The first international climbers reached the top of Everest on Sunday, but that sprinkling of summiters will have to suffice for a few days. For the next several days, it will be too windy for all but the most stoic climbers.
As expected, several groups set off toward the summit immediately after the Sherpa rope fixers finished their work. On Sunday, they achieved the first international summits of the season. Among them is Mitch Huntcraft, who swam, cycled, and ran from his home in the UK to Nepal over nine months. He climbed, supported by Gelje Sherpa and Yak Phuri, and summited at 7:20 am yesterday.
“Since September 15, I have swum 35km across the English Channel, cycled 11,921km through 19 countries to sea level in India, run 875km to Kathmandu, trekked 360km to Everest Base Camp, and climbed to the highest point on Earth,” said Hutchcraft.
His team claimed it is “the longest climb of Everest in history,” but that depends largely on definition. In a similar challenge, Goran Kropp of Sweden also cycled 13,000km from his home in Stockholm and then climbed Everest without supplementary oxygen in 1996. Charlie Wittmack of the U.S. also completed a swim-cycle-run from London to Everest in 2011 that included swimming down the Thames and across the Channel, cycling through 11 countries, and running to Base Camp. However, Hutchcraft noted that Wittmack entered Nepal from Tibet and ran 400km from Kathmandu to Everest, rather than from sea level, as he did.
No big wave yet
A group from 14 Peaks Expeditions also summited yesterday at around 9:45 am, including the first woman from Kyrgyzstan, Asel Baibagysheva, and three Chinese nationals, plus five supporting Sherpa staff. The company is outfitting several other groups that will climb when the weather improves.
Forecasts show the winds will remain high near the summit until at least next weekend. So, while a few may try to tough out the jet stream, most will wait.
Multimodel forecast for Everest at summit level, by Meteoexploration.com
Camp 2 is filling up
Conditions remain sunny and pleasant around Base Camp and in the relatively wind-sheltered Camp 2. A large number of climbers are currently heading up the Khumbu Icefall to Camp 2, preparing to go to the summit as soon as the weather improves. There are enough people on the mountain for the summit waves to last for many days.
Aerial panorama of Everest Base Camp in 2025. Photo: Furtenbach Adventures
Nuptse summits
Nuptse. Photo: Valery Babanov
Celebrity spotting
Actor Willem Dafoe is in Kathmandu filming Tenzing, about the 1953 first ascent of Everest. Many locals and visitors are taking selfies with the American actor, who plays British expedition leader John Hunt. Below, Dafoe with Pemba Sherpa of 8K Expeditions.
Pemba Sherpa of 8K Expeditions and American actor Willem Dafoe.
