Update 3
The SummitClimb team that turned back last week made it this morning in outstanding time. This from Arnold Coster:
This morning Jangbu Sherpa and John reached the summit of Everest at around 3:30am. Sandra, Richie, Steve, Chauwang, Lakpha and passing followed at around 5:30 am. The weather was beautiful and quiet. No winds and not too much people. They are all back at the Southcol taking a rest, before they will descent further. Depending how tired they are; some will continue to camp 2 others will decide to descent only to camp 3.
Of note with this team, Jon Kedrowski summited this morning. He helped many people last weekend and returned this week to summit.
Mike Moniz who summited Everest this morning with IMG is now taking a brief rest before going over to attempt Lhotse. That will be two 8000m climbs in 24 hours. After that he is off to Cho Oyu for his third 8000m.
There has been no update on Chad Kellogg. This is not unusual as in previous attempts he was very slow in updating his site. Also no update on Dave Hahn and the RMI team but I assume they summited and are headed back down tot he South Col. I will update int he Wave 5 Wrap-Up tomorrow.
Update 2
RMI’s Dave Hahn reported in at the Balcony at 4:30AM Nepal time, right on schedule for a midnight departure from the South Col for them. Look for their summit in about 3 hours or around 8 Nepal time.
Mountain Trip’s Scott Woolums led team reported 5 climbers plus 5 or more Sherpas on the summit at 6:55AM. They left the South Col at 10:50PM last night.
Eric Simonson let me know that some of the IMG climbers summited as early as 4:00AM – an incredible time indicating climbing conditions were about as good as they ever get on Everest. IMG just posted their summit list – an impressive showing of 12 climbers and 14 Sherpas. This list included Mike Moniz and my very own Ang Chhiring (Kami) Sherpa, Pangboche whom I summited Everest with last year. I believe this is his 14th summit.
Thanks to Joel Norvell for letting us know that Hungarian mountaineer, David Klein – climbing without supplementary O2 – is headed toward the summit on the North. He had planned to leave from Camp 3 last night, Friday at 10pm Nepal time.
Congratulations to all tonight.
Update 1
IMG reported the first summits of Saturday, May 25, as early as 4:00AM in what Eric Simonson called “excellent conditions”:
The first IMG climbers are reaching the summit now, and the rest are not too far back. Conditions are excellent. The eastern sky is just starting to get some color. It’s going to be a fantastic sunrise up there this morning. We’ll post the complete summit list once everyone gets up there, and we have a chance to send the list to the Ministry of Tourism (which gets notified first, per the regulations).
For perhaps the last time in the spring of 2012, the upper slopes of Everest are filled with climbers trying to fulfill their dreams. Leaving around 9:00PM on Friday, May 25, teams left the South Col and maybe the High Camps on the North. They should summit early Saturday, May 26.
Dave Hahn, RMI, reported their plans but no further word as of 3:00AM Nepal time. Dave is known for leaving very late and climbing fast to avoid the initial crowds – that is how a 13 time summiter from the West does it!:
We are going to go for it tonight. We’ve got the forecast in our favor, the winds are supposed to drop down. There are other people going for it tonight but manageable numbers and we feel pretty good about it. It’s a sunny day up here at 26,000’ and we are hanging out, making plans taking care of our selves, getting ready because tonight we want to start up for the roof of the world.
IMG‘s Classic team climbing with personal Sherpas are also on their way:
IMG guides Max Bunce and Eric Remza report that the Classic climbers left the South Col about 8:30 PM and are now climbing towards the Balcony. Each climber is accompanied by a personal Sherpa, and we also have some bottled-oxygen carrier sherpas going up too. Weather is good. We’ll keep you posted!
Mike Moniz, with IMG is updating his home team often on their website. Mike had hoped to climb Lhotse immediately after Everest – while still on the upper flanks, and then move quickly to Cho Oyu in Tibet and climb with Charlie Mace. I hope these ambitious plans are still intact. Will keep everyone informed.
The remaining climbers from SummitClimb are also on their way up including Coloradan Jon Kedrowski. Visit his site for some insight on assisting the climbers last weekend. They were one of the few teams that chose to turn back last weekend, thus avoiding the delays and weather.
I am not aware of any North side attempts tonight but there are still independent teams on both sides that do not make their progress public.
