and start their trek to EBC. It will take about 8 days depending on how the acclimatization process goes.

The trek to the Nepal base camp is a lifetime event for some people and always a highlight for Everest climbers. There are no paved roads as the route enters the Sagarmatha National Park. The Park is about 450 square miles and includes Everest, Ama Dablam and many other peaks. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and the entrance fee is a bargain USD$13.84 (1000 Rupees). About 3500 Sherpas call the area home.

The tea houses will be full once again and the local Nepalese enjoying the business that comes from climbers and trekkers. But with all this popularity, there is a price.

According to Nepal SK 2993, 17000 trekkers employ 14000 porters, 2500 guides and staff, 2800 yak owners and 14000 merchandise porters (carrying goods for Sherpa lodge owners and other traders in the tourist region). According to a TED Case Study, four times as much fuel wood is needed to cook a meal for a Western tourist than for a Nepali due largely to differences in diet.

Many tea houses use yak dung as fuel and others use kerosene. Cutting of wood is mostly prohibited and there are tree farms that will hopefully restore the forests one day. However, overriding all the environmental concerns is the simple fact that tourism is now the major economic driver for Nepal. The people of the Khumbu Region know that protection of their area will ensure future tourism plus provide a future for their children. As always, it is about achieving balance.

Tourism is a double-edge sword. Without it, this area would be mired in deep poverty. With it, the struggle to preserve the future is real. However, the Khumbu is a beautiful area with wonderful people. Their charm touches each person and gives a gift. If you get a chance to go as a climber or a trekker, go. It will change you forever.

Climb On!

Alan

PS Remember you can read these update using an iPhone. It is the identical information on my website but easily viewed using the Everest app that can be download from iTunes.

Everest Climbing Season is Underway!

I have been following Alan Arnette on Twitter and Face Book and have copied his most recent contribution to share with you. Alan is a mountaineer, speaker and a fervent Alzheimer's advocate. (I think that he also writes well and is worth reading!)

I will be following in the footsteps of the mountain climbers and their teams that are piling in to Kathmandu this month, as I will be trekking from Lukla to Everest Base Camp, "BC". Reading this piece really brings home how close I am to starting off on this life changing expedition.

Enjoy!

Everest Climbers Arrive in Kathmandu

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By Alan Arnette
Mar 25, 2010

Comments (1)

Climbers continue to stream into Kathmandu from all around the world. I updated the expedition count and can already identify over 150 named climbers just on the south side and over 50 on the north.

But the true number could easily exceed 350 total on both sides. To put this in context, in 2009, we saw about 400 total summits and sadly, 5 deaths. Nearly 500 summits set a single season record in 2007.

First order of business is for teams to gather and meet at their hotels in Kathmandu. They usually spend a few days waiting on late bags and/or members before flying to Lukla to start the trek to BC.

Sherpas are already at base camp reserving their spots and building walls. As strange as it sounds, teams wall off their camps to prevent people from wandering through. There is a lot of foot (and yak) traffic in base camp. There are also many special tents to be constructed. Kitchen tents are usually four to six foot high stone wall with draping tarp providing the roof.

Early reports coming from base camp speak of heavy snow, which is normal for late winter at that elevation. Peak Freaks report:

More snow has fallen this time than last year (same period). There is new snow on Everest at present. We had thunderstorm, hailstone in Kathmandu 2 weeks ago and up in the mountains there was fresh snowfall. There was snowfall up to Namche which remained for about a day (snow melted quite quickly once the skies cleared and the snow melted rapidly). Again 2 days ago we had thunderstorm in Kathmandu (windy conditions & scattered rains in the valley). Up in Khumbu there was fresh snowfall again which came down as far as Namche. There is fresh snow up in mountains (the snowline has come down). Now, however, everything is clear and sunny weather up in the Khumbu.

IMG writes of sending tons of gear to BC and the anticipated cooperation amongst teams:

Good news, our shipment of oxygen cylinders has now arrived in Nepal and cleared customs. Just getting them halfway round the world requires special documentation and packing, since they are considered dangerous goods for flying by the FAA and the airlines. These high tech aluminum/carbon fiber composite cylinders were tested, valved, and filled in California, then specially packed for their long journey. And since the yaks do not read the warning labels, our Sherpas will be wrapping them in additional foam to protect the cylinders for the trip to Everest Base Camp!

