Mount Everest in 2017

Mount Everest, mostly the south-east face

The Mount Everest climbing season of 2017 began in spring, and the first climbers reached the top on May 11, from the north side.[1] The first team on the south side was the Ghurka Everest Expedition, and 14 in that party reached the summit on May 15.[2] By May 25, 300-400 people had summited Mount Everest from the Nepal side,[3] and another 120 or so from the Chinese Tibet side.[4] By early June, reports from Nepal indicated that 445 people had made it to the summit from the Nepali side.[5] Reports indicate 160-200 summits on the north side, with 600-660 summiters overall for early 2017.[6] This year had a roughly 50% success rate on that side for visiting climbers, which was down from other years.[7]

Swiss mountaineer Ueli Steck died in a fall during a warm-up climb on Nuptse, in preparation for his Everest-Lhotse summit bid.[8] By May 22, 2017, five climbers had died,[9] and one trekker to base camp died earlier in the year.[10] By May 25, a total of six were reported dead, although a report of four additional deaths that was found to be erroneous resulted in confusion.[11]

Several climbers summited twice this season, including Kilian Jornet and Anshu Jamsenpa.[12][13]

Mountaineering season

Years in review summary
Year Summiters Reference(s)
2012 547 [14]
2013 658 [15]
2014 106 [16]
2015 0 [17]
2016 641 [18]
Typical Nepal camp altitudes[19]
Location Altitude (km)
Base camp 5400 m / 17700 ft. 5.4 5.4
 
Camp 1 6100 m / 20000 ft. 6.1 6.1
 
Camp 2 6400 m / 21000 ft. 6.4 6.4
 
Camp 3 6800m / 22300 ft. 6.8 6.8
 
Camp 4 8000 m / 26000 ft. 8 8
 
Summit 8850 m / 29035 ft. 8.8 8.8
 
Ueli Steck 1976-2017

Winter

Spanish mountaineer Alex Txikon attempted to summit Everest in winter without supplemental oxygen. He reached Camp 4 at approximately 7,950 meters before being turned back by bad weather conditions.[20]

Spring

The Mount Everest summit season was set to be the largest climbing season in the modern history of the mountain with 365 people on 39 teams from around the world, just on the south/Nepal side.[21] The Nepal Department of Tourism said they had issued the most permits this year since this process began.[21][22] By May 3, there were 371 permits for climbers, and with their guides, around 800 could summit Everest from the south.[23] By April 23, the route to Mount Everest's South Col area had been opened.[24] The south side was expected to become a "global village" for about two months as hundreds of people from around the world undertake expeditions to the mountain.[24] On the north side were roughly 200 mountaineers planning to tackle Everest from Tibet.[25] A few dozen climbers from both sides made it the top in mid-May before the weather turned again. In late May the classic window before the monsoon season hits was predicted to open and the bulk of the expeditions began their summit bid.[26]

In early April it was reported that at least 250 climbers on 27 expeditions were headed for Mount Everest.[27] This grew to 289 climbers from 34 groups by April 20, 2017.[28] Expeditions need to arrive early to acclimatize to the high altitude if they have not already done so.[29] All permits purchased for the spring season of 2015 were extended for two years, allowing those who had been unable to climb due to the earthquake to return. 70 people returned in 2017 under this program.[29]

The first ever joint military exercise between the People's Republic of China and Nepal, called Sagarmatha Friendship-2017, took place from April 16 to April 25. The exercise focused on combating terrorism in the region and disaster response management.[30]

China announced plans to build hotels, restaurants, and ski resorts on the north Tibet side of Everest, having completed a new asphalt road to Everest in 2016.[31] China has had a reputation for being more difficult with permits than Nepal, but has taken steps to improve access to the north side.[32]

A British DJ hosted "the highest party on Earth" in April at the Everest base camp, which was attended by over 100 people.[33]

An international collaboration between India and Nepal, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the survey of India, sought to re-measure the height of Everest.[34] Everest's height was measured in 1855 and again by India in 1957, however there is concern that the April 2015 Nepal earthquake and subsequent avalanches may have changed the height of the mountain.[34]

The highest altitude restaurant in the world opened in April 2017 at the Nepal base camp.[35]

Cleanup from previous years continues, with a special operation to remove trash beginning in March 2017.[36] The Nepal government and Everest expeditions worked together to distribute trash bags to remove debris from this season and from previous years, when people had to evacuate.[36] Collected trash will be removed by helicopters, which usually return empty after delivering supplies.[36] Sherpas will be paid for carrying rubbish down the mountain on their return trips.[36]

