Five Years On, David Sharp Still Haunts Everest

In May of 2006, British mountaineer David Sharp died while climbing alone on Mt. Everest. He was approximately 450 meters below the summit and the exact details of what went wrong are unknown to this day. But what is known is that while he lay there in the snow, just off the main path on Everest's North Side, roughly 40 climbers passed him on their way to the top. No one stopped to render aid or tried to conduct a rescue, and the 34-year old perished while others went up to celebrate their successful summits.

The incident resulted in quite a backlash within the mountaineering community which still resonates to this day. Some were critical of the fact that no team even attempted to bring Sharp, who was suffering from exposure and altitude sickness, down the mountain, and a number of high profile figures on Everest were lambasted for leaving David to die. Those involved more directly in the controversy claim that there was confusion over the Sharp's health and status, and communications over what to do for him were unclear as well.

It didn't help that much of the media at the time portrayed the climbers as being very callous, not carrying what happened to another human being, while remaining singularly focused on getting to the top of Everest. Few understood the logistics of pulling off a high altitude rescue, but the fact that no one even tried has been at the center of this story since it first broke.

One of the climbers who was there that day, and walked past Sharp on his way to the summit, was New Zealander Mark Inglis, a double-amputee who made history by becoming the first man to climb the world's tallest mountain without either of his legs. Inglis went on to write a book about that experience and included his recollection of what happened regarding Sharp. Inglis maintains that he and his teammates thought that David was already dead, so they continued on their way, but not before checking in with team leader Russell Brice back in Base Camp, who allegedly told the team to forget about Sharp and keep moving. Brice for his part says that he didn't speak with Inglis about the matter, which has led to even more confusion over the whole situation.

This has all been brought to the forefront once again thanks to an interview that Inglis conducted with the BBC. In that interview, the Kiwi climber says that he regrets not going back when his team came across Sharp on the mountain, but he continues to say that a rescue wasn't possible, particularly in the extreme cold and altitude on Everest. Unfortunately, the BBC won't let me embed the video here, but you can watch a segment of it by clicking here.

The David Sharp controversy has been an on going one over the past few years, and considering some teams have since successfully conducted high altitude rescues on Everest and other mountains, it isn't likely to go away anytime soon. While it is a sad story to say the least, I do think it has had a positive impact on the mountaineering community, who seem less likely to simply give up on a fellow climber in the wake of the events that went down on Everest back in 2006.

Thanks to Adventure Journal for sharing the link to the video.

British Ultrarunner Sets New EBC to Kathmandu Speed Record

British ultrarunner Lizzie Hawker has set a new speed record from Everest to Kathmandu, by running from Base Camp to the capitol of Nepal in just under three days. Hawker started the run last week and finished the 320km (199 mile) route on Friday.

Officially, Hawker's time was recorded as 2 days, 23 hours, 25 minutes, which shaved a bit of time off her previous record, which was set back in 2007, when she made the same run in 3 days, 2 hours, 39 minutes. Her latest time includes an unexpected stop over in the village of Bupsa, where Hawker spent 8 hours waiting out the rain. At that point she thought her chances of breaking the record were slim, but she managed to get back on the trail and make up the time.

Perhaps even more impressive, Lizzie, who is amongst the top ultrarunners in the world, completed the run without sleep and while suffering from what is described as a chest infection, which she contracted while on the Everest Sky Race. My guess is that she had a bad case of the Khumub Cough, which I can tell you from my own experience is quite nasty. I don't envy her on that run.

Considering the trek from EBC to Lukla takes about four days by itself, this is super-impressive. Most of us then board a plane and fly back to Kathmandu from Lukla, but Lizzie kept on running, finishing up the whole journey in under three days. Amazing.

Thanks to Outside Online for the tip on this one!

Soldier Told He'd Never Walk Again Now Trekking To Everest Base Camp

In 2007, British solider Jonathan La Galloudec was wounded in combat while serving in Iraq. The young man was hit in the spine by gunfire, and doctors told him that he would never walk again. Not taking no for an answer however, Jonathan continued to work hard, rehab from his injuries, and focused on getting his life back to normal. His hard work paid off, and while he remains partially paralyzed, he did learn to walk once more.

