The Adventurist: A Call to All Outdoor Writers and Photographers!

I have just put the finishing touches on a new “Submit & Contact” Page here at The Adventurist.  I am hoping that this new feature will be accepted and used by all of my great readers.

This page goes into detail about a few things I am looking for here at The Adventurist–and ways you might be able to get involved.

Do you love Adventure Writing or perhaps Great Outdoors Photography?–Help me share your incredible talents with a much bigger audience!

Head on Over to the “Submit & Contact” Page, found on a tab right up above this article, and Share your Adventures with the World!

Also, if you are looking to put me to work, there is info there as well….

Cheers-

J. Alan Hendricks, Editor

Free-Climbing the Second Step: A New Controversy Brewing..

In the past two weeks, numerous reports of Conrad Anker and Leo Haulding’s, successful summit of Everest have been reported.

Many of you will know that Conrad Anker and Leo Haulding set out a couple weeks ago to try to prove that George Mallory could have successfully summited Mt. Everest, by doing it themselves in equipment that would have been used in Mallory’s day–although made more recent.

Their findings are being reported two different ways.  The first, is that they were successful…the second is that they had to put aside the look-alike 1920’s equipment and make their final push in high tech gear of today.  To be honest, this would lead you to believe that Mallory and Irvine couldn’t have summited in the gear that they had.

Another controversy has seemed to have erupted recently over Conrad Anker and Leo Haulding’s subsequent free-climb up the Second Step.  The two, in order to do it as Mallory and Irvine, removed the ladder ascending the Second Step and decided to free climb it.  Many people, including Elizabeth Hawley, the Mt. Everest Expeditions local historian and news source, seem to be confused on the merits of free climbing the second step…

The Adventure Blog has posted a nice piece on whether this was the first free climb ever, the first one since the 1960’s as Elizabeth Hawley claims, or just another one that has fallen into the cracks of misreporting.  ExplorersWeb contends that there are actually a few people who have done this on the Second Step and that Anker and Haulding are just the most recent.

We all know it isn’t done often.  More people go for the much easier and safer, by using the ladder, but the controversy arises in part, by a message left by The Altitude Everest Team claiming that this was a true first.  No matter how it plays out–it is very unlikely this is a true first as way more than one source agrees that it has been done at least once before and possibly numerous times.

I credit Kraig over at The Adventure Blog for this fine piece of investigative reporting–I will be watching to see if he can come up with some truth and what the facts are surrounding this situation–well done Kraig.  Now go read his fine piece HERE.

David Sharp HAD to Die on Everest

People die on Mt. Everest.  That is a fact.  In fact until the last few years the statistic was that for every four people to make the summit, one would die.  In recent times (the 2007 Everest climbing season involves close to 1,000 individuals) that number has grown to one in twenty.

Last season brought the tragic death of David Sharp and the controversy of climbers not helping a fellow climber in need to the forefront of media institutions around the world.  Perhaps this is because people never  really knew what went on at 28,000 ft. or they never really thought about it until the media picked up the story.

I am not going to go in to detail on what happened to David Sharp.  By now the world over knows this story and  a year later it still lingers in the minds and bemoans an outpouring of controversy.  Everyone has an opinion.  I will leave it at that.

What I would like to mention is that David Sharp has not been the only climber to be left behind.  It has happened before and more than likely it will happen again.  Read more

Everest 2007: The Best of the Best

It has been said many times before–You can fake your way to Everest Basecamp, but once you hit that mountain the higher camps will show who you are and what you are made of…

Over the past couple of weeks The Adventurist has taken you from the trek in to Everest Basecamp on both the North and South sides, we guided you through the dreaded Khumbu Icefall–through the 32 unstable ladders connecting crevices with what some call land. 

The glacier moving and twisting, and if you miss your chance to cross, then tomorrow the Khumbu might take a different and more difficult form. Twenty-one people have died here before you…and one false step, one unstable gust of wind could make you number twenty-two.  

