American runner Tyler Andrews is on his way to Everest Base Camp to again attempt a Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the world’s tallest mountain. He might try as early as next week, if a projected summit window opens.
The last few days have been cold and rainy, Andrews said, but his team’s meteorologist, Chris Tomer, predicts that the region will experience good weather from September 23 to 27. Andrews has described this as his “summit window,” suggesting that he is acclimatized and ready to go. He plans to use no supplementary oxygen.
First look at Everest
Andrews left Kathmandu for Everest just before the Gen Z revolt took to the streets of Nepal. Since then, he has been immersed in “whirlwind training” in the Khumbu Valley. The promising forecast has prompted him to hurry to Everest Base Camp. On muddy trails, Andrews entered Sagarmatha National Park today. Although heavy clouds still blanket the region, they cleared enough to give him his first glimpse of the summit:
The snow-loaded summit looks quite different from this past spring, when Andrews launched three attempts to become the fastest climber to cover the distance from the 5,350m Base Camp to the highest point on Earth, at 8,848.86 meters. Now, the American is back for another chance during the post-monsoon.
Andrews will share Base Camp and ropes with Poland’s Andrzej Bargiel and his strong Sherpa team. Bargiel hopes to ski down from the summit.
