American Climber Dies Enroute to Shisha Pangma

The fall Himalayan season has just kicked off and already, we are hearing reports that an American climber has died. 

Ray Yeritsian, originally from Armenia-but moved to the States in 1991–died while enroute to Shisha Pangma.  He was set to climb Shisha with an expedition team from Asian Trekking.

From ExplorersWeb:

The team was supposed to start out on 11th of September. Due to landslide, the expedition was delayed and planned to reach base camp on September 15. But according to Doctors, Ray suffered a ruptured artery in Nyalam.

Ray was an avid climber.  He had taken on many of the World’s top peaks including successful summits of Aconcagua and Denali and a failed attempt on Mt. Everest in 2000.

Asian Trekking is reporting that Ray’s body is enroute to the United States on request from the family.

Our thoughts and Prayers go out to Ray and his family and friends.

Climate Witness: Ang Tshering Sherpa, Nepal

17 Sep 2007
I am Ang Tshering Sherpa and I was born on 15 November 1953 in a picturesque place called Khumjung village in Solu Khumbu district. It is close to Namche Bazaar, where the tourists visiting the area acclimatize themselves to the altitude before going further. I spent most of my childhood in my birth place and also stayed in Tengboche monastery for 6 years.

It has been more than 35 years that I have been working in mountain tourism sector. Around 25 years back, in 1982, I established Asian Trekking Pvt. Ltd. The company organizes trekking package, mountain expedition to Everest and other activities related with mountain tourism. Over the years, Asian Trekking has grown into one of the biggest operators in Nepal and Tibet in mountain tourism sector We are also general agent of mountain association of China and Tibet and I am Chairman of the company. I am also president of Nepal Mountaineering Association and am honorary Consul of Belgium.

Glacial lakes growing

I have witnessed vast changes in mountain areas, especially in the Everest region. Glaciers are retreating fast and new glacial lakes have formed. When I was a kid, we could easily cross Gokyo Lake with our herd of Yak. We used to cross Lho La pass situated in 6026 meters and took our herd as far as Rumbuk in Tibet. Now, Gokyo Lake has become so huge that it is not possible to cross it with our animals. Besides, the snow has melted which has made it difficult for Yaks to walk on steep rocky mountains and therefore, people had to find an alternative pass. Thus, instead of Lho La Pass (6026), nowadays people use alternative pass called Nangpa Pass (5790).

Over the years, I have seen new glacier lakes form and their size has also increased dangerously. Before 1960, Imja Lake did not even exist and it first appeared in 1962 as a small pond. Now, the lake has become so huge that it could burst anytime. A Similar trend is seen in Nokjumba glacier. Small ponds have started to appear in Nokjumba glacier and it might follow Imja Lake’s trend and grow into dangerously big lake.

I dread thinking about the calamities and possible human loss if these lakes were to burst. About 15 years back, Dikcho Lake burst resulting in huge property loss. Imja Lake is much bigger than Dikcho Lake (about 20 times bigger) and if this lake burst, there will be huge calamity. The lives of people living in the area, their property and cattle are in danger as well as the damage to infrastructure.

Impact on livelihoods

Besides, potential glacier lake outburst, our mountaineering profession is facing problems due to unpredictable weather conditions. About 12-13 years ago, the appropriate season for mountaineering used to be September, October and November. Nowadays, it has shifted to late May because the weather has become unreliable. It snows when it is time to rain and rains when it should snow. This has resulted in an increase in the rate of accidents in mountain expedition.

The snow is melting so fast that it makes it difficult for our profession. A few years back, it used to take around 2 months to melt 5-6 cm of snow whereas nowadays within 6-7 days, about 2 feet of snow melts. This phenomenon is very obvious when we set up our camps. Within few days, we could see the snow around our tent melt and we need to adjust accordingly. The melting of snow also destroys our camping sites and trekking routes.

It is not only our profession that has been highly affected by this phenomenon but glacier melting and rapidly increasing number and size of glacier lakes has put us in a very vulnerable situation. Thinking about potential damage and calamities that might occur in case of glacial lake outburst makes me feel very uncomfortable.

I don’t think local pollution and tourism is the cause for this trend. We hardly receive 600-800 tourism in a year and the number is too small to have such huge impact in our mountain environment. I think it is because of global warming.

According to me, it is time for all of us to act.

The leaders and international people should come up with appropriate policy to deal with this. However, we all should act from our part to address the issue, especially of Imja Lake. It is very essential for us to take immediate measures to reduce the water pressure of the lake and take similar measures like in Tsho-Rolpa. It is very important that water in the lake is drained out so that potential danger is reduced. We also have to keep cautious eyes on new glacier lakes that are forming.

