Annual Everest Thread: Well they always told me getting high was dangerous.

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gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Dead Precedents posted:

When does the climbing season officially begin?

Most expeditions get to base camp in late March and summit attempts are in mid-May. Then the mountain shuts down in June/July for the monsoon, and there's another window for attempts in late August through September.

# ¿ Feb 6, 2016 23:02

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 11:48

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Bip Roberts posted:

The movie has especially good climbing scenes all filmed in the dark ages before modern climbing shoes allowed everyone to be spiderman.

One of the stuntman climbers was killed by rockfall during filming, it's legit.

# ¿ Feb 6, 2016 23:53

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Rondette posted:

I watched the Everest film recently (and actually FELL ASLEEP during the storm part) and I thought the real 'heroes' were the pilots who managed to fly a helicopter to an as unyet attempted height, at great risk to their own safety, to rescue an American guy who wanted something to tick off his bucket list.

IDK why mountaineering films rarely work- I suppose the main problem is that none of the people doing it (In the Everest film anyway) are doing it for any cause other than Ego. It's kinda hard to empathise and root for people in that situation. It's a shame it was such a disappointing film, I was really looking forward to it.

IRL the helicopter pilot made two flights up to Camp 2 - they flew out Makalu Gau in the first flight, a crippled Taiwanese climber who was left out of the movie, and Weather was on the second flight.

# ¿ Feb 7, 2016 21:29

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Jose posted:

Are there any good behind the scenes stuff of how things like ueli steck records get filmed?

since it probably fits with the thread alex honnold does some ridiculous stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn2tHcZEnF0

Most of the badass Ueli Steck videos are actually re-enactments. He goes out and does the climb in 3 hours or whatever with no cameras around, and then on a different day they just shoot film of him on some of the more cinematic spots. He's on the same route on the same mountain, but there's not the same time pressure, and they can do a take again and stuff like that.

Edit: Here's a "making of" for one of his more famous videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llb1pjUi-Cg

# ¿ Feb 7, 2016 22:38

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Himalayan Times reports that the ice doctors are returning to the Icefall to start working on the route:

quote:

Nepal�s experienced �ice doctors� were preparing today to return to Everest to ready the mountain for the upcoming climbing season, almost one year after a huge earthquake triggered a deadly avalanche.

Eight of the mountaineers and their support teams were performing prayers at the bottom of Everest before leaving for base camp to fix routes through a treacherous icefall for climbers, a top official said.

�Starting from March 7, the expert team will continue opening expedition routes and fix ladders and ropes for the upcoming season,� Nishan Shrestha, CEO of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, which manages the peak, told AFP.

Nepal is hoping the April-May season will see climbers return to the world�s highest peak, providing much-needed revenue to the impoverished country. Nepal has been hard hit by falling tourism following last April�s earthquake which killed nearly 9,000 people.

The quake triggered the April 25 avalanche which left 18 people dead at Everest base camp. It was the second in as many years after 16 Nepali guides lost their lives on the icefall in 2014, sparking a shutdown of the peak.

Ice doctors, highly-skilled mountaineers, are the first men on the peak every season, using ropes and ladders to build a route across plunging crevasses and constantly shifting ice, including the dangerous Khumbu icefall.

Some returned in September to prepare for the autumn season, when just a few climbers attempt the summit.

But they are needed again for the spring season when hundreds of climbers normally take advantage of good weather conditions on Mount Everest.

# ¿ Feb 29, 2016 21:35

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Jose posted:

So whats the most ridiculous climb of a mountain anyone has done? like K2 on a bad face during winter or something

No one has ever climbed K2 during winter. Nanga Parbat was just climbed in winter for the first time a few weeks ago, so now K2 is the only one left in winter. That Nanga Parbat climb is up there.

