Dan Protz tag:everytrail.net,2006:/blog/dan/20 2006-05-05T04:05:52Z Big Green Everest - Summit spring 2005 Movable Type 3.2 Early summits mean the route is ready to go tag:everytrail.net,2006:/blog/dan//20.278 2006-05-05T02:15:55Z 2006-05-05T04:05:52Z Well, good news from the North Side. A number of Sherpa working with Himalayan Experience reached the summit late in the day April 30.... Dan Protz Well, good news from the North Side. A number of Sherpa working with Himalayan Experience reached the summit late in the day April 30.

]]> This is truly an exceptional effort on behalf of the Sherpa and the entire team led by Russell Brice. While some may feel that attempting to go to the top is dangerous so early in the year it appears that the weather recently has been unseasonably good. Russell always has the best weather information and takes great pains to look after the safety of his team so I can only imagine that the conditions were perfect.

Word is that the team left 7,900 meters at 2:00 with no wind and was on the summit ridge by 7:15, still with only light winds. They were sheltered by the ridge as the wind was out of the east at about 5 km/hr. Normally summit attempts occur with winds up to 25+ km/hr.

Progress was slow due to their job of fixing rope along the ridge but they reached the second step a bit after noon. Then it was another three hours to the summit where they enjoyed temperatures of zero degrees and sunshine. I wish the weather would have been as balmy the day my partner Greg Vadasdi and I stood on top last year (June 2). The team was back in ABC by 20:45 and proud of their accomplishment. No frostbite, just smiles.

One of the most frustrating things about climbing Everest can be the disputes over the fixed rope. Clearly having the entire mountain fixed as a unified effort is the safest and most economical way to prepare the route for the climbers attempting the summit. Despite this fact it is amazing the number of arguments that ensue between different teams over who should risk Sherpa fixing rope and when. Clearly Russell made an informed decision this year as a result of great weather. As such I hope that the disputes at ABC will be kept to a minimum this year. But, that’s probably wishful thinking.

More teams are set to attempt in early May. Looks like a great year shaping up on the North Side. At this rate there will be plenty of time to relax on the beaches of Bali or Phuket as climbers make their way home.

Safe Climbing!

Dan Protz

]]> Leaving Base Camp tag:everytrail.net,2006:/blog/dan//20.247 2006-04-19T15:46:47Z 2006-04-19T15:49:02Z It looks like the teams on the North Side are making impressive and early progress. Already rope has been fixed to the North Col and the crews fixing the route are prepared to go even higher.... Dan Protz It looks like the teams on the North Side are making impressive and early progress. Already rope has been fixed to the North Col and the crews fixing the route are prepared to go even higher.

]]> It looks like the teams on the North Side are making impressive and early progress. Already rope has been fixed to the North Col and the crews fixing the route are prepared to go even higher. From the sounds of it the North Col route up to Camp I is even more treacherous than last year. They’ve fixed a long ladder over what I can only assume are some steep and crevassed sections. Each year it seems that the glacier melts a bit more making the route to Camp I more difficult. Some might argue this is the result of global warming, but I’m not forming an opinion on that.

Unfortunately it seems that some of the teams have chosen not to pay the $100 rope fee. This was one thing that I could never figure out when on the mountain last year. Clearly, the most important aspect of the climb is being able to ascend and descend safely. A reliable fixed rope system makes this possible. Even if one wanted to climb solo they should recognize that the presence of the fixed lines makes everybody on the mountain safer. I for one was happy to know that the chances of a stray climber falling off above me were reduced by the fixed line. Everest is a crowded place and cooperation is the best way to keep things safe.

No doubt most team members are currently emerging from their tents at Base Camp in an altitude induced stupor, trying to gain strength for the trek to ABC. This is a tough and exciting walk the first time around. Good luck to all!!!

]]> Looking forward to another Everest season tag:everytrail.net,2006:/blog/dan//20.187 2006-03-21T07:26:16Z 2006-03-21T07:27:49Z The 2006 Everest season is underway and it is with great nostalgia that I read the blogs of climbers making their way to the north side base camp. A year ago I too was preparing for this journey, which lasted... Dan Protz The 2006 Everest season is underway and it is with great nostalgia that I read the blogs of climbers making their way to the north side base camp. A year ago I too was preparing for this journey, which lasted 65 days door to door with 56 of those days spent at the Rongbuk Glacier Base Camp or above.

]]> 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.

]]>