You slowly step across that last ladder–sweat beading on your forehead, your hands shakey–yet, you know you have made it this far and the trek to Camp 1 can’t be any harder than what you have already done.

Further on up you may have adjusted to Camp 1 and are now enjoying life thinking of what’s to come shortly.  If you are in one of the faster moving groups..you could be as far as Camp 2 and contemplating if you really have what it takes to mount a climb to the summit.

Many people are suffering.  The elevation seems to take your breathe away.  Each and every step is a struggle–and it won’t get any easier. 

You eat, bite by bite, but your body does not want to accept what you feed it in order to survive.  With each bite you gag.  You force it down knowing that if you don’t get the energy in some way, shape, or form that you could die.  You could die.

This is what makes Everest special. 

The personal challenge of accomplishing the unthinkable–being a part of History with the likes of George Mallory, Sir Edmund Hillary, Rob Hall, Scott Fischer–the names go on and on. 

Life is the challenge–but Everest is the topping on the cake.  It  seems such a shame that some of that cake gets dropped and trampled from time to time, eaten by the elements– minus 60 degree temperatures, 100+ mile an hour winds, and of course the never ending chance of a climber’s worst enemy–an avalanche.

At this point in time the higher camps are starting to weed out the people that are just not quite ready–maybe their focus hasn’t been as strong or maybe their bodies have just never been pushed to the utter limits before, whatever the case, many are rethinking what it is about Everest that has brought them here.

Is it a life statement?  Or did it just seem like something to do at the time?  Believe me, Everest will be making that statement for you very, very shortly.

April 26, 2007–Camp 3

A Sherpa dies after being buried in an avalanche.  This is the first death on Everest this season.  The mountain has made a statement.  ” You may climb me, but be forwarned–you won’t get up without a fight.”

Many teams are contemplating this exact scenario right now.  It scares some to death that their family and friends…their children may never see them again. 

“What happens if I die here?” they ask.  “Will it be fast and sudden or a dreaded two day struggle in The Death Zone?”

David Hahn knows what this struggle is about.  Today the lone person he was guiding on Everest turned back and high-tailed it off the mountain–leaving Dave alone.

Now Dave is no ordinary climber, in fact he has eight Everest summits to his credit, putting him up their with the likes of Ed Visteurs.

But now he is alone.

He came in as a guide and right now he is trying to decide if Everest’s call is stronger than his will.

Will he go for number 9?  Only time and some deep inner searching will reveal this to Dave in the next couple of days.

This is Everest 2007.  This is what it is all about. In the days ahead, there will be some triumphs..some you thought wouldn’t make it…will..others who were pretty much guaranteed a summit may die….and still others will never know what they could have achieved as their life quietly sinks in and they ask themselves “Why am I here?”

2007 will definately be something to behold.  A momment in time accepted into the history books…legends will be made, struggles will be had, but in the end–you will know who had what it took to become The Best of the Best.

BREAKING NEWS! MT. EVEREST CLAIMS FIRST LIFE OF 2007. UPDATED 12:13 pm 04/26/07

It is being reported today, April 26, 2007, that Mt. Everest has claimed it’s first life of 2007.

Details are still sketchy at this moment as this story is just beginning to break, but it seems that a sherpa has been killed on Mt. Everest while making his way to camp 3 on the Everest’s famed South Col Route. 

At this time it is being noted that only 1 person was involved in this accident and that it did involve a big ice block falling…(UPDATE:  Everestnews.com reported the big iceblock falling, on the other hand Paul Adler, whom this story originated from said it was an avalanche and that it occured on the Lhotse Face.)

More details of today’s tragedy will be given when more is known.  Please stay tuned…

As always after a mountain tragedy The Adventurist will go in to “black mode” for the next 3 days in respect and in mourning for this fallen climber.  I personally wish his family, friends, and the climber community my prayers upon hearing todays tragic news.

UPDATE:  Alan Arnette is reporting that the Sherpa was with the Thamserku Team, a local expedition company out of Kathmandu. 