A French-backed expedition called Everest Green went on a waste retrieval mission, collecting about five tonnes of garbage from the Nepal base camp up to the South Col area.[37] Of that, three tonnes were able to be recycled, and the mission ran for 40 days between April 13, and May 23, 2017.[37]

Mountaineers Adrian Ballinger and Cory Richards, noted for snapchatting their Everest summit bid in 2016, returned in 2017.[38] This professional expedition had a special focus on relaying information to the internet, and in addition to additional mountaineering preparations, they had increased their internet connection budget and brought more batteries for electronics.[39]

May

Looking up along the southern ridgeline, the face of the Hillary Step is visible. The face in shadow on the left is the South-West face, and to the right is the top of the East/Kangshung face. The extent of change to the step, caused by the 2015 earthquake, has been debated (2010 photo)
Closer view of the Step in 2010

On May 13, 2017, the first mountaineers climbed Everest from the Chinese Tibet route, with 16 reaching the top.[25] The group consisted of 6 climbers from India and 10 Sherpa helpers.[25] Ropes had been laid two days earlier, and there was a window of good weather. The ascent opened what one reporter called "the summit blitz".[40] In the early morning of Monday, May 15, 14 members of the Gurkha Everest Expedition summited from the Nepal side.[2][41] Expedition organizers predicted that 150 would try for the summit in the following days.[42] Up to 100 climbers can summit on a single day in good conditions.[2]

By May 15, at least 35 more climbers from around the world had summitted.[43]

It was discovered that the 2015 earthquake had altered the famed Hillary Step. The 40-foot climb is thought to have been reduced to a gentle rock slope.[44] Various mountaineers confirmed in 2017 the "ground-breaking" news that the rocks of Everest had been altered.[44] The extent of the destruction has been disputed.[45]

A South African filmmaker who tried to climb Everest without a permit was apprehended and arrested in May. The man faces a fine and may be banned from climbing mountains in Nepal for up to 10 years.[46]

The weekend of May 20-21 claimed the lives of four mountaineers from around the world.[47][48]

Records

On May 27, 2017, Kami Rita Sherpa, climbing with the Alpine Ascents Everest Expedition, reached the summit for the 21st time. Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi Sherpa are the only other people who have done so.[49][50]

Kilian Jornet completed an unassisted speed climb from base camp to the summit in 26 hours without bottled oxygen or fixed ropes, setting a new record.[51] The complete climb, including return to base camp, took under 40 hour,[52] and required a 12,400 foot vertical ascent.[53] A standard climb using a typical route takes approximately four days from North base camp to the summit.[53] Jornet summited again on May 28, 2017, achieving two summits in less than a week.[12] This climb, which began at advanced base camp, took 17 hours.[12] Jornet's speed climb was one of fastest since Hans Kammerlander completed the normal Tibet-side route in 16 hours 45 minutes in 1996, setting the official Guinness World Record.[12] In 2005, Christian Stangl reached the top of Everest from advanced base camp in 16 hours and 42 minutes.[54]

To climb Everest without oxygen is an accomplishment fewer than 200 people have experienced. And it normally takes three to four days, involving a grueling step-by-step battle with multiple overnights rests.

To do so twice in the same week is nearly unbelievable. Jornet’s two summits push the boundaries of human abilities and high-altitude mountaineering.

— Gear Junkie's Nate Mika in Jornet Speed-Climbs Everest, Twice In One Week, 2017[54]

The famed Nepali-American mountaineer and mother of three Lhakpa Sherpa attained her 8th Mount Everest summit, enhancing the world record for most times to the top for a woman.[55] On May 21, 2017, Anshu Jamsenpa became the first woman to summit Everest twice within a week, doing so in five days, as well as becoming the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest for the fifth time.[47][56][57] Also on May 21, Vilborg Arna Gissurardóttir became the first Icelandic woman to summit Everest.[58] and Ada Tsang became the first Hong Kong woman to summit Everest.[59] She was a former secondary teacher in Hong Kong. She completed the climb on her third attempt, together with a physiotherapist and mountaineer, Elton Ng. On May 22, Yusrina Ya'akob became the first female Malay Singaporean to summit Everest.[60]

