The wind finally died down as the last group of Everest climbers started for the summit yesterday under cloudy skies. According to previous reports, snow might start falling this evening.
Camp 4 on Everest today, with only a few tents (and lots of trash) remaining. Photo: Povilas Lengvinas
No-O2: summit and retreats
Kristin Harila, supported by Mingtemba Sherpa and Pasang Dukpa (on oxygen), progressed at a remarkably fast pace compared to Justin Sackett and Saulius Damulevicius. She reached the summit at 8:45 am Nepal time without bottled oxygen after summiting Nuptse (7,861m) in the same style on May 17, and Lhotse (8,516m) on May 21 with oxygen.
Justin Sackett, with Tenjing Sherpa, had reached Camp 4 hours before leaving for the summit. On arriving at the South Col, he told his team he would give the mountain a go if the wind died, but he was not feeling well. The stomach bug that had been bothering him over the last few days had returned. According to his tracker, he turned around at 8,500m today.
Saulius Damulevicius also turned around at some 8,400m on his no-oxygen, self-sufficient attempt. He had been between Camp 3 and Camp 4 for several days, battling high winds.
Guided groups
Commercial teams also reported other summits: Garrett Madison accompanied his group of climbers and bagged his 19th Everest summit. We are waiting to hear from the EliteExped team, led by Nirmal Purja, Tejan Gurung, and Mingma David Sherpa, now also a member of Nepal’s Parliament. So far, there is only news of Mingma David reaching the summit, according to The Tourism Times.
Besides Harila’s group, there were other summiters with Seven Summit Treks on Everest today. Gexi Luori of China summited Everest today for the second time this season, in addition to summiting Lhotse twice. Expedition leader Chhang Dawa Sherpa gushed to The Tourism Times that Luori’s (and his Sherpa team) “is without doubt one of the most remarkable achievements ever seen on an 8,000m peak.” All the ascents were made within 10 days, meaning the oxygen-assisted climber never retreated further down than Camp 4.
Furtenbach Adventures reported they also had a last group on the summit of Lhotse.
Climbers “unwell” in Camp 4
Povilas Lengvinas of Lithuania and his Sherpa, both with SummitClimb, turned around without summiting. Expedition leader Dan Mazur has posted that another team member reached the top today, and two more were on the way up.
Mazur also reported concerning news: “One of our members and one of our Sherpas were not feeling well during the middle of the night, and the two of them descended back down through the darkness to the South Col, where they are safely resting now.”
Updates are expected about these two climbers, who should descend as soon as possible, as the upper side of Everest is virtually deserted and the route across the Icefall could be dismantled in two days.
Further news ahead
We are waiting for news from FKT runner Karl Egloff and his climbing partner, Nico Miranda, as well as from other climbers who could be on the mountain.