Now, the former solider is making the trek to Everest Base Camp as part of an expedition to support the Help For Heroes organization, a non-proft dedicated to raising money to help servicemen and women who have suffered injuries in the line of duty. A few days back, Jonathan and his team began the trek, which will take him up to 5364 meters (17,600 ft.), the location of Base Camp on the world's tallest mountain. You can follow his progress by clicking here.

The expedition is sponsored by Energizer, who have pledged to donate £100,000 ($160,000) to the H4H organization, plus an addition £20,000 for reaching specific targets in Facebook likes. The overall goal is to raise £500,000 ($800,000) total. You can aid in that cause by going to the Everest Hero Diary page on Facebook and clicking the "Like" button.

According to the PR on this trek, since being wounded, Jonathan has struggled at times just to go for a walk in the rain, as the conditions made it difficult for him to get around. Considering that weather conditions in the Himalaya have been less than ideal lately, the young man could be having a rough go of it on this hike. Even in the best of conditions however, the trek can take its toll on those who aren't prepared. When I did it last year, I saw perfectly healthy people struggle with the altitude and steep climbs. Still, La Galloudec seems determined to reach his goal, and if everything goes as planned, he should be in EBC by November 22nd.

Learn more about Jonathan and this trek in the video below.

Book Review: Into The Silence

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Mt. Everest has always captivated the public's attention and spurred our sense of adventure. The mountain isn't just the tallest peak on the planet, it is also a physical manifestation of our need to explore and add a little danger and excitement to our lives. 

Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory and the Conquest of Everest by Wade Davis, helps to hammer home this point by tracing the early history of the mountain, how it came to rise to prominence in the minds of explorers, mountaineers, and the public in general. The book features a cast of thousands, with larger than life figures from a bygone era each playing a role in putting Everest on the map – both literally and figuratively. 

As you can probably guess from the title, the book focuses on George Mallory and his early attempts to climb Everest. Of course, Davis gives us a detailed and rich account of those expeditions, beginning with their very origins and leading up to that fateful day in 1924 when Mallory, and his climbing partner Sandy Irvine, disappeared just a few hundred feet below the summit. But before he gets there, he spins quite a tale that will enthrall and amaze you. 

The story gives us an incredible amount of backstory that includes how the British explored the Himalaya, established relations with Tibet, and established a permanent presence in the region. During that time, several prominent soldiers and explorers began to become obsessed with Everest and getting the chance to climb it, even though there wasn't even a route established to the mountain itself, let alone up it. 

The earliest serious discussions of climbing the mountain took place in the early 1890's, between explorer Francis Younghusband and Charles Bruce, a soldier in the British Army. The two men would eventually play a vital role in getting those early expeditions organized and funded, but it would take decades for that to happen, and each of the principle characters would change dramatically over those years, and watch the world change around them. 

In those days, there were a lot of obstacles to climbing Everest, such as the fact that the region was still largely unexplored and there were a lot of politics to overcome before any expedition could even approach the mountain. But the biggest obstacle of all came in 1914, when World War I broke out, putting the world on pause for the next few years. 

The conflict changed the face of warfare and brought a new definition of horror to the men who fought in it. Davis paints a very vivid picture of what it was like on those battlefields and if you're not already familiar with how the first World War was fought, you're likely to experience a little of that horror yourself. It was the bloodiest and most brutal war in history, and it had lasting repercussions that lasted for decades to follow.

Following that war however, there was a renewed interest in Everest and the Royal Geographic Society was able to pitch the expedition as a matter of national pride. After all, the Brits had lost the race to both the North and South Pole, and Everest was viewed as the last great challenge. One that the Empire couldn't afford to lose. 

As we all know, it would be another 30 years before Everest would eventually be climbed, but that doesn't make this tale any less fascinating. The story of Mallory and Irvine and all of the back history that put them on that mountain in June of 1924 is an incredible read, and while at times you'll think you've picked up a history textbook, it all comes together brilliantly. It is hard to believe that there could be a more detailed account of those expeditions or a more accurate portrayal of the men who were involved in the whole affair. 