The second blind man to summit Everest, Andy Holzer of Austria, reached the top on May 21 from the north, making him the first blind summiter since 2001.[61]

On May 22, 2017, Chris Bombardier became the first person with hemophilia to reach the top of Everest.[62]

Fatalities

2017 fatalities[63][64]
Fatalities Nationality
Mathew Jones (trekker) [65]  Australia
Ueli Steck   Switzerland
Min Bahadur Sherchan    Nepal
Vladimír Štrba  Slovakia
Dr. Roland Yearwood  United States
Francesco Enrico Marchetti  Australia
Ravi Kumar  India

In the 21st century, an average of 7 people have died each year trying to summit Everest or as part of base camp support.[66] In the four years before 2017, 46 people have died, with higher numbers due to avalanches.[67] Some of the biggest dangers come from the cold, falls, avalanches, and high altitude, which can trigger altitude sickness.[66]

The 2017 season got off to a rough start with the loss of Ueli Steck, described as the greatest climber of his time.[68] The 40 year old Swiss mountaineer was warming up for an Everest-Lhotse summit attempt with a solo climb on Mount Nuptse on April 30, 2017,[69][70] when he fell over 3000 feet.[71] He had previously survived a fall off Annapurna when trying to solo climb it alpine style.[72] Steck was famous for modern alpine accomplishments including holding the speed record on the Matterhorn's north face, and summiting every peak over 4000 meters in the Alps in 61 days (1 day short of the record).[73] Reinhold Messner, the first person to summit Everest without bottled oxygen, remarked in an interview with Neue Zürcher Zeitung as noted by Outside magazine, "It came as a surprise to me, to be honest. I had not expected that, at age 40 and with his enormous level of mountaineering experience, he would fall at this point in his career. He was someone who knew exactly what he was doing."[74]

A trekker to base camp died of altitude sickness in March 2017.[75]

85-year-old Min Bahadur Sherchan died on May 6, 2017 at Everest base camp in Nepal.[76] Min Bahadur Sherchan became the oldest man to summit Mount Everest in 2008 at the age of 76, a record that stood until 2013.[77] He returned in 2017 to summit the mountain again. One of his goals in doing this was to inspire and encourage people as they get older.[77]

The weekend of May 19–21 claimed four more climbers from various causes. The climbers came from India, Australia, the United States, and Slovakia.[78]

Goth Kubir Rai, a Nepali porter, died at base camp in May.[79]

There were reports of four bodies found in a tent in May, which were later found to be false.[11][80]

Corpse retrievals

The bodies of two people who died the previous year, Goutam Ghosh and Paresh Nath, were removed in 2017.[81] The two had been unable to be retrieved previously because of inclement weather.[81] The body of Ueli Steck was recovered near Nuptse, where he had fallen.[82] A recovery operation took place for the body of Vladimir Strba, who died at Camp IV (Nepal-side) in May.[83]

At the end of May, the body of Ravi Kumar was recovered from above 8000 meters and without loss of additional life.[84] Kumar's body had fallen into a crevasse and the effort to recover it was described as "the most complex recovery mission to ever be attempted on Everest".[85] There was a strong push to recover the body before the window of good weather closed, as the monsoon season to the South grew in force.[85]

