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Adrian has a plan for Everest 2022

Words by Alpenglow CEO & Founder, Adrian Ballinger

 

Confidence in April 2022

Alpenglow has confidence that Tibet will open for our Everest North Side 2022 expedition next April. We’re having good communications with our local partners in Tibet and they’re hopeful that they will begin normal tourism by the end of 2021, which should set us up well for Everest expeditions in the spring of 2022, a few months after Tibet has re-opened. They’ve been working with us to consider different potential requirements like vaccinations and COVID testing. Tibet and CTMA (Chinese Tibetan Mountaineering Association) have solid plans in place for reopening the country safely.

 

2021: A low success rate on the Nepali side of the mountain

The 2021 season had an unacceptably low success rate on the south side of the mountain, combined with really serious safety issues, I think those trends that we’ve been seeing for years will continue to increase the popularity of the north side.

 

2022: Planning on Everest North Side Rapid Ascent

After two years of Alpenglow not running Everest expeditions due to COVID (2020 and 2021), we do expect to sell out our trip for spring 2022. Our team size at Alpenglow is really important to us and Alpenglow doesn’t necessarily want to become bigger. We will continue to manage our team size to make sure we can all have a positive, fun, and safe experience on the mountain.

 

Four Ways Alpenglow does Everest Better

 

1.)We climb Everest from the Tibet side, which is one-third as busy as the Nepali side.

The north side of the mountain, the Chinese Tibetian side, while much more logistically complicated, is significantly safer than the south side of the mountain. It’s better managed, which leads to fewer inexperienced climbers, fewer rescues, fewer accidents, and fewer traffic jams. It’s about one-third as busy as the Nepali side of the mountain. Alpenglow is a leader in trips to the north side of the mountain, we’ve been going there since 2015. Our expertise and dedication to that side lead to successful trips.

 

 

2.)Our team is lead by IFMGA-certified guides and super-experienced Sherpa.

Our team is made up of IFMGA-certified guides, super-experienced Sherpa with KCC (Khumbu Climbing Center) training and certification, and an incredible base camp staff that I’ve been working with now since the ’90s.

You just can’t say enough about the team and guides like Topo Esteban Mena, Carla Perez, Chad Peele, Sid Patterson, me, Monica Piris (our expedition doctor), and Dorji Sonam Sherpa. These climbers, guides, and Sherpa have dedicated decades to running the safest and most successful Everest expeditions out there– we think they’re the most fun as well.

 

3.)High levels of comfort at Everest Base Camp and excellent food.

Our camp structure– we can drive to base camp on the north side, whereas on the south side everything has to be hiked by porters, yaks, or helicopters– means our camp infrastructure can be next level. Alpenglow has always been a believer of having high levels of comfort and excellent food at base camp and advanced base camp which allows us to perform at higher levels on the mountain itself when we’re up climbing.

 

 

4.)Rapid Ascent™ increases safety and success on the mountain and reduces the overall expedition time by up to 50%.

We pioneered the rapid ascent™ system in 2012 and now we use it exclusively for our high-altitude 8,000m peak climbs. Many teams are now offering a kind of “fast-ascent” expedition add-on, but they mix traditional clients doing 70-day trips with fast clients doing 30-day trips and we’ve really found that doesn’t work. You need the team to be cohesive, all on a similar schedule. Our system combines pre-acclimatization and smart oxygen flows, plus unparalleled logistics. That’s what leads to successful rapid accent trips and allows us to climb Everest in less than 35 days.

 

There’s no one else out there who has dedicated themselves as a company to the rapid ascent system. We love it– it adds safety and success on the mountain and reduces the expedition time by up to 50%.

 

Two sherpa back lit with the morning sun on Mt EverestEVEREST NORTH SIDE RAPID ASCENT

For information on Everest North Side Rapid Ascent check out our website. For any questions call our office at 877-873-5376 or send us an email at info@alpenglowexpeditions.com. We hope to climb with you soon!