Alan was contacted this morning by Paul Adler’s team about the situation so for more please visit his site  Alan Arnette

Sir Edmund Hillary: Your Thoughts, Your Prayers

It is being widely reported today that Sir Edmund Hillary has been injured in a fall.  Sir Hillary was the first person, along with his climbing sherpa Tenzing Norgay, to summit Mt. Everest.  It has been noted that Hillary is not suffering “Life-Threatening” injuries and that his progress is going well.

Hillary is 87 years old and has recently taken up walking with a cane.  It is also being reported that Sir Edmund Hillary has been suffering from High Altitude Sickness for a number of years now.

In due respect for what Sir Edmund Hillary has come to mean and represent in the climbing community, I thought that it would be a good time for all of my loyal readers here at The Adventurist to wish Sir Edmund Hillary the best.  Today we keep you in all of our thoughts and prayers! 

You, the reader, may post your thoughts, prayers, and good wishes upon Sir Edmund Hillary here, as we all come together to wish him a fast recovery

Sir Edmund Hillary Hurt in Fall, Injuries not Life Threatening

Sir Edmund Hillary, the man who gained fame by being the first person to scale Mt. Everest, has been injured in a fall.  The 87 year old Hillary had been in Nepal and had taken part recently in a special meeting with Apa and Lhakpa Ghelu Sherpa of the SuperSherpas Expedition.

For more on this story, I now send you HERE for the full news report from The Age.

In recent years, Hillary has taken up using a cane to help him get around.  It is not noted how Hillary fell or how significant his injuries are, but that they are not “Life Threatening”.

Sir Edmund Hillary’s Last Trek to Nepal….April 18, 2007

The SuperSherpas camp is saying that Apa and Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa were summoned to a meeting with Miss Elizabeth Hawley–the famed Everest Journalist for the likes of Time Magazine and many other World-wide media outlets for the past 30 years.

Upon reaching Miss Hawley’s abode, Apa and Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa were surprised to find none other than Sir Edmund Hillary–the first summiter of Mt. Everest.

Roger Kehr, The SuperSherpas Basecamp manager had this to say about the meeting:

“Elizabeth Hawley invited us over to gather information about the expedition and we were unbelievably surprised that Sir Edmund Hillary was there as her guest. We were honored when he said that this may be his last trip to Nepal.”

Sir Edmund Hillary is now 87 years old.  Last year Hillary made news when he spoke out about the tragic death of David Sharp and the failure of fellow climber’s to stop and help.  Yes, he is 87–but still as outspoken as ever.

It is kind of a sad day to think that Sir Edmund Hillary will probably not be taking any more trips from his home in New Zealand to his second love, Nepal and the Himalayas.

This story has not been played in the media as yet, and it is truly a surprise as this could very well be a meeting between the greatest climbers to ever lay foot on Everest.  One the one hand you have Sir Edmund Hillary–the World’s first summiter of Everest and on the other, you have Apa and Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa…combined they have summited Everest a total of 29 times, with Apa currently holding the record of most summits with 16, and Lhakpa Gelu, a previous World’s Fastest Ascent Record Holder..and a 13 time summiter.

A meeting of the minds….the stories they could share….and quite possibly the last meeting of it’s kind with this group of Everest greats.

Sir Edmund Hillary had this to say about the SuperSherpa Expedition to put Apa and Lhakpa Gelu once again on the summit for the cause of the Sherpa people and and the people of Nepal in general:

“it was was easy to devote his energy [to this latest trip to Nepal from his home in New Zealand] because of his love for the Sherpa people”.

A very historical and significant momment to be sure.

The Complete Coverage! Everest 2007!

The Complete Coverage!  Everest 2007!  Click here!

As many of you might know, a couple of months back I mentioned that I would be setting up a Page on The Adventurist for the Everest 2007 Climbing season.

This page will be similar to the page covering the Mt. Hood Tragedy I covered in 2006 offering up all the links and stories as we publish them in one easily located space.

