In December 2005 my long time friend and climbing partner Greg Vadasdi and I made the decision to attempt Everest from the Northeast Ridge Route. In planning the climb we wanted to maintain as pure a style as possible while staying within our ability levels and risk tolerances. To do this we chose to plan and undertake our own two man expedition with the assistance of two Sherpa, a cook and cook boy. We felt this team size would allow us the most flexibility, cost savings and control in the cramped and chaotic environment we would encounter en route.

After a long season Greg and I successfully gained the summit of Everest on June 2, 2005 along with our Sherpa, Mingma Dorjee Sherpa and Ang Mingma Sherpa. Though I had been to several peaks in the U.S., Russia and New Zealand, reaching the top of Everest was a truly unique experience and will always be one that I remember vividly.

I am currently back in the U.S. and attending Business School at Stanford University along with Joost Schreve, the creator of www.everytrail.net. I have come to know Joost as an outdoor enthusiast dedicated to responsibly furthering the sport of mountaineering and it is my sincere belief that www.everytrail.net will become the top provider of relevant and factual route information on the Web.

When embarking on an expedition there is no greater aid than having access to reliable information on what you are about to undertake, the terrain you will encounter and the problems you may face. At the same time, inaccurate or misrepresented information can be an incredible detriment. As such it is my intention to blog on www.everytrail.net only when I feel I have received accurate, reliable and direct from source information about what is transpiring on the mountain. I have no ulterior motives and am not interested in ratings, advertising revenue or creating “interesting and gripping” accounts of the Everest season. My only desire is to make a few comments on what I see being written on the web and to encourage readers to consider the potential distortions that can result from the written word. My hope is that my efforts will help other climbers better evaluate the information out there and increase the likelihood of success on future expeditions.

Please remember, there is a lot of beta out there and my blogs are only one source of many. All climbers should seek as much information as possible, make informed decisions and be prepared to deal with the consequences of those decisions. After all it’s a serious game we’re playing.

I’ll be off line for the next two weeks due to a trip to South America. However, I’ll be eager to return in early April when I plan to be in touch with old friends who are returning to base camp for yet another exciting Everest season.