Alan Arnette Answers Common Questions About Everest for 2017

The spring climbing season on Everest is still two months off, but as I write this there are hundreds of climbers around the world who are preparing to leave for the Himalaya in a few short weeks. While they still have plenty of time to get ready, there is always lots of gear to buy and organize, training to conduct, and daily affairs to get in order before leaving for Base Camp for two months. It is a busy, hectic, and exciting time for many of them, with a major challenge looming on the horizon.

Awhile back, mountaineering blogger Alan Arnette posted a Personal Letter to Everest climbers for 2017, in which he posed some serious questions for them to think about before they go. In that letter, Alan urged anyone who was considering making the climb to think long and hard about whether or not they were ready for such a challenge, as he pointed out that most of the deaths on the mountain since 2000 were due to lack of experience. As a follow up to that post, Alan – who has been on Everest numerous times – answered the very questions he posed, providing some insight into what you should know before you go.

One of the most common questions that people have is how high should they have climbed previously before trying Everest. Alan says that it depends on the person of course, but he recommends having at least one other 8000 meter peak under your belt before heading to the Big Hill. But, that is just one of many very specific questions on this list, which includes Alan's thoughts on regulating the flow of oxygen on the way to the summit, what kind of foods you should eat while on the expedition, how long to give fresh snow a chance to settle before moving up, and more. The blog post talks acclimatization strategy, physical conditioning, dealing with fatigue, and lots of other issues that climbers deal with on Everest.

This is one of those blog posts that provides a ton of insight from someone who has been on the mountain. While you can often read about the experience, or even watch it unfold in videos and movies, it is hard to pick up these pearls of wisdom from those sources. The questions and answers that Alan provides are useful on a different level, sometimes addressing minute details that are only learned through years of experience. That makes this an interesting read for those of us who follow the Everest climbing scene closely.

To read those insights for yourself, click here.

More Photos Emerge of Uncontacted Tribe in Brazil

A few weeks back I posted a story that shared new photos of an uncontacted tribe living deep in the Brazilian rainforest. Those images were taken by an aerial reconnaissance plane that flew over the site where the tribe lives in an effort to gauge how well they were doing in a part of the world that is becoming increasingly threatened by outside forces. Surprisingly, observers found that the tribe was not only faring quite well, but was actually thriving, with new members being added since the last survey. Now, more images have been revealed and they are just as fascinating as the first.

National Geographic has posted an exclusive gallery of photos that were shot just last week that give us a rare and interesting look into the way of life that these tribesmen have followed for hundreds of years. The images were taken by a low-flying helicopter, which allowed photographer Ricardo Stuckert to get some unique shots from a safe distance. The photos were taken near Brazil's border with Peru, and offer insights into how they paint their bodies, cut their hair, and more. It is the first time that we've had such a close look at these people.

The image gallery is indeed a fascinating one for anyone who shares my interest in the lives of these uncontacted tribes. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I think that it is amazing that these people can still exist and continue their way of life in the 21st century. Hopefully they'll be able to continue to do so for as long as they like, and efforts are being made to allow them to do just that. But, as commercial interests from petroleum, mining, and logging companies encroach on their lands, that is becoming more and more of a challenge.

Check out all of these amazing photos by clicking here.

Video: Adam Bieleki and Daniele Nardi Have an Accident on Nanga Parbat

We've been following the unfolding winter climbing season on Nanga Parbat very closely this year, as four teams are working hard to complete the first ascent of that mountain. One of those teams had a close call yesterday when Polish climber Adam Bieleki took a fall will attempting to reach Camp 2 on the mountain. Fortunately, his partner Daniele Nardi was on hand to help anchor him in, and prevent the accident from becoming a tragedy.

Following the incident Adam posted a message on Facebook which reads:

Nanga is not an indulgent type... Third attempt towards C2 and another adventure. I took a fall with torn fixed rope. Fortunately Daniele was securing me with second rope. In spite of long fall I'm ok just with slightly battered right hand. We're in base licking our wounds, following weather forecasts and contemplating our options. Greetings, Adam & Jacek

The video below was shot from their GoPro cameras while making the ascent to C2. While it does not thankfully show the fall, it does give you an indication of what it is like on this mountain. The slopes are steep and covered in ice, with a long, treacherous drop behind them. Needless to say, it is not a place for the inexperienced mountaineer.

