Everest on Ebay: The Apa and Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa Collection

While browsing around on Ebay today, I came across a couple of interesting items. The first is the hat worn to the top of Mt. Everest by Apa Sherpa in 2007. If you will remember back to last May, The Adventurist followed Apa as he was setting out on a record breaking run (he was breaking his own record) of most times summiting Mt. Everest. He was successful in his bid of capturing his 17th summit of the world’s highest peak.

The hat in question was actually given to Apa by 5 time US speed skater champion Eric Heiden and was worn the complete trip by Apa Sherpa.

The second item of interest is another Apa Sherpa related item. Apa Sherpa’s Poisk Oxygen tank that went up with him as well. The Poisk Oxygen tanks are pretty cool looking and would make a great addition to any Everest collection.  The tank has been personally signed by Apa–the seller also goes on to explain that he has three of these for sale, as well as another 4 Poisk Oxygen tanks belonging to Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa. Lhakpa, if you will remember back, went up with Apa Sherpa during the SuperSherpas campaign in 2007 to bring awareness to the Sherpa people. It was the first time that a Sherpa only expedition had ever taken place. Lhakpe Gelu Sherpa has 13 summits to his credit as well as a former Everest Climbing Speed Record of 10 hrs, 56 minutes, and 46 seconds.

Both auctions are currrently running. The hat has 2 days to go and already has a bid of $99. The Poisk Oxygen tanks have 9 days left and are currently priced at $199.00.

If you happen to be the winning bidder of either item, you will also recieve an autographed 8×11 summit photo featuring both Apa Sherpa and Lhakpa Gelu. For extra bragging rights, the photo just happens to show Apa wearing the hat in question-

Both of these items are being put up on Ebay in order to help support an education fund for both Apa and Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa’s children. A good cause–Everest items of historical significance–and the signed 8×10. What more could you ask for?

To view either auction, click the following key words: Apa’s Hat Apa’s Poisk Tank

I will try to keep an eye on these items and give the final prices in a later update. I am really kind of surprised that more climbers don’t go this route to try to get some of their money back. Seems to be a pretty good market for authentic material relating to Mt. Everest-

Usha Bista Rescue Becomes Mainstream News From Everest 2007

Today there are at least two seperate blogs reporting about the recent National Geographic: Adventure article in this last month’s issue.  The Adventure Blog and Everest is Ours both take a look at the amazing rescue of Usha Bista today.

The National Geographic article does a pretty fair job of covering the event–for those of you with an interest in this story. I thought I would take a look back at what happened as it was being reported this past May.  Many of you will know that I covered the 2007 Everest Season pretty thoroughly and thus can backtrack a bit and take you to the events that are once again making headlines today.

Here is a bit from the first reports concerning the Usha Bista rescue on May 22 at The Adventurist:

An Unknown female climber with the Democratic Nepal Everest Expedition was seemingly left for dead by her own team near the Balcony at 27,500 feet on Everest’s South Side yesterday.  At this time, this is all that is known of the actual incident other than details from the IMG Expedition Team who went up to try to make a high-altitude rescue.

Dave Hahn–who incidentally has some of the most famous High-Altitude rescues ever to his credit–went back up with both Mike and Casey from the Coleman Everest 2007 Expedition on an attempt to save this female climber.  Here are the details coming from the IMG Expedition website:

Dave, Mike N., Mike H., and Casey have descended to Camp 2. On the way they helped a climber from another team, who had been abandoned at the Balcony (27,500′,) and who was in very bad shape. They managed to get her to Camp 3, where she was turned over to climbers from the Everest Expreme (medical research) team. We are proud of these guys for doing a great job on the way up, and the way down!! We’ll keep you posted!

As you can see, this was the first report released from Everest concerning the rescue of the person soon to be known as Usha Bista.  Two days later, on May 23 more details were released and Usha Bista was identified as the climber left on Everest.  Up until this time it was only speculation as to who this climber was that had been left to die.  To get the full story, click both the links provided, plus the National Geographic: Adventure article.  They give a few more details of the after affects surrounding this rescue.

