Ed Viesturs going for No. 14

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

http://travel.msn.com/firsts/annapurna/default.armx

 

[sapblatt]

He would be the first to do all 14, right?

 

[anita514]

nah
he'd be the first American though

 

[spencer]

I thought Viesturs was going to be the first person to do the 14 without oxygen, but the article says he'll be the first Amercian to do the 14.

What's the scoop? Has anyone else done the 14 without oxygen? I know others have done the 14 (Messner, right?)

spencer

 

[anita514]

http://www.everestnews.com/8000.htm

there ya go
according to this list, the only person to have done all 14 without oxygen is alberto inurrategui

I always thought messner did them all without supplemental oxygen too...

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

According to Everestnews.com, only 11 climbers have reached the summits of all 14: Reinhold Messner (Italy) was first, followed by Jerzy Kukuczka (Poland), Ehardt Loretan (Switzerland), Carlos Carsolio (Mexico), Krzysztof Wielicki (Poland), Juan Oiarzabal (Spain), Sergio Martini (Italy), Park Young Seok (Korea), Hang-Gil Um (Korea), Alberto Inurrategui (Spain), and Han Wang Yong (Korea). So, yes, Ed would be the first American. Messner and most of the others have done all without oxygen, which really only pertains to Everest anyway.

http://www.everestnews.com/8000.htm

 

[percious]

Messner and most of the others have done all without oxygen, which really only pertains to Everest anyway.

Why do you say this only pertains to Everest? From what I understand, anything about 8k is a serious undertaking...

Side note: Anatoli Boukreev did 11 of 14 (including everest 4 times), all without oxegen, before he perished in an avalanche on K2.

-percious

 

[sapblatt]

Side note: Anatoli Boukreev did 11 of 14 (including everest 4 times), all without oxegen, before he perished in an avalanche on K2.

-percious

I thought Bourkeev died on Annapurna? I am sure I could be wrong on that...

 

[Pig Pen]

I'm Interested in this trip. When is the meeting time at the trail head. Will we need snowshoes or crampons? Can you make sure we are done by 4:00pm?

 

[maineguy]

Is there a patch??

What about doing them only in winter??

To "count" Everest twice, do you have to descend to Katmandu, or is basecamp sufficient??

Can you use a mountain bike thru the Khumbu icefall??

Are there canisters??

What is the speed record for all 14??

 

[sapblatt]

Is there a patch??


What is the speed record for all 14??

Sherpa John is working on it...probably 7 days...two a day sounds reasonable!

 

[percious]

I thought Bourkeev died on Annapurna? I am sure I could be wrong on that...

Yeah, you are right. I have a book sitting on my nightstand labeled "Annapurna"... I just finished "the climb" so I wonder if Chris Bonnington will mention Toli.

-percious

 

[DougPaul]

Why do you say this only pertains to Everest? From what I understand, anything about 8k is a serious undertaking...

Yes, anything over 8K meters is a serious undertaking, but that doesn't mean that one needs to use bottled oxygen. The oxygen apparatus is heavy and cumbersome. Bottles need to be carried up the mountain, etc. The cost-benifit ratio is such that it is only used when absolutely necessary. Bottled oxygen is frequently used on Everest because the summit (8850m) is at the limit of a human's ability to function. In contrast, oxygen is rarely used on K2 (second highest peak, 8611m).

Doug

 

[percious]

I would wonder if oxygen use on K2 is limited for other logistical reasons.

From what I understand of the mountain, K2 is more technically challenging, and therefore harder to get oxygen aparatus up. Furthermore, the increasing technical challenge means that more experienced climbers are attempting the mountain, IE it is less commercialized. It seems that the commercialized guides rely much more heavily on oxygen. 239 meters definately makes a big difference when you are up that high, however.

-percious

 

[DougPaul]

It seems that the commercialized guides rely much more heavily on oxygen. 239 meters definately makes a big difference when you are up that high, however.

Commercial guides on Everest do appear to rely heavily on oxygen (makes the moutain easier for the clients and Sherpas do the heavy carrying), but my comments on the amount of oxygen used also apply to non-commercial mountaineers too (at least based upon what I have read). Given improvments in equipment and technique and current changes in style, it does appear that a greater and greater percentage of non-commercial mountaineers are attempting to summit without using bottled oxygen.

Agreed--239m isn't that big lower down, but when you are at the limit of function...

Doug

 

[Quack]

Nova

I just picked up a DVD episode of PBS's NOVA called "Everest:The Death Zone" It's a very interesting program about high altitude's effects on the human body. They track a four climbers (one of them Ed V.) up Everest, and test their ability to function using various cognitive tests. Very cool experiment, and even cooler footage of Everest. Also a great opportunity to support PBS!

 

[anita514]

Given improvments in equipment and technique and current changes in style, it does appear that a greater and greater percentage of non-commercial mountaineers are attempting to summit without using bottled oxygen.
Doug

I think they're going up without oxygen because they're hardcore mountaineers and they want to make it up on their own, using their own strength and abilities. people like mallory made it up without oxygen, why can't they?
also, imo, you don't see as much oxygen on K2 because it's a much harder mountain than Everest. so you don't get all these hoardes of rich people being short-roped all the way up to the summit, leaving trash and piles of canisters all over the place

 

[RGF1]

I think they're going up without oxygen because they're hardcore mountaineers and they want to make it up on their own, using their own strength and abilities. people like mallory made it up without oxygen, why can't they?
also, imo, you don't see as much oxygen on K2 because it's a much harder mountain than Everest. so you don't get all these hoardes of rich people being short-roped all the way up to the summit, leaving trash and piles of canisters all over the place

I will venture guess you are right. on that . Theer are comercial "expeditions " to K2 I have seen advertisments for them. They cost far less than Everest and the people who pay 60 thousand and up to be hualed up Everest probably are not even close to being capable of climbing K2 . Also Traveling in Pakistan is not highly recomenmded right now .It would think it is very dangerous for a Westener to be in Pakistan .
I imagine or would hope that any group attempting a peak over even 6,000 meters , close to 20,000 ft brings some O2 cannisters in case of a emgerency.
OH Yeah GO ED! The patch and other joking is making a otherwise misreble day due to pollen a bit better. Asthma and pollen do not go well to gether Thanks !
I thought Messner was the frist person to climb all 14 8,000 meter peaks and that he was the frsit to do so with out supplemental l O2 ,along with Peter Habler on the same climb . He then did it solo from China later.

 

[David Metsky]

people like mallory made it up without oxygen, why can't they?

Except Mallory and Irving relied on oxygen bottles. And there's no hard evidence that they made it to the top.


-dave-

 

[Gris]

there's no hard evidence that they made it to the top

Well, according to Waterman, they made it and messed up on the way down. it seems Waterman found this out by "channeling" Irvine whilst his Bronx plumber channeled Mallory. What harder evidence could you have than that!