2005 Steve House and Vince Anderson on the Central Pillar of Nanga Parbat's Rupal Face is one of the greatest climbs ever - also 2013 Ueli Steck's solo of the South Face of Annapurna. The Piolet D'Or is an annual award to the best climbs of the year, this should give some suggestions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piolet_d%27Or

# ¿ Mar 1, 2016 23:23

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

hailthefish posted:

Yep, water has to be hauled in by yak

They have big stoves to melt snow. You have to find clean snow, but sherpas can do that.

# ¿ Mar 3, 2016 04:14

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Cartoon posted:

After two years of Everest hubris blue balls I hope we have a glorious return to form this year.

41 DEAD! Offer void if any are sherpas.

It should be considered whether or not global warming is making this less of an achievement. Longer windows for climbing, less ice (etc.). Not that it will stop a bunch of utterly oblivious privileged drop kicks from forming an orderly queue to be 'totally awesome forever'.

Rather than write a long analogy post, the people coming in and calling us monsters are exactly the people who are asking why goons are pissing down a well.

Global warming is making climbing harder - warmer temperatures mean more melting, which means more rockfall (the rocks are held in place by ice and when it melts, the rocks fall on climbers) and ice avalanches (same as rockfall but big chunks of ice). That's why so many alpine climbers start climbing pre-dawn even at low elevations - pre-dawn and in the morning, the day's sun hasn't yet melted the ice. Many gullies and faces are safe in the morning and rockfall deathtraps in the afternoon, and global warming makes that way worse by expanding the risk window.

# ¿ Mar 5, 2016 04:02

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Alan Smithee posted:

when is the drat climb? Everest, she needs blood to be satiated or else she will awaken and walk on two legs

Most groups get there right around end of March or beginning of April and attempt the summit in early-mid May. We've got a wait.

# ¿ Mar 6, 2016 05:38

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

smoobles posted:

I seriously don't have time to read this whole thread, so I'll just ask really quick: Which unprepared idiotbrain should I be most excited about dying this year?

Rondette posted:

Double edit-

TIM MEDVITZ IS GOING UP AGAIN

http://theheroesproject.org/the-founder/

# ¿ Mar 18, 2016 16:19

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

FrozenVent posted:

No way Nepal is going to give a permit to a 12 year old this year, they need a successful season so the rich idiots will start coming back.

Article says he wants to climb from the Tibet side, to the north.

# ¿ Apr 4, 2016 04:49

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Rondette posted:

Yeah I get the impression a lot of your sherpa's time on the mountain is spent melting snow to make tea for you.

# ¿ Apr 5, 2016 05:50

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Chinese government denied a permit to the 12 year old kid: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2016/04/12/yorba-linda-kid-denied-shot-at-climbing-mount-everest/

# ¿ Apr 16, 2016 06:04

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

webmeister posted:

It's been ages since I've watched Ever-rest-rest-rest-rest but Medvetz came off okay from what I remember? IIRC most of the stupid poo poo was producers lionising him for knowing Hollywood people (biker builder to the STARS).

Obviously he was underprepared and blithely assumed willpower would make up for shortcomings in ability, but I think that describes the majority of people who attempt Everest.

He comes off particularly badly on summit day because they have so much footage of him to show - again and again, Brice tells him to start descending and Tim insists he can still make it even though he obviously can't move, and then when he does start descending, he just sits down over and over while the sherpa screams at him to keep moving. That happens to many people on the mountain, and it looks like Gerard is a worse client than Tim even just within the HimEx group, but they have so much Tim footage that they really shove it in your face.

# ¿ Apr 19, 2016 01:37

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Beastie posted:

It's not in the OP but when does climbing usually start?

Alan Arnette reports that acclimatization climbs to Camps 1 and 2 are already underway.

# ¿ Apr 26, 2016 14:58

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

In other Himalayan news, Shishapangma struck early - three guys fell in a crevasse and two of them died. The crevasse was snowed over and they were just sitting on it, eating lunch or something, when the snow bridge went.

Also several people including a 77 year old summitted Annapurna in the past couple days.

# ¿ May 2, 2016 04:13

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

The Eiger Sanction movie already covered murdering on the mountain better than anything else could.