Mallory is almost as captivating as Everest itself, and the man and the mountain will always be linked to one another. This book puts that relationship in perfect perspective and gives you a better understanding of the climber and the challenge that would take his life. If you're a fan of history, mountaineering, or Everest, than you'll definitely want to own this book. (Price: $19.34 from Amazon) 

New Everest Documentary Spawns Reality Series

A new Everest documentary entitled 40 Days at Base Camp, made its debut at the Vancouver International Film Festival last week, and will headline the Banff Mountain Film Festival next week. By all accounts, it is a gripping look at what happens on the mountain during a typical climbing season.

Evidently, the film must be something special, as filmmaker Dianne Whelan has already been commissioned to return to Everest next spring to shoot an 8-part reality series on the North Side of the mountain. The show is expected to air in December of 2012 and may be a replacement for the now defunct Everest: Beyond The Limit, which aired for three seasons on the Discovery Channel.

Below is the trailer for 40 Days, which looks very well done judging from this footage. Obviously they filmed this documentary on the South Side of Everest, which is considerably busier than the North these days. I'm sure they won't have any shortage of good stories to tell from the Tibetan side of the hill though.



40 Days At Base Camp- Trailer from Andrew Coppin on Vimeo.

The New York Times Looks At Speed Climbing

The New York Times has posted a story and video on speed climbing in the world of mountaineering and takes a look at the approach to climbing, which inherently brings some risks for those who choose to go faster in the mountains.

The article mentions or quotes a number of big name climbers, including Steve House, who has a few harsh things to say about the approach, saying that speed records are for stroking someone's "ego." The Times also interviews Chad Kellogg about his attempts at a speed record on Everest, and the included video, which can't be embedded here, shows Chad training on Mt. Rainier. Rock climber Alex Honnold weighs in, saying he just climbs, and that speed records are simply a by-product of the faster approach. Even Ueli Steck offers some comments, saying that it is important to balance speed with safety on any climb.

I came across this link thanks to a post over at the Adventure Journal, and like them, I'm happy to see mountaineering get some mainstream press, but the writer acts like it is something new for climbers to try to go faster and lighter on the mountain. It has been happening for years, it is just that we've gotten to the point now where the athletes are better trained, better prepared, and have better equipment than ever before. That combination is allowing a few elite climbers to really push the envelope.

I think the following quote from Steve Swenson, president of the American Alpine Club, is a good one:

“Fifty years ago, adventure in the mountains was more about going places where no one had been,” he said. “Most of these places have been more thoroughly explored. Maybe adventure gets redefined.”

To me, "adventure" is a very personal thing, and what consitutues an adventure for some people, may not  be the same for others. It is important that we all find the definition that works for ourselves, and then pursue the best way to put some adventure into our lives. That's what I see out of these climbers. They are indeed redefining adventure for the 21st century.

Everest Now Streaming On Webcam

A team of scientists researching the effects of climate change on the Himalaya have installed a solar powered webcam on Kala Patthar and aimed it at everyone's favorite mountain – Everest. The cam is only in operation from 6AM to 6PM local time (which means as I write this, it is off) but offers of views of the world's tallest mountain during daylight hours.

The researchers have also set up a host of weather recording instruments and hope to use them in conjunction with the camera to monitor how Everest changes over time as a result of our changing climate. Glaciers throughout the region are in retreat and that has had a direct impact on the amount of fresh water that is available for those living in the mountains. As the atmosphere continues to warm up, the mountain people of the Himalaya could be facing a potential crisis that will have a direct impact on their way of life.

Check out the webcam by clicking here and the Everest weather monitors by clicking here. They offer up such info as current temperatures, humidity, wind speed, and more.

Video: Through The Khumbu Icefall

If you ask any climber on the South Side of Everest what the scariest part of the mountain is, most will invariably say that it is the Khumbu Icefall. Ironically enough, this portion of the climb is actually located at relatively low altitude, sitting just above Base Camp. The Icefall is created by the Khumbu Glacier, which begins breaking apart on this section of the mountain. The result, is rather large crevasses that must be negotiated by the climbers in their way up to Camp 1. In order to cross those open areas, a team of Sherpas, known as the Khumbu Ice Doctors, build and continually maintain, a route through the falls using a series of ladders to cross.

So, just how scary is this section of the climb? Check out the video below to get an idea. I've seen these videos, and even the Icefall, for myself, and it never gets any easier to look at.

Thanks to The Goat for the heads-up on this one!

