Many of you have followed and know about Massachusetts native 19-year-old Ryan Mitchell, who summited Mt. Everest on May 23, 2024! In this extensive podcast, we discuss his experience from training to the summit and back home.
https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2024/06/07/everest-2024-podcast-ryan-mitchell-on-his-everest-summit-life-changing/

Everest 2024 might be remembered for summits, politics, deaths, ignored rules, near misses and disturbing allegations of sexual misconduct. It's difficult to put all this in a headline, but I believe the Everest guiding industry is at a Rubicon - a point of no return.

Not to be lost in this mix is the joy and satisfaction felt by hundreds of summiteers. They worked and trained diligently to celebrate standing on the top of the world for only a few minutes. It's funny how you can work so long for a goal, and the moment is over in a blink, but the memory lasts a lifetime—well done to all who summited, to those who showed up.

Once again, the Sherpas proved they dominated the mountain with impressive altitude performance. The Himalayan Database shows that between 1950 and 2023, 6,097 Sherpas have summited Everest compared to 5,899 members, and that gap is growing each year. However, more foreigners have died than Sherpas, 197 compared to 118. #everest2024

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2024/06/05/everest-2024-season-summary-everest-at-a-rubicon/

The biggest news from Everest is the lack of news. Typhone-force winds strafed the mountain like a summer hail storm in Colorado. Reports of forty or more tents were damaged at Camp 2. Despite this, a few teams continued their rotations, and more made plans as hopes increased the fixed ropes would reach the summit next week. The high winds of last week have calmed, and there is no typhoon activity of substance in the Bay of Bengal. Let's hope for a May of long weather windows!

The good news is the jet stream is easing off Everest as it moves north, the bad news is a cyclone skirting the west coast of India is expected to turn right running perpendicular to the Himalayas bringing strong weather along with it. It could "flood the mountain" according to meteorologist Chris Tomer and Everest Weather's Michael Fagin. Chris has told his clients on Everest and Makalu to "stand down" and wait this event out.  Cyclone TC01A aka Tauktae is predicted to bring heavy snow, perhaps two feet to Dhaulagiri, and strong winds to Makalu and Everest on May 18-21. Chris and Michael both think it will be a relatively fast event and summit bids can continue after the 22nd. That would leave plenty of time for the remaining 300 climbers to get up and off before the traditional end of Nepal side around May 31. So much for my talk of a "short season" just yesterday!  I had the rare opportunity to discuss this event with Michael and Chris on Sunday afternoon, May 16, 2021.  Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything

It was a big week of news on Everest this past week from clients summiting to a major operator canceling their expedition. This next week looks to be even bigger with 300 people trying to summit beginning May 19. I estimate 172 summits last week on May 11, 12, and 13. The jet stream was south of Everest thus the conditions were about as good as it gets on this high peak. However as the jet moved north, the winds picked back up, and teams that were hoping to squeeze a summit bid in before it hit with gale-level gusts, found it too windy even at Camp 3 to continue.  The big news of the week was on Saturday, May 15 when Austrian operator, Lukas Furtenbach, told his entire team that he was canceling their expedition due to an "out of control situation at Everest Base Camp." Furtenbach was one of the few operators who imposed stringent controls over his base camp to minimize the impact of COVID-19. He brought hundreds of test kits, hired a team doctor, and limited any exposure with anyone outside his team, including his Sherpas, cooks, and other base camp staff. Yet, he still felt the risks were too high for his 20 customers, 4 mountain guides, and 27 Sherpas. His entire team had completed their acclimatization and were waiting for the winds to recede for their summit attempt. He said. "With some teams, elementary precautionary measures were simply not observed. There were meetings between the teams, there were celebrations, parties were held."

The #Everest2021 scene is quiet now with the jet stream on top of the summit. On the Tibet side, China canceled the only expedition there.  I’m getting a few reports of high winds at C3 from the last rotation, and it’s worse now. That said, look for teams to begin their summit bids aiming for May 19-23. If for next week they will leave EBC on Monday, May 17th, or perhaps this weekend.  Sadly death on Everest occurs almost every year. Since 1953, only 1965, 1971, and 1985 saw no deaths when people climbed that year. In 2021, we have seen two deaths already. In this episode, I examine deaths on Everest, the reasons, and perhaps how to avoid it.  As always, visit my blog at alanarnette.com for more details. I usually do a YouTube and podcast for each post but not always.

