Everest Avalanche 2018, More Records and Hillary Step
While the season on Everest is winding down, there’s still plenty of action on the world’s biggest peak.
Yesterday, a huge avalanche swept through camp one and across the Khumbu Icefall. If this happened three weeks ago, many climbers would have died.
Luckily, no one was in the area because most teams are finished with their season.
Top climbers Horia Colibasanu and Peter Hámor have abandoned their traverse project with poor weather approaching and difficult West Ridge snow.
But, Jon Griffith and Tenji Sherpa are have reached the summit of Everest and will still try to to live stream their Everest/Lhotse traverse.
Their Everest ascent was dedicated to Ueli Steck, who died on Lhotse last year. Tenji, who worked as a climbing partner of Ueli last season, also gives sole credit to the legendary alpinist for boosting up his professional climbing career.
“Tenji along with his team is on the way to South Col,” said Iswari Poudel, Managing Director at Himalayan Guides Nepal Pvt Ltd.
“Following the footsteps of the greatest climber of his generations, Tenji would attempt to climb Mt Lhotse later today if weather allows.”
The Hillary Step has changed and was not just covered with snow.
Franz P. Rassel became the first Paraguayan to summit Everest and Ngima Nuru Sherpa became the youngest person to summit Everest 21 times.
It seems the last team of the year on the summit was Lakpa Dendi Sherpa of Chheskam, Solukhumbu and Pimba Aingchuk Bhote of Hatiya, Sankhuwasabha.
“Lakpa Dendi, who made third summit on Mt Everest this season, scaled the world’s highest peak this morning without using supplementary oxygen,” Poudel said.
We are awaiting a final count, but according to Alan Arnette and The Himalayan Times, so far in 2018, about 640 total (409 from Nepal and 231 from Tibet) have reached the top. In 2017, there were 648 (411 from Nepal and 237 from Tibet). The record was 665 back in 2013.
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