Everest 2014: The Cost Of Climbing Everest

We may be just a week into 2014, but it is never too early to start thinking about the spring Everest climbing season. As many of you already know, year-in and year-out, one of the best sources of information on all things having to do with Everest is Alan Arnette. Each year, Alan provides excellent insights into what it takes to climb the mountain, while providing regular updates on conditions on both the North and South sides, while closely tracking the locations of the numerous teams attempting to scale its impressive slopes. Over the past few years, Alan has kicked off his annual coverage by first giving us a run down of just how much it costs to undertake an Everest expedition, and each year it is an interesting read. Yesterday, he posted the 2014 version of that report, and for those unfamiliar with the expenses of a major climb in the Himalaya, it can sometimes cause sticker shock.

As usual, the costs for climbing Everest have increased on both the North and South side of the mountain this year. But what's different for 2014 is that while the guide services at the high end of the spectrum have mostly held steady, it is the low-end companies that seem to have hiked their rates for 2014. He is also quick to point out that this type of expedition is not one in which you want to go cut-rate, but with prices ranging from $30,000 - $100,000 it can be confusing to decide to who to go with.

Alan breaks down the costs into different categories, giving readers estimates on climbing solo vs. as part of an organized team. He also discusses the differences in teams as well, which include Sherpa supported climbs, Sherpa guided expeditions and Western guided options. Each of those provides a different level of service, with some willing to spend less to do more on their own, while others pay considerably more for a safer, more full-service attempt on the summit.


With guided climbs costing in the neighborhood of $40,000 to $65,000, it is sometimes tough to see where the cost differences come from. Alan points out that sometimes it is just in the form of profit to help pay the overhead required to operate on the mountain, but it also often comes at the expense of services such as Sherpa support on the upper slopes or no bottled oxygen included in the price.

One of the more interesting elements of Alan's report is his comparison chart of the companies that operate on Everest. It gives the name of the organization, average team size, types of guides, previous summit success and of course the costs. The prices range from as low as $28,450 for an expedition on the North Side with Summit Climb, to $89,000 with AlpenGlow on the South Side that includes Western guides.

If you've ever considered climbing Everest yourself, then Alan's Cost to Climb guide is a must read. It'll give you all the information you need for selecting the right guide service for your own climb, while weighing in all the factors to think about, including safety considering, which route to take, which company to go with and much more.

It also serves to get the adrenaline flowing for a new Everest climbing season. For fans of the mountain, April can't come fast enough!

Winter Climbs 2014: Settling Into Base Camp And Close Call On Nanga Parbat

The focus of the winter climbing season in the Himalaya remains squarely on Nanga Parbat this year, with several teams attempting to complete the first winter ascent of that mountain. While conditions were less than favorable around the start of the New Year, things have improved somewhat now and acclimatization rotations have begun. The mountaineers have a considerable amount of work ahead of them in the weeks ahead, although one team narrowly averted disaster already and have had their decision to leave the mountain reaffirmed.

Last week I reported that German climber Ralf Dujmovits had decided to abandon his attempt at a solo summit on Nanga. While surveying the route, he noticed that there were two ice towers hanging over his intended path and he realized he would spend more than a day and a half climbing in their shadow. The two towers looked very precarious, as if they could collapse at any time, so Ralf decided he risk just wasn't worth the effort and decided to pack up his things and go home. Just a day after making that decision, Dujmovits and Polish climber Darek Zaluski narroly avoided an avalanche on the Diamir Face. Ralf wrote to Stefan Nestler about the incident saying that the duo were "very lucky" to have escaped unharmed. The two men descended to BC safely and are now presumably on their way back home.

