Denis Urubko Summits His 14th 8,000 Meter Peak

Denis Urubko has succesfully completed his quest to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000 meter peaks.  His latest accomplishment, and the icing on the cake, was the SE Face of Cho Oyu, which Urubko done in alpine style.  RussianClimb.com has the report, but few details.  It is noted that Urubko is back in Cho Oyu Basecamp–and more details will follow.

Denis Urubko now joins a very select list of climbers to ever top out on all 14 8,000 meter peaks.  Reinhold Messner became the first back in 1986, and since that time, less than 20 others have ever made this distinct accomplishment.  EverestNews has a list of some of the individuals who have accomplished this, but their last update in 2005, has left a couple of others off the list.  The list is quite intersting and includes: Reinhold Messner, Park Young Seok, Ed Viesturs, and Alan Hinkes.  Ed Viesturs is the only American,  and also done so using no O2.

Denis Urubko’s Cho Oyu climb has been well-documented in an article published today on ExplorersWeb.  A BIG congratulations goes out to Denis.  Now we can’t wait to see what he comes up with next!

Cho Oyu 2007: More on the Daring Rescue Yesterday

EverestNews has posted the Expedition notes from 7Summits concerning the climber who fell and broke his leg yesterday–and the daring rescue that ensued.  If you want to read more on this event, flip down a couple posts and you will see it posted on The Adventurist.

This is a late post, but thought I would bring the EverestNews update to your attention sa it offers a good first hand look at the rescue that occured yesterday with some pretty remarkable photos taken during the event.  I will write more tomorrow.

Cho Oyu 2007: Summits, Major Rescue, and a Controversy Flashback

Looks like it was a major night on Cho Oyu.  Many teams pushed for the summit and higher camps, a 72 year old successfully made the top and a controversy brewing once again as climbers pass another in need of help.

Summit Climb, Adventure Consultants, and Others reach the Summit

Our team has just summited Cho Oyu! 6 members summited in difficult conditions after our camp 1 was blown away twice

This is coming from Adventure Consultants.  Many teams have been battling high winds and snow for days now, wondering if they would actually get the chance to summit or not.  The Himalayan weather this fall has not been nice to many of the expeditions–forcing some to leave all together.

Thankfully a small weather window has opened up on Cho Oyu and as is the case in these types of scenarios, a mad rush to the summit began.

Adventure Consultants as well as the Summit Climb team are reporting successful summits today.  Another summit of note:

72 Year old Boris Korshunov Makes Summit

Boris Korshunov, climbing with the 7Summits team has successfully topped out.  &Summits is reporting that Boris headed out this yesterday on a routine trek to Camp 3 from Camp 2.  Upon reaching Camp 3, Boris realized that the tent he was planning on staying in was not there.  He climbed on.

At 4pm, it was noted that Boris had successfully made the summit.  Thankfully he was ok, as this was not a scheduled part of the routine.  The rest of the 7Summits team is planning on heading up in 3-4 days.

Major Rescue Enacted, Climbers Pass on By

In a bit of a sidenote today, there is also some disturbing news coming from Cho Oyu today involving a climber who slipped and fell down the slope breaking his leg.

Field Touring Alpine who helped in the rescue, along with Alex Abramov of the 7Summits team, had this to say:

At my usual rest spot, just below the big ice cliff, I saw a man hunched over sort of whimpering or crying.

There were many people walking past him focused on their own summit attempts. I sat down beside the man and asked him if he was ok. He told me he had just summited and that his partner had fallen and broken his leg while descending.

Chris, who has wrote this fine report of the events that occured on Cho Oyu today, took part in a high altitude rescue attempt..that in the end proved successful.  I do find it a bit disturbing that other climbers are still passing by someone in need of help. 

Luckily 7Summits and the Field Touring Alpine Club were able to lend a hand and get the climber down to safety.  He did suffer a broken leg, but is well at ABC.  To read the complete report from Field Touring Alpine on this desperate rescue attempt, CLICK HERE.  Head on down the page to October third.

As we can all see, Cho Oyu proved to be quite the obstacle.  There are still many teams heading up to higher camps, and others pushing for the summit, and we should get more news from ExplorersWeb in the next day or so on more of the great action on Cho Oyu.

There needs to be a special mention to ExplorersWeb and The Adventure Blog for the tip-off on todays action.