At one point in the video Adam and Daniele discuss the fall. Bieleki believes that he dropped at least 70 meters (230 feet), if not more. Fortunately he came away relatively unscathed, but I imagine he'll be spending some time in BC resting and recovering before going back up. It sounds like it was quite a scary situation. Thankfully, everyone is alright.

Want To Get Along With Your Mountain Guide? Alan Arnette Explains How!

Climbing a mountain, even one that isn't nearly as large as you find in the Himalaya, can be a frustrating, nerve wracking affair. If you happen to be on a two-month long expedition, those feelings can be heightened even further. Being able to get along with your teammates is of vital importance of course, but probably even more vital is the ability to get along with your mountain guide. In his latest blog post, Alan Arnette gives us the perspective of both the client and the guide, with the hope that it will bring a bit more understanding between both parties and make any climb much more enjoyable all around.

Alan has been on more than 35 expeditions, many of which have taken him to the Himalaya and lasted for weeks on end. During that time, he has seen just about everything you can imagine. On top of that, his years of reporting on the mountaineering scene, particularly on Everest, lends him a unique perspective of the relationship between clients and guides. In this blog post, he discusses the characteristics of both the "nightmare client" and "nightmare guide," both of which he has witnessed in action.

The point of this article isn't to shame either the guides or climbers. On the contrary, it is meant to foster a little understanding of the perspective of both parties, giving them pause to consider each other's viewpoints on future expeditions. If they each have a little more insight into what the other is thinking or feeling, perhaps they'll be able to work more cohesively with one another moving forward.

If you're planning a big expedition in your future, the article is definitely worth a read. But even if you're just an an armchair mountaineer, the story offers some genuine perspective of what happens on a big climb. As usual, Alan does a great job of setting the scene and giving his readers good insights into an expedition to the Himalaya.

This is another of Alan's pre-Everest 2014 blog posts. Last week he also broke down the costs of a climb on the highest mountain on the planet. If you missed that one, it is worth a read as well. You'll find it here.

Video: An Expedition to Nanga Parbat with Simone Moro and David Göttler

In the winter of 2014, alpinists Simone Moro and David Göttler traveled to Pakistan to attempt the first ascent of Nanga Parbat in the winter. They failed in completing that objective, which is why we are closely following the teams that are on that mountain once again this year. To give you a better idea of what an expedition of this kind is like, check out the video below. It follows Simone and David throughout the course of their journey, giving us a glimpse of the conditions that climbers face on this incredibly difficult peak. After watching it, you'll understand why Nanga and K2 remain the only 8000 meters peaks that have yet to be climbed in winter.

Winter Climbs 2014: Daniele Nardi In Nanga Base Camp

As expected, the weather has taken a turn for the worse on Nanga Parbat, at least on the Rupal Face. And while teams on that side of the mountain seek shelter back in Base Camp, Italian Daniele Nardi has begun the all important acclimatization process as he starts his solo, alpine style ascent along the Diamir Route.

Nardi arrived in BC on Tuesday and  immediately went to work constructing his campsite, which he is sharing with a few porters and support staff. He indicates that the weather on his side of the mountain is good, although there is lots of snow on the ground. All of that powder made it a challenge just to get to Base Camp, but it seems conditions are good at that point.

Yesterday he donned a pair of skis and began traveling up the mountain. It was just an up-and-back to test his legs and lungs while scouting the route ahead. There is heavy snow on the upper slopes as well, but Nardi is prepared for those conditions. It is winter after all. With his first acclimatization hike out of the way, he will likely go back up today. The weather forecast indicates that high winds and more snow is in the forecast for the next few days, so he'll likely be back in BC and getting comfortable there through the weekend.


Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, the North Face team of Simone Moro, David Göttler and Emilio Previtali are all back in Base Camp following an acclimatization rotation that took Simone and David up to Camp 3, located at 6800 meters (22,309 ft). They fixed ropes nearly to the Mazeno Ridge, and now that milestone location is within easy reach over the next few days, provided the weather cooperates.

