Txikon (with a stray dog) in Base Camp

Alex Txikon has set off again. At 4.30 a.m. local time, the Basque and his Sherpa team left Everest Base Camp. Their declared destination today: Camp 2 at 6,400 meters. The last entry of his GPS tracker shows a position above Camp 1 in the “Western Cwm” at 6,216 meters. There has as yet been no confirmation that Alex and Co. have reached Camp 2. The 35-year-old wants to scale Mount Everest without bottled oxygen – a feat that before him only Ang Rita Sherpa had succeeded on 22 December 1987, on the very first day of calendrical winter. The Nepalese was then climbing Everest much earlier in the cold season than Txikon now.

Mini weather window

Will Alex try to reach the top? He should be well recovered after over a week in Base Camp and also quite well acclimatized. Finally, on his previous ascent, which had led him up to an altitude of 7,800 meters on the Lhotse flank, he had already spent one night at about 7,300 meters. If Txikon really wants to reach the highest point at 8,850 meters by now, he has no time to waste.

Mount Everest

For the next days sunny winter weather is predicted, but latest on Sunday, the wind in the summit are is to swell to storm strength. An ascent, even with bottled oxygen,would then be impossible. Previously, however, a mini good weather window with little wind is expected on Saturday. That could workt. On Friday to the South Col, on Saturday to the summit. If the meteorologists are right – and all, really all fits together perfectly. Wait and see, and keep your fingers crossed!