What this does is it allows all of my loyal readers an easier way to follow along with the Everest 2007 season as it happens, as well as lets you keep track of what HAS happened up to the latest story.  At the top of this site, you will now see a headline that reads “The Complete Coverage!  Everest 2007!  Click Here!”, by clicking this, you will now have access to every story concerning the 2007 Everest Climbing season.

I hope you enjoy this convenient way of staying on track with the happenings on Everest this season.  It is really shaping up to be a great season with many stories breaking daily.  You will now find them all here!

To Hell and Back: Life and Death on Mt. Everest

Recently, I have been carrying on a conversation with my good friend Mr. Alan Arnette on some very key issues that are drawing media attention as well as criticism.

Before I start the conversation on this post, I would like to acknowledge Mr. Arnette’s background.  He has been on Everest 3 different times–he has faced life and death during his years of climbing not only on Everest, but also on the likes of Cho Oyu and other 8,000 er’s.  He is a very respected member in the climbing community and continues to run his own site dedicated to Mt. Everest and climbing in general.

I personally hold him in high-esteem, not only as an authority figure in the climbing world, but also as a friend.  It is with great pleasure that I will now attempt to piece together this very informative–sometimes controversial–but highly enlightening conversation that Alan has given me permission to publish.  I will publish this conversation as it built with emails between the both of us.  This began on March 11–with my first email: Alan’s comments will be in blue.

“Hey Alan,

Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your interview with TA Loeffler…hearing what it is like from a first time climber getting ready to take the adventure of a life is always interesting…I personally liked the part where she said she feared the Khumbu Icefall. Sounds like that is most people’s biggest obstacle.

Congrats on the Interview, and Thanks for bringing it to us!”

Thanks Jason (J),

Tomorrow’s interview is with Paul Adler. Yes the Icefall is the most deadly part of the south route in modern times. As you may recall, last year 3 Sherpas died when a serac fell and in 2005 climber Mike O’Brien died in the ‘Fall. I had communicated with him prior to his climb so it hit me hard. He was climbing with his brother…

But this is what Everest is all about: hopes, fears, death, life and living.

,

Very nicely put.  Yes, I do remember the Sherpas tragic fall.  I have also seen some amazing photos of the icefall.  I know you have been there…How scared were you?  Personally, I like to think I could do it, but get me standing there on some of those ice ledges…and well..the story might change.You know, you mentioned taking Mike O’brien’s death hard…I guess since I am sort of in the same line as yourself, that is my biggest fear as well.  Someone I have talked to and personally gotten to know dying on Everest..If you have spent any time over on my site, The Mt. Hood tragedy I covered last year really hit me hard as well–I was talking to the family and friends of the three lost climbers daily–it actually hit me so hard that I quit writing for over a month…I soon came to the realization that what I was doing for these families and friends of the climbers, by giving them an outlet, was far more important than my own personal feelings.  I am still not over it…but Alan, what we are doing is right.  If we didn’t chronicle what was taking place in our time as people have done before us, these people would be dying without ever having their stories told.

I am actually glad you mentioned that to me.  That shows me that I am not alone as far as my inner feelings go about these things.  You try to stay neutral, but when you do this day in and day out, you are bound to get wrapped up from time to time.

I am only praying that this year’s Everest experience will be better than last years…or at least safer.  I hate to say it though–it is getting more and more crowded–people are risking more and more.  The place is not a joke, yet it seems that many take it as such.  I am afraid people will die–

But on a good note, there are some great climbs taking place this year, and I am getting more excited by the day–I just hope they all come prepared for hell, but don’t ever witness some of the tragedy that has taken place the last 10 years.

Hey, one last question….how were you prepared mentally for your Everest Experience?  You knew everything that came before you, so how did you put that out of your mind–or at least in the back, to concentrate on your climb?

