What's it Like to Climb Everest Without Oxygen?

For most climber hoping to summit the world's highest peak, donning a tank of oxygen is simply the only way to get to the top. Without supplemental oxygen, most of the more than 4000 people who have topped out on Everest wouldn't have made it, including Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, who first climbed the mountain back in 1953. But it would be two other legendary climbers who would follow in their footsteps 25 years later who would show the mountaineering community that there was another way to scale the Big Hill, and n the process they shocked the world. 

Back in 1978 most people thought that the idea of climbing Everest without oxygen was ludicrous. In fact, there may have just been two men on the entire planet that thought it was possible. They were Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler, who traveled to the North Side of the mountain that year to attempt the impossible. They faced a myriad of challenges along the way, including food poisoning, and winds that reached 125 mph (201 km/h), on top of the usual difficulties. And all of that came before their historic summit push without using bottled O's. 

National Geographic Adventure has shared a great story about that historic ascent, including a video of Messner recalling what it was like for them on that climb. Today, a summit without supplemental oxygen remains somewhat rare, but back in 1978 Messner and Habeler might as well have been going to the moon. But their success changed the face of modern mountaineering, to the point that there are some who now believe using oxygen on Everest takes away from the purity of the climb, and is almost a form of cheating. 

Read the story in its entirety here, and not only learn about Messner and Habeler's climb, but two other alpinists who are hoping to repeat the feat this year. 

Himalaya Spring 2016: Slovak Climbers Stranded on Everest, Summit Push Begins

The time is now on Everest, where a number of teams are now on the move with the hopes of making a final push to the summit later this week. Meanwhile, we get word today that a pair of climbers are stranded on the mountain following an avalanche, with rescue operations underway.

According to The Himalayan Times, Slovak climbers Vladimír Štrba and Zoltán Pál were attempting to go up the South-West Face of Everest above Camp 2 when an avalanche hit, injuring one of the men. Which of the two is hurt, and the accident of those injuries is unknown, but it s believed that the other climber is healthy and fine.

Unfortunately, they are unable to descend under their own power, so a group of four Sherpas were sent up to try to help. They reached C2, but have been unable to go up the South-West route due to unstable conditions on the mountain. Rescue helicopters have since been brought in to try to lend a hand, but they have been unable to locate them so far. Poor weather hampered further attempts and for now the rescue effort has stalled until morning.

In other Everest news, the rope fixing teams have now installed the lines up to the South Col and expect to reach the summit tomorrow. Once they do, the first of the guided teams will begin their final push to the top, which means we could see the first summits of the season as early as Thursday or Friday of this week. That is a bit ahead of schedule, and considering the weather forecasts indicate good weather well into next week, we could see summits coming at a slow, steady pace. That will be good for the safety of the climbers, and will hopefully prevent traffic jams on the Hillary Step or higher.


On the North Side of the mountain in Tibet, the story is a similar one. Ropes have been fixed nearly all the way to the summit, with work expected to wrap up there in the next day or two. After that, the teams on that side of the mountain will launch their summit bids as well, and since there are fewer teams climbing from Tibet, the fear of large crowds is greatly reduced. Those squads are acclimated and ready to go, and have already started getting themselves into position.

Finally, ExWeb is reporting that a summit bid is well underway on Manaslu as well, with the team of Peter Hámor and Horia Colibasanu head up to the summit tonight. The weather is reportedly favorable, and the duo are climbing without oxygen or Sherpa support as they make their final bid. If successful, it will be Hámor's 13th 8000-meter peak.

Good luck to everyone as they set off to their respective summits.

Update: Success on Manaslu confirmed on Manaslu. ExWeb is also now reporting that Peter and Horia have now topped out along the standard route, and are now descending along the Japanese route. Hopefully they'll both get back down safely after what was reportedly a very tough ascent.

Himalaya Spring 2016: Alan Arnette Posts Pre-Season Preview

Even though the calendar says that it is only February, the 2016 spring climbing season in the Himalaya really isn't all that far off. In less than two months, climbers from all over the world will be finalizing their travel plans, packing their gear, and saying goodbye to loved ones as they head off to Nepal and Tibet to begin what is sure to be another very interesting year in the tallest mountains on the planet.