First 2007 Fall Season Himalayan Summit: Mountain Madness on Cho Oyu

Mountain Madness has been given credit for the first successful summit of the 2007 Fall Himalayan climbing season.  The Mountain Madness team successfully reached the summit of Cho Oyu on September 23 at 11:00 am.

From Mountain Madness

“We reached the plateau at 7:30 a.m but the snow was so deep that it took Thumba, Gonga and myself another 3-1/2 hours to break trail in knee to waist deep snow on the plateau.”

“The conditions were not too bad on summit day, but the weather has deteriorated dramatically and last night we stayed at Camp 1 where both of our tents received damage from the strong winds that blasted the camp all night. We are all safe now at ABC and all that is left is for our sherpas to go to Camp 1 and clear our remaining gear.

The Mountain Madness summit team became the first team to successfully reach a Himalayan summit this fall.  Many other teams and individuals are currently in the Himalayas preparing for their own summit attempts on a vast array of peaks in the region including Shisha Pangma, Mt. Everest, Makalu and a host of others.  I will be updating as I get more information.

EverestNews Inciting Controversy with Editorial and a Response by The Adventurist

I recently headed over to EverestNews to check out what was going on at their site.  Needless to say, I was quite surprised by a small editorial piece they are currently featuring titled Everest Rumors, Lies, and Ridiculous Stories.

This is based on a few reports that this editorial is claiming as false.  First off, it denies an increase in fees leveled by the Chinese Government this past season on Everest.  It then goes into detail about many sites broadcasting rumors and lies, specifically mentioning the possible closing of the North side of Everest by the Chinese for the forthcoming 2008 Olympics.

EverestNews goes on the record as saying Everest’s North side will be open to climbers in the coming 2008 season and the number of climbing permits given will not be limited in scope due to the 2008 Olympics.  They also go on record as saying that the rumors of China trying to negotiate the closure of Mt. Everest’s South side, via Nepal, is also completely false.

EverestNews Claims the Following Regarding Fees:

Stories that the fees in China were increased several times over were also spread, FALSE again. Why? Guides did raise fees which one would assume resulted in much higher profits… For most independents and operators the Chinese took a minor fee increase.. One must wonder what is the agenda here? To get traffic to web sites? To get published in rags? To help raise profits for some? What???

EverestNews is crediting CTMA and CMA as being two of the reliable sources that this information is coming from:

The CTMA and CMA appear to be getting pissed off by all these rumors, lies and ridiculous stories… Including false stories about climbers, who grow in number year by year… This will probably result in changes from the Chinese many of us might not like….

Last year’s “High-Altitude Free Tibet Protest on Mount Everest!” which was a “set up” where Americans went to China to get arrested and were successful is expected also to cause more tension for the Chinese and climbers which combined with these ridiculous stories will result in tougher standards on entering for 2008….

Now a Few Words From The Adventurist

First off, the CMA respectively refers to the Chinese Mountaineering Association and the CTMA refers to the China Tibet Mountaineering Association.  Now that we know that all of this information is respectively coming from China we may make a few comments.

EverestNews is based out of Granville, Ohio–The United States.  Why would such a site be bowing down to a communist regime in regards to it’s editorials? 

If you go back and read the article as it is printed on the site, you can plainly see that this little bit of marketing by the two forementioned climbing associations in China is nothing more than Chinese Propoganda.  Yes, they might be pissed off at the press, but you do have to remember that China is hosting the upcoming 2008 Olympics and with all of the recent bad publicity regarding China of late, it is no wonder that they would put out a piece questioning the recent rash of bad publicity.

Regarding the climbing fees–on more than one occassion this past year, climbers were told, once they got to China, that their fees would be anywhere from $1000-$3,000 more than what was quoted before they left for the climb.  This information is documented in the climber’s expedition blogs rather substantially.  This did not just happen to US climbers, but even some expeditions from the Philipines and so forth.  This is documented and this information that EverestNews has released bears no weight.  Tell us the sources and give us the figures–until the proof is out there on such matters, it will remain the same.  Too many climbers were claiming the same problem:  A rise in climbing fees after they arrived to get their liscence, which was unmerited beforehand.

As far as the Chinese trying to close the North or the South sides of Mt. Everest for next season.  This news, as I myself have also mentioned, has come not only from the United States press, but also the Press organizations from around the world, including Nepal.  It is known that the Nepali Government was approached with an offer to shut off the South side as well…even though, this offer by the Chinese could have fallen through in the last few days.