Yes, following climbers or knowing them and losing them is hard and is life. I buried one of my teammates on Cho Oyu in 1998. It was a moment of disbelief that it could happen. But, we went on to go for the summit the next day. Callous? Selfish? I do not pretend to make a judgment but only to state that he was there to climb as were we. Death is part of climbing big Hills - full stop. As I have written before, if you are afraid of dying, you are already dead.

As for the icefall, it is not a conscious fear you experience - kind of like driving on a crowded highway. You know someone may swerve into you at any moment but you steer straight and steady in the belief that it will not happen to you. There are many seracs standing 10 stories high all around. You know that some may fall at any time but you cannot let that thought occupy your mind or you would never go on. It is all a matter of ??? when they fall and who is around. If you let fear grip you, you will not climb higher.

As for preparing mentally, I used a lot of visualaton. I saw myself in the Icefall, on the Lhotse face and more. I carefully thought about my steps on the ladders, clipping into the fixed ropes. I thought about melting snow, cooking breakfast, breathing oxygen - all the details it takes to do something major.

But in the end you take each day, each step one by one. You focus on each detail as a small part of the big picture. By breaking it down into bite size steps, it is manageable - kind of like a life goal. If you look at the big picture it can be overwhelming. So by taking it step by step it is understandable and manageable.

Jason, I had read your coverage of the Hood accident. Yes it was tragic but it is also common. Climbers climb, climbers die. That is what they/we do. No one wants to die while climbing but it happens. Those left behind suffer the most. They ask all the questions no one can answer. But those closest to the climbers know that accidents happen and, sadly, it can be the fault of the climbers or it just happens. If you read about the spouses of Jean Pierre Lafelle, Scott Fischer or Rob Hall or any of the other “famous” climbers they all have a common theme. Not the cliché of “they died doing what they loved” even though that may have been true. But rather, they knew the risks - we knew the risks - and it happened. No self pity. It just happened.

Alpine mountaineering is a game of roulette. Beck Wethers once said about climbing Everest “put a bullet in the chamber, put it to your head and pull the trigger- that is climbing Everest” I am not sure it is that random but there is some truth to it. Personally I have turned back from more mountains than I have summitted. Why? Fear, Fatigue, Common sense? Don’t know but I do know that I am here today with my family and enjoying my previous climbs and looking forward to the next.

The summit is not the goal for me. It is the experience. That said, not reaching my goal always leaves me wanting, leaves me empty. Perhaps that is why I always return to my mountains.

People everywhere–that aren’t involved with the “climbing community” question why..Why would you risk your life…why would you do something so crazy….how can you put something before yourself and your families…..Is it personal selfishness?

With the Mt. Hood tragedy I had the chance to talk with quite a few people involved-from the Sheriff ahead of the rescue efforts, to the Search and Rescue teams and to the family and friends of the three lost climber’s–everyone was making a pre-assessed judgement–that basically these guys were nuts..

The media brought up the “selfish” issue–they brought up that the climbers should pay for their rescue–yet if you talk to anyone involved, it was a totally different story.  Sheriff Joe Wampler stated they were all “just doing their jobs”  the family stated what you said about the risk involved–and well the SAR team has a great article in National Geographic: Adventure making it very clear that they were not forced to take on this mission, but were all volunteers.  Yet, these arguments in the press still linger…

I do believe what you said and it goes along with a saying of my own–if you aren’t living every day like it is your last, you are already dead. 

To many times people rush to judgement without knowing anything what-so-ever about the people they are talking about.  That was the whole basis behind The Adventurist when I started it…yeah, I heard these really great stories of risking life and death–but through the media, they were only names on a page.  I wanted to know more about the people involved–and it looks like a lot of others want to know the same.

I found your last email very interesting.  For one you are a climber that HAS been there..You have lost friends and associates on the mountains–yet, you understand that this is all a part of what you do.  You have given me a greater insight into the climbers mindset than I think anyone else could have done-

I also feel like this needs to be more understood in the public…

Alan, would you mind if I put up a post on this conversation?  I think it is important that people understand the basis of “how” and “why” coming from a climbers viewpoint-

The Beck Weathers quote was great, I haven’t heard that one before, but it does ring very true.  In today’s world of media hype and publicity stunts surrounding Everest, I hate to say it, but I think tragedy will be striking on shear ignorance of what Everest is.  You put up a recent post about Everest being a “joke” in the climbing community–and I CANNOT believe people are thinking it is a cakewalk, but they do–it is sad, and tragedy will continue to happen, probably even more so, as more and more people strive to be great at a place they know nothing about.