By most accounts, it is shaping up to be a quieter year on Everest, where tragedies the past two seasons have put an abrupt end to climbing operations. Several of the leading outfitters that operate on the mountain say that the number of clients they'll be guiding this year are down, as many are taking a wait and see attitude. That said however, I'm sure Everest will still be a very lively place to be this spring, with lots of great stories to follow.

In preparation for the start of the season, Alan Arnette has already kicked off his now legendary coverage of the proceedings on the mountain. Yesterday, Alan posted his preview of the 2016 spring season ahead, which fittingly enough begins with a recap of some of the major stories from the past few years – including a much publicized brawl between Sherpas and prominent climbers, the deaths of 19 Sherpas as a result of the collapse of a serac in 2014, and the devastating aftermath of the deadly earthquake that struck last year.

Each of those events has left its mark on the climbing community on Everest in the past few years, causing some to sour on attempting to summit the tallest mountain on the planet. But many of us believe that these are just temporary setbacks that will be overcome as we move forward.

In his article, Alan takes a look ahead at the 2016 season, which he too expects to have low numbers for several reasons. The lingering impact of the earthquake – at least in terms of public perceptions – is a major one of course, but also because Nepal is in the middle of a significant fuel crisis, with a shortage of gas making its way into the country thanks to a blockade from India. On top of that, expedition companies are being forced to raise their prices too, which of course has an impact on how many people sign up for an expedition as well.

If you're someone who keeps up with the Everest scene each year, you'll definitely want to give this a look. It provides some great insights into what is happening in Nepal presently, and how the currently political culture there is shaping the climbing season ahead. As always, it shouldn't have any shortage of intrigue and surprises.

Winter Climbs 2017: Carlos Rubio Leaves Everest, Elisabeth Revol Departs Manaslu

The list of winter mountaineering expeditions continues to get smaller and smaller this year, as one team has completely abandoned its attempt to summit a Himalayan giant, while another loses one of its climbers due to illness.

We'll begin with an update from Elisabeth Revol, who had been hoping to summit Manaslu this winter. The last we heard from Revol and her teammate Ludovic Giambiasi they had arrived in Base Camp on that mountain, where heavy snow had been falling for the better part of the month of January. It turns out, that snow didn't let up much, and high winds only made the experience worse. According to The Himalayan Times, the duo were able to climb as high as 7300 meters (23,950 ft) as part of their acclimatization efforts, but the weather simply didn't cooperate enough to allow them to continue past that point. Worse yet, the long term forecasts indicate the rest of the winter could very well maintain the current weather pattern, making their attempts fruitless. Revol and Giambiasi have already depart the mountain and are on their way home.

Meanwhile, over on Everest, the team of Alex Txikon and Carlos Rubio have had their own brand of drama. Yesterday, Rubio had to be evacuated from Everest Base Camp due to a severe lung infection. The young ski-mountaineer shared a video update from a hospital in Kathmandu where he assures everyone following the expedition that all is well and that the issue isn't serious. Still, it was bad enough that he did have to seek treatment and abandon his attempt to climb and ski Everest this winter.

While the news of Rubio's departure is a sad one for the team, Txikon has continued climbing at a regular and steady pace. On Sunday, he reached Camp 3 at 7400 meters (24,278 ft) on the mountain, and is acclimatizing nicely so far. Unlike on Manaslu, Everest has been relatively calm thus far, with manageable winds and snowfalls. Txikon is hoping to summit the mountain without the use of supplemental oxygen and so far things are progressing about as well as could be expected. 

With Revol's withdraw from Manaslu and Lonnie Dupre's departure from Mt. Hunter in Alaska, Txikon's Everest expedition is the last major winter climb that we're following this season. Hopefully it will continue to unfold in a safe manner, otherwise we'll be waiting for the spring season for any significant news from the Himalaya. 

Good luck to Alex and the remainder of his support team as the continue to press forward on the Big Hill. 

Himalaya Fall 2016: Kilian Jornet Cancels Everest Speed Attempt

One of the current Himalayan expeditions that we've been watching closely has come to an end before it ever even had a chance to really get started. It was announced earlier today that Spanish ultrarunner Kilian Jornet has pulled the plug on his attempt at a speed record on Everest due to poor weather on the North Side of the mountain.