Over on the Rupal Face, the team of Simone Moro, Emilio Previtali and David Gottler have been in BC for a bit over a week now. Simone and David have both spent a night at Camp 1 as they begin their acclimatization process, while also shuttling gear up the slope. In a recent update to their blog, they reported on the journey to BC, where they indicated that security on the road leading to the mountain is quite high. Following a high profile attack by terrorists in the Nanga Parbat Base Camp this past summer – during which 3 Pakistani soldiers and 10 foreign climbers were killed – officials in Pakistan are keen to make sure everyone is safe moving forward. To that end, the climbers received a military escort to the mountain, and a guard station with ten soldiers now sits along the road that leads to the peak. That level of security will hopefully allow the teams to climb without fear of another attack and simply concentrate on the mountain itself.


There have been few updates from the Polish "Justice For All" team in the past week. In the last report, they were preparing to fix ropes up to 6000 meters (19,685 ft), with several team members already acclimatizing above 5000 meters (16,404 ft). Whether or not those rope fixing efforts have been successful has yet to be determined, but it seems likely that they would have completed the task by now, provided the weather has been cooperative.

Finally, Italian climber Daniele Nardi is preparing to arrive on Nanga Parbat soon. He'll attempt a solo summit along the Diamir Face starting in late January. After properly acclimatizing, he intends to climb in alpine style, while avoiding any sense of competition with any of the other teams.

It interesting to see so much attention focused on a single mountain this winter. With all of the other 8000 meter peaks now climbed in winter – save K2 – it seems Nanga is the prize that most are interested in. Considering the number of fatalities during the winter season in recent years, it would appear that unless there is a potential first ascent to be had, most climbers have decided the risks just aren't worth the rewards. If Nanga Parbat is finally climbed in the winter, the same level of attention could then be focused on K2, a mountain that is far more treacherous to climb at any time of the year.

Stay tuned for more updates as warranted.

Winter Climbs 2014: Dujmovits Abandons Solo Nanga Parbat Expedition

Yesterday I posted an update on the winter climbing scene in Pakistan where several teams are hoping to make the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat this year. So far those attempts have been stymied by bad weather conditions that have included high winds, cold temperatures and lots of snow. But with the forecast improving over the next few days, it seemed as if the climbers were preparing to truly get their acclimatization process under way at last. For one climber however, the risks on Nanga are just too great, so he has elected to pull the plug and go home.

As noted in my previous update, German climber Ralf Dujmovits was hoping to make a solo climb of the mountain and had recently arrived in Base Camp where he had been weighing his options for the best approach. What he found was that his intended route was far more difficult to find that he had anticipated and that it was was more dangerous as well. Ralf discovered that there were two massive ice towers precariously balanced just above where he would be climbing. He also estimated that it would take him approximately a day and a half to move past those towers, which would have been an awfully long time to be stuck under their shadow. So, weighing all of this information out and considering how fearsome Nanga Parbat is in the winter under the best of circumstances, he decided it was best to pull the plug on the expedition rather than tempt fate.

With the decision made, Ralf will now leave Pakistan and head for home. He knew that climbing the mountain solo in winter was going to be a major challenge no matter what, but the conditions even more dangerous than he had anticipated. I think the term "discretion is the better part of valor" is an apt one here.

This won't be the only solo attempt on Nanga this season however. Daniele Nardi will be arriving in Pakistan later in the month and he will attempt a solo summit along the Diamir face too.

Winter Climbs 2014: News From Nanga Pabat

The winter climbing season is now in full swing with most of the attention this year being focused on Nanga Parbat. As previously noted, there will be three teams attempting to make the first winter ascent of that 8126 meters (26,660 ft) peak, with all of them now on the mountain and taking a long look at the challenges that await them.

The Polish Justice For All Team, which has been in Pakistan the longest, is reporting that they have gone as high as 5500 meters (18,044 ft), where they have stored gear in anticipation of eventually shuttling it up to Camp 1. But poor weather, including high winds and heavy snows, have kept them in Base Camp for now. The forecast indicates that things should be improving over the next few days, which will allow them to push ahead with their acclimatization and scout their intended route up the mountain.

The North Face Team consisting of Simone Moro, David Gottler and Emilio Previtali are also in BC where they are awaiting improved weather as well. They arrived after Christmas but have quickly set up camp but have been stymied by hurricane force winds thus far. With the weather set to take a turn for the better, they'll hopefully be able to start their acclimatization as well.


