Archive for April, 2009
Heading up Wednesday and environmental practices
April 29th, 2009
I’m going to C2 tomorrow (4/29). After that I’ll spend a few days getting my tent up to C3 (7200m) and my oxygen to C4 (7900m). I’ll likely spend a night a C3 in the process. The actual schedule will be a bit fluid; these are the big carries and I might throw in a rest day or two. I might not be posting for 5 days or so, but maybe I’ll get lucky and get access to the internet.
The weather is great today; the Altitude Junkies Sherpas went to C2 today and report all is well there. Except for the destroyed dining tent and toilet tent, of course.
AJ leader Phil gets a synopsis of the Everest gossip/blog postings etc. and we enjoy quite a laugh over some of the information that’s being broadcast. Lots of blarney out there, so (as I’ve said many times) don’t believe all of what you hear.
**** Environmental practices: I’ve been very impressed with the ways in which environmental damage is mitigated at Base Camp. This many people on a glacier means that there is a significant impact, but it’s certainly much less than in Pakistan, for example.
Our kitchen carefully separates food waste from all other waste. The food waste is placed on a tarp, where the birds (yellow-billed choughs and a sparrowlike species or two) eat it. There are many very fat birds here. When the occasional yak comes to the area, the scraps are fed to it. All other trash is sorted and bagged.
Human waste is a huge issue. You can pee where you want on the glacier. Feces are collected in a barrel lined with a plastic bag. This material is then carried down to Namche Bazaar by a porter (at double the normal fee), where it is disposed of in their sewage system. The toilet paper is collected separately, bagged, and carried down as well (I assume it’s burnt).
On the mountain, human waste is left in place or dumped into crevasses. All trash is brought down for disposal.
The government and expeditions deserve credit for managing waste better than in many other countries.
As a final note, there are very few generators here; most expeditions use solar. Another environmentally friendly practice that I applaud.
*** Last night we had fried chicken, pizza, cauliflower in cream sauce, and fried bananas for dessert. Lunch today was tuna/cheese melt on fresh buns, green beans, potatoes, and fried tomatoes. Croissants for afternoon tea. What a life.
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Big winds and Everest is ISO 9002 certified!
April 28th, 2009
I’ve completed the postcards to my contributors. They will go down to Kathmandu ASAP. I can’t guarantee if you’ll get them, or when. But I tried! Once again, thanks for your support.
*** Big winds: Yesterday morning (4/26) I got up at BC and was surprised to see clouds in the sky. I was even more surprised to look up at Everest and see the clouds tearing across the summit. A bit later we got a radio call: our C2/ABC dining tent was fatally wounded, the toilet tent was down, and most folks were collapsing the sleeping tents, piling rocks on top, and heading for BC.
I haven’t seen the actual forecast yet but we think there are high winds expected for 2-3 more days. If so, this might delay my departure from BC a day or two. More on that in a future post.
Also, I hear that the BBC is reporting collapses in the Icefall. Yes, this is true, but it happens every year. I’m sure they picked it up from a web site looking to dramatize the situation. It’s normal, it deserves respect, but it’s part of the climbing game. See my previous post if you haven’t already.
*** Everest ISO 9002 certified!
Not really, but we’re probably getting there. Let’s think about two alternatives:
Suppose a single group of experienced climbers was ascending the South Col route. They would need to make a limited number of trips up the route and (being experienced) would need few fixed ropes. No ropes would be installed above the South Col on the way to the summit.
Now take the current situation: lots of groups, many clients with limited climbing experience. From the perspective of the commercial operators, there are two concerns: minimizing slowdowns on the route, and ensuring the safety of your clients. Inexperienced clients will need more fixed ropes than experienced climbers. Crowding can be reduced by having a set of ‘up’ ropes and a set of ‘down’ ropes to make a two-lane road.
So what’s the situation this year on Everest? So far, one operator requested that a ladder be put on the Hillary Step (the steep bit just below the summit). Another operator wanted ladders on the steep bit at the bottom of the Lhotse Face. Both requests are a consequence of the inexperience of their members. While placing these ladders might speed things up for all of us, it also continues the degradation of the route to a level which requires little or no climbing skill. There will be no ladder on the Hillary Step; I don’t think they’ll be a ladder at the base of the Lhotse Face.