Next, we come to a couple of possible threats handed out by the CMA and the CTMA about possible changes taking place over the 2008 Everest season.  These changes are in reference to the “One World-Free Tibet Protest” that took place this year, as well as the Chinese becoming “pissed off” at the stories and rumors coming from Mt. Everest.  They claim this protest was a simple “set-up” to get the organization holding the protest arrested, and in a sense..free publicity.  That may very well be the case, but in another note, the “Free Tibet” campaign has been going on for well over 50 years now.  Each year new protests are enacted to bring the Chinese occupation of Tibet to the limelight.  It just so happens that this years protest took place while China was trying to do their initial Olympic Torch training run to the top of Mt. Everest.

What the CMA and the CTMA are essentially doing is giving themselves an excuse to deny liscences to climbers in the upcoming 2008 season.  They will base this denial on the rumors and lies of the foreign nations trying to take part in next years Everest season, as well as political turmoil of not knowing exactly what people are planning on doing.

While the supposed facts being represented on EverestNews merit no basis, it boggles my mind that an American Company such as EverestNews has seemingly given the Chinese Government an outlet for their remarks–given the Chinese’s past record.

Anyone remember Nangpa La?  Last year the Chinese military opened fire on a group of people trying to cross from Tibet to Nepal–essentially political refugees trying to leave a country they despised–some were shot in the open, in front of 60 or so climbers–including a nun who was mortally shot and killed.  After this incident, the Chinese Military seemingly invaded the ABC camp and essentially looked things over and waited.  They had captured some 30 odd children, women, and men, and taken them into custody as well.

Many people are scared of speaking out against the Chinese.  The guides could very easily lose their bid to attempt Everest and other peaks in the Chinese Himalayas if they don’t keep their mouths shut about such incidents when they do take place.  China has essentially used political power and intimidation factors to keep the “real” stories on Everest and other peaks silent.

Nangpa La was real.  Photos confirm the merciless killings.  Still climbers involved in the incident from around the world are reluctant to speak out against the Chinese.

In 2007 the Chinese Basecamp at Everest featured a security fence and armed guards.  N0 one was allowed around their encampment and secrecy was held as an asset.  At one point a couple of climbers got stranded high on Everest and the Chinese refused to take part in any kind of search and rescue efforts.  This should clue you in a bit on their priorities.  China is about China.  They protect through armed tactics and intimidation. 

So why would EverestNews take a stand and essentially side with them by posting this very Pro-China editorial?  The editorial even fails to mention who the writer was.  I feel the reason may be as simple as the 2008 Olympics.  They are positioning themselves to be “the source” of news and info coming out of China.  On the otherhand, by taking such matters and putting themselves in the public light with such a controversial move, I can not see how this will benefit them at all.  They may get the news coming from China, but at the same time they are alienating the climbers from around the world that understand the tactics China uses in an effort to “control”.

EverestNews makes the following question regarding the rumors, lies, and deceptions and the press that has put them out.

One must wonder what is the agenda here? To get traffic to web sites? To get published in rags? To help raise profits for some? What???

I am only speaking for myself at this time.  I have no advertisers.  I have no site sponsors.  Trying to draw traffic to a site such as this one has no meaning.  It does not benefit me in the slightest.  On the contrary, by putting up an editorial that questions the basis of information regarding Everest and other mountains–by saying they are lies, rumors, and so forth–we do need to question these intentions–EverestNews is essentially questioning the same people that they get all of their information from–The climbing expedition blogs.  They post no news that isn’t spoken first-hand from the Expeditions themselves on their own sites–and they do so 90% of the time word for word.  So who is to blame for the lies, rumors, and so forth?  Rather than calling out people that you yourselves rely on for information–perhaps you should look at yourselves.  This is a weak and futile attempt at bringing in viewers that already question your standards in the field.  China or no China, by printing the threats and “control” tactics, you are becoming nothing more than one of the many puppets you are trying to speak out against.  Just something to think about.

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

$5000 Charge for Wilderness Rescue Ignites Debate–Again.

A Kansas man has been billed $5000 for a wilderness rescue after he injured his ankle while hiking along a steep hillside.

This debate has been raging for well over a year now–whether or not people in the wilderness, when accidents happen, should be liable to pay for their rescue.

Kansas is only one of a number of states who have been looking in to billing people that have come to need a rescue involving local authorities.  Colorado also has a similar law in place and one is also currently making the rounds in Utah.

The great Blog, Two-Heel Drive ran by Tom Mangan, tipped me off to the forementioned article featured in the June 18th issue of Rocky Mountain News discussing this incident, as well as the debate raging in Kansas.  You may read the whole article HERE.

