Everest North Ridge Expedition 2013

The 2013 Ganesh Adventures Everest North Ridge expedition is a culmination of several years of planning and co-ordination between Ganesh staff, Nepali providers, Tibetan authorities and our client alumni. We are constantly testing and re-testing our systems in preparation for this amazing endeavour to the highest spot on the planet to ensure a flawlessly planned and executed expedition. Nearly three years in the making, the Ganesh Adventures Everest expedition aims to provide members with the best possible chance at obtaining the 8848M summit of Mt Everest. That said, this is a mountain and in the end, Everest will decide if we stand on top or not. Regardless, we will spare no expense in ensuring the best possible return on investment for our team members.

Dates: March 27 – June 7 2013

Price: $49,800usd with personal climbing Sherpa and Oxygen Equipment

Spaces Available: 8 of 8

Notes: 2 western guides, 8 climbing Sherpa, personal blog website

Everest North Ridge Introduction

Climbing Mt. Everest is not only an investment of time but also money. For one to commit this many resources to a single goal may seem folly to some; but to us, it is the fulfilment of a dream that only a climber can understand. All of the Ganesh Adventures staff have been there before: telling the boss, the partner, the family that you will be away for nearly three months on the side of a mountain. It is never easy to realize a dream and climbing Mt Everest is no exception. Ganesh Adventures believes in the dream and we will help you in any way we can in the months and weeks leading up to the start of the trip.

Please take the time to read the information on this page thoroughly as it will not only answer many of your questions but moreover, helpyou to decide if this expedition is right for you. If you dream of climbing Everest, we have a very comprehensive preparation schedule that will prepare you technically, physically and mentally for the 2013 Everest North Ridge expedition.

The North Ridge of Mount Everest 8848M

The expedition begins in Kathmandu, Nepal after which the team will fly to the Tibetan capital of Lhasa for 3 days of acclimatization, tours and sight seeing. Our Sherpa staff will drive in to Tibet and establish base camp before the rest of the team arrives and begin the preparations for setting up our home for the next eight weeks, advanced base camp on the north side of Mount Everest.

After arrival at Everest base camp, we will acclimatize for a couple of days while the Sherpa team establishes our advanced base camp(ABC). This will allow for optimal adjustment to the new altitudes and environment and permit the team to progress very slowly, using two intermediate camps, to advanced base camp at 6440M. Now, the climb begins and everyone becomes really excited for the challenge ahead.

We will use the following four camps above the 6440M ABC:

• Camp One – On the snow, North Col 7060M
• Camp Two- On the snow, 7400M
• Camp Three – On the rock shelves, 7900M
• Camp Four – On rocks, snow or ice, 8400M

After an appropriate resting period, we will venture towards the North Col with no loads on our backs save for some water, food and camera for the days climb. The climb although relatively easy, will be a challenge for everyone on the team. Our Mt Everest acclimatization has only just begun and we will all be feeling the effects of the thin air up to over 7000M.

The Sherpa team will carry all of the oxygen, group sleeping and cooking equipment for the high camps the leaders and members will aim to spend at least one night at camp one and one night at camp two. Pushing any higher at this point would only serve to weaken everyone and risk complications associated with extreme altitudes. Therefore, we will slowly descend all the way back to base camp for an extended period of rest. During which time, our Sherpa team will ensure the climbing route is in place and also prepare and stock all of the high camps for our summit push. Once a favourable weather window is predicted, the team will advance with the Sherpa team at a rate of one camp per day. If all goes well, we will be standing on the summit of Mt Everest five days after leaving advanced base camp. If the weather and/or conditions on the mountain fail to co-operate, we will have ample opportunity to make another bid for the summit.

Mt Everest North Ridge Expedition Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu

Members are met at the Kathmandu Airport by a one of the Ganesh Adventures expedition leaders and transferred to the five star Shangri La Hotel in Lazampat, Kathmandu. Each member will have his or her own room to unwind and relax after the long flight and time zone difference. The expedition leaders will also check out all of your equipment to ensure you have everything you need. If something is missing, we can plan an a shopping excursion for the next day.