However, there will be over 3000 meters (2 miles) of rope placed from the South Col (7900m) to the summit. You will clip into the line as you leave your tent at C4 and go to the summit. There will be two ropes (up and down) on the Hillary Step; this is an excellent idea, but the down rope will require some skill to safely use.
One operator asked that additional ropes be installed between C1 and C2. This was because a person could get hurt if they happened to trip over their feet on almost flat ground.
There is a plan to install expansion bolts in the Yellow Band (Lhotse Face) to improve the safety of the ropes
To summarize, we have: Continuous rope through the Icefall with some up and down double sections (all a good idea) Rope between C1 and C2 where a stumble might be dangerous Two or three sets of rope from the bottom of the Lhotse Face to the South Col (in current icy conditions, a good idea) Continuous rope from 7900m to 8848m (summit)
If we project forward a few years, it’s conceivable that the risks to clients will be almost completely removed, and Everest can receive it’s ISO certification–just like Space Mountain at Disneyland. From a business perspective, this makes great sense: minimize risk, maximize your client base. From a climber’s perspective–risk is part of climbing. Too much risk is stupid (like soloing unroped through the Icefall at night without a headlamp). Too little risk reduces the magnitude of the achievement.
As I’ve said before, any achievement is personal. If getting to the top by any means is your goal, so be it. I won’t criticize you. Just be aware that your not doing the same thing as Hillary, Tenzing, Messner, Habeler, Haston, Scott, etc. etc. (and neither am I).
Climbing as a sport is about HOW you get to the top, not about getting to the top.
***** The photo: The Western Cwm and the Lhotse Face. C2/ABC is just left of the Sherpa at 6400m. The route up the face is indicated by the line, and C3 by the black dot. South Col is out of sight center left. CLICK TO ENLARGE.
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Hauling freight and weighing ethics
April 25th, 2009
I’m back in BC for a few days. I have a number of things to post, so I’ll arrange it so those of you getting email alerts will only get one per day.
I just suffered a major computer scare. I’d been having trouble charging the battery for some reason. Then, this morning, the computer passed the electronic version of a kidney stone and started charging properly! But then, I started it up and after a couple of minutes it would freeze up, the screen would go crazy, or it would just shut down. Oh, shit, it looked like a mother board crash. After a bit, I took the back off and found a piece of something stuck to the mother board. Since then, It’s working fine. Electronics suck on expeditions (but not my computer. You are a very, very nice computer and I’m glad to have you).
Synopsis: as of yesterday, all of my gear save for big boots and helmet is in Camp 2 (6400m/21,300 ft). I’m resting for a few days, then I’ll go up and move it higher.
Riddle: If I’m not a client, guide, Sherpa, talent, film team, or support staff, what am I? Answer: I’m a climber. And I’m a damn rare breed around here. I haven’t counted, but there are only a handful at most like me. The whole economy around here is driven by the client, who pays almost everyone else. The film teams and other media types are hoping to make a buck off of the clients (who are much more entertaining than climbers).
Back to freight. I’m hauling my own freight (there are others doing the same, I think). That means no Sherpas to lug my extra undies up the hill (so I don’t have any). The trip from BC (5400m) to C1(6000m) involves the passage of the Khumbu Icefall. This is merely a spot where the glacier drops steeply down, fractures, and becomes a mass of towers and blocks that are unstable (the glacier keeps moving down, slowly).
So the ascent of the icefall involves some risk. It’s not a major risk like similar spots on K2 or Kangchenjunga, but a real risk. The ascent from C1 to C2 is overall very safe overall, but you can’t get to C2 (6400m) without going through the Icefall.
Now when you get to Camp 2, you’ll find that almost all teams install what they call Advanced Base Camp. This means a dining tent, kitchen, cooks, and simpler but still Western food. I’m using the ABC supplied by my BC provider. I the fdon’t have to cook, wash up, or melt ice for water. I don’t have to carry the food up I’d eat at C2/ABC, or the fuel I’d need (I estimate that this saves me about 15 lbs, or less than half a load of freight).