Simone indicates that the route is very ice this year, making for a more difficult and technical climb than they have seen in the past. There are sections of the mountain that are vary treacherous, particularly when the winds increase, as they are expected to do this weekend.

For there part, the Polish Justice For All team is pressing ahead with their plan of attack too, which could include an attempt on the summit early next week. They have built an intermediate camp between C2 and C3, where they can rest while working their way through the more technical sections of the climb.

The Poles intend to push up to 7000 meters (22,965 ft) and dig a snow cave to help shelter than from the high winds that are expected to hit on Sunday. The forecast says those winds could exceed 100 km/h (62 mph) but once the storm passes, there is a period of relative calm in the days ahead. The Polish team would like to be in position to make a summit push right after the winds subside, so if possible, they intend to bivouac in the snow cave, then make an immediate summit push right after. Whether or not they'll be able to pull that off remains to be seen.

The stage is now set on Nanga Parbat. All of the climbers are now on the mountain and there are possible summit attempts to come next week. But this mountain won't be tamed easily, and the weather remains a wild card as always. We'll just have to wait and watch to see if the first winter ascent will come this season.

Happy Holidays From The Adventure Blog

It is that time of year again! I want to take this opportunity to with each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays in general. I'm not really sure where 2016 went, but it has come and gone in a blink of an eye, with so many amazing and fantastic experiences along the way. Hopefully it was a year filled with adventure for you, with plenty of inspirations for 2017 as well. 

Now that we're heading into the holiday weekend, I wanted to share a bit about the schedule for The Adventure Blog moving forward. Next week we'll enjoy a bit of downtime to celebrate with friends and family, so expect very few updates between Christmas and New Year. I'll share any major stories that might arise, but for the most part daily updates will be at a minimum. 

I'll return in the first week of January to get things going once again, but even then there may be a limited posting schedule. During that week, Adventure Blog World Headquarters will be relocating to a more permanent location, so there could be a bit of transition to undergo while that happens. Immediately after that, I'll be flying off to Salt Lake City for the Winter Outdoor Retailer Convention, where a host of new gear will be on display. I'll have more about that as we get closer to the day however, but expect the usual reports on what I see and learn about on social media and here on this blog. 

For now, just go and enjoy the holiday season. And get ready for an exciting year to come.

Video: The First Men to Climb Everest

Yesterday marked the 63rd anniversary of the first summit of Everest by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. To celebrate, National Geographic has put together this fantastic short video that introduces us to these two men, and their very humble beginnings. It seems fitting to salute the two climbers in whose footsteps everyone else follows, and this short clip is a good tribute to their legacy.

Chad Kellogg Dies While Climbing In Patagonia

There was sad news out of Agentina this past weekend as the news broke that American climber Chad Kellogg has died while climbing in Patagonia. Kellogg was climbing Fitz Roy with and Jens Holsten. The two apparently successfully topped out and were beginning their descent when a rope dislodged a rock that struck Chad in the head. He reportedly died instantly.

The accident occurred late last Friday, but it took Holsten some time to descend safely and walk to the nearest village. The news has slowly filtered out since then and the climbing community is still reeling. Due to the remoteness of the accident, his body will not be recovered.

Kellogg was well known for his speed climbing on Rainier and Denali. Over the past couple of years, he even made a couple of attempt to break the speed record on Everest.  Chad enjoyed climbing remote peaks and opening new routes with a variety of close climbing partners. His legacy will include new routes in the Himalaya, the Andes, and China.

My condolences go out Chad's friends and family.

Two Adventurers Attempting Winter Traverse Of The Brooks Range

Located in the extreme northerly regions of North America, the Brooks Range is an 1100 km (683 mile) mountain range that stretches across parts of Alaska and Canada. Largely uninhabited, save for a few inuit villages, these mountains are remote, rugged and demanding in the best of times. During the winter, the extreme cold and large amounts of snow, makes them an incredibly inhospitable place that few people ever experience. Earlier this week, a pair of intrepid explorers set out on an epic journey to attempt to traverse the region during the coldest, most demanding time of year.

