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Rapid Ascent Team says farewell to Everest. Cho+Everest Team takes a second chance at a summit bid.

Everest Rapid Ascent Team: After a mass equipment failure forced both teams to abandon their summit pushes, the Rapid Ascent Team has made the difficult decision to end their Everest season. The team is currently descending to Everest Base Camp and they will head home in a couple days. After sharing an incredible and challenging experience over the past few weeks, the team is saying an emotional goodbye to one another and bidding a bittersweet farewell to Everest.

Everest Rapid Ascent…

Lines fixed to the summit. Team’s high point at 8,500m.

During yesterday’s summit push, teams experienced a systemic failure of their oxygen systems. In the interest of everyone’s safety, the team made the tough decision to abandon their summit push and return to lower elevation. All team members, guides, and Sherpa have safely descended to Advanced Base Camp.

Guide Adrian Ballinger’s account of the situation, “As day broke, we were two teams – one at 28,000 feet; the other at 28,500 feet. Our night had been perfect – still, warm, and with all 25 of our…

Due to a mass equipment failure, teams on Everest have stopped their summit push and have descended below 7,700m. All clients, guides, and Sherpa are safe and accounted for at this time.

Both of our Alpenglow Expeditions teams, along with other teams on Everest, were utilizing an industry standard supplemental oxygen system during their summit push. When multiple of the team’s oxygen bottle regulators malfunctioned, the team made the difficult decision to stop their summit push and return to lower elevation.

Since this time, it has become apparent that a defective batch of oxygen bottle regulators was…

After a rock star push yesterday, the Everest Rapid Ascent Team made it to Camp 3 and the Cho+Everest team arrived at Camp 2. An hour from now (at 2am Everest time) our teams will be waking up for their FINAL push to the summit.

Here’s the update from guide Chad Peele after their arrival at Camp 3 yesterday, “Team Alpenglow Expeditions is in position at 8,300m for our summit bid. Believe it or not, I’m incredibly hot lying here with bare feet. The blazing sun, clear skies and zero wind almost feels like a cheat……

The Cho+Everest Lightning Ascent team departing ABC for North Col Camp on Sunday. On May 6 this team stood on top of Cho Oyu. Now they plan to be standing on the summit of Everest in just a couple days!

It’s go time on Everest and both teams are charging for the summit! The enormous anticipation of summiting is intensifying as both teams push elevation and tag higher and higher camps. Both the teams have departed Advanced Base Camp.

Low visibility REALLY makes you appreciate the fixed lines.

The Cho+Everest Team…

The whole gang is together now at ABC on Mount Everest. Lots of chatter this morning between guides and sherpa finalizing summit plans. LAST MINUTE UPDATE FROM CHAD PEELE: “Jaime the team and I are launching tomorrow morning after bfast for our push with a summit date of the 16th!!” So it’s official – the summit push is on. The teams are bedding down for their last night of good sleep for awhile. We’ll update when they wake up.

Final Plans Being Made

Everest + Cho Team leaving EBC on their way up to ABC.

During this final stage, the guides…

The view from North Col / Camp 1 (23,000’ / 7000m)

The two teams are crossing paths for the first time since the start of their expeditions. The teams will intersect at Advanced Base Camp.

Cho+Everest Team Here’s the latest update from Adrian Ballinger and the Cho+Everest team:

Our Sherpa team make rapid ascent climbing possible

“Exactly 5 days since we became the first team of the season to stand on top of Cho Oyu, we are leaving base camp for our…

Some yaks get it

The best fort ever?

The Cho+Everest team arrived at EBC from Shegar yesterday. They are ready to climb again after summiting Cho Oyu on Sunday and then resting at “lower” altitude for a few days in Shegar. Now, they are gearing up at EBC to tackle their second 8,000m peak in under 30 days.

After a lot of strenuous climbing, the luxuries of Everest Base Camp feel extra cushy.…

How many steps does it take to get to the top of Everest? …Better not to think about it

Continuing to acclimatize for their summit push, the Everest team completed a rotation to North Col/C1 (23,000’/7,000m) and returned to ABC (21,300’/6,400m).

The North Col is a severe sharp-edged pass that was formed by glaciers- it forms the head of the East Rongbuk Glacier. The glacier marks the first point in the route where crampons become necessary for climbers.

The route to North Col/Camp 1 gets STEEP. Rope up and crampons on!

In anticipation of summiting, the…

The team departing Advanced Base Camp (21,300’ / 6400m) for an acclimatization climb to North Col Camp (23,000’ / 7000m).

The Everest team is planning their summit push around an upcoming window of calm weather. Current intense winds are expected to drop by May 10, making way for a massive stretch of high pressure with low winds through May 16.

The team, currently based out of Advanced Base Camp (21,300’/6400m), will complete acclimatization climb to North Col Camp (23,000’/7000m) and then return to ABC for a couple more days of rest before…

Starting their 16-hour summit push in the wee hours of the morning.

Congratulations to Adrain Ballinger and the Cho+Everest Team for their successful summit of Cho Oyu this weekend! After a heroic 16-hour summit push, a mere 9 days after leaving home, The Cho+Everest team stood atop the 6th tallest mountain in the world (26,906’).

Despite ominous weather forecasts (projected temps were -49°F) the team was lucky to sneak through a closing window of calm winds and mild temps. The team even went so…

A successful Everest journey begins with Puja.

Before leaving Everest Base Camp and beginning their arduous journey to its summit, Climbers and Sherpa take part in the Puja ceremony. A literal “right of passage”, the Puja ceremony is performed to make contact with divine Sagamartha, Mount Everest, and pray for a safe expedition.

In preparation for the ceremony, a large cairn is constructed with long strands of prayer flags. The team makes an offering of special foods and drinks and brings their climbing gear to be blessed for the journey.

Tsampa flour, a staple of the Tibetan diet, is spread on the faces of…