Medical science

The Xtreme Everest project continued its multi-year mission to study how the body adapts to high altitude and the physiological changes that occur.[86]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Latest from Everest 2017: The Summits So Far". Men's Journal. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  2. 1 2 3 Prasain, Sangam (May 15, 2017). "Everest 2017: Gurkhas kick off Everest season with summit success". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  3. ↑ Khadka, Navin Singh (2017-05-26). "Everest climbers worried about oxygen bottle theft". BBC News. Retrieved 2017-05-26.
  4. ↑ "Four bodies in tent on Everest: They might have died years ago". News24. Retrieved 2017-05-26.
  5. ↑ 445 reach Mount Everest summit this spring: Govt - Money - The Kathmandu Post
  6. ↑
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ Editors, The (2017-05-05). "Reinhold Messner Speaks on Ueli Steck’s Death". Outside Online. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  9. ↑ "Mount Everest death toll climbs to five in past month, including an American on the weekend". Newsweek. 2017-05-22. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  10. ↑ "Australian trekker dies near Mount Everest base camp". Fox News. 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  11. 1 2 Bouchard, Jay (25 May 2017). "Updated: Reports of Four Deaths on Everest Were False". Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Spanish climber tops Everest twice in a week". News24. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  13. ↑ "An Indian woman climbed Mount Everest. Days later, reports say, she did it again.". The Washington Post. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  14. ↑ "Everest Maxed Out". ngm.nationalgeographic.com. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  15. ↑ "Everest 2013: Season Recap: Summits, Records and Fights". alanarnette.com. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  16. ↑ "Everest 2014: Season Summary - A Nepal Tragedy". alanarnette.com. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  17. ↑ Peter Holley (12 January 2016). "The Washington Post - For the first time in four decades, nobody made it to the top of Mount Everest last year". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  18. ↑ "Everest by the Numbers: 2017 Edition - The Blog on alanarnette.com". 30 December 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  19. ↑ "The route - climbers guide to Everest". www.mounteverest.net. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  20. ↑ Levy, Michael (2017-02-14). "Alex Txikon Comes Up Short on Everest Summit Attempt". TOJ International Edition. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  21. 1 2 "Highest number of permit issued for climbing Mt Everest till now". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  22. ↑ "Everest’s summer of the living dead". Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  23. ↑ "Inexperienced climbers are causing dangerous traffic jams on Mount Everest". Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  24. 1 2 "Mt Everest climbing route to South Col opens". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  25. 1 2 3 "Six Indian climbers reach Mt Everest in first summit of season". The Indian Express. 2017-05-13. Retrieved 2017-05-13.
  26. ↑ "The Latest from Everest 2017: The Summits So Far". Men's Journal. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
  27. ↑ "Over 250 foreign climbers acclimatising on Mt Everest". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  28. ↑ "Highest number of permit issued for climbing Mt Everest till now". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  29. 1 2 "Over 250 foreign climbers acclimatising on Mt Everest". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  30. ↑ "Nepal, China to conduct first ever joint military drill from April 16". The Financial Express. 2017-04-14. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  31. ↑ "China plans to build hotels, ski resorts on Tibetan north face of Mount Everest". Stuff.
  32. ↑ "Will China’s New Road Clear a Path for More Everest Climbers?". Beyond the Edge. 2016-05-04. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  33. ↑ "DJ Hosts ‘World’s Highest Party’ at Mount Everest". Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  34. 1 2 "Survey of India proposes to re-measure the height of Mount Everest - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2017-04-12.
  35. ↑ "Go to Everest Base Camp—Just for Breakfast". Bloomberg.com. 2017-04-05. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  36. 1 2 3 4 Safi, Michael (2017-03-29). "Mount Everest climbers enlisted for canvas bag clean-up mission". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  37. 1 2 "French organisation removes 5 tonne waste from Mount Everest – OnlineKhabar". Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  38. ↑ Will Snapchatting Everest climbers both summit this time?, retrieved 2017-05-22
  39. ↑ "Two Climbers Return to Everest to Snapchat the Summit". 14 April 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  40. ↑ "Everest 2017: North Side Teams in Full Summit Blitz - Update 3 - The Blog on alanarnette.com". The Blog on alanarnette.com. 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  41. ↑ "Summit route opens from Nepal side, 14 ascend Everest". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  42. ↑ "Summit route opens from Nepal side, 14 ascend Everest". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  43. ↑ "35 more climbers scale Mt Everest as summit bids underway". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  44. 1 2 "Everest Hillary Step collapsed". PlanetMountain.com. May 16, 2017. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  45. ↑ Safi, Michael; agencies (2017-05-23). "Mount Everest's Hillary Step is still there, say Nepalese climbers". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-07-14.
