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As former technical climber myself, I couldn't resist posting this somewhat off-topic story:
Sherpa Guide Sets Everest Record
By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA
.c The Associated Press
KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) - A Sherpa guide reached the summit of Mount Everest in less than 16 hours on Sunday, shattering the record for the fastest climb of the world's highest peak.
Babu Chhiri, 34, made the climb through icy winds and rarified air to the 29,035-foot summit Sunday morning - a year after he set a duration record by camping for 21 hours on the peak. His brother Dawa had scaled the mountain earlier and waited at the summit to welcome him, said Chhiri's business partner, who contacted the climbers by radio.
Chhiri, a veteran climber, reached the peak in 15 hours and 56 minutes to easily break the previous record of 20 hours and 24 minutes, set two years ago by Kaji Sherpa.
The Sherpas, who live at the foot of the Himalayas, are known as ``Tigers of the Snows.'' Renowned for their mountaineering skills and stamina, many work as expert guides and porters for Nepalese tourists.
Since the first recorded conquest of Everest in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, more than 800 people have conquered the tallest peak. Some 180 people have died on its slopes.
Chhiri climbed from the base camp at 17,500 feet, said the Nepalese tourism ministry. The climb from the base camp to the summit normally takes two to four days with breaks in between camps, depending on the weather.
Icy winds cut through the air as Chhiri hurried up the hard snow to meet his elder brother. Like most Nepalese Sherpas, Chhiri climbs without using bottled oxygen even though air pressure is low, making breathing strenuous.
Chhiri was scheduled to begin his journey at 4 p.m. Saturday but he had to delay his bid by an hour, according to his business partner, Babu, who uses only one name.
``If it had not been for the snow he could have done it in even less time,'' Babu said.
Chhiri already had climbed Everest nine times. Before leaving for the mountain this time, Chhiri had told The Associated Press that he wanted to scale the peak in 16 hours or less.
During a practice run last year, he climbed from the base camp to an intermediate camp at South Col in nine hours. ``This leaves me with seven hours to make my final but the most difficult part of the journey,'' he said then.
Last year, Chhiri stayed for 21 hours at the summit. Most climbers retreat within a few minutes of scaling the peak, with its high winds, freezing temperatures, unpredictable and rapid weather changes and brain-starving lack of oxygen.
Earlier Sunday, two Canadians - Byron Smith, 40, a car salesman from Alberta, and Michael Down, 43, a mountain guide from British Columbia - also scaled Everest, officials said.
AP-NY-05-21-00 1348EDT
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Live Free or Die
Some Knife Pix
Sherpa Guide Sets Everest Record
By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA
.c The Associated Press
KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) - A Sherpa guide reached the summit of Mount Everest in less than 16 hours on Sunday, shattering the record for the fastest climb of the world's highest peak.
Babu Chhiri, 34, made the climb through icy winds and rarified air to the 29,035-foot summit Sunday morning - a year after he set a duration record by camping for 21 hours on the peak. His brother Dawa had scaled the mountain earlier and waited at the summit to welcome him, said Chhiri's business partner, who contacted the climbers by radio.
Chhiri, a veteran climber, reached the peak in 15 hours and 56 minutes to easily break the previous record of 20 hours and 24 minutes, set two years ago by Kaji Sherpa.
The Sherpas, who live at the foot of the Himalayas, are known as ``Tigers of the Snows.'' Renowned for their mountaineering skills and stamina, many work as expert guides and porters for Nepalese tourists.
Since the first recorded conquest of Everest in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, more than 800 people have conquered the tallest peak. Some 180 people have died on its slopes.
Chhiri climbed from the base camp at 17,500 feet, said the Nepalese tourism ministry. The climb from the base camp to the summit normally takes two to four days with breaks in between camps, depending on the weather.
Icy winds cut through the air as Chhiri hurried up the hard snow to meet his elder brother. Like most Nepalese Sherpas, Chhiri climbs without using bottled oxygen even though air pressure is low, making breathing strenuous.
Chhiri was scheduled to begin his journey at 4 p.m. Saturday but he had to delay his bid by an hour, according to his business partner, Babu, who uses only one name.
``If it had not been for the snow he could have done it in even less time,'' Babu said.
Chhiri already had climbed Everest nine times. Before leaving for the mountain this time, Chhiri had told The Associated Press that he wanted to scale the peak in 16 hours or less.
During a practice run last year, he climbed from the base camp to an intermediate camp at South Col in nine hours. ``This leaves me with seven hours to make my final but the most difficult part of the journey,'' he said then.
Last year, Chhiri stayed for 21 hours at the summit. Most climbers retreat within a few minutes of scaling the peak, with its high winds, freezing temperatures, unpredictable and rapid weather changes and brain-starving lack of oxygen.
Earlier Sunday, two Canadians - Byron Smith, 40, a car salesman from Alberta, and Michael Down, 43, a mountain guide from British Columbia - also scaled Everest, officials said.
AP-NY-05-21-00 1348EDT
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Live Free or Die
Some Knife Pix
