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.