Chomolungma The tallest Hill Climb

[Ji Gantor]

In the 1930's there were a few expeditions but they never reach the heights achieved in 1924 due to bad weather. The second World War was brewing and all climbing permits were cancelled. Up to this time all attempts to scale the hill were done on the Northern face.
In 1950 Climbing permits were again being issued.
During the war a British airforce pilot took some images of the hill and in 1953 after scanning the images it was decided to try the Southern ridge.
Sir Edmond Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were members of this team and at 11.30am on the 29th of May 1953 Edmond and Tenzing stood were no man had ever stood before on the summit of Mount Everest. Tenzing being a Buddhist placed an offering of food and the flags of his Gods while Ed placed a crucifix beside Tenzings offering. The two men stayed at the summit for 15 minutes before starting back down. Ed took a few pictures to prove they had done it. On their way down they decided to never tell anyone which of them was the first to the top and to this day no one knows.

In 1974 Sir Edmond Hillary toured some public schools here in Queensland and Mrs Gantor got to shake Ed's hand.

Frozen nuts

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

During the day with the sun shining bright the temp reaches -20 degs C but at night it plummets to -40 degs C and if the wind is blowing the wind chill factor can drive the temp down to -70 degs C.
Only a few people have survived a night on top of the mountain outside a tent and even fewer have escaped severe frost bite.

Frozen nuts

Ji

[All Things 414]

I must have woke up on Planet Dweeb this morning.....

[retrowrex]

I just checked on a mountaineering forum. You guessed it.  Nothing about vintage dirtbikes there!

[All Things 414]

That can't be right. Check again.

[Davey Crocket]

Fugg, what next.....a political argument?.....I think I'm gonna take up collecting Buttefly's....I'm sure THEY wont talk about vintage motorbikes!!!......and he's a QLDler.....FUGGG me.....now wheres my readers digest?

[Davey Crocket]

Can we get him a job looking after Kevin?....less idle time.....

[Davey Crocket]

Orrrr, can we send him down to Victoria.....Geoff, you need somebody to give you a hand....welding pipes, frames, metalurgy testing, come on Geoff, do it for mankind....and it would be kind.... to us at least!!!.....please....pretty please.....I'm grovelling now......

[Ji Gantor]

If planning a trip to just go to see Everest and visit base camp which you can do, be warned.
The last figures I saw released back in 2000 dating back to 1921 revealed that 300 people have died from Alt sickness getting to or at base camp.
Base camp is at 4930 meters above sea level.

Frozen nuts

Ji

[All Things 414]

You should go Ji. Say "hello" to a yak from me will you?

[Ji Gantor]

I have no interest in being on her flanks.
I suffer from Alt sickness just snowboarding.

Say hello to a yak for me

frozen nuts

Ji

[pirie593]

Ji, altitude sickness was not the problem.  It was a case of not acclimatising enough to the altitude before attempting the ascent.  Breathlessness from lack of oxygen (or seeing a nude Nicole) is different from altitude sickness...no nausea or headache, just no energy.  This was not a technical climb, and the last 300 metres was going to take 3 hours.  My Sherpa guide (there were only the two of us in my group) told me that I needed to have enough energy for the descent because of the high risk of an accident.  I was totally knackered at that stage but we were running out of time and my energy levels.  So we turned back.  As it was I hallucinated on the descent and almost didn't make it across a couple of crevices which had opened wider during the early afternoon sun.

Now that I am much wiser, the mountain beckons.  But Everest is too big for me.  Shoey can have it.

Stok Kangri is the peak on the right.  6150 metres.

[All Things 414]

I suffer from Alt sickness just snowboarding.
Ji

Wouldn't that make for some pretty boring snowboarding? No hills?

[Ji Gantor]

Mt Ruapehu and Corronet peak is where we snowboard.
Mt Ru is about 2800 meters above sea level.
At about 2000 meters I get a pounding headache.
I still walk up these two great hills as the experiance is fantastic.
I also walked up the Southern Alps of the South Island of NZ.
Head pounding for the first few days and then started to get use to it.
We went from 0 degs C to -20 degs C in one day.
Your shoe laces are frozen and you have to break the flap of your tent to get out in the morning.
Hot food must be eaten fast or it freezes.

Frozen nuts

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

There are so many ways to die up there but there is one that is not talked about much.
At Camp 6 the tent area is about 6 meters wide.
As soon as you get there you eat, drink, make some more water and try and get some sleep.
You are now at 8000 meters.
The danger is when nature calls, you get up take a step out side your tent without crampons and slip on some ice. Being so narrow you keep sliding and are never seen again.

Frozen nuts

Ji