# ¿ May 3, 2016 01:59

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Alan Arnette's Everest update for the day is titled stampede for the summit. Crowded weekend at the summit isn't necessarily a great sign.

quote:

With a narrow summit window opening, many teams are rushing to make their summit bid while many veterans are content to wait this one out. In spite of the warm temps at Everest Base Camp, the summit conditions can be deadly and a few more days can make all the difference in conditions. There are two currently anticipated summit windows: May 14-16 and May 19-20, with more to come to be sure.

Summit Chess
South African Ronnie Muhl�s Adventures Global, Seattle�s Garrett Madison�s Madison Mountaineering and the Jagged Globe team are all reported to be pushing towards the top. There are many other smaller teams hoping to draft off these efforts so we may see upwards of 100 people on this first push of the season.

As this chart shows, we are approaching the sweet spot of summit days with May 18th being the top day historically.

Timing is always a chess game for the climbers � some believe early will beat the crowds, but others will just wait and let the eager ones go first. I always found it interesting that Dave Hahn who has 15 summits and is not on Everest this year, was consistently one of the last people to summit each year. What did Dave know?

The ropes are now fixed just below the Balcony at 27,500�/8348m on the Nepal side and near 27,000�/8230m on the Tibet side. The Sherpas will fix to the summit over the next few days most likely as the teams follow them closely behind � a dangerous strategy if something goes awry with the rope fixing. You may get stalled or forced to retreat and use precious energy waiting at the South Col.

Its Always Something
Again, the season is progressing nicely with little drama � and that is a great thing!! But on Everest there is always something and I guess if one needs to find something to complain about it is the speed of the Sherpas fixing the ropes to the summit. Several small operators have made it the center piece of their Facebook and blog posts that they are being inconvenienced and delayed by rope fixers � Meanwhile other guides proudly declare that �our Sherpas have fixed the ropes ��

For the record, IMG notes that Sherpas from these teams are fixing the lies: Altitude Junkies, Icelandic, Summit Climb, Himalayan Holidays, 7 Summits, Alpine Ascents, Happy Feet, Satori, Jagged Globe, Adventure Consultants, Asian Trek, Ascent Himalaya, Himex, Madison, Arun Trek, 7 Summits, Himalayan Expeditions, and IMG. That is 18 of the 34 teams on Everest this year.

Climbers Caught in Snow Avalanche
The two Slovakia climbers aiming to summit via the rarely climbed South West Face were caught in a snow avalanche while climbing just after the recent heavy snowfall. The Himalayan reports one climber is injured and needs rescue but helicopters have been stopped by bad weather.

Note this is NOT the normal Southeast Ridge route even thou they ascend from just above Camp 2 in the Western Cwm. The climbers are Vladim�r �trba and Zolt�n P�l. They are the only climbers on Everest this year not using one of the two normal routes.

Illness Takes Toll
I�ve commented on this before but it is worth repeating that many teams have lost multiple members. Madison Mountaineering says they have seen 3 of their 9 members leave due to medical reasons. Of course, I left our Altitude Junkies team with a upper respiratory infection. TA Loffler is in Kathmandu with HAPE, Furtenbach Adventures lost one of their seven members early on, Summit Climb lost a couple as have IMG and Himex and the list goes on and on.

From what I can determine, none of these are a result of poor hygiene or any issue with how the expedition is being run but rather the result of altitude, �normal� illness or just bad luck. In any event, the remaining climbers have been reduced from 289 to somewhere in the 225 range making the mountain a bit less crowded.

Since 2000 according to the Himalayan Database, the typical member summit success rate is around 56% for members (foreigners, not Sherpas) who reach base camp: 1,728 summits for 3,624 who reached base camp on the Nepal side. The last time we saw member summit numbers under 100 from the Nepal side was in 2006 with 88 member summits. The most for both sides, members plus Sherpas, was in 2007 at 632 .

