Everest Nepal Summit - Lhotse Expedition and Training Climb 2016
Everest Nepal Summit - Lhotse Expedition and Training Climb 2016
Congratulations team to the Everest Team for their success !. Now we are accepting bookings for 2021 at Everest Nepal Climb . Welcome to the team!
Blog posts: Please scroll down for more news.
1 June -
Update on Sherpa death tragedy on Mount Lhotse. They may have been tying new rope to 3 year old rope and placing no anchors = BAD
SummitClimb member receiving praise: rescuing climber on #Everest. Please google: "Les Binns Everest Rescue". we r so proud of you!
Everest SummitClimb member Les Binns saved climber's life on summit day. George Kashouh and Gary Ervin helped too. Good work team!
Now SummitClimb team at Lukla, "World's Most Dangerous Airport". weather seems to be holding, hope we will fly to kathmandu today.
30 May - Pangboche town, Everest Exped storeroom. Yak + Sherpa babies, Rhododendrons and towering Mount Ama Dablam. You joining in October?
29 May - Early sunrise Everest bc: yak bells jingle, Sherpas load huge bags. From top of camp an enourmous chearing: Everest Marathon !!
26 May
- Sherpa Rescue Team are camping with us in C2 tonight. These are teams of 6 Sherpas who patrol Everest at the end of the season
- A section of the icefall collapsed today, blocking up and down traffic. We need those ice fall doctors to fix it so we may descend
- SummitClimb Lhotse team retreats to camp 2 after yet another blizzard blasts & buries ropes. It feels avalanche, unsafe. We quit.
24 May - SummitClimb Mount Lhotse team update: High winds have the team pinned down in camp 3. Hoping for calmer weather so they can go up
May 23 -
- All of team 2 have now downclimbed from Everest Summit to safe and warm Camp 2, where we have a skillful cook. We are so thankful.
- All SummitClimb Everest South Col members now descending Lhotse Face down to camp 2. Hopefully they make it before today's storm.
May 22 -
- Congratulations to SummitClimb Team 2 on reaching the summit of Everest and returning to the SouthCol safely. Bad weather. B Safe
- SummitClimb team 2 now Everest summit in snow blizzard. Exhausting 13.5 hour ascent. Now facing difficult descent. Pray for them.
21 May
- SummitClimb Lhotse team is now advancing on target: world's 4th highest mountain. Today camp 3, tomorrow camp 4, then try summit.
- Member from another team passed away in tent on South Col last night. Deepest condolences to their family and expedition team. Sad
- We're camped Everest South Col awaiting tonight's 7pm summit attempt. Camp has appx 50 tents. Gps locator says we are in China!
- Beautiful weather in south col today! Taking a rest day, sipping on oxygen and drinking tea. Summit push tonight! -George Kashouh
- Team 1 has descended to camp 2. team 2 is in camp 4 preparing to go for summit. Please wish us luck.
Climbers using fixed rope for climbing up to camp 2. Photo Gary Ervin. Leslie Binns going down to camp 1. Photo Gary Ervin
19 May -
- SummitClimb Team 1 resting South Col after Everest summit. Team 2 has now climbed to C3 and will try Everest summit day after tom
- Now trying to identify which group climber was with. Not summitclimb but oh my God, how terrible Deceased body has tragically appeared at base of #Lhotse face. Not from SummitClimb. Sherpas saw climber falling unroped 30 min ago.
- Radio call just now received: 100 percent of SummitClimb Everest Team 1 are now on top of Everest. Sunny day. Congratulations!
- SummitClimb Lhotse: weather is good but the ropes are not yet fixed, so team is standing by in camp 2, where it is safe and warm
The cliffs of the yellow band straight up ahead! Tents at camp 3.Mike Fairman photo Icefall start, rope being use. Photo Klaus Johansson
18 May - SummitClimb team 1: no summit last night (too windy). Try tonight. Team 2 holding at C2: Precaution due to lack of tents South Col.
17 May - Everest C4 SouthCol destroyed: wind. Most tents broken. Groups flee. Our team 1 survive bad nite in torn tents. Try summit tonight.
16 May - SummitClimb team B is now in camp 2 after a challenging ascent from base camp. Team A is on the South Col waiting. Too windy there.
Basia Gorska at camp 3. Photo by Sange Sherpa. Climbers about to reach south col. Photo Gary Ervin
Sherpa and Gary before going for summit. Photo Gary Ervin. Summit Ridge seen from south col. Photo Gary Ervin
Crossing khumbu icefall. Photo Gary Ervin. Gary and Sherpa at South Col. Photo Gary Ervin
15 May - SummitClimb team 2 now packing for tonight's climb up through the Khumbu Icefall and attempt on Everest. Please wish us luck.
