Oct 18th, 2010 at 12:30PM: Last Friday, polar explorer and mountaineer Eric Larsen completed a rare fall summit on Mt. Everest. For most climbers, that would be a big enough accomplishment for any given year, but for Larsen, it was simply the third, and final, leg of a major expedition that saw him become the first person to reach both the North and South Pole, as well as the summit of the highest mountain on the planet, in ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
himalaya posts
Explorer visits "three poles" in one calendar year
Oct 18th, 2010 at 12:30PM: Last Friday, polar explorer and mountaineer Eric Larsen completed a rare fall summit on Mt. Everest. For most climbers, that would be a big enough accomplishment for any given year, but for Larsen, it was simply the third, and final, leg of a major expedition that saw him become the first person to reach both the North and South Pole, as well as the summit of the highest mountain on the planet, in ...Photos show effects of climate change on Everest
Jul 21st, 2010 at 8:30AM: A new series of photos from the Himalaya reveal the undeniable effects of global climate change on the glaciers there. This is especially evident on Mt. Everest, where comparative shots from 1921 show just how much the Rongbuk Glacier has retreated over the past 89 years.
Filmmaker and mountaineer David Breashears made the journey to Everest's North Side, where explorer George Mallory once took ...Himalayan High: dangers of the trek
Jul 1st, 2010 at 8:00AM: Over the past few weeks I've shared all kinds of thoughts on an Everest Base Camp trek, one of the best long distance hikes anywhere in the world. I've also shared my thoughts on the best ways to prepare for the trek and which gear items you should bring along with you to the Himalaya. In this, the final article in the Himalayan High series, I'll share some thoughts on the potential dangers of the ...Himalayan High: gear for the trek
Jun 29th, 2010 at 8:00AM: In my last post on my recent trek to Everest Base Camp I wrote about ways to prepare for the trek, physically getting yourself ready to handle the demands of the hike. It is my opinion that anyone who makes this trip will have a far better experience, and can save themselves quite a bit of grief, if they are well prepared for the trail. That same philosophy carries over to the gear that you choose ...Himalayan High: preparing for the trek
Jun 24th, 2010 at 8:00AM: Trekking to Everest Base Camp is not a trip for everyone. It is, at times, quite a physically demanding experience, and when you combine high altitude with plenty of challenging climbs, you get a recipe for suffering. When I tell people that I've made that hike, I'm usually asked two questions. First, they almost invariably ask, "Can 'normal' people make the trek?" and secondly they ask, "How did ...Himalayan High: guided vs independent trekking
Jun 22nd, 2010 at 8:00AM: For many adventure travelers, the Himalaya represent the ultimate destination. A visit to those mountains combines physical challenges, stunning landscapes, and spectacular cultural experiences. But whether you're making a trek to Everest Base Camp, hiking the Annapurna Circuit, or simply strolling to Namche Bazaar, you'll have to make an important choice before you go - whether to hire a guide or ...Himalayan High: Going Down!
Jun 17th, 2010 at 8:00AM: With every journey to Everest, whether it's going to the summit or simply trekking to Base Camp, the focus is always on the journey up. The news stories trumpet the fact that the climbers have reached the summit, rarely mentioning anything about the descent at all. When they do, it is usually because of some tragic accident that occurs on the way down, resulting in severe injuries or even death. ...Himalayan High: Everest Base Camp
Jun 15th, 2010 at 8:00AM: Standing in Gorakshep, the tiny Nepali village that sits nestled in the Himalaya at 17,000 feet (5184 meters), it is difficult to not feel an air of excitement. The town is the last stop before climbing up to Everest Base Camp, and while it is spartan in its amenities, the view is one of the most spectacular that you'll find anywhere.
Of course, a major part of that excitement stems from the ...Nepal plots to regain Everest "youngest" record
Jun 13th, 2010 at 8:00AM: Yesterday we heard how China was instituting age requirements for mountaineers hoping to climb Everest from the North Side of the mountain. These new restrictions are a direct response to 13-year old Jordan Romero successfully reaching the summit last month, setting off a heated debate in the climbing community about just how young is too young to climb the tallest mountain on the planet.
