Into Thin AirInto Thin Air

Downside to climbingDownside to climbing

Trash, especially from abandoned equipment like oxygen cylinders, is a huge problem at Mount Everest. Here Appa Sherpa, who has climbed Everest 11 times, looks at some cylinders collected by the Nepalese government.

Where is Mt. Everest?Where is Mt. Everest?

Hillary and NorgayHillary and Norgay

Hillary's boots he used to summit Hillary's boots he used to summit Everest.Everest.

Contemporary climbing Contemporary climbing equipmentequipment

Oxygen or not?Oxygen or not?

As most of you know, the mountaineering community has no official source of As most of you know, the mountaineering community has no official source of records. Summits are recorded in general without proof. In some cases records. Summits are recorded in general without proof. In some cases climbers have been given credit for summits they did not achieve. Today, the climbers have been given credit for summits they did not achieve. Today, the burden of proof is usually to show someone did not summit. In George burden of proof is usually to show someone did not summit. In George Mallory's case the burden of proof will be on evidence; evidence we believe, Mallory's case the burden of proof will be on evidence; evidence we believe, that needs to be found high on Everest, not in the form of a picture from a that needs to be found high on Everest, not in the form of a picture from a camera that Sandy may or may not have been carrying. Several Everest camera that Sandy may or may not have been carrying. Several Everest Summiters, believe George Mallory summited Mt Everest, but a belief is not Summiters, believe George Mallory summited Mt Everest, but a belief is not evidence.evidence.

KrakauerKrakauer

EVEREST FACTSEVEREST FACTS • Age of Everest: Everest was formed about 60 million

years ago • Elevation: 29,035 (8850m)-found to be 6' higher in 1999• Name in Nepal: Sagarmatha (means: goddess of the

sky)• In Tibet: Chomolungma: (means: mother goddess of the

universe)• Named after: Sir George Everest in 1865, the British

surveyor-general of India. Once known as Peak 15.• Location: Latitude 27° 59' N.....Longitude 86° 56' E. Its

summit ridge separates Nepal and Tibet.• First Ascent: May 29,1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary, NZ

and Tenzing Norgay, NP, via the South Col Route.

• First winter Ascent: Feb. 17,1980 -L.Cichy and K. Wielicki, POL• First Ascent by an American: May 1,1963, James Whittaker, via the

South-Col• Mt. Everest rises a few millimeters each year due to geological forces

Everest Name: Sir George Everest was the first person to record the height and location of Mt. Everest, this is where Mt."Everest“ received its name.

• First Ascent by a Woman: May 16,1975, Junko Tabei, JAP, via the South-Col

• First Ascent by an American Woman: Sep.29,1988, Stacey Allison, Portland, OR via the South-East Ridge

• First Oxygenless Ascent: May 8, 1978- Reinhold Messner, IT, and Peter Habeler, AUT, via the South-East Ridge

• First woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest from both north & south sides: Cathy O'Dowd (S.A.) South May 25,1996/North '99

• Fastest Ascent from South: Babu Chhiri Sherpa 34, NP-16 hours and 56 minutes (5-21-2000)

• Fastest Ascent (north side): Hans Kammerlander (IT) May,24,1996, via the standard North Col Ridge Route, 16 hours 45 minutes from base camp

• Youngest person: Temba Tsheri (NP) 15 on May,22,2001• Oldest Person: Sherman Bull May,25,2001 -64 yrs • First Legally Blind Person: Erik Weihenmeyer May,25,2001 • Most Ascents: Eleven, 24th May 2000 Appa Sherpa became the first

person to climb Everest 11 times-Ten, Ang Rita Sherpa, Babu Chiri Sherpa all ascents were oxygen-less.

• Best and Worst Years on Everest: 1993, 129 summitted and eight died (a ratio of 16:1); in 1996, 98 summitted and 15 died (a ratio of 6½:1)

• Highest cause of death: Avalanches-about a (2:1) ratio over falls• Country with most deaths on mountain: Nepal-46 • Most dangerous area on mountain: Khumbu Ice Fall-19 deaths• First ski descent: Davo Karnicar (Slovenia) 10-7-2000• Last year without ascent: 1974• Corpses remaining on Everest: about 120• Longest stay on top: Babu Chiri Sherpa stayed at the summit full 21

hours.• Largest team: In 1975, China tackled Everest with a 410-member

team.• Fastest descent: In 1988, Jean-Marc Boivin of France descended from

the top in just 11 minutes, paragliding.• Only climber to climb all 4 sides of Everest: Kushang Sherpa, now

an instructor with Himalayan Mountaineering Institute• First person to hike from sea level to summit, no oxygen.: 11th May

1990,Tim MaCartney-Snape, Australian • Largest number to reach the top in one day: 40, on May 10, 1993 • First person to summit Everest twice: Nawang Gombu-Nepal (once

with Whitaker in '63,and again two years later in '65) Gombu now works for the Himalayan mountaineering institute.

