North side of Everest in the last daylight

It could be a record season on Mount Everest. After the successful 2016 season, experts are expecting a run on the highest mountain on earth – especially since many climbers want to use their extended permits from 2014 (valid until 2019) and from 2015 (which will run out this year). In 2014, the season in Nepal had been finished prematurely after an avalanche accident in the Khumbu Icefall with 16 deaths. In 2015, there had been no ascents on both sides of the mountain due to the devastating earthquake in Nepal.

Dominik Mueller, head of the German expedition operator Amical alpin, will set off to Everest with a “small but strong team” on 8 April. Three clients, four Climbing Sherpas and he himself will try to reach the 8,850-meter-high summit via the normal route on the Tibetan north side. “I will use bottled oxygen because I believe that I can only support other people as best as possible when using a breathing mask,” says the 46-year-old. “Anyone who climbs Everest without supplemental oxygen is so preoccupied with himself that he probably has no resources left to look after others.” I talked to him about the upcoming season.

Dominik, with what expectations do you set off to the Himalayas?

Dominik Mueller

There will probably be more climbers, especially on the Everest south side. But on the north side too.

China has once more fueled the price spiral, by more than 30 percent. A permit for climbing Everest now costs nearly 10,000 dollars. What will be the effect?

This will affect not only Everest but Tibet as a whole, because clients will switch back to the Nepali side. I do not think it’s going to change much on Everest. With regard to the objective dangers, I consider the route on the north side as the safer route, although more logistics is needed. But for the other eight-thousanders in Tibet, it will mean that there will be much less climbers.

Many organizers still prefer the Nepali side because they consider China’s policies in Tibet to be more unpredictable. Do you share this reasoning?

It is not more unpredictable than it was eight or ten years ago. For me, the Chinese have been so far very reliable partners in Tibet. You could refer to what you had agreed on. This has always worked well. For example, only a few permits will be sold for Cho Oyu next fall. This was previously communicated. We decided, however, to go to Manaslu instead of Cho Oyu this fall.

The Nepalese side of Cho Oyu

Permit restrictions for next fall are reported not only for Cho Oyu, but also for Shishapangma. Have they told you a reason?

Obviously there will be a kind of event in Tibet this fall. The Chinese are afraid that there may be unrest and therefore want as few foreigners staying in Tibet as possible. I would have had the chance to get permits for Cho Oyu, but I would have had to confirm these permits already now. According to my information from China, only 50 permits will be sold for this fall. The advantage will be that you are quite lonely on the mountain. But there are also disadvantages. For example, you need manpower after heavy snowfall. If you are only with small teams on the mountain, you will have difficulties to secure the route.

Top of Everest (from the Northeast Ridge)

The Swiss expedition operator Kari Kobler has recently pointed out the corruption of Chinese politicians in Tibet. Do you have also problems with this?

There is, of course, corruption – not only in China, but also in other countries around the world, which we visit as climbers. It’s presumptuous to believe that we could change the whole world on this point. We must arrange with it. The only possible consequence would be to stop traveling to these countries. But in this case we would not be able anymore to give jobs to the ordinary people – like Sherpas, cooks or kitchen boys.

In the meantime, more and more Chinese mountaineers are appearing on the eight-thousanders, in Tibet and in Nepal as well. Is China the market of the future?

I don’t believe this for European operators. Chinese climbers will travel more likely with local agencies. I think it would also be difficult to unite Chinese and European clients in a team – just due to the language barrier.

Nobukazu Kuriki

He is going to make it a round half-dozen. For the sixth time, Japanese Nobukazu Kuriki wants to tackle Mount Everest in the post-monsoon season. The 34-year-old says, he is planning to climb the highest mountain on earth solo, without bottled oxygen, this time via the Tibetan north side. Last year Kuriki had tried to reach the summit from the Nepalese south side – and had failed on Everest for the fifth time: He climbed up to 8,150 meters, about 200 meters above the South Col, before he abandoned his summit attempt due to deep snow and strong winds.