Ralf Dujmovits hopes to make one of the most epic climbs in mountaineering history by going solo on Nanga above 5500 meters. After acclimatizing on Aconcagua in mid-December, he barely stopped home in Germany before heading to Pakistan. He is now on the mountain and reports that conditions are not great all around. His intended route passes below two precarious ice columns, which appear as if they could collapse at any time. Worse yet, conditions there are making for slow going, and his route would leave him in the shadow of those columns for a good day and a half of climbing, a risk he's not sure he wants to take at this point. The heavy snows have covered the intended route as well, which is making it difficult to spot. All of these challenges are in play, before he has even begun the ascent of Nanga, which is considered one of the most dangerous and difficult mountains in the world.

ExWeb is also reporting that Daniele Nardi will be heading to Nanga at the end of January and will be attempting a winter ascent as well. That is a bit of a late start to a winter climb, but should still provide plenty of time if conditions are right.

Finally, on a different note, Lonnie Dupre had been planning on having another go at a solo-summit of Denali in Winter, but has delayed that attempt until December of 2014. After three consecutive years on the mountain, he'll now take this January off and look ahead to next. As someone who has followed each of those previous expeditions, I'll miss following Lonnie's adventure this year.

More updates soon, as there will likely be more winter expeditions added shortly.

Video: Everest Paragliders Get Mainstream Press On 'Nightline'

In the spring of 2011, Sanobabu Sunuwar and Lakpa Tshiri Sherpa captured the imagination of the climbing community with their astounding feat of climbing Everest and then paragliding off the summit. Their flight lasted 42 minutes and covered 15 miles, before landing in Namche Bazaar. Anyone who knows the Khumbu Valley realizes that that is a heck of a long way to glide and that the views must have been spectacular. Last night their story was told on the news program Nightline and the video from the show can be found below. It is always great to see someone from the world of adventure get some attention from the mainstream media. It just doesn't happen all that often, but this story was handled very well.

Thanks to my friends at Nat Geo Adventure for sharing.

Breaking News from ABC | ABC Sports News

Best Hike Treks The Manaslu Circuit

My friend Rick McCharles of Best Hike fame is up to his usual tricks. Rick recently to Nepal where he walked the Manaslu Circuit, a 252 km (156.8 mile) sojourn that takes roughly 12-13 days to complete. Following his Himalayan adventure, Rick has posted his thoughts on the trek, sharing daily info on the walk and lots of beautiful photos as well.

As the name implies, this hiking circuit encircles Manaslu, an 8156 meter (26,759 ft) peak that is located in west central Nepal. The trail first opened back in 1991, but Rick says that it has gained in popularity over the past few years as more tea houses have sprung up along the route, giving trekkers more comfortable options for their adventure.

All told, the circuit features 12,585 meters (41,289 ft) of climbing and 11,279 meters (37,004 ft) of descent. It reaches its highest point at Larkya Pass, which falls at 5106 meters (16,751 ft). While that is plenty of altitude, Rick says that it rises at an acceptable rate, allowing plenty of time to acclimatize. The route will take you through six climate zones along the way, giving backpackers an opportunity to experience a host of beautiful scenery. As with most treks through the Himalaya in Nepal, it also exposes travelers to the great culture there as well.

Rick spent a total of ten days on his hike and from the sounds of his reports, he enjoyed every minute of it, despite some challenges. The thing that intrigues me most about his notes on the hike is that he compares it quite favorably to the legendary Annapurna Circuit from years past. There are many long distance hikers who feel the Annapurna Circuit is the best hiking trail in the world, although the addition of a road to the region altered that perception some. If the Manaslu Circuit is anywhere near as good, it says a lot about just how amazing this walk must be.

If you're looking for a new adventure for 2014, then perhaps the Mansaslu Circuit should be added to your list of potentials. Rick says October and November are the best times to go, although April and May aren't bad either. It looks like yet another amazing Himalayan hike I need to add to my bucket list.