There is no question that Ueli Steck's solo ascent of Annapurna is the boldest climb of the year. News of his amazing feat has captivated the mountaineering community for the past few weeks as we've all waited to hear more about the expedition. Now that he is back home, Ueli sat down with the folks from EpicTV for an interview to discuss his latest adventure in the Himalaya. Part 1 of that interview can be found below, where you'll learn – amongst other things – that Steck feels a bit "empty" following his return from Annapurna.

The 2013 fall climbing season in the Himalaya just seems to keep on going, despite the fact we keep wanting to declare it finished. Heavy snow across the region has made it a difficult year, particularly in the latter stages. But a few teams are still plugging away and holding out hope for late season summits.

Perhaps the most surprising expedition that is still on going is the Korean team's attempt to climb Lhotse. ExWeb is reporting today that the squad is still on the mountain and has launched their summit bid at last. The team moved up to Camp 3 today and are expected to go to C4 tomorrow with the push to the top to follow shortly thereafter. The report says that the Korean climbers attempted to shuttle gear to Camp 4 a few days back but were turned away by excessive snow. If that is the case, I would expect the upper slopes to be very difficult, making the way to the summit a real challenge. If all goes according to plan, it looks like they'll make the final push this weekend. Lets hope it is a safe climb up and back down.

ExWeb is also reporting news from several expeditions to smaller mountains in Nepal as well. A French team is attempting the 7031 meter (23,067 ft) Saipal in the western party of the country, while another French squad has wrapped up a new route on Gauri Shankar, a 7314 meter (23,996 ft) peak on the border of Tibet. British climbers Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden were also able to make the first ascent of Kishtwar Kailash a few weeks back. You can read details of their ascent of that 6451 meter (21,164 ft) mountain by clicking here.

Finally, we're all still awaiting word from Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb on their attempt to make a first ascent of Lunag-Ri. It has been ten days since we received the last dispatch and at that time the boys were prepping for a summit push that was to begin on October 25 and should have taken roughly 4-5 days to complete. Given that they expected quite a bit of snow up near the summit, it is possible they are still working the route or making their descent. Hopefully we'll get news from them soon. At 6895 meters (22,621 ft) it is the tallest unclimbed peak in Nepal. Chad and David aren't the only ones attempting the mountain this fall either. There was another team in BC that was a day or two ahead of them in acclimatization and launching their own summit bid.

That's it for now. Hopefully we'll hear more about these last few expeditions in the next day or two. It seems the season will truly wrap up in the next week or so.

Last Friday ExWeb broke the news that a team of French climbers had successfully climbed Annapurna along the very difficult South Face. As we all know, any summit of Annapurna is always an impressive one, but this one was especially so thanks to the heavy snows that have fallen in the Himalaya following Cyclone Phailin making landfall a few weeks back. At the time, we knew very few details of the climb other than that Yannick Graziani and Stephane Benoist were able to top out after spending  a week on the mountain. We were also waiting for news on their successful descent, which still hadn't happened the last time we had an update.

Yesterday, ExWeb reported that Yannick and Stephane actually had to be evacuated from Annapurna after suffering frostbite on the descent. The details still remain scant but it appears that they struggled on the way back down but were able to reach Base Camp. Once there, it was determined that they would need medical attention and the duo were flown back to Kathmandu, where they are reportedly being treated now.

ExWeb speculates that the injuries weren't particularly serious, although it is sometimes difficult to tell with frostbite, particularly early on. Hopefully Yannick and Stephane won't be losing any digits and they'll be back in the mountain soon. Considering how dangerous Annapurna can be, they should feel fortunate they got away with just a little frostbite.

They are due to return to France sometime in the next couple of days.

It seems I've been a little quick to write off the fall climbing season in the Himalaya. The arrival of Cyclone Phailin a couple of weeks back brought copious amounts of snow to the region and effectively put an end to several expeditions on the big mountains. But apparently not everyone gave up their climbs when the heavy snows arrived as ExWeb is reporting that there has been a pair of successful summits on Annapurna and once again they came from the difficult South Face.