In a quote that was sent out via a press release a few hours ago, Jornet says “During the first few weeks we were acclimatising well and the conditions were good. However, when we were getting ready to prepare the attempt the weather began to change. There were some heavy snow storms and a large accumulation of snow. As a result, although we were in good physical shape, there was a high risk of avalanches and in the absence of good safety conditions it was impossible to climb.”

Apparently, the expedition was actually nearing its conclusion when the decision was made to go home instead. There hasn't been a lot of news from Kilian or his team, but it seems acclimatization was going very well, and he was extremely happy with his progress. Unfortunately, heavy snow has been falling on the mountain over the past couple of weeks, and that was making the route much more dangerous. So much so that they made the wise choice of cancelling the summit attempt and going home instead.

Kilian says that he has learned a lot from the experience and will now return to Spain where he'll evaluate how this expedition went, and decide from there how to proceed. He has already indicated that next time around he'll do a few things differently both in preparation and acclimatization once on the mountain. He had spent three weeks training at 6500 meters (21,325 ft) which will give him a better understanding of the Everest environment the next time around.

Honestly, an attempt in the spring would probably provide more stable weather conditions, but Kilian would then have to contend with a lot more people on the mountain. For most of the time that he was there, he had Base Camp all to himself. We do know that Japanese climber Nobukazu Kuriki is also there for a solo bid on the mountain, but he didn't arrive until last week. It is unclear whether or not the heavy snow will impact his attempt to summit Everest, which will be his sixth time trying to accomplish that feat.

For now, we'll have to wait to see how Kilian does on Everest. Remember, he's never climbed an 8000 meter peak before. Hopefully he'll get another crack at it in the future. It will be interesting to see what an athlete of his caliber can accomplish there.

Himalaya Fall 2016: Everest Permit Denied to 12-Year Old

The age debate on Everest reared its ugly head again this week when 12-year old Tyler Armstrong of California was denied a permit to climb the mountain. Tyler had hoped to attempt the North Side of Everest in Tibet, but the Chinese government turned down his application that would have allowed him to try to become the youngest person to scale the world's highest peak.

China has recently imposed age limits on Everest, requiring mountaineers to be older than 18 and younger than 75 to attempt the climb. Tyler had hoped to get an exception to the rule based on his climbing experience. The young man has already summited Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, Elbrus. Of course, none of them compares to Everest, which is thousands of feet higher than even Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of the Himalaya.

Tyler continues to focus on bagging each of the Seven Summits however, and says that he'll travel to Australia in August to climb Kosciusko, shortest and easiest of those mountains. For now, he'll continue to bide his time and wait for an opportunity to attempt Everest. Whether or not that will happen before his 18th birthday remains to be seen, but considering the current climate there, he may have to wait a few years to get his chance.


Meanwhile, teams have been filing into Base Camp on the South Side of Everest all week long. Mountaineering blogger Alan Arnette arrived a few days back as he prepares to summit Lhotse, as did the Adventure Consultant who were joined by Ed Viesturs for a visit. The Altitude Junkies are also in BC and held their Puja Ceremony today in preparation for the start of the climb.

By most reports, BC is quiet so far this year. More teams are arriving, so I'm sure it'll start to pick-up a bit over the next week or so. But since the number of climbers is down over previous years, it'll probably remain somewhat sedate throughout the season.

Over on Annapurna, the ropes are fixed and the teams are in place for a weekend summit push. The weather looks like it'll hold off for another day or two, so the time is right for an early season attempt on the top. I'll be keeping a close eye on those attempts, and hopefully we'll have news of successful summits over the next few days.

Everest 2014: The Cost Of Climbing Everest

We may be just a week into 2014, but it is never too early to start thinking about the spring Everest climbing season. As many of you already know, year-in and year-out, one of the best sources of information on all things having to do with Everest is Alan Arnette. Each year, Alan provides excellent insights into what it takes to climb the mountain, while providing regular updates on conditions on both the North and South sides, while closely tracking the locations of the numerous teams attempting to scale its impressive slopes. Over the past few years, Alan has kicked off his annual coverage by first giving us a run down of just how much it costs to undertake an Everest expedition, and each year it is an interesting read. Yesterday, he posted the 2014 version of that report, and for those unfamiliar with the expenses of a major climb in the Himalaya, it can sometimes cause sticker shock.