Everest Flight Crashes In Nepal, Kills 19

A small plane that was taking an arial tour of Mt. Everest earlier today, crashed amidst bad weather, killing all 19 people aboard. The flight, which is operated by Buddha Air, went down about 10 miles outside of Kathmandu while returning to the Tribhuvan International Airport there.

The $140 tour takes travelers to Mt. Everest by air and circles the mountain, offering spectacular views of the summit that most wouldn't have a chance to see in any other way. The Beechcraft 1900D aircraft took off from Kathmandu this morning and completed the Everest flight, but was returning in rain and dense fog. Witnesses say it was flying very low and smashed into the side of a hill with a big explosion. Others indicated that they saw flames coming from the plane as it went down, indicating that it may have had mechanical problems that resulted in the crash.

In addition to the Nepali pilot, co-pilot, and flight attendant, there were two other Nepali passengers aboard, along with 10 Indian, two Americans, and one Japanese. One of those passengers reportedly survived the crash only to die at, or en route, to a hospital.

Investigators have only just begun piecing together the cause of the crash, but it could deal a blow to Nepal's plans to lure travelers to the country to help the poor economy there.

My condolences to the friends and family of those who died in the crash.

Climber With No Arms Sets Sights On Everest

According to this story from the Cochrane Eagle, a climber who is missing both of his arms will attempt to climb Everest next year. Sudarshan Gautam will take on the world's tallest mountain in an effort to raise funds for the Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation in Vancouver.


The 29-year-old Nepalese man, who now lives in Canada, lost both of  his arms when he was just 13. He was flying a kite at the time, and when the kite became tangled in electrical wires, he attempted to free it by using a metal pole. The resulting electric shock severely damaged his limbs, which had to be amputated.

Since that time, he has learned to live his life without the use of arms or hands. He uses his feet for many of his daily tasks, such as writing, eating, or even steering a car. In 2005 he also climbed Yala Peak, a 5732 meter (18,805 ft.) mountain located along the border of Tibet and Nepal, using "his teeth, feet and a team of sherpas." Sudarshan calls that "training for Mount Everest."

The story doesn't go into much detail on what his climbing experience beyond Yala Peak is however. That mountain is a non-technical "walk-up" that is more than 10,000 feet shorter than Everest. I'm not sure hiking to the top of Yala, six years ago no less, constitutes good training for a far taller and more technical mountain like Everest.

Still, I wish Sudarshan luck. I'd admire his spirit and sense of adventure, plus his efforts are going to a good cause. He has other plans for further adventures as well. Upon his return from the Himalaya next year, he plans to drive across Canada using nothing but his feet, in a manual transmission now less.

The Wildest Dream Premieres Tonight On BBC2

Here's a quick heads-up for my friends across the pond. The Wildest Dream, the excellent docu-drama about Mallory and Irvine's ill-fated attempt to summit Everest back in 1924 will debut tonight on BBC2 at 9PM local time. The film is narrated by Liam Neeson and stars the voices of Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson, Hugh Dancy, and Alan Rickman. It also features Conrad Anker and Leo Houlding as the climbers themselves.

I caught the film on Netflix a few months back and really enjoyed it. It was a well done production that offers great insight into the climb, while also exploring the personal lives of these two men who are so much a part of Everest lore. Check-out the trailer for the film below to find out more.

Of course, I realize this is coming late in the day, so if you miss tonight's airing of the film, be sure to tune in on Sunday, the 21st, at 5:30PM. Definitely well worth a watch!



TWD 2min BBC2 from Atlantic Productions on Vimeo.

Colder, The Story of Eric Larsen's Save The Poles Expedition

Last Year, explorer Eric Larsen became the first person to visit the North and South Pole, as well as the summit of Everest, all in the same calendar year. He used his expedition to raise awareness of the challenges of climate change to our planet and the effect it is having on the "three poles." Now, a documentary of this "Save The Poles" expedition is in the works, and we have the trailer for it today as well.

According to this story on the Wend Blog, the film is called Colder and the full length version will be coming soon. You can get a sample of it in the video below, where you'll get just  a sample of what Eric went through on his expedition. Colder indeed!

