82-year old climber dies on Everest

by Kraig Becker on

A few weeks back we posted a story about 82-year old Shailendra Kumar Upadhyaya, a former Nepalese foreign minister who was hoping to become the oldest person to summit Mt. Everest. That attempt came to a tragic end yesterday, when it was announced that Upadhyaya passed away while on the mountain.

The exact cause of death is still unknown, but what we do know is that the octogenarian was on his way up to Camp 1, which is located at roughly 20,000 feet. Apparently, the climber did make it to that destination, but died there a short time later. This was to be his first acclimatization rotation on the mountain, which is an important part of the process for preparing for an eventual summit attempt. A government official announced that the former minister passed away at approximately 4 PM local time.

Upadhyaya undertook his expedition in an attempt to show the world that the elderly are still strong and capable members of society. He was hoping to break the record set by a climber by the name of Min Bahadur Sherchan, who scaled Everest at the age of 76 back in 2008. The fact that he had little mountaineering experience didn’t seem to bother Upadhyaya all that much.

In the original article about his attempt, I noted that climbing Everest is no easy feat at any age, and that I hoped he would know when to call it quits before he got into any real trouble. It seems that probably wasn’t the case however, and while we don’t know exactly what exactly brought about his demise, it is likely that the challenges of the climb were just too much for his body. While reaching Camp 1 is an important step to acclimatizing for the higher altitude, it is nothing compared to what he would have faced much higher on the 29,029 foot mountain.

Mountaineer summits Everest, tweets from the top

by Kraig Becker on

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 the highest point on the planet, but he also took time to send the first ever tweet from the top of the mountain.

Mountaineer Kenton Cool, who climbs with the Dream Guides company, set off for the summit two days ago, not long after getting word that the Sherpas had finished the route. He reached the top at 7:30 AM local time, notching his ninth successful climb of the mountain. Cool was sponsored by Samsung on this expedition and he used one of their smartphones to send the following tweet from the summit:

“@KentonCool: Everest summit no 9! 1st tweet from the top of the world thanks to a weak 3G signal & the awesome Samsung Galaxy S2 handset! @samsunguk”

Cool was able to send his tweet thanks to a 3G cell tower that was installed near Base Camp last fall. That tower has provided very spotty service to the climbers this season, but is still a marked improvement over years past when only expensive satellite phones were able to provide any kind of communications from Everest. The tweet is also excellent advertising for Samsung’s Galaxy S2, allowing the Brit to give his sponsor the recognition that they were surely looking for.

Does anyone else find it annoying that climbers can now make phone calls, send texts, and tweet from one of the most remote places on the planet, while I still get dropped service on my nightly commute home?

First summits of the year on Everest

by Kraig Becker on

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 year, dozens of climber travel to Everest, the tallest mountain on the planet at 29,029-feet, in an attempt to scale that iconic peak. They spend upwards of two months, and $50,000, for the chance to stand on top of the mountain for just a few brief moments. Over the course of those two months, they climb up and down portions of the mountain several times, allowing their bodies to acclimatize to the extreme altitude, in preparation for the final push to the summit.

While those visiting climbers slowly adapt to the altitude, the indigenous Sherpas prepare the route to the top of the mountain. Using thousands of feet of rope, they put into place the lines that the climbing teams that follow will use to safely move higher on Everest. They’ll also establish a series of high altitude camps, four in all, which the mountaineers use as rest stops while acclimatizing and on their way to the top. This is difficult and draining work that only these unsung heroes of the Himalaya can complete in a safe and timely manner.

With the route to the summit now finished, the commercial climbing teams will now look for a weather window that will allow them to climb to the summit as well. Most are finishing their final acclimatization rotation over the next few days, after which they’ll return to Base Camp for a brief rest. All eyes will then be on the weather forecast, as the climbers look for an extended period of good conditions that will allow them to safely climb up the mountain. They may have to wait awhile however, as the weather on Everest this season has been unusual. Climbers report colder and windier conditions when compared to previous years, with more snow as well.

If all goes as planned however, there will be a spate of summits in about a week or so. Traditionally, most of the summits take place around the middle of May, before the seasonal monsoons set in in early June.

See the Serengeti on foot with Mountain Madness

by Kraig Becker on

Adventure travel company Mountain Madness is well known for their incredible range of mountaineering and trekking options. Their well trained guides have the skill and knowledge to take clients to some of the most amazing destinations on the planet, including the tops of each of the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each of the seven continents. But if climbing Everest or Denali is a bit outside your comfort zone, perhaps their newest trek will satisfy your need for adventure.

Mountain Madness has recently begun offering a trek across the Serengeti that is sure to give travelers a unique perspective on that magical place. Located in Tanzania, the Serengeti Plain has one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife found anywhere on the planet, and while most visitors see it from the inside of a vehicle, on this trip you’ll get the opportunity to witness it on foot.

Over the course of the eight day walking tour, highly trained safari guides will lead travelers through the pristine African wilderness where they’ll witness vast herds of wildebeest, zebras, and antelope. They’ll also track buffalo, walk in the footsteps of giraffes, and follow massive elephants across the open grasslands, where lions and leopards rule the day.

Until recently, trekking the Serengeti has not been allowed at all, which means that the Mountain Madness groups will be amongst the first to visit the place on foot in more than 50 years. And at the end of the day the travelers will return to camp, where they’ll spend night on the African plains, listening to the sounds of wildlife in all directions.

The Serengeti Walking Safari is a fantastic adventure in and of itself, but when paired with a Kilimanjaro Climb and a visit to Zanzibar, you get a complete African experience unlike any other. Mountain Madness’ can not only deliver that full experience, they’ll also give you the adventure of a lifetime.


82-year old plans to climb Everest

by Kraig Becker on

82-year old Shailendra Kumar Upadhyaya of Nepal is planning to climb Mt. Everest this spring in an attempt to show that even octogenarians can still be physically fit enough to accomplish such goals. If successful, he’ll become the oldest person to reach the summit of the highest mountain on the planet.

Earlier this week, Upadhayaya set out from Kathmandu on the trek to Everest Base Camp. He is expected to arrive there next week, where he’ll begin the acclimatization process that will prepare him for his high altitude adventure. Once that process is completed, he hopes to make his attempt on the summit sometime in late May or early June, depending on the weather conditions on the mountain. Adding to the challenge is the fact that Upadhayaya, who is a former Nepali Foreign Minister, has little climbing experience

The current record for the oldest person to summit Everest is held by another Nepalese man by the name of Min Bahadur Sherchan. He conquered the mountain back in 2008 at the age of 76. If he is successful, Upadhayaya would best that mark by six years.

Climbing Everest is no easy task at 42, let alone 82. To attempt it with little to no experience seems to be asking for trouble. While it would be a great story to see him make it to the summit, hopefully he will know when to call it quits if things aren’t going well and conditions aren’t right. That said, I hope I’m still as active and adventurous as he is when I reach that age.