Photo credit: explorersweb.com
Climbers have now established themselves at Everest Base Camp on the South Side, while on the North Side in Tibet, preparations are complete, with international teams slated to begin their ascents shortly.
Base Camp on the North Side of Everest. Photo: Tibetan World
The Tibetan Base Camp is fully operational, and teams are gearing up to make the transition to Advanced Base Camp, situated at an elevation of 6,400 meters, equivalent to Camp 2 on the South Side. Climbalaya Treks & Expeditions has announced that their Sherpa crew will be entering Tibet soon.
South Side Progress: Moving Toward Camp 4
After several days of inactivity caused by strong winds, the Sherpa team from 8K Expeditions has reached Camp 3 along the Lhotse Face. According to founder Pemba Sherpa, they are targeting the South Col and hope to establish Camp 4 by week’s end.
Meanwhile, clients are partaking in puja ceremonies as they prepare for rotations to Camp 2. Although their group isn’t the largest at Base Camp, 8K Expeditions has 47 climbers for Everest and 15 for Lhotse, not including their Sherpa staff. Notably, Pemba revealed that three of their clients are Nepalese.
A sizable Chinese team, supported by 8K Expeditions, at Everest Base Camp. Photo: Pemba Sherpa
Permit Update
The Nepalese Department of Tourism has not recently updated its permit data. As of today, they have shared a list that is over a week old, revealing a total of 311 permits for Everest and 43 for Lhotse as of April 16. This number is still significantly lower than the nearly 500 permits expected by various agencies.
Additionally, 30 permits have been issued for Nuptse, aiming either for the 7,855-meter summit or just to reach Camp 2, which it shares with Everest. Moreover, a four-member permit has been allocated for Lingtren, a distinctive peak located between Everest’s West Shoulder and Pumori. Last year, a team from EliteExped utilized such a permit for training in Base Camp.
The view of Everest Base Camp with Lingtren in the backdrop. Photo: Elite Exped
Most teams have settled into Base Camp, with only a few opting to arrive later in the season or currently undergoing acclimatization on nearby peaks like Mera Peak.
Egloff’s Rapid Ascents
Among the recent summiteers of Mera Peak is Ecuador’s Karl Egloff, who is preparing for a no-oxygen Fastest Known Time (FKT) attempt on Everest. He has ascended Mera Peak four times, including achieving the FKT on the Central summit. He also managed to link the Central and North summits during another excursion, demonstrating his exceptional climbing skills despite challenging weather conditions.
Emerging No-Oxygen Climbers
Joining skyrunners Karl Egloff and Tyler Andrews in their quest to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen is Piolet d’Or award recipient Valery Babanov. Babanov has quickly advanced to Camp 2 and shared a video showcasing the tranquil Western Cwm.
Caroline Leon, originally from Australia and currently residing in the Middle East, aspires to be the first Australian woman to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen. Tony Hackett conveyed that Leon has overcome significant adversity, including a severe rock climbing accident that required 14 surgeries and extensive rehabilitation. She is now undertaking the Seven Summits challenge, with Everest as a pivotal climb.
Marc Batard’s New Route Initiative
French climber Marc Batard has returned to Everest Base Camp, this time focusing on establishing a new route to Camp 2 via the Nuptse flank. His project involves putting in permanent belays, creating steps, and installing cables in a via-ferrata style to circumvent the hazardous Khumbu Icefall. Batard has encountered challenges in previous attempts to create this safer route due to the technical difficulties and risks posed by the terrain’s susceptibility to avalanches and rockfall.
Source
explorersweb.com