# ¿ May 10, 2016 20:30

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Sounds like Friday morning summit attempts were largely successful:

quote:

http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2016/05/12/everestlhotse-2016-2nd-summit-wave-success/

After a few individuals, three foreigners and three Sherpas summited just after nine Sherpas fixed the route to the summit, the first commercial teams are seeing success on Friday morning, May 13, 2016

Himex sent their entire team up and are reporting that all six have summited along with at least that many Himex Sherpas. They had 5 members climbing, plus 1 guide and at least 6 Sherpas.

Jagged Globe has at least two climbers on the summit around 9:30 am local time. They were near the South Summit just past 8:00 am. They had four members plus at least that many Sherpas

At this point, the climbers are both elated and exhausted. Most arrived in the full light of the morning sun after climbing for 8 to 12 hours, mostly in the dark.

There will be hugs, smiles and definitely tears. Hopefully, no one forgot their cameras as selfies and poses with their Sherpa will be in order. The Sherpas will take a lot of pictures including of themselves. These days, the Nepal Ministry ask for a full picture from head to toe with your eyes and face showing to grant you a summit certificate.

In respect for the mountain, most people will not stand on the very top as that is where Miyolangsangma,the Tibetan Buddhist goddess lives.

Congratulations to all and safe climb back to camps.

# ¿ May 13, 2016 06:31

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Today's update from Alan Arnette - Fast Summit Start Slows with Wind

quote:

Gambling that the current high winds will let up during the summit climb, multiple climbers and at least one team, Adventure Global are on their push to summit Everest. Most teams however are looking at topping out on the 18th or 19th of May.

Fast Start to the Season
After a fast start to the season with an impressive team of Sherpas fixing the ropes to the summit on May 11th, a couple of high profile climbers who were under the radar at base camp, made a stealth climb to summit on the heels of the Sherpas to claim first foreigner summit status.

What I called Summit Wave 1, on May 12th, the UK�s Kenton Cool got his 12th summit while guiding client Robert Richard Lucas. Sherpa Guides Pemba Bhote and Dorchi Gyalzen summited with them. 13 minutes later, Mexican climber David Liano Gonzalez and Pasang Rita Sherpa also summited. This was Liano�s fifth summit and he was planning on not using supplemental oxygen.

Next was Wave 2, when targeting a very short weather window, climbers from Himalayan Experience (Himex), Jagged Globe and Asian Trekking pushed thru high winds and some felt, deep snow, to put 25 people on the summit on May 13th. All climbers are reported to be back at either Camp 2 or Base Camp.

Today, Wave 3, May 14th more climbers are fighting high winds as they move towards the summit. I will post an update on their status when more information is available.

Summit Conditions
It takes about seven days from Everest Base Camp on the Nepal side to reach the summit and back: climb to Camp 2 and spend 2 nights, climb to Camp 3 and spend a night, then climb to South Col and leave that same day for the summit, hopefully summit early the next morning and return to South Col or Camp 2 and finally return to base camp.

Climbers can tolerate poor weather on the first and last couple of days but for the summit push, they need winds lower than 30 mph/48 kph. Wind speeds higher than that can easily result in frostbite or worse. Lite snow is acceptable but when combined with high winds can create dangerous blizzard conditions and even following a fixed rope, can result in climbers getting lost or going too slowly to summit and using up all their supplemental oxygen.

Going too slowly and not turning around is one of the largest contributors to death while on the summit push.

Finally a condition called hoar frost can create dangerous conditions when the humidity from air, or even from climbers, crystallizes creating a thin layer of ice on surfaces, including a climber�s down suit, making everything look like an ice sculpture, obscuring visibility and creating cold conditions. This happened to several teams in 2012 on their summit push forcing most to retreat.

Most reputable teams buy a weather forecast from sources like Michael Fagin in Seattle, Meteotest in Switzerland or freelance sources like Chris Tomer in Denver. These provide guidance as to incoming fronts and wind speeds. Other teams �draft� off the larger well established teams saving a tiny amount of money relative to the overall expense but increasing their risks., not to mention poor style.