Controversy Surrounds Everest Expedition To Search For Irvine And The Camera

More than 87 years after their deaths on Everest, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine continue to cast large shadows over the mountain. For decades, historians have wondered whether or not Mallory and Irvine reached the summit of the mountain 29 years before Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Either way, the two men died on the descent, and created a mystery of epic proportions that still inspires climbers and explorers to this day.

The discovery of Mallory's body, high on the mountain, back in 1999 has done nothing to clear-up the mystery. As expected, Mallory was not carrying the expedition's camera when he died, as that duty would have fallen to his teammate Irvine. There are some who believe that that camera is still on Irvine's body, where ever that may be, and that it could still contain the photos that will prove that the two men went to the summit.

Now, a controversial new expedition is being planned to go in search of Irvine's remains and the elusive camera. According to this story from The Guardian, American Everest enthusiast Tom Holzel is organizing a team to go to the mountain this December to look for the missing climber's body. Holzel believes that he has located Irvine, and hopefully the camera, using high resolution satellite images, and he will direct a squad of mountaineers to that location in anticipation of the find. He also believes that if he is correct, the discovery will spark a media frenzy over the find.

This expedition is expected to cost roughly $250,000 and will be filmed by the BBC. The plan is to go during the winter, when few teams are on the mountain, and locate the body without anyone else around.  If they're successful, and they do find the camera, it could potentially bring an end to one of the biggest mountaineering mysteries of the 20th Century.

But not everyone thinks that that Holzel is handling the search in the best possible way. British climbing legend Chris Bonington has been critical of the expedition calling it "unsavory." He feels that the plan is trying to capitalize on the find and commercialize the search, with the hopes of making a profit off of the photos. He also feels that the mystery is best left alone and allowed to live as a legend in our minds.

Either way, it seems that the expedition will forge ahead later this year. Climbing Everest in December doesn't sound like it'll be the conditions for being on the mountain, and if Irvine's remains are located high up, they may never get close to him due to the weather conditions. Still, it seems there will be a clandestine team on Everest, looking to solve the mystery of Mallory, Irvine, and the Camera.

There are a lot of obstacles to their success however, and climbing the mountain is just one of them. They may get there and find that the body isn't even Irvine's at all. There is the chance that it isn't even a body, since they are using satellite imagery after all. And even if it is Irvine, he may or may not have the camera. And even if the camera is there, it could be broken, destroying the film inside.

Perhaps the mystery will live on, as it should.

Nepal To Re-Measure Everest To End Dispute With China

The government in Nepal has requested that the height of Mt. Everest be re-measured in an attempt to gain a more accurate reading of its true height and to end a brewing dispute with China. For years, the official height of the mountain, as recognized by Nepali officials, has been 8848 meters (29,029 ft), but that measurement includes 4 meters of snow on top of the peak. China insists that the mountain should be measured sans snow, and they list the height as 8844 meters (29,015 ft).

Everest falls along the border between Nepal and Chinese controlled Tibet. Apparently, last year the two countries agreed to use the 8848 meter height while discussing border disputes between the nations, but the Chinese continued to use the lower height. In order to settle the dispute once and for all, Nepal has begun the task of re-measuring the mountain using sophisticated GPS devices. Measurements of the height will be taken at three different locations, and the entire process could take up to two years to complete.

It should also be noted that in 1999 an American team measured the height of Everest, using GPS equipment, at 8850 meters (29,035 feet). That is the same number that National Geographic uses in its publications and representations of the mountain. The new survey will be the first official measurement since that time, and since technology has increased in sensitivity and accuracy, it is likely that this will be the most accurate measure of the height of the mountain to date.

It should be interesting to discover what the survey teams find when they compile their data. Maybe we should start a pool now as to what the height will be.

Everest 2011 Stats

The 2011 spring climbing season on Everest may be long over, but there are still some interesting facts about the various climbs on the mountain that are coming to light. This article, from The Economic Times, shares some of the numbers from this past spring as passed along to them from Ang Tshering Sherpa, the outgoing president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association.

According to the article, there were 156 climbers who went to the summit from the South Side of the mountain this past spring. Of those, 39 were Americans, the most of any single country. The U.K. came in second with 27 summitteers, and India was third with 19. Those climbers were spread out over 92 separate expeditions, which was down from the 100 teams that received permits last year. We had heard that Base Camp was quieter this year, and those numbers seem to confirm it. All told, there were 506 ascents of the mountain, with 375 coming from the Nepal side and a further 131 from Tibet's North Side. The article also gives a tip of the hat to Apa Sherpa, who we all know summitted for a record 21st time.