As usual, the costs for climbing Everest have increased on both the North and South side of the mountain this year. But what's different for 2014 is that while the guide services at the high end of the spectrum have mostly held steady, it is the low-end companies that seem to have hiked their rates for 2014. He is also quick to point out that this type of expedition is not one in which you want to go cut-rate, but with prices ranging from $30,000 - $100,000 it can be confusing to decide to who to go with.

Alan breaks down the costs into different categories, giving readers estimates on climbing solo vs. as part of an organized team. He also discusses the differences in teams as well, which include Sherpa supported climbs, Sherpa guided expeditions and Western guided options. Each of those provides a different level of service, with some willing to spend less to do more on their own, while others pay considerably more for a safer, more full-service attempt on the summit.


With guided climbs costing in the neighborhood of $40,000 to $65,000, it is sometimes tough to see where the cost differences come from. Alan points out that sometimes it is just in the form of profit to help pay the overhead required to operate on the mountain, but it also often comes at the expense of services such as Sherpa support on the upper slopes or no bottled oxygen included in the price.

One of the more interesting elements of Alan's report is his comparison chart of the companies that operate on Everest. It gives the name of the organization, average team size, types of guides, previous summit success and of course the costs. The prices range from as low as $28,450 for an expedition on the North Side with Summit Climb, to $89,000 with AlpenGlow on the South Side that includes Western guides.

If you've ever considered climbing Everest yourself, then Alan's Cost to Climb guide is a must read. It'll give you all the information you need for selecting the right guide service for your own climb, while weighing in all the factors to think about, including safety considering, which route to take, which company to go with and much more.

It also serves to get the adrenaline flowing for a new Everest climbing season. For fans of the mountain, April can't come fast enough!

Video: Through the Khumbu Icefall on Everest in the Winter

At the moment, Spanish mountaineer Alex Txikon is attempting a winter ascent of Everest – a rare feat to say the least. During this time of the year, the mountain is abandoned, which leaves Alex and his team to do all of the work themselves, including building a path through the dreaded Khumbu Icefall. In this video, we get to see that hard work taking place, as the squad carefully puts a series of ropes and ladders into place that allow them to cross over the dangerous crevasses that are found in the Icefall. As you'll see, this is not work for the faint of heart, but it is necessary if the want to reach the upper flanks of the mountain. Keep in mind, during the spring there is a special team called the "Ice Doctors" who do this work for the hundreds of other climbers that are on the Nepali side of the mountain. But during the winter, there is no such luxury.

Video: Up to Camp 1 on Everest in Winter

One of the expeditions we're following closely at the moment is Alex Txikon's attempt to summit Everest during the winter without the use of supplemental oxygen. The team has been making good progress so far, and having reached Camp 1, are now back in BC resting. In this video, we join Alex, and his partners Carlos Rubio and Nurbu Sherpa as they pass through the dangerous Khumbu Icefall and up to C1 – a path that the Spaniard calls "the Runner of Death." The footage in this short clip is dramatic and wild, but it gives you a great look at what these climbers are dealing with right now on the highest mountain on the planet.

Video: Flight Over Everest

Recently, a team of German scientists flew over Mt. Everest to capture the mountain with a special 3D camera that will reveal details of the peak that have been previously unseen. Reportedly the camera is so sensitive that it can detect objects as small as 15 cm, even from the air. Along the way, they also captured the video below, which while is isn't in 3D, it still includes some great shots of the mountain.

Extension of Everest Climbing Permits Clears Another Hurdle

It's no secret that the past couple of years have been tough ones on Everest. In 2014, the season was shut down after an avalanche claimed the lives of 16 porters, and last year the massive earthquake in Nepal killed 19 more people, bringing an abrupt end to operations on the mountain as well. Since then, expedition leaders and climbers have been anxiously awaiting word as to whether or not the climbing permits issued last year would be honored moving forward. A few days back, they inched a bit closer towards a resolution, with the outcome looking very positive.

Over the past weekend, it was announced that Nepal's Finance Ministry has approved a plan from the Tourism Ministry that would extend the permits issued in 2015 for two years. That would mean that climbers who purchased a permit last season could return in 2016 or 2017 to attempt Everest once again.