There are reports of melting in the Western Cwm and Icefall but this is quite normal for the end of May – even more reason to get off the mountain as quickly as possible. If everything goes as planned, the Sherpas will have cleared all the camps above the Icefall in a few more days.
I will update this post as news develops, post a wrap-up tomorrow and then my season summary where I share my views on everything that transpired this season in the next few days. Meanwhile I am in full training for my next climb to Peru’s Alpaymayo in June. I’ll post dispatches directly from the climb so I hope you become a regular visitor once Everest 2012 is over.
It appears Everest is closing out quietly, which is just fine with everyone this year.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
33 thoughts on “Everest 2012: Summit Wave 5 – Update 3”
Heartiest congratulations to the 3 Bangladeshi summiteers of 2012. Nishat, Mohit and Wasfia, we are extremely proud of you.
Thank you for the wonderful updates. Anything on the Project Himalaya team? I’ve only been able to find out that a woman climber from Bengladesh with Project H summited with 2 sherpas and Chris Klinke (Guide) at 6:41am. No mention of the other 2 Team members.
Shouldn’t they have reported back to Camp 4 by now?
Good morning from Germany. Only good news from Everest today. That’s great. Thanks again for the updates Alan. Hope all climbers will come back safe and healthy.
Yesterday I watched the documentation about Gerfried Göschls winterexpedition to Hidden Peak on Servus TV.
http://www.servustv.com/cs/Satellite/Article/Bergwelten-011259426465389
Servus TV will show it again today at 13:55 German time (There is a „Live-Stream“ on the page) and I think in a few days it will also be available at the „Mediathek“.
Gerfried planned to make a documentation about his expedition. Now Servus TV finished this project together with his family.
Although it is in German I think it is worth to watch. Darek Zaluski did a fantastic job with the camera. It is like being there. Great pictures of the mountains, the way to base camp, inside view of life in base camp and climbing in such harsh conditions.
An homage to three great climbers: Gerfried Göschl, Cedrich Hählen and Nisar Hussein. R.I.P.
@Alan: Hope it is ok that I posted this link here, if not please let me know.
News fro Asian Trekking:
Lovraj Dharmashaktu, Tenzing Dorje Sherpa, Sonam Bhote, Rajendra Singh Pal and Nawangle reached summit at 4:40 am. Others still coming up.
Meghlal Mahato and Sonam Tshering and Kalden Sherpa and Binita Soren from TATA summited at 6:50 am,
FROM LUMBUNI TO MT. EVEREST YOUTH LEADERS PEACE EXPEDITION 2012:··
Yubaraj Dulal·and Nima Kanchha Sherpa summited at·3 am. Saral is approaching the summit. Krisna KC, Mahesh and Madan at South summit. The others still coming up.
Saral S. Poudel and Phurba Tshering Sherpa summited at 5:15 am.
Shiva Kumar Dangi summit around 7 am. The exact time to be confirmed later.
Krisna KC, leader of the Lumbini to Everest Youth Leaders Peace Everest Exp with Pemba Tshering Sherpa, members Maheshwor Phuyal with Fura Gyalgen Sherpa and Madan K. Chudal with Lhakpa Nuru Sherpa reached summit at.7:07 am.
Shakar Dahal, Deputy Leader of Lumbini to Everest Youth Leaders Peace Everest Expedition with Kaji Sherpa and Bina Magar with Sherav Gyalgen Sherpa summited at 8 am.
congratulations meghalal and binita, you guys were great on aconcagua, great again on everest, thanks for doing us proud.
What about Nandini Cholaraju from Asian Trekking? Any news?
Alan, Everest is keeping us all hopping tonight. Thanks for the info on Lhotse. Mind if I use that on Climb7?
Thanks!
My best wishes for success to all the climbers, but especially to David Klein: climb safely, and may you attain the summit and celebrate Konyi’s memory.
Alan,
Mike Moniz my brother has decided to attempt the Everest Lhotse traverse, do you know how long
that takes and any details of conditions on Lhotse?
Congratulations to Mike, Sue. It will take them a couple of hours to descend to the midway point between the top of the Geneva Spur and Camp 3 where they will begin to regain altitude towards the summit of Lhotse. There is a High Camp there where I assume they will take a healthy food and water break before climbing to the rock gully to the summit. There have been multiple summits of Lhotse already this year so the fixed line is in place. There have been no reports of rock fall more than normal.
