National Geographic Enters the Age of Blogging

Adventure Sports and Writing is beginning to make some big headwaves in the blogging world.  Many new sites pop-up on a daily basis–almost to many to keep track of.  Needless to say, we were missing the biggest one of them all..National Geographic, until now.

The National Geographic: Adventure Blog kind of snuck up on all of us.  There has been little mention from them about this endeavor, but I am sure it is going to be turning some heads.

Ahhh…National Geographic.  My grandfather introduced me to them  quite a few years ago.  He bought me a subscription all the way up until his untimely death a year ago.  Luckily, when he passed away,  I was able to rescue his NG Video collection from the trash heap.  He was an avid subscriber and watcher.  He knew a good thing when he seen it and taught us to appreciate the world around us.  Without that video collection, I probably would have never known what went on in Mecca, or what lay beneath the Pyramids of Egypt.  Thank-you Grandpa and National Geographic–

The National Geographic Adventure Blog  Takes a look at a lot of the same things I write about.  Adventure, Wilderness, Survival, Those who Live it, Those who Love It, and those who partake in it or wish they did. There is something there for all of us.

Here is just a couple article samplings:

• When Animals Attack: Anacondas, Great Whites, Grizzlies
• Alive Survivors Look Back
• Your Story:  What Saved You?

Offers some great in-depth articles and insight that you just can’t find anywhere else.  Awesome place and I am sure I will be visiting daily.  By the way, if you visit, pay attention to their  ADVENTURE picks, in their left-hand column.  My good friend Kraig’s Blog, The Adventure Blog is mentioned, as well as a couple of others found in my links page...Outdoorzy.com and a couple of others.  Keep your eyes out.  This is going to be one of those Bookmark sites to visit daily!  I am adding them to my Links Page and will possibly put up the RSS feed on The Adventurist tomorrow.

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

Dave Hahn, Usha Bista and How The Mainstream Media Bites a Big One…

First off, let me be the first to say that, quite frankly, I am pissed.  Luckily, I am not mainstream media and can rightfully say whatever I want to on this platform–so, I am pissed.

The media has picked up the recent story of Dave Hahn’s incredible high altitude rescue and once again turned it in to the David Sharp incident–

For the last two months I have been covering the news from Mt. Everest, I have not seen one…NOT ONE story about anything to do with Everest or the great accomplishments, or the 5 or more other rescues, or the 5 deaths…NOT ONE STORY ON EVEREST until this one in the mainstream media!

What Dave Hahn rightfully done was incredible, he saved a life that probably would have died within hours..but the media has already stepped in and skewed the story.

They have seemingly jumped on the “words” of various climbers claiming that Usha Bista was left by her team on Everest, without knowing ANY of the background, or for that matter, even her name.  They simply call her Usha.

It amazes me that they will report this story, skew it for the public, then cry about climbers rights, climbers etiquette…and try to arouse a reaction out of the public.  This is what is wrong, not only in the climbing world, but in news reporting in general! 

The facts have been stated at least two days ago by myself and a couple of other places about the circumstances surrounding this rescue mission. 

Usha Bista was rescued.  She was rescued by Dave Hahn.  She was found alone and in dire shape.  That is what is known.  NOTHING ELSE at this point.

At the same time, there are two paragraphs in the piece I just got done mentioning, talking about Usha Bista.  Another three about DAVID SHARP.

In a way, I have worked in mainstream media in the past as a journalist.  I know how these things go.  They have pieced this whole scenario on what the IMG team first reported on their Expedition Site.  But they state everything as fact even though it was stated that it was not known if she was left behind and further details would not be known until the IMG team had a chance to talk to her.

One other thing I found interesting in this bit of media circus journalism was the fact that they had a comment about this situation from Dave Hahn himself, as follows:

I was very concerned because her oxygen had run out. She was virtually unresponsive, and in a precarious spot on the mountain, on a steep snowy slope,” Hahn told The Times via satellite phone from Base Camp.

