I’ve completed the postcards to my contributors. They will go down to Kathmandu ASAP. I can’t guarantee if you’ll get them, or when. But I tried! Once again, thanks for your support.
*** Big winds: Yesterday morning (4/26) I got up at BC and was surprised to see clouds in the sky. I was even more surprised to look up at Everest and see the clouds tearing across the summit. A bit later we got a radio call: our C2/ABC dining tent was fatally wounded, the toilet tent was down, and most folks were collapsing the sleeping tents, piling rocks on top, and heading for BC.
I haven’t seen the actual forecast yet but we think there are high winds expected for 2-3 more days. If so, this might delay my departure from BC a day or two. More on that in a future post.
Also, I hear that the BBC is reporting collapses in the Icefall. Yes, this is true, but it happens every year. I’m sure they picked it up from a web site looking to dramatize the situation. It’s normal, it deserves respect, but it’s part of the climbing game. See my previous post if you haven’t already.
*** Everest ISO 9002 certified!
Not really, but we’re probably getting there. Let’s think about two alternatives:
Suppose a single group of experienced climbers was ascending the South Col route. They would need to make a limited number of trips up the route and (being experienced) would need few fixed ropes. No ropes would be installed above the South Col on the way to the summit.
Now take the current situation: lots of groups, many clients with limited climbing experience. From the perspective of the commercial operators, there are two concerns: minimizing slowdowns on the route, and ensuring the safety of your clients. Inexperienced clients will need more fixed ropes than experienced climbers. Crowding can be reduced by having a set of ‘up’ ropes and a set of ‘down’ ropes to make a two-lane road.
So what’s the situation this year on Everest? So far, one operator requested that a ladder be put on the Hillary Step (the steep bit just below the summit). Another operator wanted ladders on the steep bit at the bottom of the Lhotse Face. Both requests are a consequence of the inexperience of their members. While placing these ladders might speed things up for all of us, it also continues the degradation of the route to a level which requires little or no climbing skill. There will be no ladder on the Hillary Step; I don’t think they’ll be a ladder at the base of the Lhotse Face.
However, there will be over 3000 meters (2 miles) of rope placed from the South Col (7900m) to the summit. You will clip into the line as you leave your tent at C4 and go to the summit. There will be two ropes (up and down) on the Hillary Step; this is an excellent idea, but the down rope will require some skill to safely use.
One operator asked that additional ropes be installed between C1 and C2. This was because a person could get hurt if they happened to trip over their feet on almost flat ground.
There is a plan to install expansion bolts in the Yellow Band (Lhotse Face) to improve the safety of the ropes
To summarize, we have: Continuous rope through the Icefall with some up and down double sections (all a good idea) Rope between C1 and C2 where a stumble might be dangerous Two or three sets of rope from the bottom of the Lhotse Face to the South Col (in current icy conditions, a good idea) Continuous rope from 7900m to 8848m (summit)
If we project forward a few years, it’s conceivable that the risks to clients will be almost completely removed, and Everest can receive it’s ISO certification–just like Space Mountain at Disneyland. From a business perspective, this makes great sense: minimize risk, maximize your client base. From a climber’s perspective–risk is part of climbing. Too much risk is stupid (like soloing unroped through the Icefall at night without a headlamp). Too little risk reduces the magnitude of the achievement.
As I’ve said before, any achievement is personal. If getting to the top by any means is your goal, so be it. I won’t criticize you. Just be aware that your not doing the same thing as Hillary, Tenzing, Messner, Habeler, Haston, Scott, etc. etc. (and neither am I).
Climbing as a sport is about HOW you get to the top, not about getting to the top.
The Western Cwm and the Lhotse Face. C2/ABC is just left of the Sherpa at 6400m. The route up the face is indicated by the line, and C3 by the black dot. South Col is out of sight center left.