The proposal isn't quite a done deal yet however. It has now been sent to the Nepali governments Cabinet for final approval. It seems likely that they'll rubber-stamp the plan however, allowing mountaineers to return without having to purchase another pricey permit.

This will come as good news for climbers who weren't on Everest as well. Many mountaineers on a variety of peaks in Nepal had their expeditions disrupted or cancelled altogether in 2015, and most of those will see their permits extended too. According to reports, 801 people were issued climbing permits for mountains in Nepal last year, with 357 of those designated for Everest.

I'm sure this news will bring a sigh of relief to many climbers who have been waiting to finalize their plans. The 2016 season isn't all that far off at this point, so if they're hoping to climb this year, they still have a bit of time to get everything together before setting off for Kathmandu in a little over a month.

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.

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: 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.

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.

Climber Sets New Speed Record for Climbing Seven Summits

Climbing the Seven Summits remains quite a milestone in the world of outdoor adventure, but those hoping to do so in record time now have an impressive new mark to try to beat. American climber and endurance athlete Colin O'Brady reached the summit of Denali in Alaska this past weekend, wrapping up his quest to climb the highest peaks on each of the seven continents, a feat he accomplished in just 132 days.

O'Brady's Seven Summits bid started this past January, when he traveled to Antarctica to climb Mt. Vinson. He followed that up with Aconcagua in South America, Kilimanjaro in Africa, Carstensz Pyramid in Oceania, Elbrus in Europe, Everest in Asia, and Denali in North America. Those last two mountains were summited just eight days apart. The previous record for climbing the Seven Summits was 134 days, set by Vern Tejas back in 2010.

The Seven Summits speed record isn't the only one that O'Brady is claiming. Between climbing all of those mountains, he also managed to ski to both the South and North Pole, reaching the former on January 10 and the latter on April 19. That has given him claims of completing the "Explorers Grand Slam" as well. But, both of those excursions were last degree ski expeditions and did not cover the full distances to either of the Poles. Colin is claiming a record of 139 days to finish his entire project, which beats the previous record of 192 days.

O'Brady wasn't just going after speed records in his adventurous start to 2016. He also was working to raise $1 million for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation as well. That organization is working to combat child obesity by inspiring kids to be more active and eat healthier too. Colin didn't quite hit that goal, raising about $15,772 instead, but for this important cause, every dollar counts.

Congrats to Colin on claiming the speed record for the Seven Summits. It seems like it will take a tremendous effort to by another climber to beat this mark.

How Much Does it Cost to Climb Everest? (2017 Edition)

As I already mentioned today, as 2016 grinds to an end, it is time to start looking ahead to 2017 and adventures yet to come. A bit part of that will be what happens on Everest next spring, and to get ready for the start of another season of climbing on the Big Hill, Alan Arnette has once again posted his annual look at the cost of climbing Everest. If you've ever wondered how much you'd have to spend to go up the highest mountain on the planet, Alan breaks it down nicely for us, and explains where all of the cash goes. He also takes a look at the trends impacting pricing, and where we're headed in the future too.

As usual, there is a lot to sift through in Alan's report, and he does a much better job of breaking everything down than I could ever possibly hope to do. But, there are a few things that stick out as you examine the price of climbing on Everest in 2017. First, and unsurprisingly, costs are increasing, particularly on the Chinese side of the mountain in Tibet where Alan says the average price of an expedition has gone up 22% over last year. That is largely in part because of higher costs of permits from the North Side this season.

The price of a standard supported climb now ranges from $28,000 to $85,000, with the level of "support" varying greatly of course. The top end of spectrum stretches out to $115,000 for a custom climb, while those who want to mostly go it alone can get by for as little as $20,000. Alan points out that most of the lower-end prices come from Nepali companies who have been competing on price to win customers in recent years, but even their costs are starting to inch up as they realize there is more money to be made. But, if you still want to get a great deal, they are more willing to haggle than their Western competitors.