According to the story, climbers Yannick Graziani and Stephane Benoist topped out yesterday morning local time after spending approximately a week on their summit push. The duo arrived in Nepal in late September and spent some time acclimatizing on smaller peaks nearby before heading over to Annapurna Base Camp. They arrived on the mountain late last week and almost immediately launched their attempt. They had expected to make the push in four days time, but it ended up taking them the entire week instead, although they were finally able to reach the top yesterday.

There is no word yet on whether or not they have gotten back down safely and we all know that is a big question mark on Annapurna. The mountain is known for being very difficult and prone to avalanches. Considering the amount of snow that has been dumped on the Himalaya recently, lets keep our fingers crossed that Yannick and Stephane get back to Base Camp safely.

This was the second attempt on Annapurna for this team. They made a previous go at climbing the mountain back in the fall of 2010. That attempt was thwarted by bad weather and excessive snow on the upper slopes of the mountain.

This is of course the second time this fall that climbers have successfully negotiated the South Face of Annapurna. Swiss climber Ueli Steck made his epic solo summit, in just 28-hours no less - a few weeks back along the same route. Conditions were a bit different then however as Ueli's summit took place before the arrival the cyclone.

Congratulations to the French climbers on a successful expedition. Well done! Now get home safe.

Heavy snow, generally poor weather and a waning climbing season in the Himalaya have brought an end to most of the expeditions this fall. Most of the big mountains have been abandoned now with the majority of teams now long gone. But there are a few smaller climbs still taking place in Nepal, where not everyone has completed their adventures just yet.

Yesterday I posted an update from Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb who are attempting to make the first ascent of Lunag-Ri, the tallest unclimbed peak in Nepal. If all goes as planned, they'll launch their bid later this week. It won't be an easy climb however, as they report heavy snow now on the mountain with more than 4 feet (1.2 meters) falling in the past week alone.

Over on Lhotse, the last of the 8000-meter peaks to see action this fall, we're still waiting on word from the Korean team. The last update indicated that they were headed up to Camp 2 on that mountain, but the amount of snow that was on the Western Cwm this season, even before the arrival of Cyclone Phailin, was daunting. There is no word on whether or not they are still attempting to summit or are planning on heading home.

ExWeb has shared a couple of other expeditions that are still ongoing as well. For instance, a team of French climbers arrived in country last week and are en route to Saipal now. Their travel has been delayed more than once due to poor weather, but they should arrive in Base Camp soon. Located in extreme Northwest Nepal, Saipal is a seldom climbed peak with an altitude of 7031 meters (23,067 ft).

Ama Dablam is also seeing some late season action. The popular climbing peak is 6856 meters (22,493 ft) in height and is often seen as a good tune-up for other climbs in the Himalaya. Himex has a team there now and a Pakistani group led by Shaheen Baig is also on the mountain. Aussie climber Chris Jensen Burke is also hoping to wrap up a busy year in the Himalaya with one final climb on Ama Dablam too.

While these few remaining expeditions aren't as big and sexy as some of the attempts on the 8000 meter peaks, they are still solid challenges, especially when you factor in the late season weather. It should be interesting to see how much success these teams find in the next week or so. These smaller mountains don't take nearly as long to climb and I suspect most of these remaining expeditions will wrap up by the first week of November.

Stay tuned for more updates.

As mentioned previously in my updates on the fall climbing season in the Himalaya, things are definitely winding down across the region. The majority of the expeditions have returned home although a few are still there and attempting to make summit bids on various mountains. Heavy snows are not making it easy however as teams continue to dig out from the massive cyclone that dumped impressive amounts of powder on the mountains last week.

Chad Kellogg and David Gottlieb have checked in from Lunag-Ri, the target of their efforts this fall. As you may recall, the mountain holds the distinction of being the tallest unclimbed peak in Nepal with an altitude of 6895 meter (22,621 ft). When last we heard from the boys, they were on there way to Base Camp after just setting out from Namche Bazaar. The trek to BC was relatively uneventful and duo arrived on the mountain where they were greeted by two other climbers hoping to make the first ascent of Lunag-Ri as well. That team had already established Advanced Base Camp further up the slope and were in the process of wrapping up their acclimatization efforts.