One of the main items that I am not seeing mentioned to much though is that Usha had seemingly been told not to climb on Everest after becoming ill on the mountain.  The story I am getting is that her team not so much left her, but she defied what she was told and headed up on her own.

Yes, it was a daring rescue.  People put their lives on the line and gave up their own quests for a short while to save the life of someone that should have never been there in the first place.

Meagan McGrath was credited with finding Usha Bista, Dave Hahn with the eventual rescue, but don’t forget–this should have never happened in the first place… Usha paid the price for not listening to her fellow climbers and she almost died in the process.

Credit goes to the climbers that got her down safely–showing that humanity is more important than a peak that will always be there–and the ones that passed her by or didn’t offer their own assistance….Their actions are not even worth my time–

Successful Everest Summits in 2007: Thailand, Japan, and Nascar?

Just Curious.  Who Planted the Nascar Flag on top of Mt. Everest?  That is right.  There is now a Nascar flag planted at the top of the world’s tallest mountain.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads going into the Icefall.  Wait! No!  It can’t be!  Dale Jr. Has Just hit a Crevasse and Jeff Gordon makes the pass..

Ok, so it didn’t quite happen like that. 

This past May, a man by the name of Patrick Hickey (who I actually followed myself) happened to make a successful summit attempt on Mt. Everest.  Sure, he could have planted a US Flag at the top, but that’s already been done.  So why not Nascar?

Actually,  this is a pretty interesting story that begins way before Pat ever reached the Basecamp on Everest.  Fans of his blog noted that Pat was an avid Nascar buff.  Once Pat began his climb, he said the one thing he missed the most was knowing what was going on in the Nascar world.  Before Pat knew it he was beseiged with every bit of Nascar news coming from the world–literally.  He had people from 20 different countries feeding him news.

Needless to say, a reader from Pat’s blog contacted Nascar.  Nascar then contacted Pat while he was 17,600 feet up on Everest.  They asked him if he would be interested in planting a Nascar flag at the Top of the World.  After Pat agreed, they asked him how they could deliver something to him. 

A couple of days later a MediVac Helicopter coming in to pick up two injured climbers had a special delivery for Mr. Patrick Hickey.

Now Pat just happens to be a HUGE Jeff Gordon fan–after the flag was planted on top of Everest and Pat made his successful return to civilization, Nascar set up a special meeting between Pat and Jeff Gordon.  I guess this just goes to show how World-Wide Nascar has become….Sheeesh!

Source:  NYTimes

Mt. Everest to Close to Climbers in 2008?

It is well known that China is planning on running the Olympic Torch to the summit of Mt. Everest in 2008 leading into the 2008 Olympics being held in Beijing.

This past April and May a Chinese Expedition team made a successful run at the summit proving that it is possible.  17 members successfully summited.  The Chinese were able to prove that the Olympic Torch would burn in the Mt. Everest altitude.

Early on in the 2007 season, it was revealed that China may indeed be trying to close down the North side to further climbers and expeditions.  Now it is being revealed that China is also in negotiations with Nepal—looking to close the South Side of Everest as well while the torch is making it’s way to the top.

The China/Tibet Mountaineering Association (CMA/TMA ) are now reportedly also negotiating with Nepal, asking them to help “close” the peak from both sides during the Olympic torch team’s summit push next year.

This information is coming from an article currently on the front page of MountEverest.net.  The article was actually discussing the merits of lowering fees for climbers on Mt. Everest in the fall and winter to promote more expeditions to take place at this time.  It just kind of jumped out at me.

What would this mean to all of the Expeditions that take place in the spring if Everest is essentially cut off from climbers while the chinese are there?

We all know that this previous expedition by the chinese was a “trial” run.  For this Expedition, the chinese Basecamp was enclosed by fencing as well as having armed guards present…

Next year promises to be completely mad–and perhaps on both sides.  Hopefully Nepal won’t fall to intimidation or money factors and rightfully stand their ground.  I am sure we will all be waiting to see how this eventually developes as Expedition companies plan their trips well in advance of the coming trips in 2008..

I was also curious as to why the South Side might need to be closed off as well–could the Chinese be planning a historic North to South Traverse?