As expected some teams and climbers have jumped the rope team and are on their way to the summit.
1st Summit Push, view No ropes
First the Chilean team left about 11 Pm on Thursday May 17 hoping to reach the summit in the early morning hours of May 18th.
The entire team of 11 climbers and 10 sherpas, are in good condition at Camp 4, after reaching the place, located at 7950 meters, between 14:00 and 17:30 hrs. local. After about 9 hours of hard work, the group is hydrating and resting to depart at 23:00 hrs. local to the goal of the expedition: the summit of Mount Everest. To follow as they are favorable weather conditions, the team of climbers should arrive tomorrow, Friday 18 to the top of the roof called world.
1st Summit Push, No Oxygen!
Also currently en-route is Ueli Steck, but this is not 100% confirmed. If he is climbing per his update on his site, he is climbing without using supplemental oxygen.
The Weather locks great. I will leave Basecamp tomorrow morning, after a nice Breakfest in the sun to Camp 2. 17. May i plan to leave also late and go straight to Camp 4 were i will have a couple hours rest before set of for a Summitpush around midnight. Hope this time i will not get to cold and reach Summit May 18. morning.
Staggered Departures
Tim Ripple, Peak Freaks,also known for solid information just posted on his blog:
Tomorrow the mission will be complete with ropes fixed to the summit. Marty suggests there are probably 80 or more people at Camp 3 tonight. The plan is for half of them to head up on the 18th and the other half on the 19th which we’ve taken as our main window but also allowing the 20th as a back up for those opting to layover at the South Col for the night. All the teams in this push have agreed to stagger their departure times from the South Col to the summit which should help with movement up there.The weather is awesome right now, low to no wind and the part being the temperatures remain cool making traveling quite pleasant, unlike the past couple of years where it was unbearable for some. It’s shaping up good up there and the next beauty window like this one will open up again on the 24th if not sooner which would merge the two windows offering a fantastic season of opportunities for everyone.
It appears the weather window is a bit longer than some teams thought a few days ago thus allowing for a more leisurely climb to the summit. This will help avoid some of the concern about bottlenecks.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
16 thoughts on “Everest 2012: Summit Wave 1 Underway”
I would like to add some strong facts to clarify the somewhat unjust also offensive post about he chilean team .. Rodrigo Jordan led and summitted on a 1992 everest via hard Kanshung face, led a K2 ascent in 1996 via south east spur, plus lead another 2004 Everest ascent via South Col and also led and summitted Lothse etc, etc I would ask Marc to look Rodrigo bio on wikipedia .. On the 10 team summit 6 had climbed eithet Everest or Lothse or both plus Makalu. I wont even go to non himalayan activity of this group or to use some of the expression of Marc but will ask him to check before writing
can you kindly tell me about the indian women who were suppose to summit tomorrow.
13: 50 Hrs local Chilean expedition successfully the goal of his journey: reach the top of Mount Everest.
The Group of 10 Chileans and 10 sherpas, led by Rodrigo Jordan, arrived in good condition to the place; becoming thus the first expedicionen this season to achieve this feat.
The goal is fulfilled after 57 days of expedition, where were not exentosde problems, as the complete loss of camp was 1 product of an avalanche, without injured to mourn. It should also be noted that initially the group formed it 12 people, but first Sergeant Juan Díaz was sick in Camp 2 making communications link. In turn, the Mexican Mountaineer Lorenzo Ruiz, accompanied the group to Camp 4 remaining there to await his return.
The team already comes down, after a very minimal in the Summit stay, as being the first to climb to the top this season and “open roads” meant them a greater effort and work to get there, which is why the calculated times have been somewhat retarded.
It should be noted that the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest by Chilean mountaineers, had his best celebration: again the goal was achieved. For Rodrigo Jordan which has led 3 successful expeditions to Everest (making Summit in 1992 and now 2012) it feels very special and profound gratitude to all, especially to the team, including the sherpas and all Chile.
The whole chilean team is on The summit with ueli and aun iraní woman
Hello from Switzerland
Today is my birthday and i do hope UELI STECK will make his way in good health today on the summit.
i keep my fingers crossed!!
many regards to all who read this page
Susanne
Just as Marc I was also thinking whether Chileans would be using last year’s/ old ropes — iam sure coz of the constant high wind factor & snow, the ropes would be in tatters & anchors must be unreliable.
Hi Marc, The. chilean team is a very strong team with a lot of experience. Dont judge them if you dont know them and what they have done
You can follow the expedition trough
http://www.everest20años.cl/
Saludos
Juan
Sleep? Who needs sleep? I’m reading Everest!!!! Getting back is the GOAL…. Getting the summit is the DREAM!!! To hell with the Ferrari, I’m going to Everest!!!
Thank you for your blog!!! I am glued to this site as I have a son, Bob, with the WMS group. Do you know in which group they will be for summit day? I know they are at Camp 3 right now.
Betty, it appears they left for their summit bid according to this post but I don’t know if they are on the 19 or 20. From http://www.peakpromotionnepal.com/lhotse/day_20_ebc.php
16th May, 2012 – final arrangements at EBC before heading up on my summit attempt Early this morning I heard the Indian climbers and the WMS climbers getting up and leaving for their summit attempts. It is clear with no wind this morning.
Again they move up there without any safety ropes above balcony….
I feel to be up there with them. Your updates are fantastic. I have to keep an eye on the time zones or I might get left behind!!!
Hi Alan,
first sorry for my bad english. Need to improve it allot! Schools over for some years 😉
As I am reading your blog everyday (almost every one hour) and knowing the Discovery series I am really (!!!) alarmed about the Chiliean team moving ahead. Sorry….but WTF? I am not experienced in climbing and will do my first climb in august at the zugspitze in germany but I know all the books, videos about everest.
Isn’t that gambling with the death? There’s a Team up there of about 20 people. What about one of them missing his her balance at that altitude? Don’t might even think of it….
Won’t you all think they will use the last year’s ropes at hillary step at least? Will this be safe?
I really hope they all make it to the top (as I hope I will make it someday to the Southcol^^) and down safely. I don’t know about their skills of climbing and of their strength and experience what I know that doesen’t make me sleep!
Again, sorry for that bad english. As I am from germany I would like to write this in German but that won’t be fair to everyone else.
Alan as I like your Blog so much, please reply to this.
To all that guys out there in the cold, be safe!
Schöne grüße,
Marc
HI Alan,
Here is a link to Outside Magazine, they got some very good coverage and dispatches from the Eddie Bauer/First Ascent (Jake Norton) teams about their West Ridge attempt:
http://www.outsideonline.com/blog?author=Grayson
Keep up the good work!!!
Very exciting, getting so close to that first summit!
Hi Alan!
You are doing great by posting the update daily.
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