Everest enters its final week with the crowds gone, but several interesting climbs without supplemental oxygen are still ongoing.
The most patient commercial climbers are having quite a different experience than those on previous days — no crowds but quite windy on the upper slopes.
“Today’s summit conditions were slightly cold with moderate winds,” SummitClimb reported today, after two members summited. “The mountain remained remarkably quiet, with only three or four other climbers reaching the summit today — and no additional crowds beyond that.”
The Alpine Ascents International team, led by Ben Jones, also summited today.
The summit of Everest and Camp 4 on the South Col as seen from the route to Lhotse. Photo: Furtenbach Adventures
Madison Mountaineering put a group on top today and has a second group on the way up from Camp 4. They plan to summit tomorrow, May 26. Also on its final push is a group from Elite Exped, led by Nirmal Purja, and a 14-member team from SummitClimb.
No-O2 climbers
Most of the attention is on those climbers going without oxygen, with or without support. Some are chasing speed records; others, just trying to get up and down safely.
Saulius Damulevicius is one of only three climbers this spring, along with Polish skier Bartek Ziemski and Ecuadorian Marcelo Segovia, who is attempting Everest without oxygen or personal Sherpa support. After a few days spent battling wind and thin air at Camp 3, he finally moved up to Camp 4 today. Here, he will rest briefly before starting for the summit tonight. You can follow his progress live on his tracker.
Saulius Damulevicius at Everest Base Camp some days ago. Photo: Saulius Damulevicius/Facebook
Justin Sackett of the U.S., supported by Tenjing Sherpa, reached Camp 2 on his final summit push yesterday. The pair should reach Camp 3 today, Camp 4 tomorrow, and the summit on May 27.
Kristin Harila of Norway is in Camp 3, planning on a May 27 summit. She has not said whether or not she will use oxygen on this third climb. Harila’s objective was a no-O2 triple ascent of Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse. She did bag Nuptse without bottled oxygen, but some days later, she turned to oxygen during the last section of the climb on Lhotse. She climbs with Mingtemba Sherpa (with Harila in the photo below) and Pasan Rinzee Sherpa.
FKT attempts
Karl Egloff is training in Pumori Base Camp while he waits for the winds to abate. He has not yet shared when he will begin his no-O2 Everest speed ascent, but he might again end up sharing the mountain with Tyler Andrews.
After a messy attempt without and then with oxygen, Andrews returned to Base Camp, where he announced a new no-O2 FKT attempt starting Wednesday evening.
Egloff is eyeing a no-O2, non-stop return trip starting and ending at Everest Base Camp.
Record season
Meanwhile, Everest Base Camp is being dismantled quickly. Only a few staff members and some tents remain to service the final few climbers.
Early numbers suggest a possible record number of summits and permit revenues. Khimlal Gautam, coordinator of the government field office at Everest Base Camp, told Everest Chronicle that there was a total of 879 summits as of last Saturday. Counting this week’s, the final number could easily surpass the overall historic record of 891 summits in one season, set in 2019.
Unlike 2019, all the climbs this season took place on the Nepalese side of the mountain, which explains the long lines on peak days.