Besides, we need to protect plants and animals of this region. This is our biggest asset and if the environment is destroyed, our tourism business will be highly affected which ultimately affects the livelihood of the people.

Editors Note:  This is a special news release coming from the World Wildlife Federation.  The article has been reprinted in it’s entirety by way of a Creative Commons Liscense.  All photos contained in this article are copyrighted by the World Wildlife Federation, and as such, are not depicted in this article.  To view the accompanying photos, please refer to the original article found HERE.

Free-Solo Climbing? Magazine Looking to Interview YOU!!

Would you like to be interviewed for a magazine?  A good friend of mine is currently seeking Free-Solo Climbers to interview for an upcoming magazine with Free Solo Climbing as the focus of this special issue.

With the recent death of Michael Reardon making headlines around the world, it has brought this sport into the headlines like never before.  Want to speak out and be a part of this experience?  Send a short note to my email in the box below.  (It goes directly to my email)

As if this isn’t cool enough, there is going to be a Michael Reardon tribute, photos, and interview, with the tribute written by myself, as well as an interview with the man known as “Spiderman”, Alain Robert–who has scaled some of the world’s toughest climbs, as well as tallest skyscrapers…YIKES!

Let me be absolutely clear.  I am currently looking for Free Solo Climbers (Only) to take part in a special magazine dedicated to this sport.  If you are a Free Soloist..Contact me!  Through this process, the goal is to help demystify a sport that gets a lot of bad press.  This could very well be a crucial piece of the puzzle in the sport we all love.  Now get to writing….

[contact-form]

Conrad Anker and Apa Sherpa Joining Forces?

Conrad Anker, the man who became world famous for discovering George Mallory’s body on Mt. Everest, will be teaming up with his wife and Apa Sherpa to host a special “An Everest Evening.”  This event, scheduled for August 9th will take place in Snowbird, Utah.

Apa Sherpa, who holds the record for climbing Mt. Everest the most times, 17, will be discussing his recent success with the SuperSherpas Expedition this year.  Conrad Anker will also be talking about his own success on Everest this year as a part of his reenactment of the 1924 Everest Expedition of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine.

The two have decided to come together to support The Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation (ALCF).  The ALCF is holding the fundraiser to bring attention to the high-altitude workers of Nepal as well as raising money for the Khumbu Climbing School.

Presentations and slide shows of both previously mentioned expeditions will be taking place, as well as a few more surpise speakers.  The ALCF will also be holding a charitable silent auction.  Up for bids will be a donated Grivel wood ice ax signed by all Everest summiters in attendence.

This event will take place at the Cliff Lodge in Snowbird, Utah on August 9th, with things kicking off around 6:30 pm.  Tickets for this event will be $50 a piece.  For information, reservations, or tickets, you may call (800) 933-2147.

This looks to be a great event with alot of big names in Everest history taking part–and besides that, it is for a great cause.  If you are going to be in the Utah area the week of the 9th, why not take a sidetrip to Snowbird?

K2 Summits, New Route on Gasherbrum II, and more..

Over the past week most of my time has been used covering the recent Michael Reardon tragedy.  This is not to say that nothing was happening though, but I felt that I had the opportunity to do something for Michael and his family and friends that other sites just couldn’t do.

To get back up to pace, I will be offering a synopsis of what has been going around in the headlines.  So let’s jump right in…

Avalanche on Gasherbrum II

On July 19, a massive avalanche was reported from Gasherbrum II.  The Amical Team, hoping for a summit push, was suddenly buried in snow.  One member died in this tragic incident, another member was unable to be located, and the rest of the team suffered various degrees on injury.

Hirotaki Takeuchi, a member of the devestated Amical team, reported in to ExplorersWeb about the incident saying that the group got swept up in the avalanche and carried down 300 meters to the seracs. 

Other teams on GII soon went up and helped in a massive search and rescue which resulted in Hirotaki and others being able to survive this ordeal.  Much credit is given to these teams in their efforts for this rescue between Camps 2 & 3 on Gasherbrum II.

Italians Summit Gasherbrum II, Establish New Route

Karl Unterkircher, Daniele Bernasconi, and Michele Compagnoni made alpine history today as they successfully summited Gasherbrum II via a new route–The North Face.

The team had been climbing for the past three days, and began a successful push for the summit a bit earlier today.  This is great news following the tragedy on GII earlier this week with the Amical Team.

For more on this story, please stop by The Adventure Blog for more information.

Massive Summits on K2 Today

Around 3:30 Pm today reports started circulating that the first team to reach K2’s summit this season had arrived.  That was just the beginning though…17 more climbers would soon top out on what many people claim as the world’s deadliest mountain.