As far as Colorado is concerned, there has recently been news that another individual will be billed $7500 for his subsequent rescue as well.

This is reigniting a big debate amongst outdoor enthusiasts.  Should they be charged or shouldn’t they?  I have already expressed my own opinion on this matter as it pertains to climbers needing rescued–(please see story posted HERE, for my opinion.)  How much is to much?

Alot of us go out and try to enjoy the peace and solitude of the outdoors for 1) it is great exercise, 2) it gets you away from the hustle and bustle of cities…and PEOPLE, and 3) It is alot cheaper to walk a trail then drive a car.

If all of us ran the risk of having to pay $7500 for rescue after a badly twisted ankle PLUS our own medical bills, would we still be outdoors?

Alot of the previous debate over this issue has occured mainly over climbers getting stranded high on mountains, as in the two incidents that have occured in the past year on Mt. Hood. More and more though, we as individuals are seeing this pop up for some things that seem–dare I say mundane?

I think the political motivation behind this issue has jumped from saving lives to making money, and in a sense, infringing upon our own freedoms to explore nature and the outdoors.

Perhaps a few people have taken advantage of the system.  Perhaps a few have ended up where they never should have been in the first place without the experience or guidance they needed to be there.  Is this a reason to Pigeonhole a whole section of the American population? Instead of going out to “Get Away From It All”, that “All” is slowly trying to step in and even take away the essence of being out there.

Read more

The Adventurist Welcomes ExplorersWeb With a Call to Action

I would just like to take a minute to welcome everyone stopping by from ExplorersWeb.  As always, it is nice to be mentioned on such a great site and in turn, I am hoping all of you find something of interest here as well.

ExplorersWeb has seemingly taken an interest in an article I wrote awhile back titled “David Sharp Had to Die“.  It was an interesting piece although to be quite honest, I was afraid to post it.

Controversy can either be an advantage or a disadvantage–depending upon how you look at it.  For the guides heading these teams up Mt. Everest–it was a disadvantage.  They were overwhelmed with an outpouring of bad publicity resulting from people continually wanting to question this incident…by the media.

To myself, there has got to be a point where the circus needs to stop.  Everyone is always searching for the bad, without trying to take a personal stand to help change the problems that started the whole fiasco to begin with.

Russell Brice took a hit last year for the way the David Sharp incident was supposedly handled-this season it has been publicly known that Russell along with Alex Abramov from 7summits have been the first to line up for these rescues..

They have exemplified what mountaineering should be about.  People helping people.  They are all there for their ultimate goal, and all of them want to preach the team ethic..but unless they are seemingly all working together as a team, it can only be as strong as each individual effort put in.

That is why these tragedies, such as David Sharp have happened.  When 20 or 50 teams are all trying to do what benefits their team and no one else, it breeds chaos when these situations occur.

With my article, I want people to look past this one incident.  Granted David Sharp died on Everest in very bad circumstances, but so have alot of other individuals.  It is time to move on and try to make the team stronger…

There are a few things that can happen to make this disadvantage an advantage for the future…

The biggest one would be communication!  These teams need to come together and set up a radio relay so to speak–sort of like what we have here in the states with the “Amber Alert System”.  If a climber gets in trouble, one message will be relayed to every team.

Also, perhaps there needs to be a “Rescue Unit” in place on each side of Mt. Everest.  The Sherpa’s are great climbers.  Why not pay them to do what they do best…help people and pay them proper wages to do so.  That way if a climber gets in trouble or stranded they are not spread all over the mountain.  They should be trained and know what to do and be at one spot where everyone knows where to turn.  They would be outfitted with extra oxygen, and all the supplies needed to make a high-altitude rescue.

Yes, it costs money.  To me though, it would seem like these Expedition companies would want to pay $20,000 for the good publicity of saving lives than nothing for an ungodly amount of bad publicity…when someone perishes.

Every person on Everest can not be saved when they get into trouble…but, for most, a rescue IS an option.  It will only be made possible though if people are willing to work at this as a team and do something about it.

I wrote the David Sharp article in hopes of stirring up what could be done today..It has gained quite a bit of interest, and until something is done that could quite possibly save someones life, I will continue to be outspoken…

I have a great medium here on which to work.  I have no advertisers to upset or people that are behind the scenes.  It is only me.  One person. One person with a voice for change and, if at times, that wants to be looked upon as controversial, then so be it.  That’s my stand.