All of this happened early last week before the cyclone made landfall, bringing heavy snows along with it. The forecast indicated that the storm could dump fresh powder on the Himalaya for several days, so Chad, David and their companions all settled into their tents to wait. Before long, a full fledged blizzard was hitting the mountain, burying everything in sight, including the tents they were staying in. It was an uphill battle keeping them from collapsing under the weight, but they managed to make it through relatively unscathed. By the time the snow stopped falling it had deposited 4 feet (1.2 meters) on the ground, which has made things difficult to say the least.

Over the weekend the team started shuttling gear up the mountain towards ABC. They made a cache halfway to that point and plan on going all the way up today. They'll build their campsite there, then drop down to fetch the cache tomorrow. After that, it'll be back to BC for a brief rest and then they'll launch their attempt on the summit. Chad estimates that it will take them roughly four days to make the climb. That ascent could start late this week.

It sounds like conditions will be tough all the way to the top, as the boys will be forced to break trail much of the way. They are particularly concerned about how much snow will be on the summit ridge as they approach the top, provided they even get a chance to reach that point. The weather forecast looks much improved for now however, so it seems they'll at least have a shot at topping out.

Stay tuned for updates.

When we last checked in on Philippe Gatta, the ultrarunner attempting to run the length of the Great Himalaya Trail, a distance of 1700 km (1056 miles), in just 40 days, he was waiting out the weather. Philippe had gotten caught in the mountains just as Cyclone Phailin was hitting the mainland. That storm ended up dumping an unbelievable amount of snow across the region, burying portions of the trail in waist deep powder. It has gotten so bad in fact, that the Frenchman said that the snow was actually reaching the second story of some of the taller buildings in villages that he was passing through. When he returned to the GHT late last week, he found some of the higher passes blocked and impassable. Those conditions have caused him to reassess the expedition and come at it from a different direction – quite literally.

On Saturday, Philippe posted a note on his Facebook page that said that all the passes above 5000 meters (16,404 ft) are closed and would not reopen for sometime. Possibly not until spring. So, he decided to abandon his run where he was at and return to Kathmandu temporarily and then head back out to the trail, launching the next portion of his run from Lukla in the Khumbu Valley. That's the starting point for climbers and trekkers heading to Everest of course. His plan was to run from Lukla to Namche Bazaar and from there head to Island Peak, a 6165 meter (20,226 ft) mountain in the Khumbu region with the intention of climbing to the top. Island Peak is a trekking peak without any technical climbing involved, but considering how much snow it is currently buried under, it will still be a real challenge at the moment.

Another update came yesterday that indicated that Gatta had arrived in Namche after running just 3 hours and 15 minutes to get there. Anyone who has made that trek will tell you that is an impressive time considering it usually takes the better part of two days to walk there. That includes hiking up the famous Namche Hill, which includes some substantial gains in altitude. He'll likely spend a day there resting before beginning the hike to Island Peak.

So, while the objective the run has changes, Philippe is still pushing ahead with his adventure none the less. It appears an attempt to run the entire GHT is done for now, but he'll continue to apply his unique skills to explore the Khumbu Valley. It should be interesting to see how the trek to the mountain goes and if he finds success on Island Peak.

Good luck Philippe!

Over the past week or so, we've all been astounded by the news and details of Ueli Steck's solo summit of Annapurna along the South Face. You've no doubt heard me and others use a host of superlatives in an attempt to convey just how impressive this climb is. But to truly get a sense of what Ueli accomplished you'll want to watch the video below. It is a 55-minute long documentary from 1970 that tells the tale of the first ascent of the mountain along this route. The team that accomplished this feat is filled with climbing legends from the U.K., including Sir Chris Bonington, Dougal Haston, Don Whilians and more. The film is a real slice of mountaineering history and well worth your time if you have an  hour to kill. It'll give you an appreciation of what this team accomplished and provide more insight into what Ueli faced as well.

Nepal's Mustang Valley is a sacred, hidden place that remains restricted to travelers even today. There is some limited access, with the right permits and guides, but it is far from the well-tread paths of the Khumbu Valley or the Annapurna Circuit. The video below takes us into Mustang, giving us a spectacular glimpse of what it is like there. The valley is a spiritual and cultural place with the dramatic backdrop of the Himalayan Mountains along the horizon. It looks like an amazing destination and I'd love to see it for myself one day.