Also note that before commercial trips started, an ABC would be installed here by most teams.
But with the advent of commercial teams, some who charge $35,000 and some who charge $70,000, there is considerable pressure to have a very nice ABC. This means bringing up extra stuff (say chairs) that are frivolous from a climber’s perspective but which make high-paying clients feel like they’ve gotten something for their money.
So what’s the big deal, it’s just capitalism in action, right? Except that the extra and fancy stuff has to be carried up through the Icefall on the backs of Sherpas. Few clients will make more than three trips through the Icefall; most Sherpas will make over a dozen. Is this extra risk borne by the Sherpas worth the luxuries at ABC? I doubt that few if any clients have considered this ethical issue. I’m not immune from this either, as I’m using an ABC. However, our ABC is adequate without being luxurious. And I’ve carried every bit of my own gear above BC, so I’m exposing myself to the risks rather than asking somebody else to do so.
This one example is part of the overall perception among clients that Everest=Space Mountain at Disneyland. More on that later.
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Another carry and a move to Camp 1 on Sunday
April 18th, 2009
Greetings! This will have to be short; almost every electronic device bigger than an iPod is experiencing power issues and for some reason that includes my computer. Hopefully it will heal itself while I’m up on the mountain.
I carried a big load (19kg or 42 pounds) up the icefall on 4/16. I left earlier (3:50) and was faster overall. I knew what the route was like and managed to avoid the sun. Of course it didn’t matter that day as the wind was blowing quite hard. I was going to set my tent up but it was just too windy. I put my stuff in the Altitude Junkies tents that were already pitched, added a few anchors so the tents wouldn’t blow away, and headed down. I left my camera in BC because of my big load, so of course there were many opportunities for excellent photos. I got back before noon, quite happy that my three bottles of oxygen were now at C1.
The last two days have been rest days. There really isn’t any reason to hurry at this point. Tomorrow (Sunday, 4/19) I’ll carry a load of down gear and my sleeping bag to C1 and stay there. The plan is to spend the next two days carrying my stuff to Camp 2, which is just being established now. I’ll be eating food at C2 (also called Advance Base Camp or ABC) in the Altitude Junkies kitchen.
I’ll have more general observations after I get back down and my computer heals itself. From the perspective of an experienced climber, things are quite surreal here–sort of an alternate climbing universe. I knew that before I started, but it’s still strange.
Remember that I don’t answer my normal email while I’m gone. Oh, and for those of you who are expecting postcards, I’ll be finishing them at C1 and C2 and will get them down to Kathmandu after that. The postcards were in my baggage that just arrived a few days ago, so I couldn’t start on them until yesterday.
More in a few days, Mike
(The photos are of the Khumbu Icefall and Ian Rogers crossing a short ladder in the icefall. That is, if they get posted. I don’t have the battery power to check right now).
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Finally on the hill
April 15th, 2009
Yesterday I did a carry to Camp 1 through the famous Khumbu Icefall. But since I haven’t been able to post many updates, let’s back up a bit.
The trek in was the easiest trek I’ve done in Nepal. This is because we fly in to 3400m, and thus avoid the steep gorges of the middle hills. The days were generally short (2-4 hours walking) and for the first time I stayed in teahouses. These are just a combo motel and restaurant. The rooms are unheated so you stay in the dining room, which is heated in the afternoon and evening. Lower down they burn wood and above treeline they burn yak dung. The food was pretty good–we ate decent pizza, chicken, and more typical dishes (fried rice, spaghetti).
Base Camp has been great. We have a nice, isolated position very close to the icefall. Some teams have to walk 30-60 minutes to get to our camp. I’m using Phil Crampton’s Altitude Junkies base camp facilities. Phil (who reminds me of either Hugh Grant or Austin Powers) likes good food and drink. We often have a glass (or two) of wine with dinner. Sarki, our cook, is quite good and does a lot of baking.
With our puja complete, we could finally set food on the mountain. The puja is a ceremony conducted by the Sherpa to ensure their safety (and ours) on the mountain. It’s part religious and part party.
