As I previously reported, two Sherpas lost their lives when struck by an avalanche on the 8000er, Annapurna, on April 7, 2025. Ngima Tashi and Rima Rinje were swept into a deep crevasse between Camps 2 and 3. Four days later, Sherpas located their bodies using RECCO reflective technology after several helicopter searches proved unsuccessful. Retrieval was not attempted due to the bodies being inside a deep crevasse and the ongoing avalanche danger.

In the Podcast are multiple still images from his climb, plus a video of the actual avalanche taken by John.

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

#annapurna2025 #everest2025

It was a tough week in the Himalayas. We saw summits on two 8000ers, two Sherpas died, and the Icefall Doctors finally got the route to Camp 1 through the Khumbu Icefall. Also, it feels like the early predictions of a record and crowded Nepal side are coming true, with more permits issued at this time than last year. #everest2025

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2025/04/13/everest-2025-weekend-update-april-13-icefall-in-summits-and-deaths/

Despite ominous weather and route conditions, various media reports have at least four climbers summiting Annapurna on Sunday, April 6, 2025. Early reports of disturbing conditions on Annapurna seem to be mirrored on Everest. The Kumbu is buzzing with activity, and the Icefall Doctors are struggling again this year to get the route through the Icefall. In other words, busy as usual in the mid-2020s. #everest2025

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2025/04/06/everest-2025-weekend-update-april-6-1st-8000er-summits/

Early data suggest Everest will see a record year, primarily driven by Chinese and Indian clients. I won’t be surprised to see over 1,000 total summits from both sides. The Icefall Doctors are already at work. Sherpas are setting up Base Camp, which is starting to look like a small city.

The Himalayan winter was warm and dry, causing the snow line on Everest to move higher and increasing the chances of rockfall. Climbers need to be very aware and stay safe this season. #everest2025

This is the Weekend Update for Everest 2025. The season is about to get started in earnest. Climber after climber and team after team are leaving home. In many cases, scores of Sherpas are on their way to Everest Base Camp to begin the arduous process of establishing a home for over 1,000 people this spring season. The Icefall Doctors are already at work. #everest2025

Deaths on Carstensz Pyramid, one of the Seven Summits, are rare, but two women tragically lost their lives on March 1 while descending during a storm. The 4,884-meter (16,024-foot) peak poses challenging logistics and is the most technical of the seven, requiring basic rock climbing skills for primarily 5th-class terrain on fixed ropes.

Interview with Garrett Madison from CP

German Alpinist Jost Kobusch is back home after accomplishing his objective of a winter, solo, no-O’s climb to tag over 7500 meters on Everest’s West Ridge. In this podcast, we go into deep detail on his climb. If you are a climber, explorer or sour on the entire Everest scene, this is for you. #everest2025

Welcome to my limited series on climbing the Seven Summits. I'll drop a new episode discussing one of the 7 Summits in detail over the last eight weeks. Today is Episode 10, Everest, with special guests Adrian Ballinger, founder of Alpenglow and Mike Hamill, founder of Climbing the Seven Summits. #7summits

Mount Everest is the highest mountain in Asia and the world, at 29,031.69 feet or 8848.86 meters, making it the highest of the Seven Summits. With seemingly unlimited attraction, climbing Chomolungma has dramatically changed over the decades.

Stradling the border of China (Tibet) and Nepal, it grows by about 0.0063-0.021 inches or 0.16 to 0.53 millimeters annually due to the northward movement of the Indian tectonic plate and a "rebound" effect caused by merging rivers. Everest is so high that it juts into the jetstream, atmospheric winds that typically travel west to east at speeds ranging from 80 to 140 miles per hour but can accelerate up to 275 miles per hour.

Through January 2024, there have been 12,015 summits (5,907 members and 6,108 hired). In other words, more support climbers, primarily Sherpas, have summited than foreigners. Yet more foreigners, 200, have died on Everest than support climbers, 117.

It has become an economic powerhouse, attracting millions into the Nepal economy, an estimated 10% of GDP, through flights, hotels, taxis, restaurants, teahouses, yak herders and massive, dominating guiding enterprises. In 2024, 80% of the Everest summits were on Nepali-owned guide company teams, compared to 20% a decade earlier. However, with that dominance comes a downside: an all-time record 18 climbers died on Everest in 2022. Twenty-six people have died in the last two years climbing Everest; of that total, 23 were clients of Nepali operators. That’s 88% of the total for the two years.

In this last 7 Summits Podcast, I briefly overview the peak and then delve into several topics with guests Adrian Ballinger, founder of Alpenglow and Mike Hamill, founder of Climbing the Seven Summits.

All Episodes

Introduction

Mt. Kosciuszko, Australia - 7,310/2228m

Mt. Blanc, France/Italy - 15,771'/4807m

Vinson, Antarctica - 16,067/4897m

Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya), New Guinea - 16,023/4884m

Elbrus, Russia - 18,513/5642m

Kilimanjaro, Africa - 19,340/5896m

Denali, Alaska - 20,320/6194m

Aconcagua, Argentina - 22,902/6960m

Everest, Nepal/Tibet - 29,035/8850m

Welcome to my limited series on climbing the Seven Summits. For eight weeks, I'll drop a new episode discussing one of the 7 Summits in detail. Today is Episode 9, Acocangua with special guests Garret Madison and Ed Viesturs.

