Himalaya Update: Teams At C3 On Everest!

040607climbingtoc3
MountEverest.net has posted an update on the teams still on Everest and as predicted last week, the weather window seems to have opened for a late summit push. The DCXP Team and the Project Himalaya team have moved up to Camp 3 and are making their summit bids tonight. Meanwhile, the Altitude Everest team, with Conrad Anker, has finished spending a night at 7500m and have moved back down to ABC to further along their acclimatization process. If the weather holds, and everything goes according to plan, they’ll make their push next week this time. An in that vintage 1920’s climbing gear no less. It looks like the record setting season on Everest isn’t over just yet.

Meanwhile, we’ve also received word that Korean climber Um Hong-Gi has summitted Lhotse Shar via its South Face. He completed the climb last Thursday. This was his fourth attempt on that route, having been turned back on his first attempt do to bad weather. On his second attempt, and avalanche claimed two of his teammates, forcing the team down, and on the third attempt the conditions on the high ridges threatened more avalanches. But Um stuck with it, and finally accomplished his goal.

For everyone still on Everest, and in the Himalaya in general, climb safe. The Monsoon won’t be far off now, so it’s time to finish up, get down, and come home in one piece.

Kraig Becker

3 thoughts on “Himalaya Update: Teams At C3 On Everest!”

  1. Um is hardcore.

    I don’t know though…I certainly wasn’t there, but how can it be worth it? I can see someone wanting to complete a goal that took the lives of two teammates as a way to honor them. But the feeling of importance is very inflated while your out there, “in the moment”. Grief can be a powerful motivator.

    This is one of the reasons I am proud to know the “Cracking Days Out” Everest team. They turned around on summit day after a climber higher on the route died. The summit lost its grand meaning as they realized it was too selfish-feeling to continue on under the circumstances.

    Who can tell? I certainly could be wrong.

    Still, it’s best to come back from these climbs alive. I think sometimes that people overlook this.

    Jon
    http://www.therestofeverest.com

  2. Erring on the side of caution is always the way to go, but some climbers put their ambitions above safety or regard to others.

    I suppose losing two teammates wasn’t enough to deter him from going back. I suppose the Cracking Days guys felt the same thing as Um when he saw his friends go downin the avalanche, but a year or two later, your perspective changes from when you are in the moment.

    Still, I’m not sure I could return to the place where my friends had died.

Comments are closed.