Images from Everest

[John K]

Thanks again for the warm comments from everyone.

Originally Posted by gary

Hi John,

Congratulations and well done on the achievement of a lifetime!

I've been lucky enough to look up and see Everest, K2 and peaks such
as Kanchenjunga and Nanga Parbat to appreciate the improbability of
someone, except with extraordinary physical and mental stamina
and blessed with dollops of good fortune at the time, ever managing to
successfully climb up them and then come back to tell the tale. Really well done!!!

Best Regards

Gary

Thanks Gary. There was a 13 old kid from the U.S. that climbed Everest when I was there, so I actually think mountains like this are within the reach of most people these days if they set their minds to it.

Originally Posted by multiweb

Quite an achievement. I can't even imagine how hard it is to do something like that. Hard to comprehend. It must be quite scary to think that the only way back is only walking down. No other rescue mean.
How long did you guys stay at the top? Was it like super chilled and windy? On the pic it looks really sunny. Is the top big and flat or did you guys have to squeeze for the group shot? Could you see how far as the Indian ocean?

Also you've mentioned the last leg and back from 7k to 8k. Are we talking half a day to go up then down or less?

Hi Marc,
You really need to have a look at this book for all the details! http://www.reachyoureverest.com/books.htm (sorry Mike & moderators don't mean to be generating SPAM here)

Happy to tell you more:

- stayed at the top only for 10 mins. It was very windy, my goggles were frozen and I had resorted to only wearing my sunglasses
- On the summit with the wind chill factor was around -40 degrees so quite cold but was wearing good gear
- The summit cornice top of Everest is about the size of a small room and leans out over the East face which drops about 3,000 metres
- There were clouds on the horizon so I could not see to the Indian Ocean, but perhaps on a clear day you may be able to see it
- Started the summit bid at 11:30pm at night from 8,300m, summited at 12pm the following day and returned to 8,300m by 4pm. Then the following day descended 1,900m to ABC at 6,400m. So the summit element was a 16 hour day which is quite standard by mountaineering standards


John K

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by John K

You really need to have a look at this book for all the details! http://www.reachyoureverest.com/books.htm

Thanks John. PMd.

[renormalised (Carl)]

Excellent stuff, John. Congrats on a fine achievement

They should name the base camp "Mt Have-a-rest" Because that's what you'd need after climbing the mountain!!!

[gary]

Originally Posted by multiweb

Could you see how far as the Indian ocean?

Hi Marc,

Alas, it is a good 700km to the Indian Ocean and a back-of-the-envelope
calculation suggests that at an altitude of 8848m, at best in theory you
could only see down to the horizon to a distance of a little
less that half that, at 335km, because of the Earth's curvature.

As John mentioned, the subcontinent tends to be very hazy to the south,
but what I can testify to is if ever you get the chance to get in an aircraft
that flies just above the mountains, the views from the cockpit as you look
roughly south-east and north-west along the line of the Himalayas and Karakoram
are absolutely mind blowing.

Though unlikely to be as personally rewarding compared to John's ultimate
experience, some may find this alternative appealing because no exercise or
physical exertion is involved and you can get away with just a T-shirt.

Best Regards

Gary

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by gary

Hi Marc,

Alas, it is a good 700km to the Indian Ocean and a back-of-the-envelope
calculation suggests that at an altitude of 8848m, at best in theory you
could only see down to the horizon to a distance of a little
less that half that, at 335km, because of the Earth's curvature.

Makes sense now Gary. I have seen the himalayas many times from a jet liner and they're beautiful. Just huge. You can see the chain on one side of the plane and the ocean on the other as you cross India towards Bangkok so I thought maybe you could spot it from the top too.