The Economic Times is an Indian newspaper, and as a result they also share the accomplishments of their countrymen, which were quite impressive this spring. For instance, Haryana, Bikash Kaushik and Sushma Kaushik are a husband and wife team who summitted together, becaming the youngest couple in the world to accomplish that feat. They are 24 and 27 respectively. The Indian military reached a milestone as well when Flight-Lieutenant Nivedita Chaudhary became the first female Air Force officer to summit. She was joined on top by Anshu Jamsenpa, described as a "housewife," who became the first Indian woman to summit Everest twice in a single year.

The article also puts into perspective exactly what the spring climbing season means to Nepal, as it states that the government there earned $2.38 million in revenue from the permits and taxes that come along with climbing in that country. It is also estimated that the climbing season had an economic benefit of $9 million for the country as a whole as well.

Richard Parks Completes 737 Challenge

I've mentioned Richard Parks and his 737 Challenge in the past, but wanted to do a follow-up to report that he has completed the expedition, which had the ambitious goal of climbing the Seven Summits and visiting the Three Poles, in just seven months time.

According to this story, from Wales Online, Parks finished his journey last week by reaching the summit of Mt. Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe. You would think that after he knocked off Everest in the spring, that Elbrus, which stands 5642 meters (18,510 ft) in height, would be a relatively easy climb, but according to the story, Richard struggled to the top as his strength and energy waned. Then again, getting so close to his final goal, and having traveled and climbed a lot in the past six+ months, I guess it should be expected that he would be a bit tired.

While standing on the summit, Parks said that his accomplishment hadn't set in yet, but a blog post that came a few days later allowed him to share some thoughts on the journey. He was back home in the U.K. at that point, and has a lot of media appearances on his agenda, and it sounds like he's still struggling to come to grips with his accomplishment.

The expedition website says that the official time to complete the 737 Challenge was six months, 11 days, 7 hours, and 53 minutes. In that time frame, Richard managed to climb the seven highest peaks on each of the seven continents, while also visiting the "three poles." That would be the North and South Pole of course, and the summit of Everest, which is sometimes referred to as the "third pole." While his polar journeys were last-degree ski expeditions, this is still one very impressive accomplishment. The travel time alone would be enough to wear a lot of people out, let alone climbing mountains and skiing through frozen wastelands.

It should also be noted that Parks undertook this journey to raise funds and awareness of the Marie Curie Cancer Care organization, a great cause that has inspired a number of adventurous Brits.

Congratulations Richard, well done!

ESPN Profiles World Tri-Athlete Charlie Wittmack

Remember Charlie Wittmack? He was the guy we were following since last summer when he set out on his World Tri, an expedition that included a swim across the English Channel, a bike-ride across Europe and Asia, and a climb to the summit of Everest. I wrote about his progress a few times along the way, but after he was struck by a car in Kazakhstan, and returned home for a bit, it was difficult to get updates on his progress. The last I had heard, he had returned to Nepal and was on his way to Everest, but dispatches were few and far between after that.

Now, more than a year after he set out on his World Tri, Charlie is getting mainstream coverage in the form of a major article on ESPN.com. The article they've posted there is quite extensive, and seamlessly meshes both video and text to tell Charlie's story, and what a story it is. As you can imagine, it gets into far more detail than we were able to find before, and Charlie openly discusses his obsession with completing his epic "triathlon." The story also talks about the severe ups and downs he suffered while on the road as well, missing his family, suffering injuries, and eventually going home for awhile due to severe health problems.

The story isn't just about Charlie's drive to complete his expedition. On the contrary, it's also about love, family, and chasing your dreams, no matter where they take you. The journey was not an easy one for Charlie, or his wife Cate, but in the end, he came out a different person, with a changed perspective on what is important in life. It's a great story and definitely worth the read.

It is always great to see the mainstream press pick up a story like this and ESPN does a good job of getting to the heart of it. Read the whole story by clicking here.