Following the highly successful 2016, which came after two very tumultuous seasons in 2014 and 2017, the demand for climbing on Everest is expected to be higher than ever. More climbers are now coming to the mountain from China and India, as well as other parts of the world, which is pushing the need for more guides and more options. In the wake of this vacuum, new companies are stepping up to provide services for all of these clients, and as a result pricing is in flux at the moment. In also calls into question the safety of climbing on the mountain, as it continues to become even more crowded. How this impacts things going forward should be interesting, and hopefully not tragic.

Other interesting elements from Alan's price guide include a breakdown of how much each element of the climb costs – including permits, travel, insurance, gear, and so on. He also has a complete list of operators and their expected costs for 2017, as well as some answers to common questions. In short, it is a great primer for understanding the basics of a climb, and just why it costs so much.

If you're thinking about making the climb yourself, you'll definitely want to give this a read. And start saving your pennies of course. Even a "low-end" Everest climb is still quite an investment.

Wingsuit Pilot Intends To Jump From Summit Of Everest

A wingsuit pilot has announced his intention to make the ultimate BASE jump later this year. American Joby Ogwyn says that this spring, he'll attempt to summit Mt. Everest and leap from the highest point on the planet while wearing a specially designed wingsuit. And if that wasn't daring enough, the Discovery Channel says they want to air the entire stunt on live television.

The network is currently filming some preliminary shows that will give viewers a look at Ogwyn training for his climb, and subsequent flight. Those episodes will air first in order to get the audience ready for the main event. In order to pull of the daring flight, the California man will first have to successfully summit the mountain. Once there, he'll leap from the summit with an array of cameras attached to his suit. Those cameras will presumably beam the live images back to the rest of the world, who will be able to watch it unfold as it happens. This same technique was used to great effect by Felix Baumgartner on his historic skydive from the edge of space.

Obviously, Discovery hasn't announced when the flight will take place yet, only mentioning that it will occur in May. They'll have to wait to see if, and when, Ogwyn actually reaches the summit. His health, strength and acclimatization process will all factor into the schedule, and as always on Everest, the weather will have a say as to when he can make a summit bid.

We're clearly in that time of year that leads up to the start of the spring climbing season where we begin to hear about all the crazy stunts that people have planned for Everest. We're about six weeks out from the first climbers starting to arrive in Kathmandu, so of course some of them are now attempting to gain a little attention ahead of the start of the season. I have to say, this climb and jump has me intrigued, as I'd love to see what kind of footage his cameras capture as he buzzes down the Khumbu Valley. This really is the ultimate flight for any wingsuit pilot, and I'm a bit surprised that no one has tried it before.

Expect to hear more about this expedition as the spring grows nearer. It should be one of those events in the adventure world that bleeds over into the mainstream press.

Winter Climbs 2017: Climbers in Base Camps and Moving Up

Now that the holidays have come and gone, I've managed to move to a new house, and the Winter Outdoor Retailer Show is behind us, we can finally return to some sense of normalcy around here. To do that, we'll get things started with an update from the major winter climbs that are now taking place in various parts of the world, beginning on Everest where Alex Txikon and his team are making solid progress.

Last week, the small group of climbers, support staff, and documentarians arrived in Base Camp on Everest, and immediately went to work establishing a base of operations there. It did't take them long to get ready however, and within a few days they were already moving up the mountain to begin their acclimatization efforts. The team then spent four days building a route through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall, before they were then presented with favorable weather conditions that allowed them to move up further.

Taking advantage of these good conditions, the climbers moved through the Icefall and up to 5870 meters (19,258 ft), where they spent the night at a provisional location. The following morning, they continued up to 6050 meters (19,849 ft), where they established Camp 1. Since then, they have climbed a bit higher as they scout the route, install ropes, and work to reach Camp 2 further up the slopes.

Reportedly, the climbing is even more difficult and demanding than they had thought, but things are proceeding according to plan. They should return to BC for rest shortly, but are continuing to try to make progress while the weather cooperates. For now, they are happy with how things are going, and the idea of a winter ascent of Everest remains a very high possibility.


Meanwhile, Elisabeth Revol is now in Base Camp on Manaslu too, where she reports heavy snow making progress very difficult. In fact, she says that it has snowed there everyday since the start of January, with 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) of accumulation over that time. Despite that however, she says that everything is going well and as expected on a winter expedition to the Himalaya. There is now indication yet of how much progress they are making in moving up the mountain however.