That ...Himalayan High: On the trail (part 2)
Jun 10th, 2010 at 9:30AM: Following a rest day in Namche Bazaar, the trek to Everest Base Camp resumes with a 9km (5.5 mile) hike to Tengboche, the next significant village along the route. While 9km doesn't especially sound like a lot, it is the more than 400 meters (1312 ft) of altitude gain that ends up taking it's toll on trekkers. Most of the days that follow are similar in nature; moderate distances that are made all ...Himalayan High: Kathmandu - Gateway to the Himalaya
May 27th, 2010 at 8:00AM: Whether you're headed to Everest Base Camp, hiking the Annapurna Circuit, or continuing your journey on to Bhutan or Tibet, you'll invariably have to go through Kathmandu, the colorful, chaotic, and at times confounding, capital of Nepal. It is truly the gateway to the Himalaya, offering travelers, backpackers, and climbers access to a host of adventure opportunities, with the world's most ...Swimmer completes Himalayan swim
May 26th, 2010 at 8:00AM: A few days back we told you about Lewis Gordon Pugh, a British long distance swimmer and environmentalist, who had traveled to the Himalaya to attempt the highest altitude, long distance swim ever. At the time, he was in Gorak Shep, a small village near Everest Base Camp, acclimatizing and preparing to take his record breaking dip. Since then, he has completed the 1km swim in ice cold glacial ...Himalayan High: A trek to Everest Base Camp
May 25th, 2010 at 11:00AM: More than any other mountain, Mount Everest has always held an undeniable allure amongst the general public. Ever since it was first surveyed back in 1856, we've been fascinated by the massive peak that rises 29,029 feet above the Earth's surface. Later, the world would hold its collective breath while explorers such as George Mallory and Andrew Irvine challenged the mountain, just because it was ...Swimmer to attempt high altitude swim in the Himalaya
May 23rd, 2010 at 8:00AM: British long distance swimmer Lewis Pugh has traveled to Nepal, where he is preparing to make the highest altitude swim ever, as he works to raise awareness of global climate change and the effects it is having on glaciers in the Himalaya. The long time environmental activist will make his historic swim, which has been called the hardest ever by some, in an icy glacial lake in the shadow of Mt. ...13-year old Jordan Romero summits Everest
May 22nd, 2010 at 10:00AM: 13-year old Jordan Romero reached the summit of Mt. Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, earlier today, setting a new record for the youngest person to achieve that feat. The successful summit also leaves him just one peak shy of his ultimate goal, to become the youngest person to climb the Seven Summits.
For much of the week, high winds buffeted the mountain, preventing climbers from ...First summits of the year on Everest
May 7th, 2010 at 8:00AM: The first summits of the spring season on Everest took place two days ago when a group of Sherpas completed fixing ropes to the summit of the world's tallest mountain. In all, nine Sherpas, from three different commercial climbing teams, stood on the peak at an altitude of 29,029 feet. With their work complete, the door is now open for other climbers to soon follow.
The nine Sherpas were ...Korean woman becomes first to climb all 8000 meter peaks
May 2nd, 2010 at 2:00PM: 44 year-old Korean climber Oh Eun-Sun put her name in the record books last week, and joined very elite mountaineering company in the process. On Tuesday, she reached the summit of Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain in the world at 26,545 feet, and in doing so, became the first woman to climb all fourteen of the worlds mountains over 8000 meters (26,246 feet) in height.
For Oh, who climbed ...13-year old eyes Everest, Seven Summits
Apr 6th, 2010 at 9:00AM: 13-year old mountaineer Jordan Romero set off for Kathmandu yesterday, where he hopes to not only become the youngest climber to ever summit Mt. Everest but the Seven Summits as well. We first mentioned Jordan more than a year ago. At the time, he had already well into his quest to climb the highest mountains on each of the seven continents, having completed Kilimanjaro (Africa), Elbrus (Europe), ...Kathmandu busy as climbers and trekkers descend on the Himalaya
Mar 31st, 2010 at 9:00AM: Late March and early April are always a very busy time in Kathmandu as spring finally arrives, granting mountaineers and trekkers access to the Himalaya at last. The city is generally crowded, colorful, and chaotic to begin with, but when the spring climbing and trekking seasons begin, that chaos is taken to another level. Most will only be in town for a brief stay, while they collect their ...U.S. Congreswoman's husband dies on remote Himalayan peak
Sep 28th, 2009 at 8:00AM: Clifton Maloney, the husband of U.S. Representative from New York Carolyn Maloney, has died while climbing in the Himalaya. The millionaire investment banker was 71 years old, and was on Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world, reaching 26,906 feet in height. Maloney was described as an avid adventurer who was into running, sailing, and climbing. He had competed in the New York City ...