Only one complete finger

After his Everest attempt in fall 2012

In an attempt via the Everest West Ridge in fall 2012, Kuriki had suffered severe frostbite. Nine fingers had to be amputated; only stumps were left – and only one complete thumb. Last spring, the Japanese tried to climb the Annapurna South Face, but didn’t reach far due to bad weather. To finance his new Everest adventure, Kuriki launched a crowdfunding. The targeted amount of the equivalent of almost 160,000 Euros was significantly exceeded.

Patience is needed

Kuriki 2015 on Everest

The Spaniard Kilian Jornet has already traveled to the Himalayas a week ago. As reported before, he also wants to climb Everest from the north, without bottled oxygen – and in a single push. He is targeting an ascent in mid-September. “You need to go for it so if conditions are good and if I’m feeling good, I should try,” said Kilian. “But it’s important to have the patience to wait for this good moment.” Nobukazu Kuriki should also bear that in mind.
The last ascent to the top of Everest in fall dates six years ago: In October 2010, the American Eric Larsen and five Sherpas reached the highest point at 8,850 meters.

Mount Everest

A solitary summit experience is different. Gyanendra Shrestha from the Nepalese Tourism Ministry told the Kathmandu-based newspaper “The Himalayan Times” that about 150 climbers had reached the 8850-meter-high summit of Mount Everest since the morning. The number would probably increase to more than 200 during the day. After the strong wind had calmed down, many teams set off from South Col on the Nepalese side of the mountain. The numerous summit successes on Everest were overshadowed by a fatality on the neighboring mountain Lhotse.

According to the expedition operator Aun Treks, Ang Furba Sherpa fell down the Lhotse flank to his death. He belonged to a team of six Sherpas who were securing the route on the 8516-meter-high Lhotse with fixed ropes.

On the north side of Everest, the first summit successes are expected soon. The rope-fixing team of the China Tibet Mountaineering Association was on the last slopes below the summit, American climber Adrian Ballinger wrote on Twitter.

Pilots in continous operation

All climbers from the high camps on Mount Everest are safe. In the morning the last 17 climbers, who had been stranded at Camp 1 at 6,100 meters, nine Sherpas and eight foreigners, were flown down to the valley by helicopter. An official of the Nepalese Tourism Ministry said, more than 200 climbers had been rescued on Everest. It was the most extensive rescue operation in the history of high altitude mountaineering. According to department reports, at least 19 climbers, including five foreign nationals, have been confirmed dead in two avalanches. It seems that this figure also includes three Sherpas who reportedly died in the Khumbu Icefall during an aftershock on Sunday.

Messner: “Two-class rescue”

Reinhold Messner

Discussions were caused bay a statement of climbing legend Reinhold Messner. The 70-year-old South Tyrolean sees a two-class rescue in Nepal. “It’s cynical that there is such a hype about the climbers on Mount Everest, who can buy this climb for 80,000 to 100,000 dollars”, Messner said in a German radio interview. There were enough doctors and food on Everest, Messner added. Furthermore the mountaineers could fly out by helicopter. Elsewhere, the aid was needed more urgent: “A much bigger disaster happened in the Kathmandu Valley and in the canyons around the capital.”

That’s true, of course, but in contrast to this area, helicopter rescue on Everest has been established for several years. It just runs like clockwork. Furthermore, not all climbers who were rescued were rich men or women from abroad, but also less well-off Sherpas – many of them injured. Any rescue of a person, whether with a big or small budget, is good news. And I’m sure that the helicopter rescue pilots now fly on to other regions in order to help. My thanks and respect to all these pilots who were deployed tirelessly – and to all the others who lend their helping hands during the rescue.

German operator Amical abandons expeditions in Tibet

In the Chinese Base Camp on the Tibetan north side of Everest the discussions between Chinese officials and expedition leaders continue. An end of all expeditions is still possible. The Chinese government fears further aftershocks. The office of German expedition operator Amical alpin informed me, that its Everest expedition in Tibet was abandoned. Expedition leader Dominik Mueller wants to stay at base camp for the present and then accompany the Sherpas of his team back to Kathmandu. Amical also stopped his Cho Oyu expedition referring to an order of the Chinese government.