Tibet
As of this post, the ropes have not been set to the summit by the Chinese on the Tibet side. This has stalled most summit plans. Seven Summits Club made an attempt but stopped lacking fixed ropes and poor weather conditions a few days ago.

Meanwhile there are climbers above the North Col, mostly those acclimatizing while attempting to climb without supplemental oxygen, but there have been no summits in 2016 thus far. I expect to see a massive push once the ropes are in and a good weather window emerges, perhaps as soon as May 18/19, similar to the south.

Normal Season
As I have been saying for a few weeks now, Everest 2016 continues to behave like a �normal� season down to the weather conditions. Also as noted, there have been warm temps at base camp but these warm conditions have not had a serious impact on the upper mountain and in fact, the snow conditions are more like a cold season up high with a layer snow at the South Col which is usually barren rock.

With at least another 200 foreigners and that many Sherpas still waiting for their summit opportunity, the hope is for several days of low winds. This will allow teams to spread out and reduce potential crowds.

My sincere hopes for a continued safe season for all.

# ¿ May 14, 2016 19:49

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Dude on twitter says high winds destroyed camp 4 at the South Col, he claims some teams are going down and some still back up.

quote:

#Everest C4 #SouthCol destroyed: wind. Most tents broken. Groups flee. Our team 1 survive bad nite in torn tents. Try summit 2nite.

# ¿ May 17, 2016 17:49

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

EngineerJoe posted:

No idea... Do you head back to the 8300 camp once you summit? Or does 'going back' imply he had to give up?

Edit: Ok, so Adrian did turn around because of cold and he's on O2 now. Corey is still going at it:

The other guy Cory made it to the summit and is back safely at the high camp. https://twitter.com/alpenglowexp/status/734914367527911424 https://twitter.com/alpenglowexp/status/734954824333025280

# ¿ May 24, 2016 05:13

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

zedprime posted:

Well making GBS threads in your hand isn't really an option because most accounts say if anything is coming out of your butt on a climb its going to be watery. I sincerely doubt anyone is dropping trou outside a tent so you poop into something or you paint the walls.

You poop in special plastic bags. They have chemicals in the bag that help control the odor and decompose the poop super quickly. https://www.rei.com/product/662978/cleanwaste-wag-bag-waste-bags-package-of-12

# ¿ May 27, 2016 18:49

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Tuxedo Gin posted:

May is the official window, so this year's season is basically over. Snowstorms from summer monsoons will start any day now and make it nearly impossible to summit.

There's a fall window in September after the summer monsoon and before the winter, but usually only a few people attempt it then, these are the busy days right now.

# ¿ May 28, 2016 00:01

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

First death of the Karakoram summer season in Pakistan - https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1034599923289067&id=100002172082389&pnref=story

quote:

It should have been a dream, almost too good to be true. One of those that provide a thousand emotions and memories that last a lifetime. But yesterday the coveted first ski descent of Laila Peak in Pakistan transformed into an absolute tragedy: during the descent the 27-year-old alpinist Leonardo Comelli fell to his death while skiing close to the other members of the expedition Carlo Cosi, Zeno Cecon and Enrico Mosetti.

The four members of this small but experienced Italian expedition reached Pakistan�s Karakoram range in late May in order to attempt the first ski descent of the NW Face of Laila Peak, a stunning 1500m ramp previously attempted, unsuccessfully, by other expeditions. After setting up their advanced base camp at 5350m the four made their push towards the 6096m high summit, but turned back circa 150m below the top as snow conditions at altitude weren�t ideal.

According to preliminary reports, during a traverse Comelli crossed his skis, lost his balance and fell circa 400m down steep mixed terrain. The other members of the expedition could do nothing more than retrieve the body, transport it to a safer place and raise the alarm.

# ¿ Jun 15, 2016 23:22

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

mcustic posted:

That film has superb cinematography and believable climbing. Another good tip is the old thriller Eiger Sanction.