• http://panoramas.dk/fullscreen2/full22.html

Brief gear listBrief gear list

• Partial Equipment list info: Here is a brief incomplete list for you. Minus the Climbing gear

• 6-pairs socks • 6-underwear • 2-pairs of shorts for the walk in • 3-T-shirts for the walk in • 2-bandanas or a sun hat to keep off the sun • Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen plus zinc • Good sturdy hiking shoes • 1-sleeping bag (as warm as you can get) • 1-sleeping pad (your choice the more comfortable you are the better

you sleep the more energy you will have) you can get a Crazy Creek chair that goes with your pad this is a good investment.

• 2-expedition weight Patagonia long underwear tops (or 1 depends on how dirty you like to be)

• 1-expedition weight Patagonia long underwear bottom

• 1 lightweight fleece bottom • 1-heavy weight Patagonia or similar fleece jacket • 1-Gortex shell jacket • 1-Gortex shell pants (full length zippers) • 1-Down filled jacket liner from Feathered Friends of Seattle, (optional but I always end up using

it) • 1-D own filled Gortex guides Parka 1-Warm hat with ear flaps • 2-pairs of heavy duty mittens (in case you lose one pair up high) • 1-pair fleece gloves 1-pair ski gloves • 1-pair of Koflach double plastic boots, One Sport (much warmer)($$$) or Asolo (I prefer Koflach, I

find them more comfortable) • 1-pair of gaitors (Super Gators) • 1-pair ski poles • 1-ice axe • 1-pair of sharp crampons (test them on your boots before you leave and make sure they fit

perfectly) • 1-headlamp with extra batteries a 2 bulbs • 1-cup with spoon attached • 1-Swissarmy knife • 1- stove of your choice (I use Markhill stormy hanging stone with Blueway cartridges, you will

have to get fuel in Nepal as it is difficult to fly over) Allow at least 1 canister per day for up high per 2-man tent.

• 1-4 tents one set up at base camp. one at camp 1, and another 2 for higher up. 3-1-litre waterbottles with insulators (drink at LEAST 5 litres a day to help acclimatize)

It's their mountain, and ever since tourists started pouring in, it's their livelihood too. Apa Sherpa It's their mountain, and ever since tourists started pouring in, it's their livelihood too. Apa Sherpa

from a small village climbed successful ly 13 times the top of Mt. Everest. World record!from a small village climbed successful ly 13 times the top of Mt. Everest. World record!

SherpasSherpas

Rob HallRob Hall

Scott FischerScott Fischer

Everest at sunsetEverest at sunset

KathmanduKathmandu

LuklaLukla

Phakding—Page 41Phakding—Page 41

Endless moraines of Khumbu Endless moraines of Khumbu valley valley

A peek inside a Sherpa tea house. A peek inside a Sherpa tea house. A monk in Dingboche takes a break A monk in Dingboche takes a break

from his prayers to pose from his prayers to pose

Our camp at Tengboche,...  Our camp at Tengboche,... 

Expeditions acclimatizing in Expeditions acclimatizing in Tengboche Tengboche

The source of the Khumbu Glacier, which is the “highway to the summit.”The source of the Khumbu Glacier, which is the “highway to the summit.”

P.53P.53

Ice FallIce Fall

Ice FallIce Fall

The seracs of the Khumbu ice fall. The seracs of the Khumbu ice fall.

West shoulder of Everest and the West shoulder of Everest and the Khumbu Icefall

A view of Everest southeast ridge base camp. The A view of Everest southeast ridge base camp. The Khumbu Icefall can be seen can be seen in the left. In the center are the remains of a helicopter that crashed in 2003.in the left. In the center are the remains of a helicopter that crashed in 2003.

Camp three!Camp three!

Lhotse FaceLhotse Face

Everest's North Col 7000m.... Everest's North Col 7000m....

Technical ClimbingTechnical Climbing

Route from Camps 2 to 3 up the Lhotse Face, acrossRoute from Camps 2 to 3 up the Lhotse Face, acrossthe yellow band and up the Geneva Spur to the South Col. Get an idea the yellow band and up the Geneva Spur to the South Col. Get an idea

of the scale with the climbers just to the right of the blue line at the of the scale with the climbers just to the right of the blue line at the

bottom of the page.bottom of the page.