Despite a continual stream of summits on Everest and other 8000’ers over the past 24 hours, a number of events stand out.
No-02 Everest-Lhotse
Juan Pablo Mohr and David Göttler also headed up Everest without supplementary oxygen earlier this week. Mohr summited on Thursday, then returned to Camp 4. We expect to hear soon about his safe return to Base Camp. Unfortunately, Göttler was caught in the rush hour traffic jam on the mountain’s final sections. He reportedly turned around about 200m shy of the top because he considered it too crowded and therefore too dangerous.
Note that French climber Elisabeth Revol summited Everest and Lhotse, but apparently not without oxygen, contrary to initial reports.
Project Possible Rolls On
Nirmal Purja summited Makalu this morning and has bagged Everest, Lhotse and Makalu within the past 48 hours. Earlier, he climbed Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Kangchenjunga, so the former special forces soldier’s ambition to climb all the 8000’ers in seven months continues like a freight train. Purja will take some time off with his family before heading to the Karakorum in early June.
Nirmal Purja. Photo: Nirmal Purja
More Deaths
The death toll on the 8000’ers now stands at 19. Two climbers died on Everest in the past 24 hours. Irishman Kevin Hynes died in his tent at the North Col (7,000 m) in the early hours of this morning. Hynes had reached Camp 3 (8,300m) on Wednesday but decided to go down.
Dhurba Busta. Photo: Dhurba Bista
Nepali mountain guide Dhruba Bista died at Everest Base Camp today, after retreating from Camp 3 with altitude problems. And a Sherpa died on Makalu rescuing two Indian climbers.
Finally, on Makalu today, Nima Tenji Sherpa died somewhere above Camp 2 on the way down from the summit. Cause of death is not known.