A guy actually died filming climbing scenes on Eiger Sanction, I think it might have even been like the second day of filming, and several other guys got serious injuries. It was shot on location on the Eiger and that's not a bullshit location. Eastwood did his own stunts of course. It's an excellent movie, it is super 70s though.

# ¿ Jul 17, 2016 01:56

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

That Japanese dude Nobukazu Kuriki who has tried to climb Everest solo and without oxygen every fall for the past six years has tried and failed yet again this year. Kudos to him for not giving up on the dream I guess but he's lost nine of his fingers by now and at some point you got to wonder about it.

# ¿ Oct 7, 2016 03:07

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Epitope posted:

I just watched Meru. It was ok, definitely no Touching The Void. The thing that struck me at the end was the dude whose just had his head smashed a few months ago and still manages to put up an incredible first ascent- he's still feeling like it's charity that they let him come. I guess it kinda was, those two have enough clout they could pull any elite mountaineer they wanted?

For those kind of small climbing teams, each guy is trusting the others with their life. If it was your life on the line would you want your partner to be a perfectly healthy and fit guy or a guy with a serious spinal injury who was nearly not able to walk and ends up having a stroke on the route?

# ¿ Feb 14, 2017 03:19

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Mr. Funny Pants posted:

Maybe my memory is off, but it seems like that expedition was like the opposite of every other, "Looking for something lost a long time ago," documentaries. They always find the thing they are looking for at the last moment, but with that trip, my memory is like, "Ok, let's get started -- hey look, there's a body." And it was Mallory's.

IIRC they also wanted to test if Mallory could actually have climbed the Second Step, so during the climb they unbolted the ladder from the mountain and had Conrad Anker climb it free to get his take on how hard it actually was and whether Mallory would have had a chance.

# ¿ Feb 20, 2017 23:17

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Okuyasu Nijimura posted:

In his book, I'd gotten the takeaway that Anker ultimately seemed to be more sure that free-climbing the second step was improbable for Mallory? Though improbable doesn't mean impossible so it's not like the conjecture is totally off.

Most people who have climbed the second step without the ladder have graded it around 5.8-5.9. Mallory is known to have climbed up to 5.9 on rock before, Irvine up to 5.7. So if Mallory and/or Irvine did climb the step, it would be among the hardest rock climbs of their lives before even taking the altitude into account.

# ¿ Mar 16, 2017 06:13

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

extra stout posted:

What about this guy Wim Hof who climbed Everest in nothing but shoes and shorts and will do it again with no air in his lungs?

He didn't climb to the summit, he went to 22,000 feet. That's impressive but it's not climbing Everest and it's something hardly anyone would use oxygen for.

# ¿ Mar 28, 2017 13:53

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Anya posted:

Steck is back? Is he going for the speed record or just trying to do a double summit?

Double summit of Everest and Lhotse and doing the attempt on Everest via the difficult West Ridge route that Tom Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld did in 1963. Apparently Ueli has a permit for a third mountain as well - he hasn't said which, but it's been speculated that his permit is for Nuptse and he may attempt the first ascent of an Everest-Lhotse-Nuptse traverse.

gohuskies fucked around with this message at 06:02 on Apr 11, 2017

# ¿ Apr 11, 2017 00:01

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Picnic Princess posted:

EverestNoFilter guys have been running into more trouble. One of their sherpas was feeling sick and then Cory was having health problems too and skipped an acclimatization day hike. The mountain is also being absolutely blasted with high winds so I doubt anyone has been attempting the summit the last few days even though it's sunny and clear for the most part.

It's not even May, it's way early.

# ¿ Apr 27, 2017 05:39

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Here's a link to the video of Ueli on the Eiger in 2008, a great alpinism video and what got him on a lot of people's radars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a0X9rdJ7hc

That bit at 2:15 where he's nearly running up the snowfield is very inspirational to me.