With Everest 2021 well underway, we are seeing the first commercial clients summit after the ropes reached the summit by the Sherpa team on Friday, May 7, 2021. Now over 150 people have summited just as the weather turns bad. it looks like only a few more summits until after May 20. There are a bout 350 more people left to attempt the summit, including Sherpas. I discuss the season thus far plus the COVID outbreak in Nepal and the oxygen crisis.

The rope fixing team made the summit on Friday, May 7, 2021, opening the route to the over 300 climbers left at base camp. The weather remains good, for Everest, so look for many teams to jump on this window. Meanwhile, it appears that the virus spread has stalled for the moment with no new cases reported at EBC for over a week. It’s unknown if this is real or more coverups.

The Nepal government announced plans to assist climbers in leaving Nepal and another ban on any negative news saying “as it could terrorise the mountaineers as well as their family members.” I think someone climbing Everest can handle the truth.

The season continues on schedule and as normal as possible in this difficult year. Reports of helicopter evacuations have slowed to a trickle either because they are not happening or no one is talking. We know for sure the government is mum. Let's assume there are no new cases and hope for the best.

Slowly a few teams are revealing that they brought rapid test kits and are doing regular testing. Not sure why it was felt important to keep this quiet, perhaps none of our business I suppose. I think it should have been mandated by the government from the start. One bit of good news is a dump of almost nine inches of snow made the Lhotse Face more manageable. Climbing a steep slope on snow is much less stressful than on hard, solid ice.

The Everest area continues to be a busy place with people spread from Lukla to Namache, base camp and the high camps of 1, 2, 3, and the South Col. Everyone is in various stages of preparing for their summit bid that should begin soon. If you think that it is late for the first summits, let look at the last decade or so. As you can see the earliest summits by the rope team and members was May 5, and the latest was May 18 in 2012.

Now that we are solidly into May, about mid-season for spring Everest, let's pause for a moment and take inventory of the situation. At the risk of giving readers whiplash, the bottom line for me is that things are looking better ... considering.

Without a doubt, this may be the most challenging season in the history of Everest, perhaps topped only by the earthquake in 2015 and the extreme loss of life in 1996 and 2014. The overall situation has changed a bit in the last ten days with regards to the virus. Most teams are making excellent progress. I say this with all respect and acknowledgment to the tens of thousands suffering in nearby India and, of course, Nepal.

I, along with other people reporting on this season, have focused on the virus because, well, because it was the main storyline. And it's real, and it's devastating. As some of my regular readers know, I had the virus and had family spend weeks in the hospital. It's real, it's deadly, and having it at altitude is no joke. However, some teams remain unscathed through excellent discipline, well-thought-out protocols, and perhaps good luck. Others have not been so lucky.

Once it became clear that COVID was spreading throughout base camp, teams took action and slowed it a bit. I'm not trying to sugarcoat the situation, but in speaking directly to climbers and guides at base camp, the overall condition appears to be improving. Now hopefully, they can complete their climbs and return safely home given the deadly situation throughout Nepal.

I caught up with Garrett Madison, founder of Madison Mountaineering from Everest Base Camp. He describes #Everest2021 thus far as they prepare for a 2:00 am departure back to Camps 1 and 2 in the Western Cwm. This will be their last rotation before the summit push in a couple of weeks. I asked him how his team, Madison Mountaineering, was doing with the COVID outbreak at EBC.

I talk in the beginning about the virus situation at EBC and the possible scenarios that could unfold over the next few weeks. Garrett's section begins at 7:45 in this short interview.

Kenton Cool is one of the premier climbers from the United Kingdom. Among his many accomplishments, he skied the 8000er Cho Oyu, made the first, and thus far only, climb of Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse in seven days in 2013. And he has summited Everest 14 times. He's currently on Everest with a client attempting his 15th which would tie American Dave Hahn for the most non-Sherpa summits of Everest.

I caught up with Kenton while he was in Namache Bazzar recovering from his acclimatization rotations in prep for the summit bid. We discussed the allure of Everest, a bit of history, his own long-time interaction with the mountain, and the conditions this year.

It's a fun, fascinating interview I hope you enjoy.

It's clear that there is or has been COVID at Everest Base Camp. Well, at least it clear that people who had it there were taken to Kathmandu where they tested positive and are receiving treatment. It's also clear that Nepal is seeing a huge spike in new cases and has gone under lockdown once again. Finally, it's clear that India has become a super-spreader country and needs global help to respond.

