May 24th, 2011 at 9:00AM: There is a well known adage amongst mountaineers that says "getting to the summit is only halfway to the finish," as obviously they have to safely come back down the mountain after they've completed their ascent. There are few places where this is more apparent than Mt. Everest, where climbers not only have to make a long, grueling trek to the top, they also have to negotiate a tricky descent as ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
himalaya posts
Two climbers paraglide from the summit of Everest
May 24th, 2011 at 9:00AM: There is a well known adage amongst mountaineers that says "getting to the summit is only halfway to the finish," as obviously they have to safely come back down the mountain after they've completed their ascent. There are few places where this is more apparent than Mt. Everest, where climbers not only have to make a long, grueling trek to the top, they also have to negotiate a tricky descent as ...Mountaineer summits Everest, tweets from the top
May 7th, 2011 at 8:00AM: Yesterday we mentioned that the Sherpas had finished fixing the ropes to the summit of Everest, clearing the way for all the commercial climbing teams to soon follow. We predicted that the big push to the top of the mountain was still a week away, but a British climber took advantage of good weather and empty slopes, to rush to the summit yesterday. Once there, he not only savored the view from ...First summits of the year on Everest
May 6th, 2011 at 8:00AM: The first successful summits of Mt. Everest for the 2011 spring climbing season took place yesterday, and as you might guess, they were accomplished by a group of Sherpas. The six-man team stood on the highest point on the planet after fixing the ropes to the summit, the same ropes that will now be used by the foreign climbers who will soon begin the long, challenging climb for themselves.
Each ...Busy season for the doctors of Everest ER
May 4th, 2011 at 8:00AM: The spring climbing season in the Himalaya is well underway, with dozens of teams climbing on a variety of mountains across the region. The busiest of those peaks is Mt. Everest of course, where in a few weeks time, a couple of hundred mountaineers will be hoping to stand on top of the highest summit on the planet. Many of them wouldn't have a chance of doing so however, if it weren't for the hard ...Legendary Sherpa to attempt 21st summit of Everest
Apr 5th, 2011 at 8:00AM: Legendary Himalayan mountain guide Apa Sherpa has returned to his home country of Nepal once again this year, where he'll be attempting his 21st summit of Mt. Everest. If successful, he will extend his existing record as the man to accomplish that feat most often.
Apa, who now lives in Utah, left his friends and family last Friday, and set off for the Nepali capital of Kathmandu. That city ...Video explains a climb up Everest
Mar 4th, 2011 at 8:00AM: At 29,029 feet (8848 meters) in height, Everest is the tallest mountain on the planet, and a significant challenge to any high altitude climber. For years, the mountain has held sway over the general public as well, despite the fact that most of us have no idea what it actually takes to reach to the summit. The video below helps to put it all into perspective however, demonstrating the process ...Nepal declares 2011 year of tourism
Jan 31st, 2011 at 8:00AM: The tiny Himalayan country of Nepal is making a major push to attract visitors this year, as they've kicked off the 2011 Tourism Year campaign hoping to lure travelers with their vast natural wonders, that include the tallest mountain in the world in Mt. Everest.
The overall goal of the program is to raise awareness in countries across the globe of everything that Nepal has to offer. The ...Hundreds of trekkers stranded in Himalaya due to bad weather
Nov 20th, 2010 at 8:00AM: More than 2000 travelers remain stranded in the Himalaya after bad weather moved into the region earlier this week. High winds and thick cloud cover have conspired to cut off all flights back to Kathmandu, leaving the high altitude trekkers with an unexpected extended stay in the mountains.
Most of the travelers were returning from treks in the Khumbu Region of Nepal, which includes hikes up to ...Great Himalayan Trail on schedule to open in 2011
Nov 8th, 2010 at 10:30AM: Way back in February of this year we told you about the Great Himalayan Trail, an epic hike more than 2800 miles in length that will eventually wind its way through the mountainous regions of Pakistan, India, Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan. The trek, which is expected to take roughly 150 days to hike end-to-end, is scheduled to officially open in early 2011, although there are still some challenges to ...Top American alpinist perishes in the Himalaya
Nov 1st, 2010 at 12:30PM: Joe Puryear, one of America's top mountaineers, fell to his death last week while climbing in the Himalaya. He was just 37 years old, but had earned himself a reputation as one of world's elite climbers, having put up routes in all of the planet's major mountain ranges, including the Andes, the Himalaya, and the Alps. Joe had reached the summit of more than 30 mountains in the Alaskan Range alone ...Veteran Everest guide lost in the Himalaya
Oct 26th, 2010 at 11:30AM: Over the weekend the mountaineering community lost a legendary climber when Chhewang Nima Sherpa was swept off a remote Himalayan peak by an avalanche. The mountain guide, who has reached the summit of Everest on 19 separate occasions, was helping to set the all important ropes to the summit of a peak called Baruntse, located in eastern Nepal, at the time of his disappearance.
On Saturday,Nima ...Hone your photographic skills in the Himalaya in 2011
Oct 19th, 2010 at 8:30AM: When it comes to photographing spectacular landscapes it's difficult to top the Himalaya, which offer endless mountain vistas, towering snow capped peaks, and beautiful remote valleys. The entire range is a photographer's dream and I know first hand that it is difficult to take a bad photo there. That said, it never hurts to get some advice on how to take the best photos possible, and if you're ...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 ...
