When most people think of Nepal they think of Mt. Everest, the tallest mountain in the world at 8,848M (29,029ft). Reaching the summit of Everest is the Holy Grail for most mountaineers and is considered a lifetime achievement. There are two standard approaches to climbing Everest, one from the north via Tibet and one from the south via the Khumbu Icefall. These are two totally different experiences, with the North ridge being windy and desolate and the south side being a scenic and magical place including the Khumbu Icefall and Lhotse face. The Sagarmatha, “Forehead of the Sky” in Nepali, is known as Mt. Everest around the world.
The Everest expedition experience is similar to an extended peak climbing trip, but at an elevation above 8,000 meters. It is not technical peak climbing, but more similar to an extended trekking experience in Nepal. Climbing Everest is an enormously physical experience, requiring that you push your body to the extreme, living in a unnatural place, beyond the normal boundary of its capabilities and or a short time into the death zone. Oxygen deprivation is extreme forcing the body to slowly begin to breakdown both physically and mentally. There is however an enormous satisfaction at the end of this difficult process providing each climber with an enormous sense of achievement that lasts forever.
Everest expedition is a multifaceted experience with phase one bring the Everest Base Camp trek through Khumbu valley with it colorful villages full of art and tradition and friendly Sherpa culture. Following the trek to Everest Base camp, there is the Everest Base Camp experience itself, which provides its own challenges of living for 4 weeks in the surroundings of the Khumbu glacier. Finally there is the acclimatization period of climbing to camp 1, 2, and 3 and eventually to camp 4 at the south col and hopefully success on the summit.
Trekking back to Lukla after the climb along the Everest Base camp trek in reverse is a enormous sense of achievement for those reaching the summit and moreover a sense of stepping outside your comfort zone for being daring enough to challenge the mountain.
The Everest expedition is a serious logistic exercise with lots of food, supplies and equipment being hauled up along the Everest Base Camp trek by armies of porters and Sherpa guides carrying ropes, ladders and equipment to high camps for the clients patiently waiting in the Base Camp and setting up miles of fixed lines and finding path for their clients.
The Everest expedition along the south face is calling the South East Ridge which is known as the Normal Everest climbing route. As per our company record the summit Co-ordinates Latitude is 27°59’17” N and Longitude is 86°55’31” E. The summit program will be dependent upon weather and snow conditions, but in general will be a single push on 7 consecutive days from Base Camp as follows: Base Camp – camp one Camp 1 (6065m): camp one – Camp 2 Camp 2 6400M: Camp 2 – Camp 3Camp 3 (7100m): Camp 3 – Camp 4 Camp 4 (7920m) (South Col, 7,900m):Camp 4 – Summit(8848M)– Camp 4: Camp 4 – Camp 2: Camp 2 – Base Camp.
Mt. Everest was first summated by Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealand climbers Mr. Edmond Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay with a British expedition in 1953 were used the South Col route first time to summit Mount Everest. At that time the route had only been attempted twice by Swiss teams in the spring and autumn of 1952. They reached 8500m well above the South Col. Of note; Norway was with the Swiss thus giving him the experience he used on the British expedition. The Swiss returned in 1956 to make the second summit of Everest.
Around 2000 AD, when expedition operators started operating on Everest from north side, there were very few teams and very little infrastructure available. Over the years expedition operators have continuously been improving the routes and new methods and standards have lead to a high level of success and safety of our climbers. Our partners has helped with these methods on the South Side and have helped build the standard level of service and safety on Everest. We are concerned by the unstable nature of the Khumbu Icefall and subsequently have created a system by which clients and our team move through the Khumbu ice fall much less than in the past. This is the reason we acclimatize on nearby peaks including Island Peak and or Lobuche Peak to help avoid rotations on Mt. Everest.
South Side Climbing Routes:
The south route is technically a trekking route with a little objective danger once you move past the Khumbu icefall apart from a few crevasses and seracs bridged by ladders, a couple short ice cliffs around camp 3 and some rock sections protected with fixed lines. There is an obvious danger of high altitude illness and the unpredictable mountain weather.
The Khumbu Icefall is a steep glacier with large crevasses and treacherous unstable seracs making navigation complicated and riddled with objective dangers. This is the most dangerous part of the climb, but we attempt to alleviate the danger installing ladders across crevasses and along vertical seracs and ice walls for efficient and easier climbing. These arrangements make climbing through the Khumbu ice fall possible, efficient and relatively safe especially in the early morning when the ice structure is more stable. The Khumbu ice fall is much more dangerous in the afternoon due to the sun and warming of the ice.
South Col Route Camps:
Base camp: 17,060’/5200m
Everest base camp located on a moving glacier at 5,200 meters from sea level where you will spend up to 45 days. Conditions in base camp will remain consistent during the climbing period and will consist of shifting and moving tents and platforms as the ice moves and melts. The area is harsh, but beautiful surrounded by Pumori, Lola, Nuptse, Nutse and the Khumbu Icefall with warm mornings and occasional afternoon snow squalls. With so many expedition teams at BC it looks and feels like a small village in the Himalaya.
C1: 19,357’/5900m
Reaching C1 is the most technical part of a south side climb since it crosses the Khumbu Icefall. The Icefall is 2,000′ feet of moving ice with deep crevasses, towering ice sera’s and avalanches off Everest’s west shoulder. During the climbing period we attempt to spend only 2 nights at Camp I for acclimation. Once you have proper acclimation our plans calls for us to move up and down directly from camp II for safely.
C2: 20,998’/6400m
Camp 2 is located in a lateral moraine at the bottom of west ridge. It is a very safe and sheltered location with tremendous views of Lhotse. All companies set-up their main climbing camp for the duration of climbing period here with tents for individual climbers along with kitchen and dining tents. Camp 2 is the main acclimatization camp and the base for camp 3 acclimatization climbing and the final summit attempt. This is the camp, where you are spending the most time after base camp.
C3: 23,294’/7100m
Climbing the Lhotse Face to C3 is often difficult since almost all climbers are feeling the effects of high altitude and are not yet using supplemental oxygen. The Lhotse Face is steep and the ice is hard, but the route is fixed with rope and the angles can range from 30 to 45 degrees. It is a long climb to C3, but is required for acclimatization prior to a summit bid. You will spend 2 nights at camp three for acclimatization and the summit push.
South Col: 26,300’/8000m
Welcome to the moon. This is a flat area covered with loose rock and surrounded by Everest to the north and Lhotse on the south. Located at the South Col is the last camp; it is easily accessible by a majority of climbers without supplementary oxygen. There are two rock sections to navigate before camp 4: the Yellow Band an inter-layer of marble, phyllite and semi schist rock and the Geneva Spur, an anvil shaped rib of black rock. Both of these areas are set-up with fixed ropes.
Summit: 29,029′/8848m – 1 hour or less
The last section from the south Col to the summit takes 09-13 hours to navigate. There is the Balcony, the Hillary Step, and the south summit before reaching the central summit. The route to the true summit is a moderate snow slope and while tired, adrenaline keeps most climbers moving at this point.