My hope would be that others will follow suit in expressing what can be done on this situation.  ExplorersWeb has surprising stood along side me on this issue and I thank them for bringing this to an even bigger audience as well as expressing themselves so well on this issue.

We have a chance to save lives.  I am tired of reporting deaths that could have very well been rescues, if only all the pieces would be put into place..

J. Alan Hendricks

Sherpa Climbing Legend, Pemba Doma, Dead at 37

Some tragic news coming from Lhotse today.  The Sherpa community has lost one their dear climbing legends, Pemba Doma Sherpa.

Pemba Doma Sherpa was a two time Mt. Everest Summiter.  She completed her first ascent of the world’s tallest mountain on May 19, 2000, climbing up the North Ridge Route.  Two years later, on May 16, 2002, she done the same once again, except from the South Col.

Upon each seperate summit, Pemba Doma Sherpa would be setting records for the Nepalese women.  Her first summit from the north was the first time a Nepalese woman had made a successful attempt from this route.  Consequentially, when she done it from the South Col two years later, she also became the first Nepalese woman to do it from both sides.

Pemba Doma Sherpa would also go on to claim summits at Cho Oyu in 2005, and Lhotse, just hours before her untimely death.

According to reports coming in from Lhotse as well as EverestNews and Alan Arnette, Pemba Doma Sherpa died after falling on Lhotse.  She had made a successful summit on Lhotse at 11:30 and was on her descent when the fall occured.  Another Sherpa climbing partner with her at the time was also injured, but sources at this time are saying that the other Sherpa is expected to survive.  No name or condition was given.

Pemba Doma Sherpa’s body has been brought back down to the Lhotse Basecamp at this time and is awaiting proper burial.

The Adventurist would like to wish all of our thoughts and prayers to her family, friends, and associates as well as the community from which she is from, Solukhumbu, Nepal.  She will be greatly missed.

.

Everest 2007 Update: Summits, Summits, and More Summits

Yesterday I posted an Interview with David Tait as well as Alan Arnette’s BIG Announcement–both of these items were pretty big news.  I didn’t post my usual update yesterday with all the previously mentioned stuff going on…so guess what.  That means this is going to be one HUGE update covering the events that has been going on for the last couple of days.

Before I get in to that though, I would first like to post a fair warning for anyone coming by this site from the Television Without Pity forum.  There will be at least one Everest: Beyond the Limit spoiler here today.  So if you don’t want to know what has happened–either skip this post, or come back tomorrow.  I do appreciate all of you stopping by though.

Alright, Let’s get to it:

David Hahn Summits for a Record 9th Time

David Hahn, climbing with IMG, has successfully summited Mt. Everest for his record 9th time.  This puts David as the single most productive Everest Summiter ever that is a non-sherpa climber.  Don’t fear though, I am pretty sure that Apa Sherpa’s current record of 17 will be holding for quite a few more years to come.

Here is a post that Dave made to his expedition website GreatOutdoors:

Hey Great Outdoors, hey this is Dave and I’m on the summit of Mount Everest, it’s let’s see, see if I can see my watch here, it’s 6:40 now we got here 15 minutes ago. Beautiful morning. Beautiful morning. We beat the crowd, and it gave us some trouble, aggravating coming up in the dark at sunrise up the step part of the South Summit, but everybody rested on the South Summit and me and Phinjo Dorge from . . . right there and we got the jump and then had the traverse and Hillary Steps to ourselves, splendid morning, beautiful shadows, casting big shadow of Everest out to the horizon. Just beautiful, really very thrilling, and uh going to give you another call in a minute here, oh boy, it’s exciting to be here. Think I can see as far as I ever have been able to, Makalu, Kangchenchugka, Shishapangma, maybe that’s Manaslu back there, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, beautiful. Beautiful. Okay call you back in a few minutes when my fingers thaw out again.

Sounds like a great view from the top of the World’s Highest Peak, Mt. Everest.

Gavin Bate’s Near Death Experience…Summit Denied

Gavin Bate, who was trying to pull off his own successful traverse of Everest, going North to South, had to call off his climb after nearly dying at 8300 meters.

To begin to put this into perspective, David was planning on traversing Everest with his “shadow” Sherpa Pasang Tendi, using the bare minimum of essentials–a light-weight single-skin tent, a small stove and bivi sack, and whatever else he could manage to get into his backpack.  Now let’s go to the details of what transpired as he attempted to reach the summit.  First, from May 19: Read more

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