Communicating From The Far Corners Of The World

We are living in an amazing age. Technology continues to evolve at an astounding rate, and our methods of communications, even from remote places, has turned the planet into one giant global neighborhood. The ability to share our adventures, even while in the field, has changed our perception of exploration, as we are now able to stay in constant contact with explorers that are pushing the boundaries of what we thought was possible. Now days, it seems strange when an expedition sets off without having some form of communications back to the world, which is what makes a blog like this one possible.

Yesterday, Explorers Web posted a story written by Seth Wolpin, a climber who recently summited Everest. In the article, Seth discusses the various communications tools that are now available to mountaineers on their expedition and gives some great information on what he used during his climb.

As we all know, Everest received a major upgrade this year with the inclusion of 3G cell service that, when working, actually reached all the way to the summit. The cell tower for the service was built in Gorak Shep, and powered by solar panels, and when early season clouds covered the region, the tower wasn't functional for much of the time. Thankfully, good old semi-reliable satellite phone service still operated when necessary.

Seth's article is both practical and functional as he lays out the tools that he used on his expedition. He discusses options for both voice and data, and applies it to use in cell phones, sat phones, laptops, and more. He shares tips on pre-paid services, texting, sending e-mail, and setting up a data connection on a computer. If you're a tech oriented person, a lot of this will likely seem like old hat, but if you're not as technologically adept, you'll probably learn quite a bit, and much of this can be applied to your next adventure in the field as well.

In the future, I suspect data connections will continue to get faster and more reliable, and we'll probably see those connections become the primary method of communications from Everest Base Camp and beyond. Who would have thought even a few year ago that a device like the SPOT Connect would allow us to use our smartphones to send texts and other data from just about anywhere on the planet. Expedition communications gear is really evolving quickly, and it is changing the nature of extreme adventures along with it.

Himalaya 2011: Alan Arnette Shares His Everest Experience

The 2011 Spring Climbing Season may be over, but we're continuing to get information about the events that unfolded in the mountains over the past few months. Take for example a pair of recent blog posts from Everest summitteer Alan Arnette, who completed the third leg of his Seven Summits for Alzheimer's project when he stood on top of the world's tallest peak.

The first blog post, published a couple of days back, is an excellent recap of the gear that Alan used on his Everest expedition, beginning with the trek to Base Camp and continuing all the way to the summit. He talks about the items he used while living in BC for weeks at a time and on his various acclimatization rotations as well. For some of you, this will probably be old hat, but for those who aren't aware of all the items that are used on this type of climb, it is a very revealing read. Definitely recommended for those who like their gear!

For an even better read however, you'll want to take a look at Alan's final expedition report, during which he talks about the climb in much more detail. You will find an introductory blog post, published just this morning, and a link to a PDF document that actually contains the report itself. As you would expect from Alan, the document is very well written and detailed, with plenty of information for those interested in an Everest climb in general and Alan's story specifically.

With Mt. Vinson, Aconcagua, and now Everest under his belt, Alan will next turn to Denali in his quest to complete the Seven Summits. Expect regular dispatches from that expedition as well, as he sets his sights on the highest peak in North America, a mountain he is also quite familiar with.

Great work on these reports Alan. Good luck in Alaska!

Himalaya 2011: Spring Season By The Numbers

Earlier today, ExWeb posted an excellent re-cap of the 2011 Spring Himalaya climbing season, breaking down all the stats and records, while putting it all into perspective for us. They have the scoop on the highs (pun intended!) and lows of another very busy spring in the mountains.

Amongst the stats that may be of interest is the fact that there were, according to ExWeb's count, roughly 680 summits in the Himalaya this year. Of those, about 500 took place on Everest alone. Remember, this is in a year that was said to be quieter than normal. That is a much higher number than what I had been led to believe, but the folks over at Explorers Web are bit more tapped in on those kinds of numbers, so I'm inclined to believe them. The remaining 180 summits were spread out across a variety of peaks, but of the 8000 meter mountains, nine saw successful summits, including Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Annapurna, and Shisha Pangma.

Most of the post is made up of a list of "firsts," which include the first summits on a variety of peaks by climbers from specific nationalities, as well as age records for the youngest and oldest to scale some of these mountains as well.

Finally, the post wraps things up on a solemn note with a run down of the climbers who lost their lives in the Himalaya this spring. That list is always too long, no matter the number on it, and is a sobering reminder of the dangers we all face when going to high altitude.