14 May - Good discussion today with EverestER about how to help Sherpas and climbers be more prepared for high altitude emergency
13 May - 14 foreign climbers and 13 sherpas reached the summit of Everest today. Congratulations!
12 May -
- We are awaiting news of Kenton Cool reaching the summit. The Himalayas most famous climber. Go Kenton Cool.
- A large section of the Khumbu Icefall just collapsed. No injuries reported yet. Teams are stuck. Now searching more ladders, rope.
- 9 Sherpas Summit Everest At 17:30 !!
11 May - SummitClimb Everest team 1 sets off for the top of our world's highest peak tonight at 2am. Please wish them the very best of luck!
10 May - Welcome tn Everest Basecamp Trekker's Rock. Upon this spot 1000's of dreams come true! (bad weather, we are hiking around camp)
Basecamp panaroma at trekkers rock. Mike Fairman Photo
Mike, Paula, and Dan at the trekkers rock in basecamp. Photo by unknown trekker. Paula at the trekkers rock in basecamp. Mike Fairman Photo
Gary Ervin prepares to eat a massive slice of chocolate cake during expedition rest days. Jonas Lohaus Photo. Jonas in Camp 3 at 7100 metres. Photo by George Kashouh
George, Klaus, and Doctor Tanya at Everest ER. Jonas Lohaus Photo. Guess whose tent this is. Photo by S Claus.
Eco Lodge in Lobuche. A place to rest and recover during expedition rest days. Jonas Lohaus Photo. Rest day food during the expedition. Bacon cheeseburger at Danfe Cafe in Namche. Jonas Lohaus Photo
Strange ice formations and toilet tents in basecamp. Mike Fairman Photo. Trekking dog during expedition rest days. Jonas Lohaus Photo
9 May -
- Heavy snow in Everest basecamp now with a hailstorm and 2cm accumulated on the ground in front of my tent with snow still falling
- Jangbu Sherpa radio call from Yellow Band: 6 SummitClimb Sherpas trying to reach South Col - oxygen delivery. Bad weather: Go Back!
- High winds begin 5am this morning. By 8:30 am #Everest summit and upper mountain is obscured by cloud. SummitClimb team assessing.
7 May - Today dawned foggy and the clouds moved up to cover the high reaches. The sun popped out later in the day to reveal new snow.
6 May - Heavy snow in Everest Basecamp at the moment. Our Sherpas are working high up on the mountain, carrying oxygen, ropes, tents, food
5 May - Rest days: Hot showers, big meals, comfortable basecamp. Many members trek through low villages with thick air and fried chicken.
3 May - Basecamp rest and relax. Hot showers. Clean laundry. Delicious home cooked meals. Movies, email. International phone calls home.
2 May -
- We have returned to basecamp with one delicious meal after another and loads of hot drinks. Cat and Klaus trekked out. We miss you!
- We perch on iceledge. Centre Khumbu Icefall. Crackling blue ice towers surround. Downclimbed 5 ladders to here. GO! Not safe place
- 5am in camp 2. we are packing and preparing for long trip down to basecamp through the icefall. Heard a lot of rumbling down there
In Camp 3 looking toward Nuptse. Franz Ruehrlinger Photo. Camp 2 in a snow storm. Franz Ruehrlinger Photo.
1 May -
- Escape camp 3 down icy, windy, snowy Lhotse Face. Back in C2 safely. Team helped each other. Next: early am icefall descent to BC
- Wake up Everest C 3. Its 5:30am. Winds + snowfall = poor visibility, means descent to basecamp required. Hope to avoid avalanches
30 April -
- In Camp 3 at 7100m / 23,000ft. Climbed a lot of blue ice to get here. its a clear evening. tomorrow good weather go yellow band
- Its early here in camp 2. Winds are light, skies are blue and we are packing for the trip to camp 3. Lhotse face looks blue and icy
29 April - Lhotse face reopens! Ropes moved to new position. SummitClimb team walk to base of face. Sherpas setup C3. Tomorrow we ascend!
28 April -
- Update on Lhotse Face Shutdown: Sherpas descend to icefall, retrieve ladders, carry up to bridge new crevasse at base of face. Hope
- Big News: an ice collapse has closed the Lhotse Face. All teams retreat to C2. Now studying safe options: ladders vs long detours?