Nepal tourism officials continue to deny there are any problems at base camp other than one person who had pneumonia. The guides, both foreign and domestic, are posting only climbing updates with no mention of the virus. This includes those who are well-known to have multiple cases within their teams and some who have been evacuated.

Now, on to climbing. Many, many teams are doing their rotations and report no issues. Of course, there are the usual problems with a few people having altitude issues or GI problems, but this is to be expected each year. The conditions are reported as good, albeit with the Lhotse Face being a bit harder than normal due to the lack of snow. Also, the Khumbu Icefall appears to be in good shape, however, the route is taking a bit longer than in previous years but not being a major obstacle. There are a few comments on lines at the few ladders due to the record number of climbers on the mountain in the spring of 2021.

At last count, Nepal has issued a record 408 Everest permits.

Part 13 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 39, 40, and 41. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual.

Based on my 2020 Virtual Everest series, Everyday Everest follows a FICTIONAL team of nine climbers and their personal Sherpas from leaving home to trekking to base camp, acclimatizing, and finally, on their summit push, returning home. I'll have a twenty-minute episode a few times weekly for the next two months.

In Part 13, our protagonist, Harper, experiences climbing above Camp 3 for the first time.  She moved in lock-step behind Mingma, who led the train. He set a steady but swift pace, knowing that speed is your friend in these conditions and keeps you warm. 

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/everest/everest-2024-coverage/

Ed Viesturs has joined David Scheffer's Himali gear company. I interview the pair about how they met, Ed's contribution to an updated product line, and Ed's project with Inspiration4 - the first civilian space flight in history.

University of Colorado graduate, David Schaeffer started the outdoor gear company, Himali, in 2014 along with Tendi Sherpa. Today, the Boulder, Colorado company has grown nicely and, in my opinion, is about to really take off. Ed Viesturs, known globally as an author, speaker, and the only American to have summited all 14 of the 8000-meter peaks without supplemental oxygen have come together. They will introduce a new line based on Ed's input this autumn. 

I spoke with both about how they came together and their plans, and an interesting project Ed is working on, the first full civilian space travel in history, Inspiration4. Also, Dave plans to make Moon Suits!!

Climbers in the Western Cwm are extending their stays to avoid EBC with the current spat of COVID evacuations. Good weather is allowing climbers to tag Camp 3 at almost 7,000-meters. The rope fixing teams reached the South Col. I expect the summit in a few days.

With climbers enjoying excellent weather while in the Western Cwm, meteorologists are seeing a strange phenomenon - a missing jet stream. These high winds aloft are the key for summiting Everest in particular. When the jet is off the summit, the winds drop below 30 mph, the maximum most guides will let their clients climb in. When on top of the peak, which is almost all year long, the summit is too dangerous. Climbers have been known to be blown off mountain tops.

This could foretell good luck for the crowded mountain. In 2018 there were 11 consecutive days of low winds that allowed crowds to spread out. Of course, the nightmare scenario occurred in 2019 when there were only three suitable days of low winds thus hundreds of climbers were squeezed into those few days creating massive lines high on the peak.

I spoke with meteorologist Chris Tomer about the Jet Stream and other elements of mountain weather and forecasting for Everest climbers. Chris forecasts the weather for KDVR FOX-31 and KWGN Channel 2 in Denver. He also provides weather forecasts for climbers throughout the world.

The headlines for last week are COVID and record permits. Four people have been evacuated either from Everest Base Camp or very close with symptoms of COVID-19. Once in Kathmandu, they tested positive for the virus. It's a similar story for a few Sherpas. Look for the ropes to reach the summit this next week.

Without a doubt, the virus is in the Khumbu and spreading. The open question will be if it can be contained at EBC. Complicating the situation is Nepal's limitless issuance of permits, now topping 400, blasting through the 2019 record year of 382. Meanwhile, there are 40 people on the Chinese side that include 21 climbers.