This is ALL Dave had to tell the Times, I guess, about this rescue mission, as nothing else was printed in reference to this conversation.  Now, I am not going “whistle-blowing” here, but do you not think that Dave would have at least talked about the rescue mission and what occured while he was on the phone?  It just seems like the rest should have been included.  Or was it excluded for a reason?  Here is more:

She was at a similar altitude to the cave where Sharp died on May 15, 2006, after an estimated 40 climbers passed him by, most of them without making any attempt to save him. His death sparked an international controversy, with some arguing that a rescue would have cost more lives. Others, including Sir Edmund Hillary, condemned the cynicism of commercial mountaineers.

Usha, like Sharp, was apparently on the sort of barebones expedition that charges clients typically as little as $8,933 and provides them with only basic equipment.

Also like Sharp, she was too weak to move when she was found by David Hahn, a veteran American guide, and his sherpa, Phinjo Dorje, on their way down from the summit. Hahn and Phinjo Dorje decided to risk their own lives by taking her with them, even though she was only semiconscious and suffering from severe cerebral oedema, or water on the brain.

Right there is 90% of this News report!

Do Not believe what you read in the media!  They Over-hype, Over-sensitize…and quite often never give you all the facts.

Alpine Climbing and climber’s ethics have taken a huge hit because of the David Sharp incident last season, perhaps in a way it was good, as this season did see quite a few rescues take place in high altitude..but at the same time not EVERY RESCUE is David Sharp!  Each and every instance is different and unless you are actually on that freakin mountain you have no idea how you would react, so quit your whining and crying and tearing down of a world you know nothing about!

Mountaineering is about risk.  It is about accomplishing the unachievable.  A test of self.

David Sharp did die.  He died in a horrible way that even to this day is still controversial in terms of what is and isn’t known…I just think that it is time we all move beyond David Sharp and quit trying to draw attention and raise opinions, cause a ruckus and deface a lifestyle all for the sake of alittle airtime. 

By the way, this story was featured on FoxNEWS today and is still found on their website, but I don’t suggest you go over their to check it out or you’ll be biting a big one just like they hopefully are.

The Adventurist: The David Tait Interview Pt. 2, Post Everest 2007

In March of this year, The Adventurist had the priviledge of interviewing David Tait before he set off to climb Mt. Everest.  David’s ambitions were made very clear.  He wanted to become the first person to ever “Double-Traverse” Mt. Everest in the same season. 

He was well prepared.  David had summited Mt. Everest previously in 2006 and was feeling in such great shape afterwards that he made a commitment to dedicate himself to the world’s first ever double-traverse of Everest in 2007, all the while donating every penny earned to the NSPCC and trying to draw some much needed attention for his latest life mission– helping children who have been the victims of abuse in his native land.

David’s attempt garnered alot of attention this season.  He was a member of the much touted and often ridiculed Himex Team that is being led by Russell Brice–and who, by chance, was also being followed along by The Discovery Channel Team in hopes of filming their second season of Everest: Beyond the Limit.

Through David’s Expedition Blog this season we were given the rare opportunity to take a look at what goes on behind the scenes.  David’s thoughts, concerns, and daily routine were not only followed by myself, but by thousands of people around the world.  In effect, this attention has garnered David something that he has been trying to get accomplished for well over a year now–and that is helping the NSPCC.

Through David Tait’s great assault on Everest this season, we were all able to learn a little bit about ourselves.  David’s journey began strong.  He put himself in place to make a successful first summit and in essence, he did just that.  Half of his goal was accomplished.  Now all he had to do was go back down the opposite side of Mt. Everest, take a 7-10 day rest, and do it all over again from the South Col.

What surprised alot of people in the world was what happened next.  Upon reaching Camp on the South, David made an announcement that his double-traverse was essentially off–

Over the next couple of days, David would go on to explain his reasonings behind this decision.  He felt that Phurba Sherpa, his climbing partner this season, should be given the credit he was due.  If anyone should be the “first” to do something, David noted, It should be the Sherpa who have been an integeral part of every climbing expedition on Mt. Everest.

Over the past season, David has been looked upon as perhaps a little cocky.  David has been seen, as one climber put it, as the “007″ on Everest this season.  Discovery Channel found in David someone who they originally thought would make for great TV..he was good-looking, well prepared, well spoken, and at times could be a bit controversial..someone the american audiences would surely fall in love with.  But David had other plans…

David Tait is his own man.  From the beginning David stayed focused and knew where he was going.  He had goals and he stuck to them..and in a suprise move David Tait showed the World something that alot of us foresake….humility.