Over the years, K2 has had a total of 269 summits.  That is right, 269.  In Comparison, Mt. Everest, the world’s highest peak as well as most publicised, had well over 500 summits….this year alone.  K2 has also claimed the lives of 69 people in the process, giving it a death-to-success ratio of 24%.  One in four have died trying to bag this coveted peak.

For more on the list of successful K2 summiters today, I will refer you to ExplorersWeb for the complete story.

On a sad note, a yet unnamed Sherpa took a tragic fall and perished during today’s activities.  The Sherpa, who was working with the Korean Men’s Team, slipped and began to fall.  Two climber’s close to him tried to grab him as he came by, but they were unsuccessful in their attempt.  More details on this tragic incident will be expected in the coming days.

Jeep: King of the Mountain Kicking Off August 4, 2007

The much acclaimed Mountain Bike series, Jeep: King of the Mountain, is set to begin on August 4th.  This series, developed in 1993, is celebrating it’s 14th year.  It will determine the Mountain Biking World Professional Champion.

This series spans three races and includes the very best of the best in Mountain Biking.  Things will kick off at Canyon’s Resort in Park City, Utah and from there will pay a visit to Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California on August 18.  The big finale will come on Sept. 1 in Beaver Creek, Colorado.

Many of the top Mountain Biking Racers in the world will be participating in this much coveted event, all vying for the chance to be crowned Mountain Biking World Proffessional Champion.  The purse for this event, one of the biggest in history, will be in excess of $100,000, plus a brand new Jeep Liberty. 

Some of the participants riders this year include two former champions trying to make Mountain Biking History.  Michael Prokop of the Czech Republic and Jill Kintner of Seattle, Washington will each be going for there third consecutive Championship.  It will definately not be easy though as both of their respective rivals,Brian Lopes and Tara Llanas, will be competing as well. Brian and Tara have consistently been standing on the podium and each are hungry for their first win.

This years Jeep: King of the Mountain will have a national audience as all three races will be broadcast on CBS.  This kind of attention will only spark the competition to be stronger and it could be the kind of coverage needed to provide that big upset.

To find out more about this years race, including other big names in this competition, I suggest heading on over and reading this post at DirtWorld as well as visiting JeepSports for all the latest news.

Remembering Michael: Your Voice–July 19, 2007

Today is a day of rememberence for Michael Reardon.  As such, I am opening up this post for you.  Your voice.  At 8pm this evening, people will be gathering around the country and quite possibly the world to come together for one thing…For Michael and the support of Marci, his wife and Nikki, his daughter.

This area is yours.  The family, friends, and fellow climbers are reading.  We ask that you post what you remember of Michael Reardon and any thoughts or words of encouragement to the family that you may have.  Today will be a special day..a special time…for introspect..and I am giving you the chance to speak out.  Post a comment and let the world know all the great stories and occasions that we all shared with Michael…his family will cherish the thoughts.

Also on this day, as I have done on occasion, I am switching my website from it’s normal red color to black.  This will last for the next three days in memmorial and rememberence for Michael Reardon…

All of our thoughts and Prayers at The Adventurist are going out to Michael, Marci, Nikki…the rest of his family and fellow climbers and associates of Michael’s over the years…We are with you!

Other than that, do as Michael said he would like to have done if something were to ever happened to him….Grab a cold one…and enjoy a nice laugh.  Cherish your thoughts….share in the love….and post your memmories here….

J. Alan Hendricks, Editor

Remembering Michael: July 19, 2007 –A Personal Prospective

Remembering Michael:

July 19, 2007

This is definately not a fun part of this job.  I have been writing about Adventure now for close to a year.  I have written of some great accomplishments, as well as great tragedies–but this one has probably hit me the hardest.

Michael Reardon was mythical.  His climbing–spectacular!  The way he carried himself…some say egotistical…yet, Michael was the first to step back and help a struggling climber with words of encouragement.

Throughout the last few days many people–family…friends…climbing buddies…and those who wish they were–have all stopped by with their stories and heartfelt thoughts, words of encouragement for Marci and Nikki, the two most loved people in Michael’s big world.

As word of the tragic incident spread fast throughout the climbing community..many people have expressed that “Well, he died doing what he loved.”  In and of itself, maybe this brings solemn comfort, yet we all struggle with our inner selves.  We are a selfish species.  We want Michael here for us.

Michael didn’t mind.  He knew he walked a tightrope with death, but to him, death was a part of living.  If he wasn’t out pushing the limits–he would never know how far he could go…and if he lived to tell the tale..it would just be one more story to share with the guys over a whiskey at the pub.