MUSTANG TREK from Yannick Calonge on Vimeo.

One of the most amazing things about visiting the Himalaya is that nestled amongst those towering, snowcapped peaks are a series of Buddhist monasteries. Those colorful, yet tranquil, places are sometimes found in surprising places and their presence can be an unexpected surprise. The video below provides a beautiful glimpse at how nine of these monasteries blend in with the natural landscapes around them. This is three-and-a-half minutes of zen calm that is well worth the time.

Thanks to Adventure Journal for sharing.

Landscapes - Himalayan Monasteries from pani on Vimeo.

August isn't typically the time of year that get much news on Everest. After all, the spring climbing season is well behind us and the much quieter fall season hasn't begun yet. But today we have a couple of Everest-centric stories worth noting and considering the rather large shadow the mountain casts over the mountaineering world, they are both worth sharing.

First up, Alan Arnette has weighed in with his thoughts on the new regulations that Nepal will be instituting next year. Those regulations include a permanent government presence in Base Camp, a ban on the use of helicopters in the region and a requirement that all attempts at setting a record on the mountain be declared ahead of time. Alan notes that while it is good to see Nepal making any kind of effort to bring a bit of order to Everest, he has his doubts as to whether or not these rules will actually accomplish anything or will even be enforced at all.

One of the more troubling aspect about the news that more regulations are coming to the world's tallest mountain is that aside from a BBC article on the changes, there has been little other information on the topic. The Nepali government hasn't even issued a press release or sent out any written confirmation of the rules changes. Worse yet, Alan says that none of the new regulations do anything to address the biggest challenge - overcrowding.

I have to say that I agree with Alan's assessment of the situation and had my own reservations about the new rules when they were announced. Nepal isn't all that well known for following through with their government oversight to begin with and adding yet more bureaucracy  probably isn't the answer. The fact that these new rules don't help in controlling the crowds leads me to believe that officials there are simply burying their heads in the sand so as to not disrupt the the cash cow that Everest has become for them. More people on the mountain means more permits sold, which of course leads to more cash in the country's coffers.

Meanwhile, Outside magazine has an interview with a Sherpa who was on Everest this past spring and was a witness to the incidents that led to a brawl between other Sherpas and European climbers Ueli Steck, Simone Moro and Jonathan Griffith. The conflict began up near Camp 3 at 23,000 feet (7010 meters) when the well-known trio attempted to cross the ropes that were being fixed at the time. Reportedly they dislodged a piece of ice that struck a Sherpa working below. This of course angered the other members of the rope-fixing team who had warned the three westerners to stay off the ropes. The lead Sherpa pulled the team off the job and ordered them to go down to Camp 2. When Simone, Ueli and Jonathan arrived back at that point a few hours later, all hell broke loose.

Tashi Sherpa, who works for International Mountain Guides and was the subject of this interview, paints a similar story from what we've heard in the past but with a few key differences. For instance, he claims that the crowd that approached Simone and Ueli in Camp 2 was nowhere near 100 people as many reports have indicated. He also says that Simone in particular was confrontational and abusive with the Sherpas involved. His actions, according to Tashi, directly led to increased tension between the parties involved.

The interview is a good one and comes across as being honest and forthright. The Sherpa, spoke to a reporter in Kathmandu and talked openly about a growing resentment amongst Sherpas towards western climbers. This is a result of them doing most of the work on Everest and getting little credit for the role they play. As the Nepali climbers have gotten more educated and self assured, they are now starting to ask why the stories about their climbs aren't included with news of westerners summiting the mountain. After all, without the Sherpas, very few people would actually be able to climb Everest.

I found the interview to be very interesting and credible. it is good to get the story from the perspective of the Sherpas involved – a story that has mostly gone untold until now. The person in Outside's interview, says that no foreign journalists or bloggers who were there in BC bothered to talk with the Sherpas involved to get their side of the story. Not even the Nepalese government liaisons approached them. This interview gets at least part of their story out to the public.

If you're a fan of all-things Everest, you'll certainly want to read both of these stories.