  46. ↑ Bhandari, Rajneesh; Najar, Nida (2017-05-17). "Mt. Everest Beckoned, So He Climbed Without a Permit. Now He’s Under Arrest.". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  47. 1 2 "Indian woman 'sets new Everest dual ascent record'". 22 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017 – via www.bbc.com.
  48. ↑ News, ABC. "4 climbers die near top of Mount Everest in tragic weekend". Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  49. ↑ "Kami Rita Sherpa scales Mt Everest 21 times". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2017-05-27.
  50. ↑ PTI. "Nepalese Sherpa scales Everest for record 21 times". The Hindu. Retrieved 2017-05-27.
  51. ↑ Redford, Patrick (May 23, 2017). "New Unassisted Mt. Everest Speed Record Set By Spanish Ultramarathoner Kilian Jornet". Deadspin. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  52. ↑ "Kilian Jornet scales Mt Everest in alpine style for speed record". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2017-05-24.
  53. 1 2 "Kilian Jornet Summits Everest in Most Epic Way". Runner's World. 2017-05-22. Retrieved 2017-05-24.
  54. 1 2 Mitka, Nate (30 May 2017). "Jornet Speed-Climbs Everest, Twice In One Week". Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  55. ↑ "Nepal woman breaks her own record for most Everest summits". The Hans India. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  56. ↑ "Mount Everest: Mother of two from Arunachal becomes world's first woman to scale Everest twice in week". The Times of India. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  57. ↑ "Anshu Jamsenpa: Indian woman tops Mount Everest twice in week, breaks record". The Times of India. 2017-05-21. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  58. ↑ "Vilborg Arna becomes Iceland’s first woman to summit Mt. Everest". Iceland Monitor. 2017-05-21. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  59. ↑ "Teacher Ada Tsang becomes first Hong Kong woman to conquer Everest". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  60. ↑ "Foiled by Nepal quake the first time, trainee teacher finally conquers Everest". Channelnewsasia.com. 2009-05-20. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  61. ↑ Geiger, Stephanie (21 May 2017). "Andy Holzer: Blinder Österreicher auf dem Mount Everest". Retrieved 31 May 2017 – via FAZ.NET.
  62. ↑ "Chris Bombardier becomes first hemophiliac to summit Mount Everest". Retrieved 2017-06-03.
  63. ↑ "Death of Indian Climber Takes Everest Toll to 6 in the Last Month". Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  64. ↑ "Near Mount Everest’s ‘death zone,’ three climbers found dead, one missing". TimesNow. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  65. ↑ "Scary travel sickness that doesn’t discriminate". Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  66. 1 2 "Everest by the Numbers: 2017 Edition - The Blog on alanarnette.com". The Blog on alanarnette.com. 2016-12-30. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  67. ↑ "Reports of four new deaths on Everest ‘misleading’: Expedition organiser". Retrieved 2017-05-26.
  68. ↑ "Ueli Steck, famed Swiss mountain climber, dead after plunging 3,280 feet near Mount Everest". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-05-26.
  69. ↑ Press, Associated (2017-05-02). "Acclaimed mountain climber first to die during Mount Everest season". New York Post. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  70. ↑ Chavez, Nicole (May 1, 2017). "Famed Swiss climber Ueli Steck dies in Everest training accident". CNN. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  71. ↑ "Ueli Steck, famed Swiss mountain climber, dead after plunging 3,280 feet near Mount Everest". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  72. ↑ Germany, SPIEGEL ONLINE, Hamburg. "Mount Everest: Bergsteiger Ueli Steck tödlich verunglückt - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Reise". SPIEGEL ONLINE. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  73. ↑ Editors, The (2015-08-13). "Ueli Steck Completes 82 Summits Project". Outside Online. Retrieved 2017-05-26.
  74. ↑ Editors, The (5 May 2017). "Reinhold Messner Speaks on Ueli Steck’s Death". Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  75. ↑ "Scary travel sickness that doesn’t discriminate". NewsComAu. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
  76. ↑ Press, Associated. "Nepal man, 85, dies trying to become oldest Mount Everest climber". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  77. 1 2 "Mount Everest: Min Bahadur Sherchan dies attempting record". BBC News. 2017-05-06. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  78. ↑ "4 Climbers Killed In Deadly Week On Mount Everest". Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  79. ↑
  80. ↑ By binaj gurubacharya, associated press (2016-02-18). "The tragedy of Everest's normal: 10 dead this season, so far - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  81. 1 2 "Everest rescuers retrieve bodies of two Indian climbers". Retrieved 2017-05-26.
  82. ↑ Ogles, Jonah (2017-05-25). "The High-Risk Body Recovery on Everest May Very Well Kill Someone". Outside Online. Retrieved 2017-05-26.
  83. ↑ "Four climbers found dead at Camp IV on Mt Everest". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  84. ↑ "Bodies of 3 Indians retrieved from Mount Everest". The Financial Express. 2017-05-28. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  85. 1 2 Ogles, Jonah (2017-05-25). "The High-Risk Body Recovery on Everest May Very Well Kill Someone". Outside Online. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  86. ↑ "Conquering the ICU atop Mt. Everest - D-brief". D-brief. 2017-05-24. Retrieved 2017-05-26.
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