The youngest expedition ever to attempt an Everest climb has begun. But the trouble starts long before they reach the summit. Competition is fierce. Conditions are harsh. And the trek from Base Camp proves a challenge that not all the contestants can meet ... with disastrous results.
Four kids are prepared to go into thin air in order to become the youngest person ever to climb Everest. But they are not prepared for the challenges that await them as they get closer to the summit. Supplies are low. Conditions are extreme. One of the kids is trying to sabotage the others.And then the storm hits....
Everest Book 3 The Summit
Four kids are prepared to go into thin air in order to become the youngest person ever to climb Everest. But they are not prepared for the challenges that await them as they get closer to the summit. Supplies are low. Conditions are extreme. One of the kids is trying to sabotage the others...
I summited Everest on May 21, 2011 and have climbed it three other times (all from Nepal) - 2002, 2003 and 2008 each time reaching just below the Balcony at about 27,500' (8400 meters) before health, weather or my own judgment caused me to turn back. I attempted Lhotse twice - 2015 and 2016. When not climbing, I cover the Everest season from my home in Colorado as I did for the 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 , 2017, 2018, 2019, a virtual 2020 season, 2021, 2022 and the 2023 season.
The next stage is the Lhotse Face, Lhotse is the fourth highest peak in the world at 27,920 feet. The face is a steep wall of hard packed ice and snow that holds Camp 3. Climbers climb the Lhotse face twice during the attempt on the summit. First as an acclimatization climb and then on the way to the summit.
Narrative Climbing the Lhotse Face is a big challenge after the Khumbu Ice Fall on the way to the summit. There are usually two ropes, an up and a down, attached to the face with ice screws and anchors.
From Camp 3, on the way to the summit, climbers must cross the yellow band and the Geneva Spur on the way to the South Col. These barriers, while not technically difficult, are a challenge at an altitude of 25,000 feet and 6 weeks of expedition life. The South Col is another world. Sitting between Everest and Lhotse at 26,300 feet, it serves as the base for the summit attempt. Climbers don't spend long here since the weather is always temporary and the altitude destructive. Normally it is 8 to 12 hours depending how long the climb from Camp 3 took. Once there, they eat and rest and then go to the summit.
The weather and climate of Mount Everest is one of extremes. Temperatures at the summit are never above freezing and during January temperatures can drop as low as -60 C (-76 F). Despite the low temperatures the biggest issue faced by climbers are hurricane force winds and wind chill. When the jet stream dips south during the winter hurricane force winds may develop reaching more than 285 km/h (177 mph). These winds relax in the month of May and most climbers try to attempt the peak during this short window.
Everest Precipitation PatternsThe Everest Base Camp Region is fairly dry with an average of 18 inches of precipitation received at base camp. Most of the precipitation that does fall (80%+) occurs during the monsoon season of June to September and the rest of the year is fairly dry. Monsoon moisture comes from a south so Everest Base Camp is experiences a rain shadow effect with most precipitation falling on the south side of the mountains and raining out before the clouds reach base camp. The high elevation and generally cold temperature act as a controlling influence on the amount of moisture and limit its overall availability. This becomes evident when one compares base camp precipitation (18in) to that in Lukla (70in) at the start of the trek. The actual summit of Everest receives very little precipitation as most of it is scoured by high winds. Big winter snowstorms while infrequent are possible as strong mid-latitude storms occasionally brush the region and can deliver over a meter of snow at basecamp often taking trekkers by surprise. Its still possible to hike out but be prepared with windproof pants and gaiters if planning a winter trek.
Wind and Wind Chill on Mount EverestThe summit of Everest might be the windiest place on earth with hurricane force winds buffeting the summit on over 50% of days during the windiest months. From the middle of October until the start of April the summit is subjected to winds that are almost continually in excess of 74 mph which is equivalent to a Category 1 Hurricane. During the winter Wind Chill adjusted temperatures at the summit are as low as -70C (-90F) and exposed skin would be frostbitten almost instantaneously at this temperature. Lower wind speeds in May and warmer temperatures explain the relatively short climbing window.
Wind chill and low temperatures combined with high elevation make the summit of Everest one of the least hospitable places on the planet during the winter. The adjusted wind chill temperatures of 70C (-90F) observed on the summit compare to the worlds coldest places such the record cold -67.8C (-90F) in Siberia and -89C (129F) measured at Vostok in Antarctica.