Alan thank you for the info, so helpful to have any
understanding of what to expect. Thank you for your commitment and time, it has been a blessing to have
any info about what is going on up there for all of us
back home.
Here in Seattle we are looking for news of Chad Kellogg. We are hoping that he’s back to base camp now.
Dhammadinna and Bodhiheart Sangha
love raj singh dharmshaktu from pune india again, is trying to attempt everest without oxygen this year, any news on his bid will help us. thanks alan.
Ameet,
Loveraj is not with the Pune team. He is a member with Asian Trekking’s Eco expedition. It is 8.25 am Nepal time as I type this. He is yet to reach the summit. He will be the second Indian without oxygen. Yesterday an Indian Army climber did it without oxygen. But Loveraj will still become the first person of Indian descent to do Everest four times.
Just got news that Loveraj reached the summit at 4.40 am Nepal time. However, he used oxygen. He is apparently yet to reach South Col.
Just got details of the first Indian to climb Everest without supplementary oxygen. He is a JCO of Subedar rank. His name is Rajendra Singh Jalal. He has climbed 5 eight-thousanders, including Everest, earlier, with oxygen.
Hi, Yana, any idea about the second batch of women from the Indian Army? One group summited yesterday early morning and apparently there is another group that was/is supposed to attempt the summit today.
Yes, three of the women summitted today. Four had summitted yesterday. So all 7 of them have summitted. The deputy leader of the team, who was the climbing leader, Major RS Jamwal, was the lone male officer to summit. He summitted today.
Thanks, Yana. I just found out myself from Rimo Expeditions. Whew! Kudos to the team on their success!
Hi Yana,
read your blog, just wanted to check with the second batch of Indian army who was suppose to summit today have done succesffully and all are safe.. I am husband of one of the Woman officers who had to summit today.. pls confirm.
thank you so much yana, i had hoped he would succeed without oxygen. we in pune like to call him our own bcos, he climbed everest with the tata sponsored expedition way back in 98. he enjoys close ties with many climbers here and 12 of our boys hv summitted everest this year. its a small bias.
Just discovered this site today! The pictures are wonderful and your narratives are excellent. Alan, you have a new fan.
Thanks, as always, for the coverage. I’ve been refreshing the IMG site like its my job for the last hour or so. Excited and hopeful for lists soon.
Also, Alan – thanks for your dedication to the Alzheimer’s cause. I lost my beloved grandma to that disease so I appreciate your efforts.
Alan: your blog is an essential read with my dear friend on Everest. His mother has later stage Alzheimer’s and I know he wil be a big supporter of your cause. I will get my donation act together tonight and just want to thank you for your diligence and insight. Your descriptions of your experience have me spell bound. My friend is on the IMG Classic team: Robert “Bob” Berger
I believe the Hungarian mountaineer, David Klein – climbing without supplementary O2 – is headed toward the summit. He had planned to leave from Camp 3 N Side, 8300m, Friday at 10pm NPT. His previous attempt in 2010 was cut short by a tragedy that took his climbing partner László “Konyi” Várkonyi’s life. Godspeed, David. http://www.expeditions.hu/view/main/17.html
Thanks for the coverage Alan, good luck in Peru! Are you sure the folks from Summitclimb are reaming people? Seems rude. Maybe they are dreaming or possibly remaining? 😉
I just wanted to see if anybody really read my posts 🙂 Thanks, corrected.
Looks like everyone is in great shape for the last tracks. Which is a relief to all.
Thanks for including your goal for the year. I’m not very familiar with Alpaymayo, I’ll have to take a look.
Thanks again for your dedication.
Yes, go Dave and Melissa. Checking RMI for details. Keep us posted Alan, as you have the inside track! =)
Would love updates on Chad’s speed attempt if you hear any reports!
k
No updates on his or his sponsor site which is strange but Outside Mag mentioned he was on his way an past C2. In the past he has not updated his site often and it took days after his last attempt for him to post what happened.
Thanks Alan! Any further news you come across / can relay on Chad’s progress would be great to know…
-Tim
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0MuHb9vMOqkJBGeAnEsejTIIVzDOHXqkh
Chad’s Spot locator is now live boradcasting!
k
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