Mount Everest: 2000 & 2001 expeditions -- baltimoresun.com

Standing tall on Everest

Chris Warner is not the same man he was before he left in March for Mount Everest. More

After summit, it's all downhill

Editor's Note: Baltimore County resident Chris Warner successfully summitted Mount Everest on May 23. After the summit, Warner was involved in several rescue situations at high altitude. Here is his account. More

Everest summit bid recounted

Editor's Note: Baltimore County resident Chris Warner successfully summitted Mount Everest on May 23. Here is his account of the summit bid. More

Disaster averted at Everest summit

Yes, we did have a near disaster on our hands, and I did find myself in the unusual situation of spending two long days at 27,400 feet crying and weakening and hoping and working hard to find a way to keep hope and progress alive. I will write about it soon, but right now, my body and mind are not quite in the same place. More

Marylander conquers world's highest peak

As other Marylanders slept early yesterday, Chris Warner stood on top of the world. More

Everest summit attempts on horizon

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the Great Wizard of Oz were giving out certificates of courage, university degrees on ticking pocket watches on the summit of Everest? More

It's my party and I'll climb if I want to

You know you're in trouble when you roll over in your tent at 21,400 feet (6400m) and the first thing you see is a crushed cardboard party hat and a New Year's noise maker. As the battle with hypoxia is slowly won, you begin to remember a few things about the night before. More

Mother's Day greetings from Everest

Can you imagine the embarrassment of any mom, if they had to see their grown children celebrating Mother's Day by wearing Russian aviator masks and goggles w/ long hoses stretching to an oxygen cylinder? I was embarrassed to just be among this group of Halloween rejects. More

It's snowing ... again

Snow seems to be the theme of the last 24 hours. The Sherpas, climbing from Camp 3 to Camp 4 plowed through knee-deep snow, despite the fatigue and lack of oxygen. The normally two-hour climb took over four hours and only three of the seven Sherpas made it all the way. More

Moving on up

As I write the radio is crackling with the voices of the Sherpas and Russ. Early this morning, seven Sherpas left Camp 1 at the North Col and headed up the mountain. They are carrying the last loads of Oxygen bottles to Camp 4 at 8,300 meters/27,400 feet. More

Everest: Sherpas busy stocking camps

Clouds are racing past the summit, changing directions every few hours and dumping thin layers of snow on the mountain every evening. Some mornings we awake to a dusting of snow, some afternoons a mini cold front races through camp, dumping three or four inches. The weather has not been stable. More

Chilling out

As he watched in horror, three of Chris Warner's companions froze to death last year on his Mount Everest expedition. More

Just what's up that hill?

"Where have we been?" More

Going to extremes

Last year, Chris Warner came within 4,035 feet of standing on top of the world. More

Quest for the summit

Fewer than 1,000 people have stood on the summit of Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, since it was conquered in 1953. One hundred sixty-seven climbers have died trying. More

Unpredictable weather on Everest

As I read the weather report, my palms began to sweat. The summit was in reach, as the winds were to drop, the temperatures would rise and settled weather would descend upon us. The Sherpas were preparing to move up to Camp 1 and then boldly establish Camps 2, 3 and 4. Owen and Ellen were spending the night at Camp 1, hoping to climb to Camp 2 on a sunny, barely breezy day. More

Three weeks on Everest, and plenty of horror stories to tell

Almost all of us, including two "trekkers," have climbed to the North Col, the site of our Camp 1. This climb can be pretty tough: over 600 meters (2,000 feet) of altitude is gained by using a series of fixed lines up the steep headwall. The terrain definitely keeps your attention. More than a dozen crevasses are crossed, steep sections exceed 50 degrees, and the single line of ropes is clogged in places by climbers heading up or down against the flow of traffic. More

Advance Base Camp established

The last climbing team arrived at Advance Base Camp (ABC) on April 19. The Sherpas arrived on the 16th, and with the help of Kharsang, who had arrived a few days earlier, scraped a fantastic campsite from the rock covered glacier. More

Everest expedition on the move

About 126 yaks, each loaded with over 88 pounds (40 kilograms)of equipment, food, propane gas cylinders, rope and oxygen bottles are plying the pathways of the Rongbuk and East Rongbulk glaciers this week. Our team is moving up the hill. More

Ready for the expedition

Here is a short note as I start my 11th expedition to Everest, 10 of which have been on the North side. I welcome the 10 clients, three other guides and 11 Sherpas who will all play an important part in the expedition over the next two months. More

Prepping for the climb

It is considered a bad omen to climb above base camp before having a puja ceremony. This Buddhist blessing is a sacred act to the Sherpas and to those of us who will be climbing on Chomolungma (the Tibetan name for Mount Everest). More

