Weather forecasts are particularly complex this season, as the rising and sinking of the jet stream changes unpredictably from day to day. Yesterday, a long line of climbers wound from Camp 4 to the summit, despite the high winds. Many more are heading up at a rate of one camp per day, rather than trusting what they see from their tents.
Today, several teams have reported summits on Everest and Lhotse.
“According to the Department of Tourism, over 500 climbers, including Sherpa guides, have successfully summited Everest so far this spring season,” the Everest Chronicle reported today. Many more climbers will continue throughout the rest of the week.
“It started out a little blustery, but the winds abated by midday when we reached Camp 3,” Garrett Madison reported. His team will arrive at Camp 4 tomorrow.
“Forecasts are challenging, [but] our summit itinerary stays,” a Brazilian team wrote from Camp 2. It estimates summiting on May 22.
Lines are here to stay
As the teams grow bigger and the clients are unwilling to wait until the last days of the season, long lines near the summit have become unavoidable. The featured image of this story was shot by IFGMA guide Prakash Gurung, one of the 27 (!) guides who assisted 13 Elite Exped clients between May 18 and 19.
A line of climbers heads to Camp 4. Photo: Gyalzen Sherpa
The teams are so massive that some Sherpa guides climb the mountain more than once. This season’s record holder, Tashi Gyalzen of 8K Expeditions, reached the summit of Everest on May 9, 14, and 19. He hopes to put in a fourth summit before the monsoon.
Tyler Andrews off on Friday
On May 23, Tyler Andrews will launch his second attempt to set an FKT (Fastest Known Time) from Base Camp to the top of Everest.
“My focus has always been the ascent record because that is the only mark that matters, but I never intend to use oxygen in my climbing, outside [of] emergencies,” he said. “And I always planned to make it back to Base Camp in a single push.”
Andrews added: “Goal A is a BC-to-summit record of less than 21 hours. If I’m at all close to my goal time, then I will consider a return trip in less than 24 hours as goal B. But personally, I think it’s stupid to race down 8,000m mountains.”
As for other no-O2 climbers, Marcelo Segovia of Ecuador is in Camp 3. Valery Babanov of Russia summited yesterday, as noted in a summit list by Seven Summit Treks. However, he was not listed as a no-O2 climber. He may have changed his mind and turned to bottled gas at some point.
Lhotse no-O2 attempt
The winds affect climbers very differently when they proceed without supplemental oxygen. It feels much colder, and the risk of frostbite is correspondingly higher. Saulius Damulevicius of Lithuania had already climbed Makalu without personal Sherpa support or bottled oxygen this spring. He then launched an attempt on Lhotse in the same style. He reached some 250m below the summit, but the wind was too strong. He retreated and, according to his tracker, is back at Camp 4.
Saulius Damulevicius at Everest Base Camp four days ago. Photo: Saulius Damulevicius/Facebook