On Tuesday, January 7, John Cantor and Evan Howard began what will eventually be a two-month long expedition that will cover approximately 1700 km (1056 miles) of total distance. Traveling on dogsleds and skis, while pulling sleds filled with supplies and gear behind them, they will attempt to make the first winter traverse of the Brooks Range. They set off from the village of Kotzebue and hope to eventually wrap things up in Kaktovik, provided the weather cooperates with them over the next eight weeks.

John and Evan are posting updates to their Facebook page and two days in, they are already finding the expedition to be tough going. So far, strong headwinds have made it difficult to make much progress, and John has indicated that it has been even tougher than they had anticipated. Considering where they are at, I would expect they'll face similar conditions in the days ahead, but hopefully they'll get their legs under them after a week or so on the trail. Much like traveling in the polar regions, I'm sure it'll take some time to acclimate to the conditions.

Last year, the two men went on a training expedition to the Brooks Range to get an understanding of what they'd be dealing with. The video below is footage from that exploratory excursion. It looks like a beautiful place but also one that will be testing them at every step of the way.

Thanks to reader Jack McClure for sharing this great adventure.

Video: The Battle for Birthday Mountain - Giving Finland it's Highest Peak

Finland is approaching the 100th anniversary of its independence, and neighboring Norway has come up with an idea for a unique birthday present – a mountain. Yep, that's right. Norway wants to give Finland Halti Peak – a 1365 meter (4478 ft) mountain that would become the Fins' highest point. But how exactly does one country give another a mountain? In this amazing short film, we'll explore that very idea. This is an amazing story to say the least.

Battle for Birthday Mountain from MEL Films on Vimeo.

Video: Ottsjö, Sweden by Air and in Timelapse

We'll round out a busy week here at The Adventure Blog with a beautiful and tranquil video that was shot by drone over the Ottsjö region in Sweden. The landscapes captured there are nothing short of spectacular, and of course the Northern Lights are on full display at this time of year. This is three minutes of pure bliss, with some amazing footage of a stunning place. Sit back and enjoy as you head into the weekend.

OTTSJÖ - BY AIR AND TIMELAPSE (4K) from Marcus Möller on Vimeo.

Video: Meet the World's First All-Female Anti-Poaching Team

The Balule Nature Reserve in South Africa a team of women called the Black Mambas has been training for the past three years to combat illegal poaching in the region. They are the first all-female squad to take on such a mission, with their main goal being to protect the wild elephants that roam the area. In this video, brought to us by National Geographic, we join the Mambas as they go out on patrol, searching for the hunters who are looking to kill the animals in the preserve where they work. The short film is an inspiring look at this team of dedicated and tough women who are looking to make a difference with Africa's wildlife. It is really an interesting story.

North Pole 2016: Race Against Time Team Faces Big Challenges

After overcoming a series of challenges just to get to the starting line, the Race Against Time team is now out on the Arctic ice and making their way towards the North Pole. But as expected, this journey to the top of the world hasn't been an easy one so far as a number of natural obstacles force the team to earn every mile.

Last week, the team of Mark Wood, Paul Vicary, and Mark Langridge were finally dropped off on the ice after facing unprecedented delays to the start of their expedition due to issues with the runway at the Barneo Ice Camp that serves as the gateway to the Arctic each season from the Russian side of the ice. That caused the trio of explorers to rethink their journey for a second time, switching from the original plan of a full-distance ski journey to the North Pole to an expedition that actually began at 90ºN and would head south to Ward Hunt Island in Canada, before finally settling in on their current route, a two-degree ski expedition back to the Pole.

The squad has now been out on the ice for five days, and they've discovered that the Arctic is everything they had expected and more. In the first few days they faced rubble fields of disrupted ice, with many blocks the size of cars and even a few larger than a house. As they inched north however, other obstacles have begun to appear. For instance, yesterday the team only gained 4 nautical miles of distance thanks to a large lead of open water that they had to cross. The only way to do so is to don drysuits, enter the water and swim across while pulling their gear in inflatable rafts.