Next week, I wrap up this series with an Everest episode and special guests Adrian Ballinger, founder of Alpenglow and Mike Hammill, founder of Climbing the Seven Summits. #7summits

Aconcagua is the highest peak in South America, at 22,902/6960m. It is an excellent warmup before climbing Everest, testing your fitness at altitude and thoroughly testing your gear in harsh conditions. It's a cold peak and an excellent cultural experience.

Garrett Madison & Ed Vesturs Interview

I managed to nab these two legends to discuss Aconcagua and other mountaineering topics.

Ed guided Ryan, my 19-year-old Summit Coach client, who summited Everest in style this year, up Aconcagua as he prepared for his climb. Obviously, Ed is a wealth of mountaineering knowledge, so we discussed Acocangua, common climbing mistakes, and, of course, Everest, as well as finding Sandy Irvine's foot in his boot this year.

Garrett is well known as the founder and owner of Maddison Mountaineering. He will be on Everest for his hopefully 15th summit, tying Dave Hahn for the second-most summits by a non-Sherpaa. Kenton Cool has the title at 18. Garrett also recently summited Carystensz after a five-year break when the government closed the peak due to violence in the area. He gives us a quick update on that.

Episodes will drop each week:

September 15: Introduction

September 22: Mt. Kosciuszko, Australia - 7,310/2228m

September 29: Mt. Blanc, France/Italy - 15,771'/4807m

October 6: Vinson, Antarctica - 16,067/4897m

October 13: Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya), New Guinea - 16,023/4884m

October 20: Elbrus, Russia - 18,513/5642m

October 27: Kilimanjaro, Africa - 19,340/5896m

November 3: Denali, Alaska - 20,320/6194m

November 10: Aconcagua, Argentina - 22,902/6960m

November 17: Everest, Nepal/Tibet - 29,035/8850m

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2024/11/15/podcast-series-7-summits-episode-9-aconcagua-with-garrett-madison-ed-vesturs-interview/

Welcome to my limited series on climbing the Seven Summits. I'll drop a new episode discussing one of the 7 Summits in detail for eight weeks. Today is Episode 8, Denali, with special guest Dahn Hahn, who has summited it 38 times. #7summits

Alaska's Denali is the highest peak in North America at 20,310 feet (6,190 meters). It requires the strongest fitness level, Everest's altitude notwithstanding, of the Seven Summits to climb. Yet it offers some of the most spectacular mountain scenery on the planet. It's not a climb to be underestimated, but a rewarding experience if you can climb it.

Overview

Denali is located in central Alaska, 300 miles South of the Arctic Circle and 200 miles East of the Bearing Sea. Denali is the native American name for the mountain, but in 1896, Prospector William Dickey renamed the peak Mt. McKinley for Presidential nominee William McKinley of Ohio. Denali National Park and Preserve was established as Mount McKinley National Park on February 26, 1917. The surrounding area was named Denali National Park by the National Park Service in 1980. In 2015, the mountain's name was officially renamed Denali.

The 20,310-foot south summit was first attempted in 1903, and the first summit was in 1913 by Hudson Stuck, Walter Harper, Harry Karstens, and Robert Tatum. Harper was a Native Alaskan.

Like many of the Seven Summits, Denali has gained in popularity, with well over 1,000 people attempting each year. The attempts peaked in 2005 at 1,340, and 2013 had the most summits with 775. 2023 was a difficult weather year with only a 30% summit rate. Through 2023, 49,818 climbers have attempted Denali, with 25,835 summiting, a 52% success rate.

Deaths occur almost yearly due to frostbite, weather, and poor preparedness. Nearly 100 have died, including 11 in 1992.

Dave Hahn Interview

I've known Dave for years, having run into him on Denali and Everest several times.

Dave is a world-class mountain guide. He has been a guide for Rainier Mountaineering Inc. (RMI) for nearly 40 years. His summits are impressive: 300+ on Rainier, 40 on Vinson, 38 summits of Denali out of 49 attempts, Cho Oyu and Aconcagua, plus others. He also loves to guide the Shackleton Crossing on South Georgia Island. Also, Dave had more Everest summits at 15 than any foreigner until Kenton Cool passed him with 18.

He is an accomplished climber and an impressive writer who provides some of the most insightful dispatches from any climb. I was lucky to catch him at home in Taos, where he has been a professional ski patroller at Taos Ski Valley since 1985.

I wanted to do a deep dive into climbing Denali and mine his experience for the nuances of climbing the "Great One."

Episodes will drop each week:

September 15: Introduction

September 22: Mt. Kosciuszko, Australia - 7,310/2228m

September 29: Mt. Blanc, France/Italy - 15,771'/4807m

October 6: Vinson, Antarctica - 16,067/4897m

October 13: Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya), New Guinea - 16,023/4884m

October 20: Elbrus, Russia - 18,513/5642m

October 27: Kilimanjaro, Africa - 19,340/5896m

November 3: Denali, Alaska - 20,320/6194m

November 10: Aconcagua, Argentina - 22,902/6960m

November 17: Everest, Nepal/Tibet - 29,035/8850m