In David’s humility, as much as the decision was so hard for  alot of us to comprehend at the time–David still became the first person to EVER traverse Everest, North to South, from his native UK as well as the first Person to ever do so from Europe.

Two new records, a successful traverse of the world’s tallest peak–and tons and tons of humility…that is David Tait.

It is with great pleasure that I can bring to you the first In-Depth Interview with David since his decision to call off his Double-Traverse.  You will see, undoubtedly, how this all unfolded just days ago.

I will let you make up your own minds on who David Tait is and what he represents, as well as perhaps, show you what part of being great entails.

The Adventurist Interviews David Tait

 

The Adventurist:  When I first interviewed you for The Adventurist back in March, you were
just preparing to head off to Mt. Everest.  It has now been two and a half months and you have successfully summited Mt. Everest for a second time. How are you feeling right now and what is your general condition?

David Tait:  I’m feeling more than a little tired -I keep dozing off, but considering i’m still sitting in solitary confinement at the hotel Tibet in Katmandu, i’ve little else to do but read and sleep. I have started to reflect on the successes of the expedition and i’m quite content.

The Adventurist:  This marks the second Expedition to Mt. Everest that you have been on with Himex.  This season was a little bit different though as The Discovery Channel Film Crew was on hand to record what was going on.  Can you elaborate a bit on this experience, and did it in any way influence your day to day activities and preparation?

David Tait:  Yes, I found the film crew to be a nice sociable bunch, but in an ideal world I would have prefered to climb without them. This is for two reasons - firstly, I believe [my opinion only] that they became a little disappointed with the ordinaryiness of the participants, and desperately wanted something to “spice things up”…. i bored them senseless with interviews in which i only referred to the climb and my charity work. i think they hoped for a lot more than this. Secondly, in my opinion again, there was disproportionate attention given to two memebers of the expedition, one complete [literally] novice lady, and one larger than life, but ultimately offensive semi-experienced man. It was clear to me, owing to the coverage that these two got, that the essence of the program [reality tv] would fail without their presence. I found this a little depressing at times.

The Adventurist:  As your summit attempt was taking shape, Russell Brice met with you and
Phurba Sherpa giving you  the go-ahead to start your ascent.  First, can you tell us about this meeting and second, why were you given the go-ahead so far in advance of the rest of the Himex crew?

David Tait:  ———-The meeting was help on the “tigerdome” in the presence once again
of the cameras. Russ, Phurba and i discussed firstly the current state of the fixed ropes, the imminent plans to fix higher, ultimately to the summit, the plans for moving or removing bodies [with permission] from the route, and finally the plans for our traverse/s - this included oxygen, and other minor logisitcs. We had the go ahead to leave earlier owing to the intention of double-traversing inside the proscribed time limit of the end of the season.

The Adventurist:  Upon beginning your ascent there were varied accounts of the projected
“Weather Window” for the summit.  You essentially took a chance by taking off a bit
earlier than everyone else.  Was this planned to beat the crowds or were there other factors involved?

David Tait:  The principal factor was to allow for a second return attempt - hence the early departure. The weather looked a little didgy when we left abc, but in the end it was ideal. We realized there would likely be crowds, but as we both move very fast, we were confident we could outpace most - as we manged.

The Adventurist:  Once you had finally made your successful summit from the North and began to head down the South, did you have any idea that you would be fixing ropes and breaking trail on your descent?  Also, for the uninitiated, can you explain what you had to do and the toll that it eventually took?

David Tait:  Yes, we were aware that the south-side sherpas had only fixed rope to the “balcony”. However, as both of us hadn’t  seen the south-side before, we had no real idea where the balcony was, or how hard it would be to reach. We set off from the summit somewhat blind, moving very slowly and carefully, digging footholds, one at a time, so that the snow wouldn’t mini-avalanche,taking one of us with it. We were joined together by 25 m of rope for safety, and belay-relayed ourselves along the ridge to the Hilary
step. Somehow my oxygen got turned off by hitting the wall, and I thought I was suffocating - I dont know how. Phurba checked for me and turned it back on. That was a weird 10 mins. We were also carrying 150m of rope for possible permanent fixing. We fixed line from the Hillary step, across and up to the south summit - this took an age owing to the need to creep slowly across the ridge-line, cutting footholds. From the south summit to the balcony was
fairly routine, but with quite deep shifting snow. Once at the balcony we discovered the fixed rope….it took us from 6.30 until 11 am approx. to
negotiate the distance from the summit to the balcony….many times longer than it would have done under normal circumstances.