Alix von Melle and Luis Stitzinger in Chinese Basecamp

Actually, they wanted to climb Mount Everest without bottled oxygen this spring. Actually, they were on the Tibetan north side of Everest where no one was injured by the earthquake. Nevertheless, the German couple Alix von Melle and Luis Stitzinger finished their Everest expedition, before they could make any attempt on the mountain. “Although there is no damage to people or property on the north side, we cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering thas has happened”, Alix and Luis write on their homepage. “Moreover, we do not want to be the reason why Nepalese helpers, cooks and Climbing Sherpas have to stay here and cannot go home to their families to see if everything is alright. Under the circumstances, we think it’s wrong to continue our  expedition. Even a possible summit success would feel vapid and invalid. We couldn’t find any joy in it.” Now both want to try to travel back via the Tibetan capital Lhasa.

Book Everest remains open

It’s not clear whether other climbers on the north side of Everest will follow their example. “We also can understand those who still want to take their opportunity on Everest – perhaps the only one in their whole life. Also for us, the decision was not easy. We were well prepared, well acclimatized on the mountain and highly motivated for the challenge. But in the end we always follow our feelings, and it doesn’t feel right this time.” 43-year-old Alix and 46-year-old Luis so far climbed six eight-thousanders, five of them together. The chapter Everest 2015 is finished, but the book remains open for them: “Be sure: Everest, we will be back! Someday.”

David Goettler (© The North Face)

This year, the Tibetan north side of Mount Everest works like a magnet to German professional climbers. David Goettler has announced that he also wants to climb the highest mountain in the world from the north this spring, along with his German friend Daniel Bartsch and the Canadian Raphael Slawinski. “If everything runs perfectly, we want to try a variant or a new route. Others have to decide how it is called at the end”, the 36-year-old tells me on the phone. The planned ascent route runs near the normal route, first on the left, later crossing it between Camp 2 (7500 meters) and 3 (8300 meters), leading to the “Great Couloir” (also called Norton Couloir). “This would allow us to avoid possible traffic jams at the rocky steps on the normal route”, says David. The trio wants to climb without Sherpa support and without bottled oxygen.

Everything must match

Norton Couloir

According to the words of David, initially Gerfried Goeschl had the idea for this route. The Austrian has been missing on the eight-thousander Gasherbrum I in Pakistan since March 2012 when he tried to climb that mountain in winter. Later, the Canadian Louis Rousseau, a former expedition partner of Goeschl, followed the Austrian’s Everest idea, Goettler explains. Rousseau withdrew from the expedition on short notice, but agreed that the other three climbers should try it without him. “It depends very much on the conditions. Only if everything runs perfectly, we can realize our dream”, says David. He expects that they are able to take a good view into the planned route very soon and decide then whether it makes sense to try it. “If not, we won’t take up this idea and will switch to the normal route. If the three of us will reach the summit without oxygen then, we would be pretty happy too.”

“Secret weapon“ Slawinski

The mountaineer from the town of Munich has already climbed five eight-thousanders, most recently Makalu in May 2013. At that time, Daniel Bartsch stood on top too. “He is my best friend. We are a very experienced team. We know each other since school times”, says David. He was not yet on expedition with Raphael Slawinski. In 2014, the Canadian and his compatriot Ian Welsted were awarded the Piolet d’Or, the “Oscar for climbers”, for their first ascent of 7040-meter-high K 6 West in the Karakoram. “He’s our secret weapon for difficult mixed terrain. There he seems to be unbeatable”, Goettler says about the Canadian.

Rather from the north

Last year, David wanted to climb Everest from the south without bottled oxygen, but had to leave empty-handed because of what happened after the avalanche in the Khumbu Icefall. “I was very disappointed about last season and all the things that happened in Nepal”, David recalls. “I wanted to spare myself the uncertainty of what may happen there this year. I think it’s better to wait a season or two until the situation turns normal again.”

As previously reported, the German professional mountaineers Ralf Dujmovits, Alix von Melle and Luis Stitzinger also want to reach the summit of Mount Everest from Tibet without bottled oxygen. In addition, Thomas Laemmle, at first leader of a commercial expedition to Cho Oyu, announced, that he later would turn to Everest to climb it without breathing mask.