Finally, the last time we checked in on Lonnie Dupre he was just arriving on Mt. Hunter in Alaska in preparation for a solo winter ascent of that difficult peak. In the brief time I was away, he has already called off that attempt however. It seems that Lonnie made two attempts on the summit, both of which were thwarted by conditions, before taking a nasty fall. That was enough to convince him that it was time to pull the plug and consider some other projects instead. The polar explorer and mountaineer is currently in Canmore, Alberta where he is regrouping, considering what he could do differently, and preparing for some other adventures. Hunter won't be climbed during the winter this season it would seem.

You may recall that Lonnie made a solo ascent of Denali in January a few years back, going up that mountain in alpine style. During that expedition he eschewed the use of tents and used snow caves instead. He had hoped to make a similar approach to Hunter, which isn't as tall as Denali, but is considered more technical. Unfortunately, the mountain was able to win this round, but something tells me Dupre may be back to give it another go in the future. For now though, one of the winter expeditions that we were watching closely is already over.

More updates to come as the remaining teams make progress.

DVD Review: Everest Combo Pack

It isn't often that we get a mountaineering film on the big screen in our local theaters, but that is exactly what we got last September when Universal Studios released Everest, a movie that tells the story of the infamous 1996 season on the world's highest peak. For many of us, that story is well known, particularly since it was chronicled so well in Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air. But a big screen dramatization of those events was a major risk for any Hollywood production house, particularly since mainstream audiences don't really flock to the theater to see this type of film. Critically, Everest did well, but unfortunately that didn't translate to big box office numbers, and the film didn't even manage to make it'd production budget back. That's a real shame, as it really is a well crafted film that I think many people will enjoy, and I said as much when I reviewed it months back. 

If you missed Everest when it was in theaters, now is your chance to make up for it. The movie releases today on DVD and Blu-Ray after having already been available for a few weeks on popular digital streaming services like iTunes. I received an advanced copy of the DVD, and while I will say that there is nothing like seeing this movie on a massive IMAX screen, the translation to our home theaters is a good one as well.

My review copy was the DVD "combo pack." That means that it comes with three discs – standard DVD, Blu-Ray, and Blu-Ray 3D – as well as a code to download the digital version as well. As you would expect, watching the move in HD with the Blu-Ray is spectacular, with great picture quality and sound. The epic scope that was conveyed in the theater still comes through here too, albeit on a scale that is designed to fit on your television screen and not a giant theater. 

As great as the scenery is in Everest – and trust me, it's pretty great – the thing that will stay with you long after you've seen the film is the performances by the principle actors. The movie is filled with stars, including Josh Brolin, Kiera Knightly, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Robin Wright. But Jason Clarke, who plays Rob Hall, delivers a stand out portrayal of the famous mountain guide, and his scene near the end of the film with Knightly (you know the one!) is heart wrenching. Those great performances come through just fine on the small screen, keeping me just as captivated in my living room as they did in the theater. 

The DVD comes with some compelling extras, particularly for those of us who are into the whole Everest scene to begin with. There are short documentaries that tell us what the actors had to go through to appear to know what they were doing in the climbing scenes, and others that go into detail on how the film was made, including a look at the great lengths that the crew went to to make it appear as if they were actually on Everest circa the mid-1990's. Director Balthasar Kormákur even provides a commentary track, which I haven't listened to as I watched the film just yet. I'm sure it contains even more interesting facts about the production though. 

If you're a regular reader of this blog, and you haven't seen Everest yet, you probably should rectify that situation soon. Even if you already know the story, it is still worth a watch, as the cinematography, landscapes, and acting are all top notch. Having been to Everest Base Camp myself, I truly enjoyed seeing the scenes that were filmed in Nepal, as it brought back great memories of trekking through the Khumbu Valley a few years back. This movie makes you feel like you are there, even when they are high up on the mountain, struggling to overcome the Hillary Step on their way to the summit. 

Available now, Everest makes a great addition to anyone's personal library of films. That is especially true however if you know what it takes to climb the mountain. I suspect that more than a few of you reading this review fall into that category. Considering the lukewarm reception that the film received at the box-office, it may be awhile before we see another mountaineering film such as this one get made. Enjoy this one to its fullest.