The Adventurist:  In the beginning of this journey, your goal was to “Double-Traverse” the
world’s highest mountain, but after your first successful summit and crossing over to the South you changed your mind.  Can you take us through this process and the reasonings behind your change of mind?

David Tait:  The reasons I changed my mind are twofold. Firstly, and most importantly,  as I mentioned on my site, the only way I was personally going to claim “first to double traverse” was if i asked a superior climber and human being [Phurba] to effectively “step-aside” and let me ” win”. This has been gnawing away at me for months. Having watched Phurba fix ropes to the
summit on April 30th, and then descend to bc in 6 hours, i knew in my heart that he deserved all plaudits. He is an extrordinary chap, honest,
generous, patient and modest to a point that the Dalai Lama could learn things from him. There was no way, especially in the context of my charity work, that I could pretend to supercede him.
The second thing, closely connected was that I was also very tired from the descent - much more than I had anticipated. In the context of not wanting to usurp Phurba, I knew that there was little if any point in forcing my way over this mountain yet again, to come in second. I also feel strongly that such “titles” are there for the sherpas to take and legitimately own….. they
are streets ahead of ALL westerners, so I contented myself with “the first Brit” or if i’m lucky ” the first westerner” to traverse north-south.[ maybe you could help me with a clearer verification? I'd be grateful]. I’ve been told by many many informed people that im the first brit, but id like to know for dead-sure?

The Adventurist:  How different was this experience compared to your first successful summit? Was it easier or harder?

David Tait:   Harder - only in as much as I underestimated the south side descent…. 17 hours of arm-wrapping in both snow-storms and blazing sun - in a down suit….

The Adventurist:  Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently on this
Expedition, or did everything pretty much go as planned?

David Tait:  Everything went better than planned - I managed to summit/traverse after
only 35 days of acclimatization, and the summit day climb was relatively easy…I was suprised.

The Adventurist:  The NSPCC, your charity that you were doing this for, has been able to gain
alot of publicity through yourself and The Discovery Film Team.  If you had a few words for these kids you are trying to help, what would you say?

David Tait:   For the abused kids out there : you have a choice, as I once did. Your life can go south or it can go north - the choice is up to you. Stop blaming others and focus on yourself. I carried my secrets for 30 years - a wasted thirty years. let things go, and start climbing life.

The Adventurist:  Well, Once again David, I will congratulate you on a great climb and a successful second Mt. Everest summit!  It has been a pleasure to follow along with you on this fantastic journey and we are all looking forward to hearing more from you soon.  Hope your recovery goes well.. I am sure Vanessa can’t wait to see you!!  Now hurry Home…Safely!

 Bonus Questions

The Adventurist:  Since this is now over, do you think you will ever try Everest again?

David Tait:  Maybe, if my son or daughter wanted company etc…. but not for
any other reason.

The Adventurist:  In your opinion, what website brings the best “Adventure” coverage in
the world?    This may or may not be published depending on answer.  Ha,ha.

 David Tait:  You definately have a great site - i’m honestly only familiar with you and Ex-web. Yours is far more interesting owing to the manner in which you apparently obtain your info.  You are accurate, Ex-web isnt….dt

Editor’s Note:  At this time, David Tait has been confirmed as being the first person from the UK to make a successful Traverse of  Mt. Everest. 

I would also like to make a point to say that the opinions and viewpoints represented on The Adventurist are not neccessarily those of this site. In the context of  representing all viewpoints in the most accurate fashion, nothing has been left out, and except for a couple of minor spelling changes..everything is being presented as it was.

If you are interested in reading David’s first interview, just days before he began this incredible journey in March, you may do so by clicking HERE.

And Lastly, David Tait is currently in Kathmandu awaiting the arrival of his equipment so that he may leave for home.  David has mentioned that there just may be a book in the works about his two successful summits of Mt. Everest as well his work with the NSPCC…We will keep our eyes out for this project and I will bring more to you when I find out further.

