Everest 2015: “Safer and Shorter” from Head of the Icefall Doctors

“Safer and shorter”, that is what the leader of the Icefall Doctors told me this morning on camera in an “exclusive interview” at Everest Base Camp. Looking at the Icefall, I am still in awe that is climbed each year.

From my perspective it looks more broken and jumbled but I will have a better feeling once we start climbing it later this week This will be my fifth time to go through the multiple rotations to attempt Everest or this year, > Lhotse, in the Khumbu Icefall.

It has been snowing heavily off and on all day and most everyone has reed to their tents to read or catch another nap.

To date, April 14th local time, no commercial teams have climbed through Icefall. In addition to the Icefall Doctors, reportedly David Breashears, who is helping with the route placement, has climbed to Camp 2.

Trek from Gorak Shep

We arrived at Everest Base Camp (EBC) yesterday, Monday April 13, 2015 in overcast and snowy conditions. We awoke yesterday morning to heavy snow and a fresh one to three feet on the ground from an overnight storm. But the winds were low and the temps mild so our trek higher was enjoyable.

As we crested one of the final hills, EBC came into view. Prayer flags were everywhere as were the red and yellow tents marking the temporary city that is created each April and May. In my estimation, camp looked smaller than in previous years. Also the glacier where base camp is established seemed much more broken thus spreading out the teams – a good thing.

Old Friend

Instead of heading to our Madison Mountaineering Base Camp, I went to find my friend Jim Davidson. I found his camp and called out his name, a teammate pointed to a tent and soon his head poked out like a prairie dog back in Colorado. We embraced tightly and he simply said, “Can you believe we are here?”

This is my fifth time to EBC but Jim’s first. I am so happy for him. We probably have a couple hundred days together in our Colorado mountains back home. He has trained hard and is so focused that I know he will do great on his Everest climb.

He looked healthy, confident and ready to climb. For his team, they will return down valley to acclimatize on the 20,000 foot Lobuche Peak before returning to EBC to begin their Everest climb.

Madison Mountaineering Base Camp

Soon I left him to find my team. Once again, I heard a familiar voice “Alan.” It was Kami calling out from our camp. I scrambled up a steep snow covered hillside to find our collection of yellow, red and green tents. Our team had an excellent lunch but it was quiet inside as I think each person was buried in their own private thoughts. The trekkers had made their “summit” and left today.  The climbers, well, we have a lot of work ahead.

Thus far, I’m very impressed with what Garrett Madison has put together. I will do a video tour of our camp in a few days. For now, we will rest up and adjust to the 17,300 foot altitude and early season cold temps – it was well below 0F last night.

Numbers Updates

• About 375 Everest 2015 permits issues thus far, with 125 from 2014. 96 issues for Lhotse.
• Total Everest permits issues in 2014 was 326.
• Nepali Min bahadur Sherchan 84 to go for male age record.

Comms and Climbing Update

Garrett Madison, Outside Magazine Cover Boy, worked with EverestLink to get a repeater installed near our base camp and now are getting 2.5mbps upload and download speeds – that is fast!! It costs about US$40 per 1GB of data. It is only available at base camp and not at the higher camps so I will posting updates from high camps using my voice blogging.

It appears most of the major teams have arrived at base camp. Many of them are sending Sherpas up to Camp 2 on Wednesday to check on the gear left there in 2014 after the tragedy. In spite of extreme lobbying by many expeditions leaders, helicopter flights to carry gear into the Cwm was denied once again for 2015.

Curiously, however, helicopters were supposed to be banned from Base Camp except for emergency evacuations. As I type this at 3:45 PM, I just heard the 10th helicopter of the day arrive at base camp. I visited EverestER and they said they have been busy, but not 10 evacs in one day!

Over on the north side, many teams are making their way by road to Chinese Base Camp. They will arrive in a few days and start climbing shortly thereafter.

Climb On!

I awoke this morning to the sound of prayers, the smell of juniper boughs burning and Sherpas dancing as pujas were taking place all around us. We will have ours tomorrow. As I lay in my tent this morning I heard the sound of gas stoves and the bustle of base camp, I let it all sink in.

Stepping outside my tent, I saw the sun just rising off Everest’s West Shoulder, the Icefall was dimly lit in the morning sun. The fresh snow made for a clean carpet over the rocks of the Khumbu Glacier.

Yes, I’m happy to be here.

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

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