Climbing an 8000-meter peaks is always a significant challenge. It requires skill, dedication and a considerable amount of luck as well. There are 14 mountains on our planet that reach above that lofty height and to date only 31 people have managed to summit them all. Most of those who have climbed these difficult mountains have taken several years to accomplish that feat. Now, once climber hopes to do all of them in just two years time.

47-year old Nick Cienski has announced Mission 14, which he has dubbed "the World's Toughest Expedition." Beginning in 2014 he will launch his attempt to climb all of those big peaks in just 24-months, including Everest, K2 and the always tricky Annapurna. He will begin his quest next winter, although which mountain he'll start with remains to be seen. Nick will  climb using supplemental oxygen and he hopes to set several records along the way, including a new speed record on Everest, which currently stands at 8 hours, 10 minutes and was set by Permba Dorje Sherpa in 2004.

The expedition will be of a truly epic scale. The budge is in excess of $5.6 million and 3780 porters will be used to carry gear, establish camps and fix ropes so that Nick can climb these mountains. No one has ever topped out on more than five 8000-meter peaks in a year. He'll have to do that twice!

Cienski is launching this undertaking not just for setting records however. His goal is to raise awareness of human trafficking in places like Nicaragua and take steps to stamp out that awful activity. He hopes to raise funds for nonprofits that combat the illegal slavery trade.

So, what do you think? Can he do it? It seems like an extremely ambitious expedition, particularly when you have to rely on the always-fickle weather that we find in the Himalaya and Karakoram. One bad storm could put an end to Nick's plans. Considering how temperamental conditions have been on a number of the 8000-meter peaks in the past few years, I'd say he has quite a struggle on his hands.

Stay tuned for more on Mission 14 in the months ahead. If things go according to plan, we should be hearing Nick's name a lot over the next two years. 

While the climbing season in Pakistan is winding down it won't be too long before the fall season in the Himalaya begins to pick up. Soon the seasonal monsoon will begin to dissipate and mountains that have been off limits for the past few months will suddenly become quite popular once again. This fall we'll get the opportunity to follow one expedition in particular very closely as our friend Alan Arnette has announced that he will climb Manaslu this fall. 

Standing 8163 meters (26,781 ft) in height, Manaslu is the fifth tallest mountain in the world. It is located inside Nepal,  approximately 65 km (40 miles) east of Annapurna and is one of the lesser climbed 8000 meter peaks. First climbed by a Japanese team back in 1956, Manaslu's most popular route to the summit follows its Northeast Ridge and requires the establishment of four camps on the way to the top. Alan notes that the biggest obstacles to success include heavy snow and avalanches that occur on the upper slopes.

This will be Alan's eighth expedition to an 8000 meter peak. He has attempted Everest four times, successfully topping out once, and also has experience on Broad Peak, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma. As usual, he'll be climbing with the Altitude Junkies and if all goes according to plan, they'll be eyeing a summit bid sometime in early-October. The expedition will also be used to raise funds for the Cure Alzheimer's Fund, which holds a particular significance to Alan who lost his mother to that horrible disease and prompted him to launch his Memories Are Everything campaign.

If you are familiar with Alan's blog you know that he covers the mountaineering scene very well and writes from a place of experience. His posts are always interesting and extremely well done and that includes when he sends dispatches back from his own climbs. That means that later this year we should get a very good narrative about what it is like to climb on Manaslu. I have no doubt that he'll keep us well informed about every step of the journey and make us feel like we're on the mountain with him. I know that I am already looking forward to following the climb in the weeks ahead.

Good luck Alan! Climb safely!

This past spring was a tumultuous one on Everest where we once again saw concerns with overcrowding and several deaths. Add into that a crazy scene involving three high-profile European climbers getting into a fight with a mob of Sherpas and you can understand why the Nepalese government would want to take steps to reign things in. That is exactly what they did last week with the announcement of new measures to improve safety, security and the environment on the world's tallest mountain.

The biggest adjustment for climbers will be a permanent presence in Base Camp by government officials. A team of government selected staffers will be assigned to BC to provide oversight of regulations and to help coordinate any rescue operations that may need to be conducted. They'll also help facilitate communications to and from the mountain, although their primary duty will be ensure that everyone is following the rules and conducting themselves in a proper manner. Each of the expeditions is already assigned a liaison officer, but most of them never leave Kathmandu. This new "Integrated Service Center," as it is being called, will essentially be the eyes and ears of the Nepali government on Everest.

