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ExplorersWeb Week in Review
13:37 p.m. EST Apr 10, 2004
A steady flow climbers approached Everest BC over last weekend. Some of the South side teams are already making it up to first and second camps, few expeditions arrived the North BC where the Russians already fixed up to 6200 on the North wall, while Kathmandu was set on fire:
Strikes and an attack on two trucks by the Maoist rebels met climbers still lingering in the Capitol. Tom and Ben Clowes reported that a few hours outside of Kathmandu they ran into the two trucks still burning. They had a slow time of border crossing into Tibet with “endless paperwork” and extensive medical tests. Piotr Pustelnik reported; “Our plan didn’t come out. Today we reached only the outskirts, because of road blockades. After yesterday’s demonstration the opposition went out on strike and blocked the streets of Kathmandu.”
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Kathmandu during the general strike protesting against the violence of Sunday’s protest which left over 200 injured. Hundreds of police in riot gear kept a close watch over the rally but did not interfere as demonstrators torched nearly half a dozen cars and motorcycles because their drivers defied a general strike call. The protesters also set tires and street signs alight.
The scoop on donating to the Maoists. Trekking in the Khumbu, you won’t be bothered by them, so long as you are above Lukla. Some people choose to start in Jiri and trek to Lukla, though, and there are Maoists there and they will confront you for donations. Americans and Belgians will pay the most because the US has just decided to give the Nepali government guns, and the rifles that the Nepali Army has are Belgian. How much? Expect up to 5000 rps. At the current going rate of 69 rps = 1 US, that’s a whopping 72 USD each. Brits, you’ll be paying 1000 rps - everyone else, about five to six hundred. Check MountEverest.net for an authentic Maoist donation receipt from a Brit – 1000 rps.
On a lighter side The Dutch Over Everest team was drinking Chinese whiskey supplied from the Czech climbers who swear it promotes acclimatization. After doing extensive tests on blood oxygen levels they have concluded that this is true! The Russian North Face team will be carrying the vodka, perhaps more tests will be done on whether vodka promotes acclimatization too.
Victor Kozlov of the Russian North Face expedition reported problems at 6000m. The team of porters refused to go any further even after Pavel Shabalin stood on the glacier in sneakers showing them how safe it was. Despite these problems, the team already spent time at 6200 m, while "our high-altitude porters look at the Wall from the bottom and say that Russians are crazy."
Hollywood BC. Everest South BC has enough cameras there to make the paparazzi jealous. The Irish team report lots of activity at BC, “The action had already begun at base camp. Just below us, Dave Breashears was filming for his new film Into Thin Air. There were people moving in the icefall before the heat of the morning sun would make it unacceptably dangerous. People from all around the world are now starting to descend here to either watch, film or participate in following a dream to stand on the summit of the world”.
Discovery channel, are shooting a six part Documentary series on Everest, and Annabelle Bond, with the Chilean team, has the scoop on the films being made. “As I passed David’s (Breashears) tent I heard that both the directors, Stephen and John, had made it up onto the ladders in the ice fall. I’ve agreed with [The discovery team] to let them film my attempt to make the summit of Everest."
Quebec smuggler
Patrick Bernier, the Quebecois climber, has a trick up his sleeve. “Let us hope that the Chinese army will not be too curious at the border, because we can spend hours there while they inspect the luggage. And if they find our satellite communication equipment, well we’re done with dispatching to my site. Our base camp manager packed some wine for our liaison officers in China, as well as cigarettes and some whisky bottles. In this way we will probably have much more ease crossing the country of the Dali Lama”.
Australian for taxi. Guy Cotter and Mike Roberts of the Adventure Consultants expedition took one very large taxi, in the shape of a Russian helicopter, up the valley towards BC with over 3000kg of food and gear!
Luis Benitez from Adventure Consultants reports that they arrived safely in Phakding, just barely. The plane carrying half of the team almost didn’t land due to stiff tailwinds. But they are securely on firm ground now and trekking their way to BC, experiencing colder weather than expected.
