By Marshall Thompson
Today Apa arrived safely at Base Camp. He was surprisingly full of energy and ready to get home to his family as soon as possible. I appreciate his attitude because I can’t wait to see my family as well. I’m planning on leaving tomorrow morning so this is going to be my last [...]
MOUNT EVEREST BASE CAMP ― Apa Sherpa just broke his own world’s record by summiting Mount Everest for the 20th time at 8:34 a.m. Saturday.
Apa’s goal in climbing this year was to help efforts to increase educational opportunities in the Khumbu Region, which includes the areas around Mount Everest.
In a statement he prepared in anticipation [...]
From now until Apa summits Mount Everest for the 20th time, I’m going to be doing live updates on Twitter and Facebook.
Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/apasherpa
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/apasherpa
You can ask any questions you want and I will respond within less than a half hour.
Dawa Steven, the expedition leader, Chunu, the Nepali government liaison officer, and I are now barricaded in the communications tent. We brought in a small gas heater and have zipped up the doors and tried to plug all the cracks. It’s starting to get a bit warmer.
Outside there are heavy clouds over Mount Everest right [...]
While Apa was getting ready to climb Mount Everest, a group of South Asian countries were meeting to discuss important matters like climate change. During said meeting, Apa was named the new Goodwill Ambassador for Climate Change. I knew about this a week or so ago, but Apa got the official letter today. (I’ve attached [...]
Today Apa is resting at Camp 2 while the rest of the team went up to Camp 3. Tomorrow Apa will catch up to them at Camp 4, where they will all rest for a few hours before heading for the summit. Apa is doing very well in Camp 2, however, the rest of the [...]
Today at 5 a.m. Apa left base camp for his final summit push. If he is successful, it will be his 20th summit of Mount Everest and a new world record. I filmed the whole event and I was accompanied by three other camera men. It was a big deal. At 4:15 a.m. Andrew, who [...]
By Marshall Thompson
While we were waiting for the weather to clear up this week, Apa participated in the Eco Everest clean-up of human bodies on and around Mount Everest. In total, they respectfully removed three bodies from the lower part of the Khumbu Ice Fall and from the glacier. This happened, a few days ago, [...]
First off, I am a forty seven year old mother who likes to read. I happened upon this web site by chance after reading a book by some fellow left for dead while climbing Everest. I have been following every entry ever since then. Can you explain the addiction to climbing Everest that you have, [...]
You may not be aware of this, but it gets cold at night at 17,500 feet and above. Thankfully, one of Apa’s sponsors is Hot Chillys. They make some of the best insulating layers you can get. When Apa is heading for his 20th Everest summit, he’ll be wearing Hot Chillys underneath.
I have a couple [...]
One of Apa’s sponsors is Suunto. They make some of the best watches around for mountaineering. The proof of this is the fact that almost everybody up here is wearing a Suunto. No joke. Apa and I are wearing the TGC, which has been incredibly handy.
First off, I’m a Yankee surrounded by people from different [...]
By Marshall Thompson
As I pored over weather reports with our expedition leader, Dawa Steven, searching uneasily for a window of good weather during which the climbers could make an attempt at the summit, I asked him if it was always this hard to decide.
“Every year,” he said.
Choosing the correct summit window is a life or [...]
First Ascent, a line of adventure clothing from Eddie Bauer, is the official outfitter of Apa Sherpa’s historic attempt for a record breaking 20th summit of Mount Everest. Apa looks sharp in the clothing, but he’s concerned about much more important things.
“It’s very good,” said Apa. “It’s lightweight, warm and durable.”
When Apa makes his summit [...]
By Marshall Thompson
As of today, I have spent nearly a full month living on a glacier at Mount Everest Base Camp. Over his Everest climbing career, Apa has spent almost three full years living on the glacier beneath the Khumbu Ice Fall. Glacial living is interesting at best. To help you at home understand, I’ve [...]
You know it’s good because it alliterates. Within the next week, the weather should open up and provide a nice window for summitting Mount Everest. Apa has finished all his acclimatization rotations and is simply waiting for the opportunity to make a summit push. Before he goes up for his historic 20th attempt, he will [...]
This week our camp got a little bigger. Adam and Corey from the Extreme Ice Survey are staying with us while they install time lapse cameras and do repeat photography of the Khumbu Ice Fall and other glaciers and peaks in the area. The tag line for the EIS is “seeing is believing” and that [...]
Q: It got pretty snowy while you were in camp 2. Were you worried?
A: The weather was bad. I was a little worried for the clients. I don’t have to worry myself because I was only going to spend two nights there. But the weather wasn’t normal so I waited there. It’s very important that [...]
By Marshall Thompson
The weather has been very unpredictable lately and our team has spent far too many days at Camp 2 waiting for an opportunity to go to Camp 3 and acclimatize. This morning was sunny with no wind, but Apa and the team made the tough decision to come down anyway. It was a [...]
By Marshall Thompson
Today we woke up to a winter wonderland. Well, not exactly. It has snowed about five inches during the night and base camp was, in fact, covered with a downy blanket of pure white snow that made hands itch to throw a snowball. I worked my way down to the communications tent where [...]