Tyler Andrews will leave Everest Base Camp at 8 pm Nepal Time on Saturday, May 23 in his attempt to set the fastest time ever to the summit without supplemental oxygen.
He plans to run through the night and summit early on Sunday morning.
If all goes well, he will also try to run back down to Base Camp, aiming to set the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on both the ascent and descent.
The right moment
The busiest days of the season have come and gone on Everest, although some teams are still at Camps 3 and 4 preparing to summit over the weekend. However, the giant crowds have ended, and the weather window seems to be holding.
The long wait has tested Andrews’ patience, but he sought inspiration from yaks during the long wait. Photo: Tyler Andrews/Instagram
Last year, he attempted to climb Everest in both spring and fall. He reached his highest point, between 8,000m to 8,050m, on September 26. Andrews holds over 90 mountain speed records, including the FKT on 8,163m Manaslu.
Waiting for the second runner
We are awaiting news from Karl Egloff of Ecuador, also in Base Camp, to attempt the same feat. Egloff wrote yesterday on social media that he will wait for the big teams to leave the mountain and for good weather. His good friend and fellow runner, Nicolas Miranda, will support him.
Nicolas Miranda, left, and Karl Egloff. Photo: Karl Egloff
Asked about whether the competition between the two of them is adding pressure, Andrews replied: “I’m only focused on what I can control, which is getting the most out of myself.” He also wished “everyone currently on Everest, including Karl, a safe and meaningful experience.”
Currently, Kaji Sherpa holds the fastest verified Base Camp-to-summit time of 20 hours and 24 minutes, set in 1998. He used oxygen on the way down. There is no FKT for the round-trip on Everest without oxygen, because no one has tried. Obviously, some no-O2 round-trip climbs have been faster than others, but with no attempt at speed, it doesn’t make sense to call them an FKT.
Photo: Tyler Andrews/Instagram