Day 2: Personal Day in Kathmandu

This is a great day to explore the Thamel area of Kathmandu, update your website, do some shopping or just sit beside the pool and read a book. We are about to embark on an expedition to Mt Everest so there will surely be a lot on our minds and this is a great day to get your head in the right place. In the evening the Ganesh Adventures Everest North Ridge team will have a fantastic dinner and all start getting to know each other.

Day 3: Fly to Lhasa

This amazing flight will take us to the Tibetan capital of Lhasa where will be transferred to a good quality hotel chosen by the China Tibet Mountaineering Association (CTMA). This will be our base for the next few days and will also be the beginning of our acclimatization as Lhasa is located at an altitude of over 3600M.

Day 4 & 5: Time in Lhasa 3600M

We will begin our active acclimatization by visiting the many fascinating sights of the Tibetan capital. Lhasa is a city of contrast with the indigenous Tibetan culture and the Chinese presence mimicking the idea of the yin and yang. This is an essential and exciting part of any visit to Tibet

Day 6: Drive to Shigatse 3900M

This 6 hour jeep drive across the Tibetan Plateau will gain us 300M in elevation and expose us to the beauty of the Tibetan landscape. We will stay in another standard hotel chosen for us, go for a short walk and have a great authentic Chinese meal.

Day 7: Drive to Xejar 4000M

This 8 hour drive will bring us into the height where proper acclimatization really starts to make a difference. On a clear day, one gets the first views of the northern flanks of the Himalayan giants, Including Mt Everest.

Day 8: Acclimatization Day 4000-4250M

This is a crucial day in our acclimatization schedule as the next day we will make a large height gain to Everest base camp. We will all walk up to a hill top monastery to get the blood flowing and see some amazing sights. We recommend that if members are not feeling the greatest they reserve this day for rest and hydration.

Day 9: Drive to Mt Everest Base Camp 5200M

Finally we will reach Everest base camp where we will all really begin to feel the effects of the thin air above 5000M. It is very important to be honest with not only your expedition leaders but also with yourself. Your leaders will be constantly checking in on how you feel and offering ways to help cope with the new height.

Day 10-13: Exploration, Rest and Acclimatization and Everest base camp

It is crucial to take care at this point of the expedition. We at Ganesh Adventures know from experience that active acclimatization works wonders. We also know right away who will run themselves into the ground early in the expedition. Although there are many hills to scramble up and sights to see, we insist that all members take the time to let their bodies recover and adjust to the high altitudes. This is a great time to catch up on your journals, blogs, call the family or just sit and read a book.

Day 14: Trek to Intermediate Camp One 5675M

This moderate trek takes near the foot of the East Rongbuk glacier. After the usual chaos and excitement of the yaks being loaded, the team will set out together over varied terrain to a pleasant camp spot over looking the glacier on the right bank of the Rongbuk Valley. 5-10 hours.

Day 15: Trek to Intermediate Camp Two 6100M

We trek up what is known as The Magic Highway, a tongue of moraine that is situated between the amazing pinnacles of the East Rongbuk Glacier. This 4-8 hour easy walk takes to our second intermediate camp near a wonderful moraine lake.

Day 16: Trek to Everest Advanced Base Camp 6445M

Today is a short 2-4 hour walk up to Everest ABC. Still nearly 4km away and 2km higher, Mt Everest’s North East ridge is in full view and offers amazing view that either serves to inspire or horrify. It’s a long way off but by now we all know that our acclimatization is starting to work and our bodies have a chance of making the top. True exhilaration.

Day 17-55 Climb Mount Everest

Due to the shear scale of the endeavor ahead, it is next to impossible to make an accurate estimation of the climbing schedule. There are so many factors that will affect our schedule and to make a detailed plan is just not possible. This is the task of the guides and Sherpa. It is standard practice to make a number of trips to the North Col camp 1 as well as at least one night at camp 2 before descending to base camp to prepare for the summit push.

After an extended period of rest we will begin our summit push during which we will use a different intermediate camp that will be located at or near the start of The Magic Highway.