While there are many books about Everest, only a few rise to a level above the rest. For me, it involves excellent storytelling, a unique point of view, a highly personal angle, and perhaps a bit of history. Well, The Third Pole by Mark Synnott ticks all these boxes.  For those who may not know Mark, he is a Noth Face sponsored athlete, New York Times best-selling author, and has also worked extensively in the film and television industry, both in front of and behind the camera.  He is a world-class big wall climber who had zero interest in ever climbing Everest. In fact, he was part of the crowd that snubbed his nose at the peak and those who attempted it. But his interest was sparked at a presentation about Mallory and Irvine and their ill-fated 1924 Everest climb. In 2019 he found himself on an Everest expedition looking for the body of Sandy Irvine and, hopefully, the Kodak camera that might solve the mystery once and for all as to if they summited.  He chronicles the story in his new book The Third Pole that is on sale now. I was fortunate to review his book a few months ago and found it to be a fascinating story that weaves history and modern-day technology to investigate the greatest mountaineering mystery ever.  Mark likes to support local bookstores and made this comment about his local bookstore in North Conway, New Hampshire, White Birch Books, .. said ”  Laura still has a stack, and can ship them anywhere in the world. She can also arrange a personalized inscription. And if she runs out, which has already happened a few times, I simply stop in and sign a few more.”  The Third Pole is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Powell’s, BAM , Hudson Booksellers, Bookshop.org, IndieBound, Target , Walmart and in Audio at Apple Books and Libro.fm.

I caught up with Everest Guide Mike Hamill owner of Climbing The Seven Summits (CTSS) live at EBC to discuss Base Camp luxuries for #Everest2021.

CTSS was founded by Mike after years of serving as a lead guide for another major company. He has a loyal following of clients and has set long-term goals to be a significant player in the global mountaineering market. Mike's vision is to meet his client's needs and expectations and appears to be a leader, not a follower when it comes to base camp services. While some people may not understand this level of service at a place like Everest Base Camp, Mike feels it's entirely appropriate as he explains in the interview.

The 2021 spring Everest season continues pretty much on track in spite of a few developments. The climbing permits issued by Nepal are approaching the 2019 record numbers so look for crowds similar to 2019 in the usual spots. The weather has been pretty normal as well.

An avalanche off the West Shoulder of Everest made a direct hit on the Khumbu Icefall blocking the route on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. The Icefall Doctors suggest it will take five days to repair.

Now, Jim takes us on another journey, this time to Mt. Everest. A life-long dream, Jim starts the book remembering being at Camp 1 in the Western Cwm at 19,700-feet on Mt Everest when the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the region. I was a bit higher in the Cwm that day at Camp 2.  Reading Jim's description of the harrowing events, rescues, courage, and loss of life brought back vivid memories. But Jim does more than tell an earthquake story. He takes us inside his tent as he and his tentmate thought an avalanche would take their lives. He puts us in the helicopter to fly over the Khumbu Icefall and back to a decimated Everest Base Camp where almost 100 people were injured, and eventually 19 died. He deals with situations most of us will never face.  With his 2015 effort over, Jim ponders if he'll ever return to Everest or move on with life. What I enjoyed most about his book was, clearly, the mountaineering stories, but also how Jim weaved life lessons he learned from his Dad, Joe, and his Uncle Bob as a teenager painting almost anything near Concord, Massachusetts.  I won't spoil the ending of "The Next Everest," but I highly recommend buying "The Ledge" now and placing an advance order for "The Next Everest."  "The Next Everest" will be widely available on April 20, 2021, but can be pre-order now from online sources Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Tattered Cover plus your local bookstore. If you preorder from the publisher, Macmillan, where you can get a limited-edition The Next Everest mini-carabiner.

Everest Base Camp is quickly filling up. Sherpas are busy establishing and stocking Camps 1 and 2. Thus far the fixed ropes have been set to the Yellow Band around 24,000-feet. As previously noted, there are few trekkers this spring so the teahouses and trails feel empty to those I’ve spoken with. Internet at EBC is sketchy at best. There is one 40-person Chinese national team on the Tibet side, otherwise, it’s closed to foreigners. They established their base camp this past week.

I caught up with Everest Climber Eric Gran from Dingboche. This is Eric's first trip to Nepal and he describes the journey thus far for #Everest2021.

Part 12 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 37, 38, and 38. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual.

Based on my 2020 Virtual Everest series, Everyday Everest follows a FICTIONAL team of nine climbers and their personal Sherpas from leaving home to trekking to base camp, acclimatizing, and finally, on their summit push, returning home. I'll have a twenty-minute episode a few times weekly for the next two months.

In Part 12, our protagonist, Harper was confident and ready to get going. Sitting around base camp, even with the occasional hike to Pumori or Gorak Shep, was getting old. The conversation around the dining table was also getting old. It was time.