The summit of Mount Everest is at a height of 8.848.86m, which is over 28,000 feet and far higher than can be reached with a regular helicopter. It fact this has only been done once, by French test pilot Didier DelSalle, flying a powerful and specially lightened Eurocopter AS350 B3 Squirrel to the summit in 2005.
With over 800 summits of 8000-meter peaks to our IMG credit, and 576 of them on Mount Everest, we are still never satisfied and continue to look for ways to improve our IMG Everest program. For 2023 we continue our tradition of innovation and attention to the details. We put in place first class logistics and staffing. We don't cut corners. Our goal is to conduct the very best program that we can, at a fair price. We don't think you will be disappointed.
This is the program which the majority of our IMG climbers have done over the years and is perfect for the climber with previous experience on big mountains. This is a complete expedition: no cutting corners, nothing less than the finest support on the mountain and offering you the ultimate in flexibility to tailor your schedule to your personal needs. This program is led by IMG Senior guides and you will be assigned a personal guide when climbing. IMG does not allow members to climb solo. Included is unlimited consultation with the IMG staff, consultation with the docs at the HRA BC Medical clinic, Icefall fees, all expedition food, communications, oxygen, support during summit rotation, complete trek service, and total expedition logistics from Kathmandu to Kathmandu. Our itinerary includes staying at our custom Lobuche Peak base camp for great acclimatization hiking on the way to Everest BC at the beginning of the expedition, a subsequent ascent of Lobuche for further acclimatization and training prior to the first rotation on Everest, then two acclimatization rotations (one to C2 and one to C3) prior to the Everest summit bids. The goal is maximum practice and acclimatization before going high on Everest, for the best possible chance of uccess.
Some of our customers have asked about a higher level of support for climbing Mt. Everest. We have what you are looking for, with our revamped Hybrid Program which combines the oversight of our IMG Senior guides, along with additional support (two guides per climber) and Extra Oxygen at Camp 2 and Summit day (enough for climbing @ 4 liters per minute on the Summit Day). The general itinerary for the Hybrid Program is the same as the Classic climb. You will be assigned your personal guides for the acclimatization rotations and summit attempts. IMG does not allow members to climb solo. With this revamped Hybrid Program, you will have more flexibility than if you were required to follow the schedule of other climbers. This program will give the Hybrid climber the maximum flexibility while climbing, maximum support, and a generous amount of oxygen.
For the customer who is not cost sensitive and who wants the optimum support, we assign one of our Senior IMG guides on a 1:1 basis and include our "extra" oxygen option (1 bottle at C2 and 4LPM on summit day during your summit rotation). At Base Camp you will be provided a large standup personal tent with a cot for sleeping and organizing. This is the Cadillac program for the discerning climber who wants the very best. Please contact our team for more information.
For trekkers wishing to extend their trek, we have the Gokyo Extension Option with Trek Team 2 which adds 6 days of trekking. You'll cross two more high passes (Cho La and Renjo La @ 5300+m) and visit the famous Gokyo Valley. What a classic! From the summit of Gokyo Ri you see Cho Oyu (8153m), Gyangchung Kang (7922m), Lhotse (8501m), Makalu (8475 m), Cholatse (6440m), Taweche (6542m), Kantega (6685m), Thamserku (6808m), Lobuche (6145m) and Mt. Everest (8848m).
If you would like to visit Everest Base Camp with Teams 1 or 2 and stay longer and go higher, bring your crampons and ice axe and add a climb of Lobuche Peak (to over 20,000 feet — we stop at the false summit — the last pitch to the real summit is difficult technical climbing). After spending several nights at Everest BC for acclimatization, our Lobuche climbers and members of the Guide Team will drop one day back down the valley to climb this beautiful peak, with world class views of Everest from the summit. From the beautiful IMG Lobuche Base Camp tucked up a side valley from the EBC trek route, the route climbs to a high camp which leads to the summit ridge. The steeper parts of the climb to the ridge are normally fixed with about 500 meters of rope. Lobuche Peak is a perfect objective if you are fit and have Mt. Rainier type skills (ice axe, crampons, and roped glacier travel). We will review use of fixed ropes for climbers who have not done this before. Afterward, trek back out to Lukla with our crack Nepalese Trekking Team for the flight to Kathmandu. Please see the Lobuche Expedition Pages for more info specifically on Lobuche Peak. 2ff7e9595c
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