More Details of Sergio Della Longa’s Death on Dhaulagiri

EverestNews has recieved a letter from a teammate of Sergio Della Longa’s about his tragic death on Dhaulagiri April 30.

This letter is very heartbreaking.  In part, Sergio was within 100 meters of the famed Dhaulagiri summit, climbing alongside his wife, when he slipped and fell, hitting his head upon a rock that killed him instantly.

The rest of the letter goes in to detail about Sergio’s wife and her fight to stay on the mountain with him–even with hands that were frostbitten black. 

Sergio’s team was finally able to coax her down, giving up their summit attempts in the process.

It is a very hard account of what happens when things go wrong so fast.  I suggest all of you read this today and keep his family and teammates in your prayers.

Everest 2007: Inside Himex Basecamp, From The Outside

Nick Heil, a journalist for Outside magazine, has recently joined up with Russell Brice and his Himex team at Everest Basecamp and will be chronicling the Himex Everest Expedition this season for Outside magazine.  All of this is taking place in the Outside Blog.

Some quick observations about Nick Heil’s Blog about this Expedition.

First, is the shear size of Russell Brice’s Expedition this season.  Here are a few details:

1. The Himex team’s camp consists of 87 tents.
2. Of those 87–67 are two-person dome tents provided by Mountain Experience.
3. The rest are divided among “specialty” tents.  One each for the following:  Communications, Medical, Russell Brice’s Personal Bedroom, One kitchen for climbers, as well as one for the Discovery Channel Film Team, A Food storage tent, 3 mess tents, 2 client bathroom tents, 3 client storage tents, One Sherpa Kitchen, One Sherpa Dining Tent and 4 Sherpa Dorm Tents, and 2 Sherpa Bathroom tents.   They also have a make-shift film studio made of plywood, as well as “The Tiger Room”, which has been getting publicity for it’s geodesic shape, as well as it’s size..24 by 24 by 24 ft. high.

At this point I would like to mention that a lot of people, including myself, have been speculating about the big size of the chinese expedition team.  At this time, in comparison, the chinese team consists of 90 people, of which ten will be making a summit bid.

If the Himex team has less people–why so much room, and why has this not been mentioned in the press until now?

Also interesting to note, I recently had the chance to discuss the Chinese team with David Tait, a member of this season’s Himex team.  David told me that the Chinese really had no real “prescence” at Basecamp that was noticable.  Maybe this is because Brice’s Himex team is so large itself…

As far as why there is such a big layout of the Himex team, Nick Heil goes on to add:

“While this may seem excessive for a mountaineering expedition, it serves a functional and necessary purpose too. In the calculus of high-altitude climbing, discomfort and even boredom can feed stress and anxiety, and that costs energy. And in this game, the more reserves of energy you can take up high, the better your chances of success—and safety. Ultimately, it doesn’t make the climbing any easier, but it can make it more feasible. When you consider that climbing Everest necessarily entails putting your life on the line, why not do everything possible to stack the deck in your favor?”

The Outside Blog has been updated four times since it began on May 1st.  Other notable mentions on this blog include the recent summit and struggled descent of Maxut and Vissily just a few days ago–which to make a small matter clear–Alex Abramov , from 7Summits went to Russell Brice’s Himex tent to ask for help in getting Maxut and Vissily back down safely–as well as a good post on a meeting Nick Heil conducted with a good friend of The Adventurist, David Tait.

The Outside Blog becomes the fourth Blog to be covering this Himex Expedition.  It is definately getting some wide coverage, especially through the Discovery Channel Site, where they are keeping a blog as well.  It is nice to see yet another perspective that, to this point, doesn’t seem to be biased in the least.  This willd efinately be a nice addition as the Himex team starts to prepare for it’s summit bids in the coming days.

ExplorersWeb Taking a Stand…The Adventurist: A Call for Change

ExplorersWeb has published a very strong editorial today about people dying on Everest…Here is a question they pose:

“The questions is though, how many times will we have to witness a Kazakh, a Pole, a Spaniard or any other of the world’s foremost climbers rescue people in the death zone while we keep hearing amateur climbers (preferably Anglo-Saxon) and Everest business folks repeating into Discovery’s cameras that it’s impossible? “

This question of Ethics from such a highly public site as ExplorersWeb will definately be reverberated throughout the climbing community in the days ahead.

