2007 Everest Expedition

April-May-June -- Tibet -- standard NE ridge route

Above, Everest from the Pang La

We provide full support including all tents, all meals at BC and on the mountain, all oxygen, good walkie talkies, better than 1:1 sherpa ratio, satellite phones, internet-email to keep your sponsors and family happy and up to date, rescue service and plenty more, all managed by Jamie McGuinness who has summitted Everest twice previously from Tibet, and ten other 8000m summits.

Some years, eg 2004 and 2006, the mountain is a zoo - a dangerous zoo, you really do need someone with experience to help steer you clear of trouble and provide real backup, someone who is friends with the liaison officers, someone with a team of reliable and friendly sherpas and who has the respect of the other sherpas and other expedition leaders on the mountain - us.

*Our 2008 Everest expedition will be slightly different*

2007 itinerary

Summitting Everest later in May always safer. First, it is warmer, it is scary to think how many people got frostbite in the 2006 season by summitting early, including in the big commercial expeditions. Our 2006 team summitted at the beginning of the warm period, 25 May, without a single case of frostbite. Second, if the weather has already been good then the zoo is over. Third, if, as in 2004, the jet stream winds do not stop until very late in the season, we can still climb, we still have time and strength and have not been waiting forever. In 2005 many expeditions had to leave the mountain before they ever had a chance to mount a summit push. Our team summitted on 30 May and 4 June.

DCXP and Project Himalaya now have separate expeditions, but will work together in part, especially as backup for each other.

Why go with us?

We have been safe and successful multiple times. Everything we have works, and works well. We have great radios with extra batteries and they even take AA batteries, so never run out. Our laptops work but very few others do, we have power sorted out. Our sherpas are loyal, organized and honest, and have worked with Jamie many times on 8000m peaks, including Everest. We have good relations with all the administrative staff, and especially the liaison officers, and have a long history of successful expeditions in Tibet.

Special projects

We are happy to handle film teams and certain other projects. We will not touch "youngest" or "oldest" climbers, blind, disabled or other extreme risk projects. We have a separate western leader available.

What is included

In Kathmandu

We pick you up at the airport and provide a single hotel room so you can spread gear out, and our store with a huge grassy area is just around the corner. Because we provide all tents, oxygen, dehy meals on the mountain etc, you should be able to get to Kathmandu without extra freight charges (which can be BIG, sometimes).

Tibet

We handle all the paperwork for the Chinese visa and all the Tibet travel and climbing permits. All sightseeing, hotels (double rooms), and meals are included.

Base Camp and ABC

At base camp we have a permanent kitchen with cook and helpers, large dining tent and smaller ones as required, solar power and/or generator for recharging, radio contact with ABC and camps on the mountain, and internet. We provide 1 BC tent per member (a two-three person tent). We provide three good meals a day and afternoon tea, plus all hot drinks and boiled water for drinking. At ABC we provide the same.

We have good solar power systems providing 12v, 115v and 230v, so you can charge all digital cameras, video cameras, battery packs and laptops.

We have two laptops available for exclusive use of our teams. Email via Outlook is free. Alternatively for heavier laptop users please bring your own but you must have a 12v adaptor to charge it. Note that not all laptops work at 5000m+.

You can surf the web too, but in the past it was expensive. For 2007 we are looking at new arrangements for this.

Climbing

All mountain tents and meals (a good variety; Enertia are our favorites), gas and stoves are included. Fixed rope charges are included. The sherpas are responsible for stocking all the camps; carrying the oxygen, tents, gas and meals. They normally climb separately from the team until the summit push. The sherpas don't carry your personal gear (but you can pay extra for a personal sherpa).

We climb on the mountain mostly as a team or two with the guide and assistant guide. You can climb up to North Col alone as well though.

Oxygen

We use Poisk oxygen and will have up to 5x 4 litre bottles available for each climber. For C3 to the summit all oxygen is Poisk, factory-new. No refilled. We include sherpa oxygen separately.

Weather reports

With good internet we have access to a variety of weather reports, and we subscribe to a paid weather forecast too. Judging the weather is one of the most important issues surrounding climbing Everest.

Website updates

We provide updates using our own website and Explorers Web's Contact 3 software so regardless of whether you have your own or not your family and friends will know what is happening. You will be amazed at the level of interest.

Emergency evacuation

We have a PAC bag usually stationed at ABC, and emergency oxygen at ABC and BC, plus full medical kits. If you have to leave the mountain early alone or as two people then there will be a charge of $700. If you are a group of three or four then there is unlikely to be a charge but it may be a while before your baggage arrives in Kathmandu.

Medical

We have a comprehensive medical kit at BC and ABC. You should be prepared with a SMALL personal med kit for on the mountain. Jamie is used to dealing with altitude issues and intestinal problems and other minor medical issues.

We have a doctor available for consultations for our 2007 expedition.

Environment

We remove all garbage from ABC to BC, and this includes toilet waste. This is then disposed of by the Chinese. We plan to remove toilet waste from at least North Col too.

Departure

Although we all travel in together, you can leave separately provided you are 3-4 climbers travelling together. Our office in Kathmandu holds your international tickets and so can arrange flights out to suit.

Timeline

You must book and pay a $3000 deposit AT LEAST 3 months prior to the expedition start to guarantee the availability of tents, oxygen etc. (You should also book you international flights at least 3 months, and better 6 months in advance...)

Insurance

This is your choice. It is sometimes possible to get insurance for 8000m peaks thru your national alpine club; the BMC in the UK and American Alpine Club offer particularly good packages. There is no helicopter rescue possible in Tibet so evacuation is by Landcruiser to Kathmandu, and should cost around US$700. There is one particularly good clinic in Kathmandu otherwise the nearest high standard hospital is Singapore or Bangkok. All our Nepali staff are insured.

Warning

Everest is the highest mountain on the planet and despite some of the publicity it is not 'easy' or even 'straightforward'. It is a very serious peak and bad judgment or even bad luck can be fatal up there. Even with the best companies the risk of frostbite or death is real.

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