Sure you can go ahead and reprint our conversation. Another essay I wrote may be of interest - http://www.alanarnette.com/stories/whyiclimb.htm

To clarify my “Joke” posting. Yes, there are many in the climbing community that see Everest as a “non-worthy” goal primarily due to the over-commercialization. I would bet however that 99.9% of those who say that have never been to Everest or to an 8000m mountain. Without being too preachy, the big Hills are in a league of their own. As you say, they are not “cake walks”. My point about the Dutch climber in shorts was not so much that he shouldn’t climb, it was that his style is irreverent to the mountain. You see, I believe  and a lot of others do as well - that mountains are a special part of the planet. Yes, I know they are geological uplifts from eons ago but for me they represent another level of our life and existence on the earth. They provide an opportunity to test, learn and live. The same could be said about deserts, oceans and downtown London or New York - each is valid for the person doing the exploring.

What I find interesting is when the critics call for “stopping dangerous activities” or demanding compensation for S&R or putting climbers or explorers down. And, as you say, without first hand knowledge. If their criticism is valid for climbers then it must follow that it is valid for window cleaners, traffic cops, road construction crews and anyone else who does a “dangerous” job. The argument could be that those people do not have a choice and that climbers put them selves in dangerous situations. Nonsense. Everyone has choices. The outcome is dependent on preparation, judgment and luck.

Sorry to go on, I don’t think you were asking for more but this subject is close to me.

Alan

No apology is needed.  If anything, more needs to be said by some of the climbers that have been there!

Inside, people know Everest isn’t a joke–but recently, right after I read your post, I found an interesting one where a 17 year old had been training for marathon running–he said it wasn’t a big enough challenge and with his conditioning..and a mention of Ueli’s attempt–he said he was going to make a run at Everest next year, because it seemed easy…That is my case.  I wrote an editorial about this issue myself.

What some of these guys are doing to draw publicity to their climbs, is in turn, influencing the ones to follow.  It will be these kids who have no prior experience who see this–that I am scared for.  Albeit, everyone has a reason and something that has set off their own personal challenge with Everest–but, the next generation need to know the facts.  People die, it isn’t a game.

You know, I have been doing this for only 5 or 6 months now..as far as following what is taking place day to day.  In a way, what has amazed me is the openess that everyone has accepted myself into this world of Everest and mountain climbing in general.  I have met and talked with so many people that I never even dreamed about making contact with when I first started doing this.  You and I, as well as a couple of others that I am aware of–can sit here and talk about these issues, and in all honesty, become friends–when in the real world, we should be competitors–That is what I find so interesting in the climbing world.  Everyone is out to help each other. 

The Mountains draw you in–the stories, they bring you home.  There will never be enough time to cover every facet–every journey–that these lives are taking–but through us, maybe some of these stories can be told that otherwise wouldn’t be.  It has been a pleasure for me to get to know yourself.

Everest alone could probably warrant it’s own monthly publication–but you add in everything else taking place–and it could definately take a lifetime to just prick the surface. 

After you told me about your incident taking place on Cho Oyu, I went to EverestNews.com–curious, of course–and read the dispatches of this climb.  Now I know a little bit more about what you were talking about.

I am sorry for your loss on that climb–but also glad you made it safe to do it all over again in so many other places.  So where is your next journey going to take you?  You have got to have something burning in your head…haha.

Talk to you later Alan.

As you can tell, this was a very enlightening conversation with someone who has been there.  Some of these points hold very true in today’s world of climbing and I thank Alan for acknowledging some of these great issues with his personal insight.

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