So on the 14th I did my first carry up the mountain. Since I’m not using sherpa support, I have to do a lot more up and down than the clients. Phil’s group was going up on the 14th as well, so I tagged along as I didn’t know the route. I carried up two tents, a thermorest pad, stove, pots, and a few other things. Probably 12-15kg (25-30 lbs) altogether.
The Khumbu Icefall was first seen in the 1920s by George Mallory. It’s just a glacier that is falling over a cliff, so it fractures into many blocks, big and small, that fall over on occasion. It was considered impenetrable until the Swiss forced a route through in 1952. It has a reputation for danger, but these days the route is maintained by a special group of sherpas known as the Icefall Doctors. We each pay about $500 each for this service.
So it’s a lot of work to wind in and out and up and down. You have a rope to attach to the whole time, so unless something falls on you (which is very unlikely) it’s pretty safe. We left at 4:50am and I felt I was moving pretty good–”I’ll be there in 4 hours,” I thought. Well, I reached C1 in 5:15. The last hour was blazing hot, and I pulled my usual trick of not drinking enough.
After a quick potty stop, I cached my gear and headed down. Usually going down is much faster than going up, but with all of the up and down, it still took 3:10 to get down. I was thrashed, mainly due to dehydration. I couldn’t seem to get any liquid out of my water bladder and hose thingy. I found out why when I reached BC, when I pulled on the hose and it came out of the pack sans bladder. So my pack and clothes and camera case were soaked with lemon drink. Oh well.
I went to bed early and slept 10 hours. After four eggs, toast, and a bunch of bacon, I feel normal again.
Oh, and I had a nice conversation with Ed Viesturs yesterday (Ed’s the best know high-altitude climber in the US and was in the Imax Everest film). Here’s our conversation:
“Do you want to clip in before I go by?”
“No, that’s OK.”
Good stuff, huh?
Since my plans seems to change by the hour, I’ll refrain from projecting a schedule. But I’ll be carrying loads to C1 over the next few days, then I’ll move to C1 and hump gear to C2 (which is MUCH easier). I’ll post again before I move up to C1.
Before I go, here are the addresses for two other blogs originating from our Base Camp:
Ian Rogers is a client of Phil’s: www.ClimbForLife.co.uk
Phil’s team blog: www.AltitudeJunkies.com
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Base Camp tomorrow
April 7th, 2009
Just a quick post to let you know that we’re arriving in BC tomorrow (4/8). Our baggage is a couple of days behind us due to bad flying weather, so I won’t be able to send anything else for a few days. We’ve had snow and thunder and lightning the past two afternoons. I had chicken corden bleu for dinner last night, not bad for 5000 meters! And I’m in an internet cafe at 5200 meters sending this-quite remarkable.
Many people on the trail, and many Well Known Climbers around. We make the transition to tents tomorrow, which might be nice as the lodge bedrooms are really cold!
More in a few days.
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On the trail
April 2nd, 2009
I’m sitting in a cyber cafe in Namche Bazar, capital of the Solu Khumbu region of Nepal and the center of Sherpa culture. The culture that I can see, however, is lodges, shops, internet cafes, bakeries, and all the other trappings of western society. These people are very, very smart.
We flew to Lukla on Tuesday, March 31. The airstrip is now paved, though it’s like landing on an aircraft carrier with the deck pitched upwards at 30 degrees and with a rock wall at the end. Quite sporty, and lots of air traffic to boot.
There are jillions of trekkers/climbers, and there are about twice as many in October! I won’t whine about crowds, though, as I knew what to expect. But it is a bit like rush hour (though you usually don’t dodge yaks at home). We’ve walked two days and did a rest day today (which involved gaining 300m and getting our first view of the Big E).
There are four of us westerners traveling with two Sherpas. They handle all the logistics. Our biggest job is deciding what to order at meals, since we eat in lodges and not in a trekking kitchen.
We are scheduled to arrive in Base Camp on April 8. You likely won’t here from me until then. Oh, and if you check Explorer’s Web, you find out that I’m the Base Camp manager for Phil’s team. Feel free to email them to correct their mistake. I haven’t given them permission to use my stuff, so the error might be understandable.
Tags: Everest 2009
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