As if that wasn't enough, the men have also come across a set of footprints left behind by a polar bear. That means that one of these big carnivores is in the area, and they have been known to stalk polar explorers that pass through their domain. So far, no sight of the creature but they will remain wary and vigilant on the trail.

The hope is that the team can reach the North Pole sometime next week. When they originally set out, they thought it would take 12-15 days, and they are still on track to reach their goal. What else they'll find on the way north remains to be seen.

Indian Expedition to Re-Measure Everest this Spring

The Indian government has announced plans to send an expedition to Mt. Everest in Nepal this spring to re-measure the height of the mountain. A team of surveyors will head to the Himalaya in two months time, where they will use high tech equipment – including satellite data, GPS devices, and other observational gear – to detect if the 2015 earthquake had a measurable impact on the peak.

The last time an Indian survey team visited Everest with the intention of measuring the height of the mountain was back in 1955. That's when the current most accepted height of 8848 meters (29,029 ft) was recorded. A more recent survey by the National Geographic Society took place in 2003, which recorded the height at 8849 meters (29,035 ft), although the Nepali government never formally adopted that data to reflect the height of the mountain. This new survey should help to determine which number is more accurate.

But beyond that, the plan is to see what the impact of the April 25, 2015 earthquake had on the height of Everest. It is believed that the mountain lost an inch or more of altitude due to the massive quake, which caused widespread devastation throughout the country, killing more than 9000 people and injuring thousands more.

In terms of its impact on the climb, an inch difference in height is imperceptible to anyone heading to the summit, but in geological terms it is a large increment. If the mountain did indeed move by that much in such a short time, it is an indication of just how powerful the earthquake truly was.

Meanwhile, the Nepalese government says that they have not approved an Indian survey team to operate in and around Everest this year, and that they are planning to conduct their own research on the current height of the mountain. Unsurprisingly, researchers from within the country say that while Everest may have shrunk during the quake, there are some that believe it may have gotten taller too.

No matter which team conducts the survey is expected to take about a month to collect all of the data and another two weeks to examine it. They'll observe the mountain both from the ground and the air, and will likely want to send someone to the summit carrying a GPS device as well. Either way, by summer the new measurement should be complete, and we should have an idea of how tall Everest truly is.

All-Female Rowing Team Completes Pacific Crossing

On Monday of this week, a team of women rowers completed an epic crossing of the Pacific Ocean, arriving in Cairns, Australia after spending more than nine months at sea. The Coxless Crew, as they are known, set out from San Francisco back in April of 2015, and although they took longer than expected to complete their journey, they did manage to set a couple of records along the way.

The team's boat – named Doris – was designed for a four-person crew, and three of the members of the team stayed aboard for the entire crossing, while three others rotated in and out three different legs. The permanent members of the crew included Laura Penhaul, Natalia Cohen and Emma Mitchell, with Isabel Burnham, Kizanne van Vuuren, and Meg Dyos, each taking a turn at the oars. Burnham rowed from San Francisco to Hawaii before giving way to van Vuuren, who was part of the team from Hawaii to Samoa. Dyos took over from there, and was with the Coxless Crew when they arrived in Australia this week.

As is typical with a four-person crew, two members were at the oars at all times. In this case, they would row in two-hour shifts, and sleep 90 minutes at a time. In this way, they were able to cover the 14,800 km (9200 mile) journey, although it did take about three months longer than they had anticipated.

I first wrote about the Coxless Crew back in 2012 when they were planning to depart the following year. Obviously they hit a few road bumps along the way, delaying their start and changing their plans a bit. But they stuck with their goals and pushed forward with the challenge they had set for themselves despite adversity. Pernahul in particular was keen to take on the Pacific, and she seems to be the only member of the original crew who made the crossing.

By arriving in Australia on Monday – 257 days after the set out – the ladies became the first all female crew to cross the Pacific, and the first four-person team to do so. Along the way they faced massive storms, crushing waves, encounters with whales, and extreme heat in the South Pacific. Their adventure wasn't just for the challenge however, as they also raised funds for the Walking with the Wounded and Breast Cancer Care charities.

Congratulations to the six ladies who worked together on this fantastic achievement.