Alot of people have come to know Michael through his climbing.  They would get to a hotspot, like Joshua Tree, early in the morning..gaze up at that dream send…and Michael would already be standing on top.  He would graciously descend and offer words of encouragement to the next group.

Michael was never in a competition with anyone other than himself, often times climbing that way…alone.  If the media had never found Michael–he still would have been “just climbing.”  That is who he was.  He could give a rat’s ass about the attention his climbs brought–he was doing it for fun.

Sometimes truth and Ego are misunderstood.  If Michael told you he had done something–you could just about bet your ass that it got done.  Many people discredit some of his accomplishments, and I believe that it is on the mere fact that they think it just couldn’t be done…not just by Michael, but by anyone!  The facts are hard to deny:

• First Ascent Onsight Solo of “MRSR” (5.12a) at Joshua Tree

• First Solo of “Ghetto Blaster” (5.13b) at Malibu Creek, CA

• 280 Routes in one day at Joshua Tree

• First Solo of “Romantic Warrior” (5.12b) at the Needles, CA –the hardest multi-pitch onsight (without pre-inspection) to date.

• The “Palisade Traverse” in 22 hours–First solo of this whole range that goes for a distance of 8 miles and includes 9 major peaks.

• 16,000 vertical feet of climbing in one day at Tahquitz, CA

• 213 Onsight Solos (up to 5.13b) at the Peak District of England

• 250 Onsight Solos throughout Ireland, including more than 40 first ascents up to 5.12a.

And this is just a SMALL part of the list.  Who would not be proud?  If you asked, he would answer–but not before you asked.

It is still hard to believe that a rogue wave…not the climbing…is what actually took Michael from all of us.  Perhaps it was just his way.  In like a bolt of lightning and out like a hurricane…but, man..did he ever enjoy the ride..

Most of us are happy with one good day a week.  Michael made sure every day was good.  Not only to himself and his family–but to the ones that just happened to be around.  He was like a child…full of energy…always looking for the next good time.

I think that this is the piece of Michael I would like to keep for myself….whether with family, friends, or even alone…We can all bust out the George Thorogood—and CRANK it up REAL loud..take a swig…and appreciate the day for what it is…Great!  That is what Michael would want.

 

 

Micheal Reardon’s Family Makes Special Request–

A special request has been made by Michael Reardon’s Family and friends.

It seems in this special time, with today being a day of tribute and rememberence for Michael Reardon, that the family requests that all of those gathering in celebration and mourning throughout today–videotape these gatherings.

Marci and Nikki have requested this to be done as they wish to be at each and everyone of these gatherings, and as they are in Ireland today, it just is not possible.  They regret that they are unable to attend these special gatherings of family, friends, and associates—fellow climbers that knew Michael so well….yet, if it is videotaped, they will have a chance to see and most importantly hear how much the father….the husband….the friend…meant to so many people in this world.

Another word of note:  The family also requests that if you do videotape these gatherings, that they are only released as they are intended—to the family of Michael Reardon.  These are not for public consuption and are a very personal and valued memmory of the man they love.

So get your video tapes out–fire up them camcorders….Grab a nice bottle of Guinness..and let the memmories roll.

If you would like more information on the videos or where to send them, you may email Denise Landers at denise_landers@msn.com

We are hoping some of you will at least take part in this special request.  What better way to remember all of those great thoughts ….the climbs….that friend and mentor..than to get the memmory on videotape!  And even more importantly than that, you can truly be a part of showing this family how much Michael meant to you and your life.  I commend the family on this request and hope that it spreads like wildfire…

J. Alan Hendricks

Editor, The Adventurist

BoulderDash to hold Vigil for Michael Reardon

Boulderdash, Michael Reardon’s famed indoor playground in Thousand Oaks, CA has emailed me a press release stating that they will be holding a Vigil for Michael this Wednesday at Boulderdash.

“Wishing For Michael’s Safe Return From The Emerald Isle,”  the vigil scheduled for Wednesday will take place from 9-11 pm at Boulderdash in Thousand Oaks.

They ask that you bring your Hope, Strength, Wishes and Prayers to the vigil.

I am hoping that any of my readers in the general vincinity will definately be there.  Marci and Nikki truly do need to know that we in the states are supporting them during this time, as they are currently in Ireland helping with the ongoing search efforts.

Michael Reardon was at the top of his game when this happened, and by all means this was not a climbing accident, but rather a freak act of nature that took Michael.  All of our thoughts and prayers are with him, Marci, and Nikki during this time of trouble.

If you would like to get further information on this event or directions, I urge you to contact them at the following: info@boulderdashclimbing.com , here is the address for Boulderdash as well:

Boulderdash

880 Hampshire Rd.

Thousand Oaks, CA    91361

(805) 557-1300

 

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