That isn't the only change however as there are several other shifts in policy as well. For instance, helicopter flights to other peaks in the Khumbu region will be prohibited unless they are used for conducting a rescue. This will prevent some climbers from using that mode of transportation to hop from one mountain to another while undergoing their acclimatization process. The helicopters can make the snow on the upper slopes of Everest unstable, bringing about avalanches. By limiting the amount of helicopter traffic, the hope is that the mountain will become safer all around.

The government has also announced that all attempts to set a record on Everest must be announced prior to starting a climb. The hope is that this new rule will cut down on some of the arbitrary or outlandish "records" that people come to Everest to set. That kind of behavior has contributed to the Everest climbing season being seen as a bit of a three-ring circus at times and Nepal would like to see some dignity restored to a mountain that they view as sacred.

Finally, there will be further enforcement on the regulations regarding the removal of trash from Everest. As we all know, over the years trash has accumulated in certain areas of the mountain and it is having an adverse effect on the environment there. Teams are required to take all of their waste materials with them when the season ends, but that is not always as strictly enforced as it should be. The government has warned that there will be increased crackdowns in this area to help clean up Everest.

All in all, these are some good steps towards bringing further oversight to Everest. Whether or not they'll make things safer remains to be seen. The Nepalese government has been criticized for not taking a more active role and this seems to be an attempt to squelch some of that criticism. They'll now have to follow through with the enforcement, which has often been the part that they would stumble on. I guess we'll find out more next spring.

Not planning on visiting Everest Base Camp soon? Better yet, want to relive a previous journey to EBC? Then check out this wonderful timelapse video of the trek from Lukla to Base Camp that will give a great sense of what it is like to make that hike. I think this is a perfect way to end the week.

The Himalayan - Mt.Everest Base Camp trek HD Time Lapse from Amit Haware on Vimeo.

Standing 8156 meters (26,759 ft) in height, Manaslu is the eight tallest mountain in the world. It also happens to be the focus of an amazing competition known as the Manaslu Trail Race, which is run in the High Himalaya of Nepal each year. During the race, competitors will cover a total of 212 km (131 miles) over seven stages, going as high as Manaslu Base Camp located at 5100 meters (16,732 ft). It is a difficult and demanding event that rewards runners with stunning views and an almost spiritual connection with the world around them.

The video below is an amazing introduction to this trail race. It is a 10-minute long mini-documentary that will leave you inspired to want to run this route yourself while pulling no punches with how difficult the run actually is. The short film begins in Kathmandu and takes viewers through the various stages of the race, giving us a sense of what it is like out on the trail. This seems like an incredible mix of cultural immersion, breathtaking scenery and an unbelievable physical challenge.

The next edition of the Manaslu Trail Race will take begin on November 9 of this year. There is still time to enter and get training.

MANASLU TRAIL RACE PROMO (LOW RES) from Adventure Types on Vimeo.

The Everest climbing season may be long over at this point, but one story continues to get plenty of attention weeks later. The conflict that took place between European climbers Ueli Steck, Simone Moro and Jonathan Griffith and the Sherpa team fixing ropes high on the mountain both shocked and saddened the mountaineering world. A loss of tempers is one thing but threatening the lives of the three western climbers is a completely different situation altogether and while it has been two months since the high profile incident took place, the repercussions of the event are likely to be felt for months and years to come.

One of the more respected figures on Everest is Russell Brice who has been coming to the mountain for decades both as a climber and expedition leader. His company, Himalayan Experience, is one of the larger and more well organized groups on the mountain each year and Brice is most certainly a leader in the Everest community. It was him who helped broker a deal between the three climbers and the Sherpas that helped bring a semblance of peace to the mountain following the conflict this spring and two of his best Sherpas were part of the group that had the initial run-in with Ueli, Simone and Jonathan. Brice has mostly kept quiet about the situation, preferring to let it play out within the "Everest family" if you will. But now, he has shared his thoughts on the entire affair in an interview with the BMC.