# ¿ Apr 30, 2017 19:26

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Epitope posted:

Surprised to find myself feeling angry. Sorry for using it as an opportunity to soap box, can't help myself. Why high altitude? It's like making a video game harder by just lowering your hitpoints. No creativity. Waste of incredible talent

People who want to do the hardest possible climbs want that added challenge of high altitude. And while Ueli's death is a terrible tragedy, there was absolutely creativity in his project. The West Ridge route he was planning on was extremely difficult and historic in nature, and linking it up over the mountain and traversing to Lhotse was a visionary line that would have been among the great high altitude climbs ever done if completed. It wasn't like he was just another dude trudging up the South Col route.

barbecue at the folks posted:

poo poo, this year is off to a grim start. I just remembered the thread a couple of days ago and then I read about Ueli on the paper today. Really, I guess with people who have the Summit Fever it's bound to happen at some point, but still

This wasn't a summit fever kind of situation like most climbers where he pushed himself too hard and too far, got caught out overnight and died of exposure and altitude. He was on an acclimatization climb on Nuptse, climbing solo and unroped on a technical route, and he slipped and fell. It's a chance you take when you climb in that style, not summit fever.

# ¿ May 1, 2017 14:05

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Grumio posted:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/09/sports/polish-climbers-to-scale-deadly-k2-peak-in-winter.html

Surely this will go well

This is a fantastic story, I'm really impressed. Great coverage of the winter challenges, the history of Polish winter mountaineering, good photos, really strong package put together on a subject that really doesn't get much good press attention. Glad NYT did this story. It's awesome.

# ¿ May 10, 2017 03:14

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

CommunistPancake posted:

I thought Annapurna was the deadliest mountain?

Annapurna is deadly because it avalanches like crazy, which adds to the risk but not really to the technical difficulty. The standard routes on K2 have more difficult climbing than the standard routes on Annapurna, and K2 goes to a higher elevation. K2 also has worse weather, which is a much bigger deal in winter.

# ¿ May 10, 2017 05:42

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Wasabi the J posted:

Some of the faces in 8 thousanders are literally hundreds of meters high, so you'd need at least a few hundred meters of rope.

Think about how much that weighs. There's a reason Porter's and Sherpas set ropes for weeks before the season really starts.

No, you just do multiple rappels from anchor point to anchor point. People do this all the time on multi-pitch routes - you set an anchor, rappel down to the next anchor point, build a new anchor there, pull down your rope, set up a new rappel, and so forth on down. It's a basic part of multi-pitch climbing, people rappel routes thousands of feet long with one (or more often two) 60-70 meter ropes all the time.

# ¿ May 14, 2017 19:36

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Josef K. Sourdust posted:

How come CO1 deaths haven't been a thing before? Is it because people have been using different kinds of stoves before or is it that tents have got more airtight?

Most people know about the issue of CO poisoning and run their stoves outside the tent or take steps to ensure there's some kind of ventilation happening. These guys apparently didn't.

# ¿ May 25, 2017 21:26

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 11:48

gohuskies: Oct 23, 2010; I spend a lot of time making posts to justify why I'm not a self centered shithead that just wants to act like COVID isn't a thing.

Sounds like the story of the four dead climbers in their tent may have been bogus? Instead of four bodies, it's now being reported that four different people may have just seen one body and misinformation got out.

quote:

The same people that reported 4 bodies � 2 Sherpas, 1 foreign woman and 1 foreign male � were found at the South Col now say they got it all wrong.

I spoke live with both key sources last night.

Managing Director at Seven Summit Treks, Mingma Sherpa, who provided the the information to Himalayan Times reporter Rajan Pokhrel who wrote the story. Both now say it was a mistake and were no 4 new bodies.

I also confirmed with another Nepali operator Navin Trital plus long time Everest climber and guide, Willie Benegas of Benegas Brothers contacted me from the South Col and said no new bodies. He said he checked every tent.

# ¿ May 27, 2017 00:19

The Something Awful Forums > Archives > General Bullshit > Annual Everest Thread: Well they always told me getting high was dangerous.

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