No-O2 climbers David Goettler and Kilian Jornet have turned back on Everest.
According to Goettler’s social media, he pushed up from Camp 2, while Jornet left from Base Camp. They both climbed through the night and met on the South Col. They discussed continuing but Göttler explained that “both [Jornet and I] experienced the same sensation of not feeling well or strong. It was a bizarre moment when we regrouped at the South Col and told each other we were not OK.”
They agreed that it was best to stop and descend: “When the margins of safety are this slim, if one piece doesn’t fit, you don’t get to finish the puzzle,” Göttler said.
So far this season, there have been no confirmed Everest summits without bottled oxygen.
