With the gates to the summit of Everest wide open, lines of climbers are heading up. The number of summits today could reach 60-80, and tomorrow and Wednesday are expected to be even busier. The big question is whether this window will last beyond mid-week, or whether the jet stream winds will hit the summit area again by Thursday.
Despite the crowds, Polish skier Bartek Ziemski is on his way up to attempt a no-O2 ski descent down Everest.
An ant-like line of climbers head to Camp 3 on the Lhotse Face today. Photo: Pasang Rinzee
Over 60 summits today
The summit wave started on Sunday, with several small groups outfitted by Nepalese companies topping out and heading back down. The numbers have multiplied today, with Seven Summit Treks reporting 22 summits; Climbing the 7 Summits, 24 summits; Altipro Adventures, 8 summits; 8K Expeditions, 6 summits (they reported 16 more on Sunday), etc.
We are not able to keep track of every climber on the mountain, but more summit announcements might come throughout the day. Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation will eventually publish final, official numbers.
Still, the peak summit days could be tomorrow, May 19, and most of all, Wednesday. That’s the day chosen by many groups that left Base Camp on Sunday, such as Satori Adventures and Pioneer Adventures. Today, the Lhotse Face is a traffic jam from bottom to top:
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“Other groups are scheduled to go for the summit on May 21 and 22,” Pioneer Adventure’s team reported. Furtenbach Adventures confirmed his group left for the summit yesterday.
Window depends on the jet stream
Today’s summiters have reported overall good weather, although videos shot in Camp 4 show weak winds blowing. The forecasts used by teams in Base Camp differ on the altitude and future behavior of the all-important jet stream winds. Depending on which forecast proves right, climbers could endure high winds near the summit.
Mingma G of Imagine Nepal, most of whose members have already summited, noted an endless line of climbers is heading to Camp 3 today. They aim to summit on May 20.
“It is said that the jet stream is still lingering at 9,000m, but it is not having much effect — and summit fever is taking hold,” Mingma G wrote.
“A partial jet stream will linger on the summit through May 25, which means there’ll be gusts exceeding 30mph every day,” Saulius Damulevicius told Explorersweb.
Clouds outline the jet stream winds above the summit of Everest. Photo: Saulius Damulevicius
Damulevicius is aiming to climb Everest without oxygen or Sherpa support. He can’t afford to be caught in a traffic jam or endure strong winds that, without oxygen, would make him more susceptible to frostbite. He has therefore postponed his push until the wind is expected to drop, between May 26 and 28.
“I knew that I might have to wait till the very end to have my chance to summit after the crowds leave, but it’s a long wait, taxing on the nerves and my health,” he admitted, referring to a persistent cough he has been battling.
Skier approaching Everest
Saulius Damulevicius told Explorersweb that Bartek Ziemski left Base Camp yesterday and reached Camp 3. As he did on Lhotse, he could move his tent to Camp 4 at any moment and leave for the summit from that point. “Tomorrow, May 19, is the best day, so Bartek can still make it.”
Saulius Damiulevicius, left, and Bartek Ziemski at Everest Base Camp on Saturday. Photo: Saulius Damulevicius
Like Damulevicius, Ziemski climbs without supplemental oxygen or Sherpa support. He carries his gear and supplies up and down the mountain by himself. Last week, he made the first complete ski descent of Lhotse down to Base Camp. He even skied the Khumbu Icefall without stepping out of his skis at any point.
Ziemski described the details of the climb and the ski descent in an interview with Explorersweb last week. Lhotse was the 8th 8,000’er that he skied, all without bottled oxygen.
More no-O2 pushes
Marcelo Segovia of Ecuador has a similar style but a different strategy: He is attempting to summit immediately. According to his recent Instagram video, he left Base Camp at 10 pm, determined to climb to the top without O2 or Sherpa support. “I am stubborn [and] I don’t surrender easily,” he wrote.
Justin Sackett of the U.S., who also intends to climb Everest without O2 (but with Sherpa support), is in Base Camp, ready for a summit push but not planning to leave immediately. “I’ll hang out around in Base Camp for some days, waiting for lower winds, warmer temperatures, and fewer people,” he reported today.
How about the runners?
The two runners aiming to break the record for the fastest no-oxygen climb up Everest and back to Base Camp are having to be patient, as Tyler Andrews of the U.S. posted today. Both he and Karl Egloff of Ecuador (training with long-time friend Nico Miranda) are training down the valley, to let the crowds summit and then go home.
Egloff reports from Pheriche that he and Miranda will run back to Everest Base Camp tomorrow and may do one more rotation before the final attempt.
Blacha’s no-O2 13th on Lhotse
On Lhotse, the route was opened on Sunday by a team led by Sanu Sherpa, who is aiming to complete the 14×8,000’ers three times. Climbers followed today, including Anja Blacha of Germany without supplemental oxygen. With her success on Lhotse, she has now summited 13 8,000m peaks without O2. She now has only Shisha Pangma left.
Blacha, outfitted by Imagine Nepal, was among the first foreigners to reach Camps 1 and 3, in order to get the best possible acclimatization in time. She left Base Camp on her final summit push on May 15, so she was ready to head for the summit of Lhotse as soon as the Sherpa team finished fixing it.
File image of Anja Bacha of Austria in Antarctica in 2020. Photo: Anja Blacha/Instagram
James McManus of Ireland is also heading toward Lhotse without supplemental oxygen. He noted the wind could reach 50kph on occasion, but thinks the window will be good enough until May 24 to attempt the summit. He left Base Camp yesterday and is at Camp 2 today, according to his tracker.