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

The first few climbers have made rotations to Camp 1 while the rest of the teams at Everest Base camp are preparing to enter the Khumbu Icefall for the first time this season. The permits for Everest continue to grow, now 321 on 34 teams approaching the 219 record of 382. Lhotse has an astounding 83 on 9 teams. Look for over 700 people on the routes this spring.  

The weather continues to be a concern, not current but previous with a dry winter of little snowfall making the Lhotse Face rock hard blue ice. We are seeing this on Annapurna with a summit bid underway. Unexpected hard ice above Camp 4 caused the Sherpas to use more rope than they carried and they ran out. More was helicoptered in from Kathmandu, a first to my knowledge.  

The climb times for the trip from EBC to Camp 1 were about 8 hours for some of the first climbers, about normal for the first rotation. However, this does suggest the Icefall is fixed pretty much the same as in previous years, in other words, not straighter, flatter, or faster.  In any event, the first trip through the Icefall is always eye-opening, even if it's only halfway up

The number of permits continues to rise for Everest. Now at 290 spread across 30 teams, it appears Everest will be crowded again for this spring of 2021. Reports are coming in of low snow amounts this past winter so rockfall may be an issue, especially with so many people climbing together. We saw this same objective danger on K2 this past winter.

Base Camp is filling up as more teams continue to end their trek. They are taking a few days to rest and brush up on skills before making their first rotation to Camps 1 and 2 in the Western Cwm. Internet service at EBC appears to be spotty according to many reports I'm getting. Climbers are having to do "walkabouts" to find a signal. This happens all the time with Ncell, the mobile phone provider, but for EverestLink, it's usually more reliable and available. I'm sure they will improve it.

There appears the be the usual profiles on the peak Many who had permits for last year, jumped at the chance to go this year.  Also, there are the "repeat" customers who have tried before and not made it for a variety of reasons and, also, as usual, there are those who are seeking to make a name by a "first." Let's drill down on a few.

The Everest 2021 season is right on track with teams pouring into base camp. However, this year remains different with few trekking teams on the trails resulting in almost empty teahouses and some closed, perhaps forever. Remember that the Tibet side is closed to foreigners and I don't expect updates from the Chinese team or two that might climb this spring.

The number of climbing permits granted keeps increasing. 222 permits are now in Everest aspirants' hands and 389 for all Nepal peaks for all teams this spring. With hundreds of climbers and trekkers on the trails, the Khumbu is busy, but reports are coming in saying overall it feels quiet compared to previous years. The main difference is the absence of so many trekking teams. Some teams will arrive at base camp this weekend or early next week. Look for the first trips through the Icefall around April 15, a bit earlier than usual. I've also added a new short feature in the video the Gear Corner where I briefly talk about the gear used on Everest.

I caught up with Garrett Madison, founder of Madison Mountaineering from Namche Bazaar on his way to climb Everest.. He describes the journey thus far for #Everest2021. Also, his parents are with him on this trek, a real treat!

The number of climbing permits granted keeps increasing. 167 permits are in Everest aspirants' hands and 303 for all the Nepals peaks with teams this spring. With hundreds of climbers and trekkers on the trails, the Khumbu is busy, but reports are coming in saying overall it feels quiet compared to previous years. Let's take a look at the first steps in the Khumbu

The Everest 2021 season is well underway with many teams on their way to Everest Base Camp expecting to arrive around April 15. As of April 3, 138 Everest permits had been issued to foreigners. Around 300 are still expected making this a busy, but not a record season like 2019.

As I’ve noted, the vast majority of the climbing will be on the Nepal side as China has closed Tibet to all foreigners and only a couple of Chinese national teams are anticipated to climb from that side in 2021. We’ll see if they open up for autumn climbs.

The Khumbu is starting to fill up with climbers. With now over 138 Everest permits issued, they have left Kathmandu and most flew to Lukla, the traditional start of the week-long walk to Everest Base Camp. For some, the flight to Lukla will be a highlight of their trip.

Arriving in Kathmandu is when many people feel their adventure begins. A city with a long history dating to 185 AD, the capital of Nepal has grown to over 2.5 million residents in the Kathmandu Valley. Sadly the streets are congested and the city has one of the worse air quality indexes in the world. However, it remains a city rich in culture and deserving of a day or two for tourism.