Iron supplements on altitude? Some female altitude climbers swear by iron supplements for improved performance. An article in Boston Globe addressed the issue: "If you're planning a long stay at altitude, you might consider getting tested for levels of stored iron, called ferritin, because it is this stored iron that the body draws on when it needs it, noted Barry Braun, an exercise biochemist at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. If your ferritin is low, you might consider taking iron supplements before your trip or eating foods high in iron, such as red meat and spinach.
Why, why, why?! The film crews on Everest are struggling to capture the soul of mountain climbing and perhaps even the answer to the eternal question of why. Then again. Does the question why really need an answer? Is it really justified? Or is it that the question in fact hides a hint of criticism? Let's turn the table: Why do you have kids? Why don't you travel more? Why did you choose to become a plumber? We shouldn't ask why of each other. People don't have to justify their choices. That's what Mallory meant by "because it's there." Just another version of, "because I can". And "because I want to."
Makalu took off. The Kazakh National climbers left for Makalu Friday. The expedition takes the Paragot Route (Western Ridge) of Makalu, and Ervand Iljinksy, who coached last year’s Kazakh 3-in-1 expedition to Broad Peak, Nanga Parbat and K2 will lead again.
Sven Gangdal from Norway will also attempt Makalu this year. If successful this will be his fifth 8000er. Jean-Christophe Lafaille is off as well. To date he has 8 of the 14 8000ers. British services Makalu is a 14 member team drawn from across the 3 services Army/Navy/Air Force. These guys are going by the South East Ridge.
Brand spanking new route on Shisha
Two Norwegian women are off to plant the first female flag on the summit, Cecilie Skog’s boyfriend, Rolf Bae (29) and his climbing partner Trym Atle Sæland (28) will be a couple mountains away on Shisha Pangma mapping out a new route. Rolf and partner, Eirik Sonneland, made a quite a spectacular Antarctic traverse in December 2000. After wintering in Queen Maud Land, Rolf and Eirik headed out for the South Pole but kept going all the way to Scott Base, 3,800 Km. Though they had planned and prepared for the traverse, very few people knew about it. Rolf and Eirik became two out of only five people to have crossed Antarctica without resupplies.
Jannu North face team explanation on why they were so early to BC; they took a plane from Kathmandu to Taplejung cutting three days of travel time. Bad news is that one of their trunks disappeared somewhere along the way. It seems the Russians are the only ones not pestered by the Maoists: “Topetok and Chiruwa met us with red flags with sickle and hammer on high bamboo flagstaffs. We, Russians, did not pay money to pass their territory. But they usually rob others”.
In other expedition news. Ben Saunders fell in the water and Wave Vidmar is having a tough time to resist air drops, but both continue. Projecto Cumbre, the first Venezuelans to summit Everest were air lifted to the 87 degree and are now too skiing to the Pole. So is 13 year old Jasiek Mela who suffered an electric shock of 15,000 volts and lost a leg and an arm. After one and half years of rehabilitation and preparations he will attempt to reach the North Pole on skies dropped off about 100Km from the Pole. He travels with Marek Kaminski, the first person to have done both Poles back to back and unsupported.
Missing ocean rower. ExWeb received mail from the friends and family of a missing ocean rower. The German rower, Tim Weltermann, born August 24, 1978, has been missing since 4 November 2003. He was attempting a solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean and departed the Canary Islands, with destination Antigua, on 26 October 2003 in a canoe (two-seater, model Prijon-Excursion) intending to arrive in Antigua (West Indies) within 80 days. The last contact with him via Satellite telephone was on November 4th, 2003. At this time his position was 25.33 North and 19.33 West and he mentioned he might need more time for the crossing than estimated, encountering headwinds and calm days. If you have any information, please contact the team at ExplorersWeb.
For these stories and more, check out ExplorersWeb.com.
Image of fire, ExplorersWeb team in Kathmandu.
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