In the interview, the no-nonsense Brice doesn't really do much to dispute the story that Simone and Ueli have shared with the media. He does take umbrage with the fact that they spoke to the media at all however as part of the "peace accord" that was made in Base Camp. One of the conditions that came out of those talks was that the European climbers wouldn't talk to openly with the press. Russell feels that that portion of the agreement was ignored by Ueli in particular. He goes on to say that the Swiss climber wanted to press charges against those who has assaulted him, which would have involved getting the police and government officials wrapped up in the conflict. That didn't happen, but Brice says that the ringleaders of this assault would most certainly be dealt with in other ways within the Sherpa community.

The article offers some excellent insights into Sherpa culture, the Everest climbing community, life in the Khumbu, the economics of guided expeditions and much more. It is a good read all around and I highly recommend you take a look. Lots of interesting stuff for those who can't get enough news about Everest.

Big thanks to my friends over at EpicTV for sharing this story yesterday. Its has some very important message that I think many will find interesting.

Way back in October of 2011 I told you about a new documentary that was in the works entitled 40 Days At Base Camp. As the name implies, the film chronicles a full season on Everest, examining what life is like in BC on the tallest mountain on the planet. The film was shot during the 2011 climbing season and has been available on DVD for some time. Is also now available in digital format on the iTunes store for a very reasonable $7.99 for standard definition and $9.99 in high-def. It can also be rented for $3.99 and $4.99 in those same resolutions.

I watched the 54-minute documentary last night and thought that was quite good. Director Dianne Whelan has managed to pack a lot of content into a compact space, telling the story of climbers looking to summit the mountain while also managing to touch on such subjects as climbing culture, climate change and overcrowding on the mountain. Those topics are handled deftly and honestly without getting heavy handed. It's clear that the filmmaker knows and understands her subject matter and presents it well to an audience that may know nothing about climbing Everest or may be intimately knowledgeable on the subject.

That said, there were a few times where I felt the narration got a little overly dramatic. It didn't happen often and it wasn't consistently so, but it did happen from time to time. Perhaps this was a personal feeling, coming from someone who has been to BC and knows the Everest climbing routine fairly well.  The mainstream crowd probably wouldn't even notice and the added dramatic effect may help hammer home a point. For the most part, the narration was spot on however and told the tale of a single climbing season quite well.


As with most films of this type, much of the joy in watching it can be found in the gorgeous shots of Everest in the Himalaya. Whelan managed to catch some beautiful imagery from Nepal and as a result, this documentary is a bit like mountain-porn for those of us who can't get enough of that sort of thing. There were even some early moments that showed the trek into BC where I recognized where they were at on the trail and I got a little wistful missing that hike.

If you're the kind of person who can't get enough of Everest, then you'll certainly want to catch 40 Days At Base Camp. It does an excellent job of giving us a glimpse into what life is like in BC during a typical climbing season. While it doesn't break a lot of new ground, it is one of the better documentaries on climbing Everest to come out in a long time. If you're new to the Everest climbing scene, then this film is a nice intro to life on the mountain. You'll learn a lot about what it takes to summit the world's tallest peak and you'll come away with a better understanding of the issues that it faces in the 21st century. Be warned though, the film will leave you wanting more and a quick glance at the calendar tells me we're a long way off from the next climbing season.

Rent or buy on iTunes now. Watch the trailer below.


40 Days At Base Camp- Trailer from Andrew Coppin on Vimeo.

Even in the 21st Century tales of the Yeti continue to spark our imagination. The mythical ape-like creature that supposedly lives in the High Himalaya has remained elusive, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to look for him. At least that's the basic premise of this wonderful short film that seems more like a good excuse to go mountain biking in Nepal rather than a true study of cryptozoology. Considering the stunning backdrops and excellent trails, I think any excuse to mountain bike in Nepal is a good one. Anyone want to organize this kind of Yeti hunt with me?

Searching for the Yeti from Gary Thomas on Vimeo.

We have seen some amazing timelapse videos over the past months, but this one just might take the cake. It was shot on Everest and features some incredible shots of the peak, including images of the climbers going up and down its slopes. It is simply an amazing look at a mountain that never seems to fail to captivate us all. I hope you enjoy.

Everest -A time lapse short film from Elia Saikaly on Vimeo.