27 April - Team rests in Camp 2. Basia, George, Martin arrive. All together again. Sherpas climbed Lhotse Face to C3. Blue ice due to drought
Mount Pumori and Western Cwm seen from camp 3 with rope fixing going on in foreground. Franz Ruehrlinger Photo. Team descending toward the camera. Franz Ruehrlinger Photo
26 April -
- Team arrives C2 at 6473m / 21,040ft . Crossed W Cwm, now known as Western Barbecue. Roger and Steve choppered out. Miss you guys
- Now packing in camp 1 for ascent to camp 2. Winds lighter last night. We were able to rest. It seems a weather window opens for us.
24 April - High winds here. Team rests C1. Lots of hot drinks, soup. Marty, Steve up from BC. Basia and George up tomorrow. Sherpas setup C2.
- Team climbs up Khumbu Icefall. The route is longer due to drought = many crevasses. Now we are comfortable in Camp 1 @ 6100 metres.
- We packed all of our mountain clothing and equipment. Preparing to head up to camp 1 at midnight. wish us luck and light winds!
22 April - Expedition blessing ceremony led by high priest from pangboche. Sherpas danced and sang and led toasts to Everest. Team enjoyed it!
21 April - Sangay, Steve, Martin, Dan, Basia ice climb, cross ladders in camp. Team treks to 5800m / 19,100ft.
Walking back to basecamp after ice training. Mike Fairman photo
20 April - High wind strikes Everest BC. Some tents broken. SummitClimb team mobilizes. Secure camp, extra ropes. Forecast = more extreme wind.
19 April - Ice climbing training on towers near Everest BC today. Sunny not too hot. Axes, helmets, ropes, harnesses, screws, jumars, 8s!
Paula on the Namche Bridge. Mike Fairman Photo
18 April -
- Everest BC gold sunrise. 15 min walk: visit Icefall Doctors, EverestER hospital. Check climbing gear. Tasty dinner. Watch movies.
- Tony helicopters out of Everest base in morning. Family emergency. Our office put him on flight home in afternoon. We miss you Tony
16 April - Trek from Lobuche to Gorak Shep, the last teastop. Together we trekked into #Everest basecamp, to a warm welcome at 5300m / 17500 ft
15 April - Clear morn. Snow dust over trail. Trek through Dughla memorial honor Everest's fallen. Tonight Lobuche 4950m / 16,200ft
14 April - Trekked Dingboche hill 5000m / 16400ft. Stunning views Makalu. Snowy afternoon. Potato pancakes, hot showers, friends
13 April - Team blessed by Pangboche high priest. Sipping tea beneath Ama Dablam. Trekking to Dingboche village @ 4400m night snow
12 April - Walk upper Khumbu Valley. Stunning views Thamserku, Kangtega, Everest. Lovely lodge at Pangboche. Small quake last night!
11 April - Rest acclimatize Namche. delicious late breakfast. walk Everest view hotel. chocolate cake, pizza, billiards, showers
9 April - Early morning flight to "World's Most Dangerous Airport". We lived, and our bags arrived too! Trekked 200m down to Phakding
Rhodhodhendrons hanging cliff face on the trail to Namche Bazaar. photo James Grieve. Photograph of an unusual coloured Mani on the trail photograph by James Grieve
George Kashouh resting by some glacier water on our trek to Namche Bazaar. photograph by James Grieve. Barley fields on the trail to Everest BaseCamp. Photo by James Grieve
Tony, Les, Jonas, and James on the streets of Lukla. Gary Ervin Photo. Yaks on the bridge in front of Roger and Gary on the trek. photograph by James Grieve. Mingma sherpa leading the climb members on the way to Namche Bazaar. photograph by James Grieve.
