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Everest summit - Climbers have reached the Top of the World
May 15, 2004 04: 02 EST
The news have arrived at last: The first summiteers of Mount Everest 2004 are Chilean Ernesto Olivares Miranda (Makalu), Andrónico Luksic Craig, Misael Alvial Cid (K2 and Aconcagua), Sherpa Alden, Sherpa Angi, Sherpa Rama, Sherpa Shulding, Kiko, and British Annabelle Bond.
Expedition leader is Rodrigo Jordan (Everest via the Kangchung face).
Other climbers also on the summit are members of a commercial expedition; their details are unknown at this point. But they are all hugging, shaking hands, some are crying - and calling mom! The view down is breathtaking and the sky above is nearly black: This is the closest you get to Space on Earth!
Big thumbs up to all new Everest summiteers!
Check out the video of climbers on the summit. Pretty awesome isn't it...
But wait, don't relax. There is still stuff ahead. You have to come down the way you came up, the Hillary Step, the Knife Ridge and the tricky route back to the Balcony. You have hardly slept for several days now, and you are very tired. Time to focus on the way down:
The Route - Coming down
Most accidents occur upon climbing down. Be sure to have enough oxygen to come back. Don’t relax for one moment. The climb is tricky all the way down to the Balcony – the final ridge before the wall back down to camp 4 and the South Col.
Even the wall after the Balcony is dangerous if unroped. You will encounter a couple of bodies of deceased climbers here. In 1998, the last part of the wall towards C4 was not fixed, causing 8 people to take pretty bad falls. Luckily enough, all climbers survived that time.
We climb this part roped to each other if the fixed ropes aren’t there. If the weather turns bad, the fixed ropes might get buried or you won’t be able to see them. Make memory maps on your climb up for this situation. Bring a compass.
A blue ice bulge will mark the last obstacle back to camp. There are some crevasses there, usually recognizable as streaks of white snow. Avoid them.
Finally, you will stumble back down onto the flat, rocky South Col. And take the last exhausted steps towards your tent, throwing yourself into it. And now – after almost 30 hours of strenuous climb, terror and doubts – you'll fall into the deepest and happiest sleep of your life.
Exceeded only by your awakening in the morning; the suns rays softly warming you, as you slowly come to a wonderful, triumphant realization; that you actually, really, really made it.
You are an Everest summiteer!
(Climbing time: 4-8 hours).
Image of climber on summit and view from the summit, Mount Everest, ExplorersWeb.
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| Andrew Lock on Annapurna tragedy: "I wanted to keep on climbing" Jun 6, 2005 | | Gabriel Filippi and Sean Egan's soul, together on the summit of Everest Jun 6, 2005 | | "Supermom" Monica Kalozdi update: Everest Summit and hard descent Jun 5, 2005 | | Robert Milne dies during summit push Everest South Jun 5, 2005 | | Grania Willis summits Everest this morning Jun 5, 2005 | | ExplorersWeb Week-In-Review Jun 5, 2005 | | Himex summit - Update from climber Jun 4, 2005 | | No Mountain top too high, my Love Jun 4, 2005 | | Jagged Globe team summits again! Jun 4, 2005 | | More summits for DCXP/Project Himalaya this morning Jun 4, 2005 |
| | End of season... Jun 4, 2005 | | Ranulph Fiennes turns back on Everest Jun 3, 2005 |
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2004
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