Among the loads is a large quantity of climbing rope (several thousand meters or a few miles!), which we have purchased on behalf of a group of the Everest operators. We hope to work together this year with as many other climbers as possible, to get a good route fixed up the mountain. Prior to sending the rope up to Khumbu, our Sherpas stripped it off the spools and stacked it into bags, so it is easy to deploy without kinking.

As usual, the early season flights from Kathmandu to Lukla are suffering weather delays. This week flights have been delayed for the past four days. Not a huge concern becasue most teams build a few weather days into the schedule but it can be frustrating for climbers wanting to get out of noisy Kathmandu and onto the trail.

Great Race!

Well I did it! I ran the Chilly Half Marathon in Burlington Ontario this morning and it was glorious. The weather was perfect with a wind at our backs for the first half and then in our face for the home stretch half. I hope that doesn't sound masochistic or anything, but the wind felt good because by the time I was heading back it was approaching noon, the sun was shining in a clear blue sky and things were heating up!!

The route was a closed road route this year that took us from City Hall out to the east along Lakeshore for a few kilometers and then we turned around and headed west along Lakeshore to the second turn around point at 12.6km. Lakeshore is blanketed on both sides by incredibly beautiful and stately homes, some complete with stone entrance gates and driveways that went on for ever. It was a really beautiful place to run and the people of Burlington were out on the sidewalks cheering us all on, clapping and giving us "high-fives" as we passed by. One young girl held up a sign that read, "Go ... insert your name here ... Go!!" (A sense of humour is appreciated when you're running long distances)!

And best of all, my wonderful husband Jerry was there at the finish line ... what more could you ask for!!!!

So how did I do? Well my finish time was 2:27:14 which I am very happy with. It wouldn't scare any Kenyans or Ethiopians, but for me it sure felt fine!!

Next race ... Around the Bay 30km in Hamilton on Sunday March 28th.

Oh, and yes, the gear worked perfectly!!!!

This One's in the Bag!

I've got it figured out!

I ran an easy few kilometers this morning and tested out my gear. Leaving the house at 10:00am (to match start time tomorrow) I ran with one top layer, one jacket, light gloves and my firewall pants. 5 minutes later jacket was open at the neck. 10 more minutes and I unzipped and removed the sleeves of the jacket and took off the gloves. Last few hundred meters and the sleeves of my shirt were rolled up.

The conclusion: race kit set at one red Running Free long sleeved tech shirt, one pair Sugoi running capris, peaked running cap, Lifa gloves and running vest.

I have so got this one in the bag!

Pre-Race Jitters

The Chilly Half Marathon is this Sunday March 7th in Burlington, Ontario. The gun goes off at 10:05am (dreadfully civilized, don't you think?) and 3,000 of us will pound our way along the lake shore route in what has been forecast to be a glorious sun shine filled morning, with temperatures hovering around +6 degrees Celsius!

And there in lies the problem! (A brief word of explanation here before we go on ... I need something to obsess about; something to latch on to before a race so that I have something to solve, conquer or get the better of prior to the actual race...it keeps me calm you see...)

Anyhow, back to the weather issue. You are probably wondering why I would be worried about running in what will probably be the very best conditions I have experienced in Ontario in the past 5 months. Well that is the nut right there. I and many, many other Canadian runners begin in the autumn months slowly adding on more and more layers of clothing as the weather deteriorates through the late fall, into the winter and on through those dark, dark mornings of January and February. We have finally got it down to a fine art! It has taken months (because somehow we have forgotten all we learned last year!) but now all we need to know is the wind chill factor and we know exactly how many layers of clothing we need. We know when we need the spikes for the ice underfoot. We know when we need the Vaseline on the cheeks to ward off frostbite. We know how long we can go before our water bottles turn into slushies.

But now it's going to be nice! So do we risk capris? Peaked cap or light toque? Jacket or vest? Gloves? Definitely gloves instead of mittens, but which ones? Lifa or windproof technical?

ARRRGGGHHHH! I'm not ready for this!!!