Leaving home to climb Mt. Everest is no simple task. It’s not a business trip; it’s not a vacation; it’s something entirely different. While it may be your dream, for those left behind, it can be something altogether different. As we approach the end of March, scores of climbers are going through this process for Everest 2021. It's time for "nothing left unsaid."

Everest's summit is slammed by hurricane-force winds, causing most teams to hunker down or pause rotations for a few days. However, the fixed ropes have reached the South Col. China confirms it will open the Nepal border on May 7th.

This season will go down as all dressed up and nowhere to go - on both sides.

First, on the Nepal side, as of the end of April, many teams have historically completed their rotations and are going into wait mode for the ropes to reach the summit. However, it appears that only a few have completed a meaningful amount of time this year at Camp 2. A few have tagged Camp 3, but almost no team spent the night at 7000 meters. To be fair, in recent years, many teams have dropped this difficult acclimatization at C3 in favor of using copious amounts of supplemental oxygen starting lower at Camp 2.

Many teams have wrapped up their climbs on Mera, Island or Lobuche as an acclimatization activity instead of going through the Icefall one more time. These teams are returning to EBC and will make only one rotation to C2 before calling it good. Those in a rush—Flash/Speed/Rapid/Quick/Speed/Rabbit—whatever—will only go through the Icefall once on their summit push.

Sherpas from Seven Summits Treks have the fixed ropes to the South Col. With the ten-day delay in fixing the Icefall; the Nepal government approved a plan to use helicopters to fly more gear to Camp 2 to fix the route to the summit. This is not unprecedented. On April 23, 2016, summit rope fixing gear (rope, anchors, oxygen for the Sherpas above the South Col) was long-lined to Camp 1 by helicopters - all approved by the Government.  It took six trips by helicopter plus a spotter in a separate helicopter to deliver the gear. No climbers or Sherpas were transported. This saved 87 Sherpa loads and potentially lives if there were another serac release or other natural disaster in the Icefall. This was a good move then, as it is today.

So, while it feels slower than usual, the teams are making the best of it. So, if the ropes reach the summit by May 10, as advertised, we can expect the usual flood of summit waves to follow quickly. First will be the super large teams like the 100s from Seven Summits Treks and many other Nepali-run teams. The Western teams will patiently wait at EBC for them to kick in steps, clear out and then take their turn. Finally, we'll see the uber–patient teams make their summit push, targeting May 19–22. Again, all of this depends on the weather.

Adrian Ballinger of Alpenglow says, "Just FYI, we got our Tibet invites and official word of the May 7 border opening. Locked and loaded!" They will cross the border along with climbers with Climbalaya and Furtenbach.

However, another commercial team has given up on climbing Everest from the Tibetan side. Makalu Extreme joined Adventure Peaks, Kobler & Partner, and Arnold Coster to switch to the Nepal side. Makalu Extreme  posted this update revealing their frustration:

Not much news from the Everest 2024 climb from the Makalu Extreme team. Today our guide Dorchy and our member Pavel are in Goraksher. Work on setting up the Base Camp will begin tomorrow. I would like to remind you that our team and two tons of expedition cargo urgently left Kathmandu on April 26. The expedition was urgently shifted to Nepal due to the negligence of the Chinese authorities.

EverestEr reports in with their treatment Talley:

As of April 29, Nepal has issued 390 climbing permits for Everest to 37 teams representing 60 countries. The United States has the most climbers, with 70, followed by China with 65.

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

Welcome to Everest 2021 Podcast coverage. This is Alan Arnette and I'll be posting updates throughout the season and on each weekend with a summary of what's happened and what to look for. The fast paced podcasts are a great way of keeping up with the action if you can't get to my blog at https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

As we aproach the Everest 2021 season, a bit of a change of pace for today's interview. I speak with Utah resident and Chicago born David Roskelly.

We talk about the Volcanic Seven Summits and the High Point on the Moon in a Tesla with Dave Roskelley is the only American to have climbed the Seven Summits (Messner list) AND the Volcanic Seven Summits, one of only 23 for the V7S and five for both versions of the 7S. We talk about the why, when, where, and how plus his next big project - to take a Tesla to the high point on the Moon!!!

Who else can you discuss summiting Mt. Everest and dodging polar bears with other than Ryan Waters, of Mountain Professionals?

I grabbed Ryan just before he left for Everest 2021. We talked about Everest, of course, and COVID, quarantine, and the confusion around photographs taking and sharing. But we also went into his polar trips to the North and South Poles and his encounters with Polar Bears!!! Scary stuff!!