Arriving at Base Camp

The jeeps rolled across the Tibetan Plateau, climbing up dusty hills, passing streamers of prayer flags, and after a quick new view, dropping down the other side. Eagles and ravens circled above the passes. Yak men, driving their herds toward fresh pastures, scarcely noticed our passing. The winds were howling, but the movement of jeeps, yaks and eagles signaled the return of spring. More

Who's who on the expedition

The Team: More

Lots to explore in Lhasa

Lhasa, the city of a rumored 1 million people, 60 percent Chinese, is the capital of Tibet. It sits (at 3,600 meters/ 11,800 feet) in a wide valley with tall peaks lining the sides (5,000 meters/16,500 feet). More

Winging it past Everest to Lhasa, Tibet

The year's first flight to Lhasa lifted off the Tarmac a bit late, but did not disappoint. Circling up and out of Kathmandu, we had great views of the citys brick red buildings and a dozen temples. The Monkey Temple, high on a hill, was the last to disappear. More

EVEREST 2001

Mount Everest expedition: the bags are packed

On the way to Kathmandu, Edmund Hillary and I flew past Everest, watching the traditional flag of blowing snow flutter from the summit. Everest looked almost void of snow, a welcome image in comparison to the snow-cloaked peak we struggled with last year. (Tomorrow, our flight to Lhasa, Tibet, will curve, like a fish hook, past the summit. This will allow us to trace our route and investigate the conditions from the warmth of the plane's cabin.) More

March 26 2001

Getting ready for Everest

Columbia, Md. More

The 2001 Himalayan Experience Everest Expedition

Russell Brice, of Himalayan Experience, and Chris Warner, of Earth Treks, will once again be leading a team of climbers on an expedition to Mount Everest. They will be following in the snow filled footsteps of Mallory and Irvine, climbing via the North Ridge, from Tibet. The expedition departs Kathmandu on April 1 and hopes to put climbers on the summit by the end of May. During this expedition journals and photos will once again be sent back and posted website. More

Everest gets best of us

On the 30th of May five Sherpas, Andy, Tony and I climbed to Camp 2 at 25,000 feet in a blizzard. We crawled into four tents and spent the night. Fighting the snow with shovels, trying to keep the tents from collapsing. More

Weather thwarts Everest summit attempt

More

Team tries again for the summit

Boy, a lot has happened in the last 24 hours. Yesterday, the four climbers headed off to Camp 1 on the North Col, arriving in the late afternoon. Once there, they crawled into the tents for the night. More

Doubt beginning to set in on Everest

When we last wrote, on May 24th, we were busy escaping two nights of high winds and a whole lot of disappointment at Camp 2. Our summit bid was over, blown away by a weather forecast that didn't predict the severity of a low pressure system. More

Preparing to summit Everest

May 20, 2000 More

Chris Warner heads for Everest's summit

Just confirming that the "A" Team of Tony, Daniel, Kieron, Jean and Chris, Andy, Lhopsang, Phulbar, Kharsang head out for their summit bid attempt on May 20. We will be moving between camps a day at a time and therefore should be in position at top camp (8,300 meters) by the afternoon of May 23 for our final push up the north east ridge tackling the first, second and third steps on our way to the final summit slopes on the 24th. More

Camp 3 and counting

Tony, Daniel and Kieron are on a well-earned rest day having successfully nailed 7,900 meteres (25,675 feet) and Camp 3. This is the last hurdle before planning a summit attempt for them. It was a long hard slog with constant negotiation required between Mind (desire) and Body (pain). More

Celebrating a birthday on the mountain

Graham Hoyland woke up, wishing this dream was over. It was his birthday. Forty-three years old and still not smart enough to give up climbing for golf. This is actually his second birthday on Everest. How foolish can you get? More

A little bit of cooperation and she still sings the blues

The sun rose early and strong, chasing us out of our tents and allowing us to sip our coffee and tea on the patio in front of our tents. It is the second glorious day and our aching bones are loving it. Most of the group is still in base camp, resting up from the early pushes and fattening up for the next round. More

Setting up camps 1-3

With the sun shining, Tony, Daniel, Andy, Mark and Graham, set off from ABC for a few nights of R&R in base camp. In total we are a team of 23 climbers and support staff. Now there are but nine of us at advanced base camp and boy is it lonely without the constant hypoxic comments and debaucherous behavior of our supposedly educated team mates. More