This Editorial comes on the heels of one I put up yesterday examining the same issue, yet in a slightly different way.

“David Sharp HAD to Die” goes in to detail about how the death of David Sharp is currently influencing the thoughts and a slight change of attitude that I think is taking place, regarding these high-altitude rescues and leaving people to die.

It is a controversial issue, I agree.

ExplorersWeb has called out a couple of people and expedition companies for the way that they handle their “business”, not only on Everest, but in the climbing community in general–when it comes to someone in trouble on the mountain.

I feel like change is starting to take place in the way people are now seeing these incidents–for years people have been told that in the Death Zone, that there is no chance for rescue…

Let me say that they may be right…but, how do you know that a life can not be saved unless you actually stop and give an effort?

Forty People walked by David Sharp.  Forty.  All on their personal mission to the summit.

I like to think that perhaps my editorial influenced ExplorersWeb to also express themselves publicly on this issue, but perhaps it isn’t an “influence”.  Perhaps there are more of us out there that are tired of seeing these people die needlessly–than was previously thought. 

IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE

In 2007, you can not tell me that we can not develope a system to get these people off of Everest or any other mountain where someone has been injured.

The technology is out there if people are willing to put it together in order to save a life.  The way rescues are carried out today is almost the exact same as it was twenty years ago.

A lot of people are influenced by what they hear–when they hear someone can’t be brought down from the Death Zone–they take that as fact, without questioning it, or for that matter, without trying.

The summit is the most important thing to those that are trying their luck at Everest.  Some that have been there say it isn’t, some that fail say it isn’t, but you would not spend that kind of cash to not have a shot at the summit–plain and simple.

Everest brings immediate fame and noteriety to those that succeed.  Everest is still portrayed as inaccessable, yet well over 200 people made it to the top last year alone.

If those 200 people had made a sacrifice of something that will still be there tomorrow–Everest’s Summit–then perhaps they could have saved even one life from perishing.

What is more important, The summit or a life?

Right now there are at least 4 different people having a lot of issues on Everest, according to their daily reports.  Some of them are so sick that they can do nothing but throw up, yet the summit lingers in their minds.  The summit. 

I can’t put all of the blame on the the one’s not in trouble.  The one’s in trouble sometimes put themselves in the position that they eventually find themselves in.

If you are unhealthy.  If your sickness has lasted longer than 2 days…then get off the mountian.  Your body obviously is already at the breaking point.  Suck it up and make a decision, get down to a lower level, and live to climb another day.

Everest eats people.  If you aren’t prepared in every way possible, you stand a good chance of dying come summit day.

Everyone needs to come together on this issue and take a stand.  People have died needlessly–people have been left behind.  Without making a second guess about these situations, people will continue to die needlessly.

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

Dhaulagiri Claims Life of Italian Climber Sergio Dalla Longa

ExplorersWeb is reporting the tragic news today that Italian Climber Sergio Dalla Longa has perished on Dhaulagiri.

The accident occured Sunday, April 29, 2007, after Sergio had climbed within meters of the famed Dhaulagiri summit.  He slipped on the icy surface and subsequently hit his head in the fall resulting in his death.

Sergio Dalla Longa was climbing with a team led by Mario Merelli.

Details of the accident are finally beginning to trickle through the Italian Press.

Merelli’s Italian team had split in to two groups and was opting for a summit bid Sunday.  Dalla Longa was a member of the first group along with Stephano Magri.

A few meters from the Dhaulagiri Summit, Sergio Dalla Longa’s crampon had slipped and in the ensuing fall, he hit his head and neck killing him instantly.

Sergio Dalla Longa’s brother, Marco, also perished while climbing Nanda Devi in 2005. 

Sergio’s tragic death, brings the number to 4 of climber’s whose deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours.  You may read about the other three, in the two previous posts found under this one.

As always with a death in the climbing community, The Adventurist website has switched from it’s normal blue color, to black in a sign of mourning and respect to our fallen brothers and sisters, for the next three days.

Our hearts and prayers go out to Sergio Dalla Longa’s family, friends and associates on this tragic event, as well as to the other three climbers lost in the past 24 hours.

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!

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