An informative and inspirational interview with something for everyone. Enjoy!

You can follow his climb on his site. I will be covering Ryan and all the action on Everest this spring on my Blog.

It's rare to catch Maya Sherpa for an interview but I did as she was leaving for a double 8000-meter climb of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. She holds the record for most 8000ers for a Nepali female at 6 with Everest, Lhotse, Manaslu, Kanchcunga, Cho Oyu, and K2.

We talked out how a girl from rural Nepal broke into the male-dominated world of mountaineering, not only as a climber but also as a guide. She talked about her now 11-year-old daughter and how she wants to use their climbing to inspire others, especially this next generation of young ladies.

An informative and inspirational interview with something for everyone. Enjoy!

You can follow her climb on Facebook. I will be covering Maya and all the action on the 8000ers and Everest this spring on my Blog.

As I covered in a recent post, Everest 2021 is coming on soon. There are questions as to whether operators should run their programs at all. Many are moving forward but a few are not. I discuss the situation with Mark Gunlogson, Mountain Madness who has canceled his expedition from the Nepal side this spring. They are running a fundraiser with partners who will provide matching funds to support vaccinations in Nepal. We also explore MM's other trips around the world.

As I covered in a recent post, Everest 2021 is coming on soon. There are questions as to whether operators should run their programs at all. Many are moving forward but a few are not.  I discuss the situation with Adrian Ballinger, founder of Alpenglow Expeditions who has canceled his expedition from the Tibet side this spring. We also talk about the historic K2 Winter summit.

As I covered in a recent post, Everest 2021 is coming on soon. There are questions as to whether operators should run their programs at all. A few have canceled their Everest '21, but many, including Asian Trekking, are moving forward with confidence.  

Early reports suggest Nepal could issue well over 300 foreigner permits, high but under the record 382 in 2019. Also, it appears that COVD is slowing in Nepal, with over one-third of the population to be vaccinated by April.  

I discussed the situation with Dawa Steven Sherpa, Asian Trekking - CEO, which will run their EcoEverest expedition from the Nepal side this spring. We cover many topics from COVID in Nepal, Everest, trash, skydiving, and mountain biking plus K2.   

If you don't know who Asian Trekking is, let me give a brief intro. Established in 1982 by Ang Tshering Sherpa, his family had already been involved in mountain expeditions for many years. Ang Tshering's father, Konchok Chumbi Sherpa, was a friend of Sir Edmund Hillary and helped him prepare for Everest's ascent in 1953. Konchok Chumbi was also involved in the planning and supplied the porters and equipment for the 1963 American Everest Expedition. 

In 2007 Dawa Steven Sherpa, Ang Tshering's son took over the business deftly, leading the enterprise into the modern age of mountaineering. Dawa is no stranger to adventure with three Everest summits, plus summits on four other 8000ers. He completed the 3,000-mile Great Himalayan Trail in 99 days, is an avid skydiver, and recently rode his mountain bike from Kala Patar to Namche Bazaar! 

Dawa has overseen or personally led over 150 people to Everest's summit and championed massive trash cleanup operations throughout the Himalayas, especially Everest. He is also a climate change ambassador for WWF and patron of the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Nepal. His mother is from Belgium. Dawa grew up in Nepal with an international influence, speaking five languages. 

Note, I will be covering all the action on Everest this spring on my Blog.

It's not often I get to interview a former NFL player and an NFL Head Coach. In this sprawling interview with Mark Pattison and Jim Moro, we cover Mark's upcoming climb of Everest.   

Mark spent five years as an NFL player at the wide receiver position with the then, Los Angeles Raiders, LA Rams, and New Orleans Saints before becoming a very successful business person after football. Growing up in the Pacifica Northwest, he was surrounded by mountaineering legends like Whitaker and Viesturs so as he pondered a big, ambitious project, he focused on the Seven Summits. Now, with six of the seven completed, he will attempt Everest then Lhotse with Madison Mountaineering this spring. Mark has a very successful Podcast and raises money for many charities including Higher Ground on behalf of his daughter, Emilia, who has epilepsy.  

Jim Mora and Mark met in High School and have been close friends ever since. Jim is currently a college football analyst for Sports Illustrated and Fox Sports. For 25 years, he was a coach in the college ranks, including at UCLA, plus the NFL including stints as the Head Coach of the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks. Jim is helping his friend train for Everest from their respective homes in Idaho.