Snow becoming an inconvenience

++++++++++++++++++++ || Everest fast facts ++++++++++++++++++++ || ++++++++++++++++++++ || Elevation: 29,035 feet Named for: Sir George Everest, who surveyed India for the British government, 1806-1843 Also known as: Chomolunga (goddess-mother) in Tibet and Sagarmatha (goddess of the sky) in Nepal Population: More than 400 climbers and support staff during the May climbing season Average residency: five to eight weeks First ascent: 1953, Tenzing Norgay of Nepal and Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand First American ascent: 1963, James Whittaker First ascent by a woman: 1975, Junko Tabei of Japan First ascent without bottled oxygen: 1978, Reinhold Messner of Italy and Peter Habeler of Austria First solo ascent: 1980, Messner First American woman: 1988, Stacey Allison Most ascents: 10 - Ang Rita Sherpa, Appa Sherpa Most dangerous year: 1996, 15 deaths Most successful year: 1993, 129 summitted Oldest summitter: 61, Lev Sarkisov (61) of Georgia (Russia) in 1999 Youngest summitter: 16, Shambu Tamang (16) of Nepal in 1973 || ++++++++++++++++++++ || ++++++++++++++++++++ || ++++++++++++++++++++ More

Cut ropes and confiscated equipment

++++++++++++++++++++ || Everest fast facts ++++++++++++++++++++ || ++++++++++++++++++++ || Elevation: 29,035 feet Named for: Sir George Everest, who surveyed India for the British government, 1806-1843 Also known as: Chomolunga (goddess-mother) in Tibet and Sagarmatha (goddess of the sky) in Nepal Population: More than 400 climbers and support staff during the May climbing season Average residency: five to eight weeks First ascent: 1953, Tenzing Norgay of Nepal and Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand First American ascent: 1963, James Whittaker First ascent by a woman: 1975, Junko Tabei of Japan First ascent without bottled oxygen: 1978, Reinhold Messner of Italy and Peter Habeler of Austria First solo ascent: 1980, Messner First American woman: 1988, Stacey Allison Most ascents: 10 - Ang Rita Sherpa, Appa Sherpa Most dangerous year: 1996, 15 deaths Most successful year: 1993, 129 summitted Oldest summitter: 61, Lev Sarkisov (61) of Georgia (Russia) in 1999 Youngest summitter: 16, Shambu Tamang (16) of Nepal in 1973 || ++++++++++++++++++++ || ++++++++++++++++++++ || ++++++++++++++++++++ More

Snow storms rock Advanced Base Camp

Ivan, David, Chung and Kieron all head up early to the North Col to spend a night for acclimatisation. More

Scrabble, picnics and climbing yak herders

We had been battered around for the last few days, snow showers and high winds keeping us close to advanced base camp. More

The ABCs of Advanced Base Camp

A lot has happened since I last sent the dispatch. Normally, I would be cranking them out, but the hard drive on the laptop has died. So far, three computers on this expedition have died. We are hoping to have a fourth computer on-line by tomorrow evening. More

Leaving Base Camp- finally

While most of the crew and gear have departed for advanced base camp already, seven of us climbers are just packing now. The last of us have been at base camp for eight days. It has actually been good for our bodies and the team effort to laze around at this lower altitude. More

Advanced base bamp established

Russell, Mark, four Sherpas, 12 yak men and 60 yaks, loaded with 120 plastic drums, left base camp yesterday morning. It was quite a chorus of yak bells, Tibetan "giddy-ups," and the hoots and hollers of the Sherpas. More

It takes a mighty big puja to bless 10 tons of food and 25 people

Climbing Mt. Everest is a feat of logistics. The strongest climbers would never summit if there wasn't a tidal wave of gear and food pushing them upward. More

Base camp here we come

The Sherpas, Russel Brice and Mark Whetu, had left Tingri early on the morning of the 7th for base camp. More

Trapped in their cells, they contemplated the insanity of climbing Everest

Tingri, Tibet is no Mayberry. More

Searching for the Dalai Lama

More

An adventurous traveler's guide to the airports of China

April 1 & 2, 2000 Delayed by two hours, we lifted off the tarmac in Kathmandu and soared up amongst the highest peaks in this region of the Himalaya. The Southwest face of Shishapangma (14th tallest peak in the world) was just off our wingtip. More

Departing for Lhasa

April 1, 2000 More

2000 Himalayan Experience Everest Expedition

++++++++++++++++++++ || Approximate time line ++++++++++++++++++++ || ++++++++++++++++++++ || - April 1 Fly to Lhasa, Tibet. - April 8 Arrive in Base Camp. - April 12-13 Sherpas establish Interim and Advanced Base Camp. - April 15 Members arrive at ABC. - April 20-May 20 Stock the higher camps. - May 20-30 Summit attempts. - June 7 Return to Kathmandu. || ++++++++++++++++++++ || ++++++++++++++++++++ || ++++++++++++++++++++ More

20 years to prepare, 10 weeks to conquer

For 20 years, Chris Warner has been preparing for the Death Zone. More

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Mount Everest: 2000 & 2001 expeditions

EVEREST 2001

March 26 2001

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