James Grieve and Lakpa Sherpa On the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla - photo by James. Getting ready for the second days trek to Base camp leaving from the green village lodge. photograph by James Grieve
Les Binns from Yorkshire arrives at Lukla, the world's most dangerous airport. Lukla - 'World's Most Dangerous Airport' - Runway goes straight into a rock wall. Gary Ervin photo
8 April - Group meeting Everest Tibet, Everest Nepal, Mount Lhotse. Final packing and making medical kits. Tomorrow fly to Lukla
7 April - Members arrive. We are checking their gear and visiting Kathmandu's 100 mountain climbing shops: Shona's, Everest Hardwear
Team Roster:
Everest Nepal -
Daniel Mazur (Leader) , UK/USA
Leslie Binns, UK
Gary Ervin, USA
George Kashouh, USA
Ms. Paula Leonard, USA
James Grieve, UK
Ms. Basia Gorska, USA
Cameron Fairman (mike), USA
Martin Krajc, USA
Lhotse -
Jonas Lohaus, Belgium
Roger Wright
Franz Rührlinger, German
7 April Training Climb
-
Magnus Felke, USA
Klaus Johansson, Denmark
Anthony Sanchez, USA
Steve Dunn, USA
Catalin Isfan, USA /Romania
Sherpas And Staff -
Ms.Yanji Sherpa
Jangbu Sherpa
Lakpa Nuru Sherpa
Sange Sherpa
Tendu Sherpa
Mingmar Sherpa
Pema Gyalu Sherpa
Karma Gyalje Sherpa
Basecamp Staff:
Nir Kaji Tamang
Jaya Bahadhur Nagarkoti
Dawa Sange Sherpa
Les Binns BBC rescue story
1 member of our team rescued climbers from other groups.
Leslie Binns article by Mario Cacciottolo & Natasa Simovic BBC News - - A British ex-serviceman abandoned his Mount Everest climb some 500m from the summit to save a fellow mountaineer.Leslie Binns, 42, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, turned around to save Sunita Hazra, an Indian woman, who was scaling the summit ahead of him.
He said he felt "immensely proud" to have saved a life but wished he could have also helped save another climber, who died on the descent.
Mr Binns was blinded in his left eye after an explosion in Afghanistan.
He was in the Army for 13 years, serving in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan and was blown up four times. He has been awarded two medals, including the Queen's Commendation for Bravery for finding improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan in 2009.
Ms Hazra, who is 32 and lives near Kolkata in India, left hospital on Wednesday.
Her brother Kingshuk Chatterjee told the BBC the family "cannot express our gratitude" to Mr Binns for saving her.
"He's the reason why she is still alive now," he said. "He is a very brave man."
Mr Binns, who now works in private security in oil fields in Iraq, said the incident happened when he was on a climb in the early hours of 21 May.
He was approaching an area nicknamed "The Balcony" - where climbing teams store spare oxygen bottles - when he noticed a "commotion" ahead of him.
"I noticed someone sliding down the fixed climbing lines towards me.
"All I could hear were the screams of terror as the person gained momentum. I braced myself to try and stop whoever it was, and managed to do so.
"At this time I didn't know that this was Sunita Hazra. I helped her upright and looked at her oxygen regulator. It was registering empty."
Mr Binns helped Ms Hazra recover and she attempted to continue her descent by herself, but collapsed after about 20 metres.
"It was at this point I decided to cancel my summit bid to help Sunita," Mr Binns said. He was about another 12 hours away from making the final ascent to the top.
"I climbed down to her and called my Sherpa. I told him we are not going up and we would give Sunita my spare oxygen bottle and take her down."
He says the descent was a perilous and difficult one, and on the way the three climbers found another man who was also struggling to descend, bringing him along with them.
Mr Binns said Ms Hazra and the other climber "kept collapsing", adding: "I fell into waist-deep crevasses no less than five times, which was very tiring, and we were also crossing blue ice which was very dangerous as we kept slipping."
Eventually he and Ms Hazra managed to reach his camp, but due to exhaustion and difficult weather conditions they were unable to bring the other climber along.
"I then remembered we had a flask of ginger tea. I used this to try and re-warm Sunita's hand. I dried it off and told her to keep it in her fleece pocket which would keep it warm."
Mr Binns says that while in his tent he heard the other climber's voice in the distance "but I was too exhausted to go back out - I literally collapsed and fell asleep".
In the morning, Mr Binns learned the other climber had been found and taken to his team. Ms Hazra's Sherpa came to collect her and help her to continue down the mountain.
But when Mr Binns continued with his own descent that next day, he came across the body of the other climber, who had died during his journey downwards.
Mr Binns believes Sherpas took the body down from the mountain, and is unsure as to how the climber eventually died.
Mr Binns said: "I truly regret not being able to do anything more for him. But I had nothing left in me that night and I tried my level best to rescue him, but he could not be moved. No summit is worth a life.
"I am immensely proud that I helped Sunita. I just wish I could have done more."
Mr Binns, who has climbed "all the major peaks in the UK", is now in Kathmandu and due to return to the UK to see his fiancee and daughter on 6 June.
"I wish Sunita and her family all the best and hope she makes a full recovery," he said.