The Everest 2021 season is about a month away and operators are busy buying, packing, and preparing for a safe season. This year, only the Nepal side will be climbed since China closed their side due to COVID.  I reached out to Lukas Furtenbach, of Austrian-based Furtenbach Adventures to discuss the season. We covered a lot of topics but dug deeply into his impressive use of technology to keep his clients safe. We covered:  Preparing for the upcoming season Status climbing in Tibet this spring and autumn Furtenbach's COVID safety plans for EBC and high camps How you are using advanced technology altitude tents for pre-acclimatization oxygen delivery Biometric tracking You can follow their climb on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. I will be covering Lukas and all the action on Everest this spring on my Blog.

Part 11 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 33, 34, 35 and 36. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual.

Based on my 2020 Virtual Everest series, Everyday Everest follows a fictional team of nine climbers and their personal Sherpas from leaving home to trekking to base camp, acclimatizing, and finally, on their summit push, returning home. I'll have a twenty-minute episode a few times weekly for the next two months.

In Part 11, our protagonist, Harper, gets excited as Guide John Paul tells the team, "Good news, everyone. The first commercial team summited last night. The storm held off, and they threaded the needle. 20 Japanese members with 22 Climbing Sherpas. Japan has very strong climbers.”

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

Part 10 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 31 and 32. 

I'll continue my annual coverage as usual.

Based on my 2020 Virtual Everest series, Everyday Everest follows a fictional team of nine climbers and their personal Sherpas from leaving home to trekking to base camp, acclimatizing, and finally, on their summit push, returning home. I'll have a twenty-minute episode a few times weekly for the next two months.

In Part 10, our protagonist, Harper, takes the Lhotse Face, " Wanting to pass another climber, Harper makes eye contact with him. No words were spoken; only a nod was exchanged. Harper unclipped her 'biner while keeping the jumar attached. Harper reached around him to clip the 'biner back onto the rope ahead of him. He stood still not wanting to make any movement that might throw both of them off balance. Harper took a few small steps around him and reached back to unclip the jumar. Now successfully past, Harper reattached the jumar and continued climbing higher."

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

Part 9 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 28, 29 and 30. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual.

Based on my 2020 Virtual Everest series, Everyday Everest follows a fictional team of nine climbers and their personal Sherpas from leaving home to trekking to base camp, acclimatizing, and finally, on their summit push, returning home. I'll have a twenty-minute episode a few times weekly for the next two months.

In Part 9, our protagonist, Harper, and the team discuss what day they should target for their Everest summit, "Claudia smiled in admiration, "So, May 19th, it is!" Aaron dropped his head, deep in concentration. Dutch took center stage, "Today is May 2nd, so that's 17 days from now. We have to get back up to C2 then overnight at C3, and back here." Michael leaned in, "I think we need four days for the C3 rotation and at least six days for the summit push and return. That's ten days on the mountain, meaning we have seven days for rest and weather delays. Pretty tight."

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

This is the late April Everest 2024 Weekend Update. The headlines are significantly more positive than last weekend: Permits are a bit higher, which is good for the local economy but not so good for the mountain. The fixed ropes, aka the route, are all the way to Camp 2, thus opening the path for Sherpas to establish the upper camps and for clients to begin acclimatizing. #everest2024 Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2024/04/21/everest-2024-weekend-update-april-21-route-to-c2-permits-catch-up/

Part 8 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 25, 26 and 27. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual.

Based on my 2020 Virtual Everest series, Everyday Everest follows a fictional team of nine climbers and their personal Sherpas from leaving home to trekking to base camp, acclimatizing, and finally, on their summit push, returning home. I'll have a twenty-minute episode a few times weekly for the next two months.

In Part 8, our protagonist, Harper, and the team arrive at Camp 2 to continue acclimatization. The Mt. Everest Guides lead, John Paul, begins to explain how acclimatization works: "'Acclimatization' is a strange word that evokes many emotions. Fundamentally it means adapting the human body to an altitude where it was not designed to survive. Even though the percentage of oxygen in the air on Everest's summit is the same as on a beach in Rio, there are fewer molecules available to inhale. That's because there is less atmospheric pressure; thus, the oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide molecules spread out. It's the opposite of what a diver experiences with the pressure increasing as a diver goes deeper. Harper feels more weight, more pressure, whereas a climber has less available oxygen. That's why it's called 'thin air.’"

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything