Mount Everest Cybercasts

Hello Everyone,

Well I think the winds were starting to calm last night but they have continued throughout today but not as gusty.  We went for a short hike today above Camp 1 and the winds were quite welcome to keep the temperature down while hiking.  Usually there can be a bit of a technical section leaving Camp 1 heading to C2 but not this year, it is actually a very easy hike out of Camp 1 into the Western CWM.  Memories can fade but I feel like mine is pretty good and can’t remember the icefall and route to C2 ever in better condition in the last 15 years.

We are back at camp resting and are looking forward to moving to Camp 2 tomorrow morning.

Thanks for following along,

Ben Jones

Hello Everyone,

Today we left at midnight from Basecamp and climbed through the Khumbu icefall to Camp 1 at 19,500ft.  With all of the talk about the route through the Khumbu icefall this year I thought this is the most straightforward and easy route through the icefall I have experienced in 15 years.  It’s never 100% safe but the route is not very technical this season so it makes it much more efficient to get through somewhat fast.  Our team did great and we didn’t encounter any crowds whatsoever.  We are tucked into our tents now after finishing dinner and the wind that was blowing a little most of the day is now dying down.  Tomorrow we will hike towards Camp 2 for a couple hours and come back to Camp 1 for one more night before moving to Camp 2.  Good night from Everest.

-Ben Jones

Hello Everyone,

Well, our plans have changed again as the weather has not been great the last couple of days to be able to helicopter to Mera peak.  This is mountain climbing on the world’s highest peak and we have to be flexible.  Our team has been incredibly patient and flexible throughout this entire expedition and it is much appreciated to have a team that is willing to roll with the changes we need to make.  So tonight we will head up to Camp 1 on Everest to do our normal acclimatization rotation up to touching Camp 3 in the next several days.  The hope is by now there will be less people moving through the icefall up to Camp 1.  The plan will be to spend two nights at Camp 1, and 3 nights at Camp 2 before returning to Basecamp.

We are excited to be heading up tonight!  Thanks for following along,

Ben Jones

Hello Everyone,

Well, our plans have changed again as the weather has not been great the last couple of days to be able to Helicopter to Mera peak. This is mountain climbing on the World’s highest peak and we have to be flexible. Our team has been incredibly patient and flexible throughout this entire expedition and it is much appreciated to have a team that is willing to roll with the changes we need to make. So tonight we will head up to Camp 1 on Everest to do our normal acclimatization rotation up to touching Camp 3 in the next several days. The hope is by now there will be less people moving through the icefall up to Camp 1. The plan will be to spend two nights at Camp 1, and 3 nights at Camp 2 before returning to Basecamp.

We are excited to be heading up tonight! Thanks for following along,

Ben Jones

Rainer is in Full Swing!

This past week has been a gorgeous one here in the PNW with ample sunny skies across the region. Our guides have been calling in great conditions from all around the state, with lots of people climbing and skiing off the tops of the peak in the Cascades.  As a reminder, if you’re looking for the best weather forecast for Mount Rainier National Park we recommend the UW Rainier Recreational Forecast which is updated twice daily typically around 4am and 4pm.

Tahoma (Mount Rainier)
With the above average seasonal temperatures the lower part of Mount Rainier (below Camp Muir) is melting out quickly. We are still using double boots at this time because of the soft snow (no snowshoes needed).  As of yesterday climbers can expect the trail to Pebble Creek to be 90% snow covered and we are now using the official summer trail which is wanded and marked. The Muir snowfield is in excellent condition with a well established boot pack up to Camp Muir. Above Muir the route is in great shape and so far this season we have had 4 out of 5 teams reach the summit.  The route is direct going up the Ingraham glacier with the increased warming we do anticipate adjuncts being put into place (planks/ladders) across a few crevasses.  Access to the White River side (Emmons Glacier) remains seasonally closed. The National Park Service currently estimates an opening around Memorial Day weekend. For updates, please refer to National Park Service road status page.

North Cascades
In the North Cascades, not much has changed since our last report and the snowline is still between 4,500-5,000 in NCNP.  On Baker the snowline is a bit lower.  Highway 20 (North Cascades Highway) remains closed due to damage and at this time the Department of Transportation does not have an estimate opening.

We look forward to joining you on a rope team or seeing you on the mountain!

Happy Climbing!

Hello Everyone,

The last few days since arriving back to EBC after our rotation on Lobuche we have been relaxing a little but have also gone on several hikes.  We went a little ways up into the Icefall two times for some practice and stretching our legs and lungs before heading out to Mera peak for our second rotation.  We also hiked across from Basecamp yesterday to a good view point near Pumori.  Today we are waiting for the sun to peak out so we can do showers in the tent.  It’s much nicer to take a shower in the shower tent when the sun is also heating the space inside.  It’s pretty cloudy today at Basecamp but the forecast is for it to begin clearing this afternoon and hopefully by tomorrow morning when we are planning to fly to Khare a village below Mera peak.  We are planning one night in a tea house and then will move up to high camp on Mera for one night, followed by 3 nights below the summit for our acclimatization.  With the route through the icefall closed later than normal I want to skip the crowds moving up to do rotations on the mountain as all teams have been waiting for the route to open.  It looks like progress is happening now fairly quickly as the fixing team has now fixed the lines up to camp 3.  Once we arrive back from Mera the hope is the lines have been fixed to the summit and other teams are beginning to summit.  Once back we will rest several days while looking at the weather and plans of other teams before making our plan for a summit attempt of Everest.  Our team is doing well and excited, (well mostly to squeeze a shower in today) but also for our acclimatization on Mera and then onto climbing Everest.

Thanks for following along,

Ben Jones

Each season our lead guide Ben brings his polaroid camera to Basecamp. Seeing the team’s headshots has become a tradition we look forward to each season. Here are some of the faces behind our Everest expedition!

Hello Everyone,

We are now settled back into basecamp after our successful first rotation of acclimatization on Lobuche East peak.  After showers and laundry and the great food prepared by our longtime cook Gopal it’s nice to be back “home” for several days enjoying the nice comforts of basecamp.

As the mountain seems like it will be very crowded for the next couple of weeks we are going to go to Mera peak for our final acclimatization rotation before being ready to head up for a summit push in late May.
So, for the next few days we will do a few activities around here and will head up into the first half of the Khumbu icefall tomorrow after breakfast and then start to get prepared for flying down valley to Mera.  We will spend about a week there and will camp for 3 nights near the altitude of C3 on Everest.  The team is doing well and excited to get heading to our next round of acclimatizing.

Thanks for following along,

Ben Jones

Here we go!

We’ve begun the summer season and our teams are already in the field. Our first Mount Rainier climb reached the summit on April 28, and our first mountaineering course on Mount Baker also successfully summited yesterday. It’s a strong start to the season.

While there has been considerable discussion around a low snow year across the western U.S.—something we certainly observed this winter—our guides are reporting that the upper mountains of Rainier and Baker currently have adequate coverage for this time of year. It remains to be seen how below-average snowfall will impact the season overall, but at present, climbing conditions across the Cascades are favorable.

A stretch of high pressure has brought stable weather and abundant sunshine, contributing to excellent early-season conditions. That said, temperatures remain cold on the upper mountain. Guides report that climbers were wearing full layers during the final hour of the summit push on Rainier, with conditions described as “cold and wintery.”

Looking ahead, the forecast calls for continued sunshine and clear skies through the weekend.

Tahoma (Mount Rainier)
Our guide team spent time earlier this week establishing a climbing route via the Ingraham Direct to the summit. Snow coverage begins at Paradise, and with current cold temperatures, climbers are using double mountaineering boots from the parking lot. Expect continuous snow travel from Paradise to Camp Muir.  Above Camp Muir, the route travels over Cathedral Gap, where conditions are firm in sections. From Ingraham Flats, the route ascends the left side of the Ingraham Glacier, traversing toward Gib Rock and Camp Comfort at approximately 12,900 feet. From Camp Comfort, guides report a straightforward route to the crater rim.  Recent summit teams described the upper mountain as “cold and wintery,” reinforcing the importance of proper layering and cold-weather preparation.  Access to the White River side (Emmons Glacier) remains seasonally closed. The National Park Service currently estimates an opening around Memorial Day weekend. For updates, please refer to National Park Service road status page.

North Cascades
In the North Cascades, we’ve had several mountaineering courses operating on Mount Baker, and our guide teams have been actively exploring the region in recent weeks.  Guides report excellent climbing conditions on the Easton Glacier. The road is currently accessible to within approximately one mile of the trailhead.  On the north side of Mount Baker, road access is currently closed around mile marker 3.5 due to a winter flood event. Climbers are accessing this area by walking the remaining four miles of road.  Within North Cascades National Park, guides are reporting the seasonal snowline to be around 4,500–5,000 feet.

We look forward to joining you on a rope team or seeing you on the mountain!

Happy Climbing!

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday we hiked from Lobuche village and arrived to our high camp at 18,500ft.  The route was snowier than usual but madefor a nice climb to camp.  The team did very well in variable conditions of snow, ice and rock.  Today after a relaxed breakfast we left our high camp at 10:15am for the high point on Lobuche east at 19,600ft.  This year the conditions were excellent on the climb and great practice climbing some rock, and a steep snow and ice slope with fixed lines to the high point.  The route was in the best condition I’ve seen in the last several years.  We’ve had great weather and a good acclimatization rotation here on Lobuche East and will head back to Basecamp tomorrow morning.  We’ll probably be making some alternate acclimatization plans in the coming days as the Icefall route may be open now but will be very crowded which we will avoid if possible.  I’ll send some pics tomorrow when we are back in Basecamp.

Thanks for following along,
Ben Jones