The Everest 2021 season is well underway with many teams on their way to Everest Base Camp expecting to arrive around April 15. As of April 3, 138 Everest permits had been issued to foreigners. Around 300 are still expected making this a busy, but not a record season like 2019.

As I’ve noted, the vast majority of the climbing will be on the Nepal side as China has closed Tibet to all foreigners and only a couple of Chinese national teams are anticipated to climb from that side in 2021. We’ll see if they open up for autumn climbs.

The Khumbu is starting to fill up with climbers. With now over 138 Everest permits issued, they have left Kathmandu and most flew to Lukla, the traditional start of the week-long walk to Everest Base Camp. For some, the flight to Lukla will be a highlight of their trip.

Arriving in Kathmandu is when many people feel their adventure begins. A city with a long history dating to 185 AD, the capital of Nepal has grown to over 2.5 million residents in the Kathmandu Valley. Sadly the streets are congested and the city has one of the worse air quality indexes in the world. However, it remains a city rich in culture and deserving of a day or two for tourism.

Leaving home to climb Mt. Everest is no simple task. It’s not a business trip; it’s not a vacation; it’s something entirely different. While it may be your dream, for those left behind, it can be something altogether different. As we approach the end of March, scores of climbers are going through this process for Everest 2021. It's time for "nothing left unsaid."

Welcome to Everest 2021 Podcast coverage. This is Alan Arnette and I'll be posting updates throughout the season and on each weekend with a summary of what's happened and what to look for. The fast paced podcasts are a great way of keeping up with the action if you can't get to my blog at https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

As we aproach the Everest 2021 season, a bit of a change of pace for today's interview. I speak with Utah resident and Chicago born David Roskelly.

We talk about the Volcanic Seven Summits and the High Point on the Moon in a Tesla with Dave Roskelley is the only American to have climbed the Seven Summits (Messner list) AND the Volcanic Seven Summits, one of only 23 for the V7S and five for both versions of the 7S. We talk about the why, when, where, and how plus his next big project - to take a Tesla to the high point on the Moon!!!

Who else can you discuss summiting Mt. Everest and dodging polar bears with other than Ryan Waters, of Mountain Professionals?

I grabbed Ryan just before he left for Everest 2021. We talked about Everest, of course, and COVID, quarantine, and the confusion around photographs taking and sharing. But we also went into his polar trips to the North and South Poles and his encounters with Polar Bears!!! Scary stuff!!

An informative and inspirational interview with something for everyone. Enjoy!

You can follow his climb on his site. I will be covering Ryan and all the action on Everest this spring on my Blog.

It's rare to catch Maya Sherpa for an interview but I did as she was leaving for a double 8000-meter climb of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. She holds the record for most 8000ers for a Nepali female at 6 with Everest, Lhotse, Manaslu, Kanchcunga, Cho Oyu, and K2.

We talked out how a girl from rural Nepal broke into the male-dominated world of mountaineering, not only as a climber but also as a guide. She talked about her now 11-year-old daughter and how she wants to use their climbing to inspire others, especially this next generation of young ladies.

An informative and inspirational interview with something for everyone. Enjoy!

You can follow her climb on Facebook. I will be covering Maya and all the action on the 8000ers and Everest this spring on my Blog.

As I covered in a recent post, Everest 2021 is coming on soon. There are questions as to whether operators should run their programs at all. Many are moving forward but a few are not. I discuss the situation with Mark Gunlogson, Mountain Madness who has canceled his expedition from the Nepal side this spring. They are running a fundraiser with partners who will provide matching funds to support vaccinations in Nepal. We also explore MM's other trips around the world.

As I covered in a recent post, Everest 2021 is coming on soon. There are questions as to whether operators should run their programs at all. Many are moving forward but a few are not.  I discuss the situation with Adrian Ballinger, founder of Alpenglow Expeditions who has canceled his expedition from the Tibet side this spring. We also talk about the historic K2 Winter summit.