We will progress one camp per day and hopefully, five days after leaving base camp, we will be standing on top of the world, our dreams realized.

Day 56 – Descend to Base Camp

As the Sherpa staff clean the mountain and dissemble base camp, the members and guides will have a nice downhill walk to base camp where the big party will begin. Ganesh Adventures spares no expense for our parties and these times are always the greatest of the expedition.

Day 57 – Packing and preparing to depart

Day 58 -Depart Base Camp and drive to Xangmu

Day 59 – Border crossing in Xangmu and drive to Kathmandu

Day 60 – Spare day in Kathmandu

Day 61 – Onward flights

Expedition Leaders

Ganesh Adventures is offering the 2013 North Ridge Everest expedition as a fully guided ascent. Your guides have been on 8000M mountains over 10 times each and both have outstanding climbing resumes and qualifications. This experience and knowledge will ensure your investment is sound and your expedition an amazing learning experience. Please view our about Ganesh Adventures page to learn more about your ‘big bosses’ for this excellent Everest North Ridge expedition.

The Sherpa Team & Your Personal Sherpa

We believe strongly that success lies in support. If this is your first 8000M climb, you will be amazed at the amount of work and planning that goes into an expedition of this magnitude. The Sherpa staff of Ganesh Adventures work as a team. Our experience has taught us that the Sherpa prefer to be given a set of tasks and to execute them as they see fit. There is no need to micro manage these awesome guys who have more experience up high that all of us put together. We require each member to have his or her own personal Sherpa to assist them in carrying loads and ensure constant guidance whilst on the hill. We do not assign a Sherpa to a member, the Sherpa choose their members at the start of the expedition and work to ensure their success as a climbing team throughout the trip.

Please be aware that the boys will be working very very hard during the initial stages of the expedition and that they are not your personal assistant for all of your daily needs. We all need them to establish and stock our camps, fix lines and work the Sherpa politics that is so prevalent on Everest. Don’t worry though, when the time to climb comes, your personal Sherpa will be there right at your side for the entire ascent. A bit of advice: The better you treat your Sherpa, the better he will treat you.

Experience Required

The 2013 Ganesh Adventures Everest North Ridge expedition is open primarily to our alumni members. That said, if you feel that you are qualified to participate and meet the qualifications below, please contact us for an application to join the expedition.

Ideally, Everest North Ridge members will have the following experience:

• Extensive mountaineering experience
• Previous high altitude experience at or above 7000M
• Previous use of fixed lines on exposed terrain
• Mental fortitude and strong motivation
• Extensive expedition and outdoor experience

If you do not feel that you are currently qualified for the 2013 Everest expedition, Ganesh Adventures offers a very comprehensive training and preparation program. Everest isn’t going anywhere and we believe that experience is the key to success and safety on any mountain. Get the skills and use them rather than just throwing your hard earned money away to constantly attempt one mountain.

What Your Everest Base Camp will Look like

Climbing any 8000M peak is a major investment of time and money. Spending nearly two months on an expedition is enough to crack even the most seasoned mountaineer. It is very important when choosing your Everest expedition to ensure your personal needs will be not only met but exceeded throughout the climb.

Ganesh Adventures offers first class base camp facilities that will ensure you are very comfortable, well fed and healthy during your Everest climb. Everest Base Camp / ABC facilities and staff will have the following at Everest Base Camp and ABC for all members at all times:

• Base Camp manager to co-ordinate logistics and assist members
• Cooks and cook assistants to prepare and serve meals
• Heated dining tent with tables, chairs, drinks, condiments, snacks & lighting
• Three full meals per day consisting of imported and local food
• Heated Marmot Lair comms dome tent with lighting (see communications section)
• Hot Shower
• Equipment storage and packing tent for members and staff
• Medical and First Aid

Ideally, we will have a medical doctor experienced in high altitude medicine on our expedition. The reality however, is that it is difficult to find doctors that are experienced with the unique set of conditions presented on a high altitude expedition such as Mt Everest North Ridge. Although we will try our very best to include a medical doctor on our expeditions, we can not make the guarantee of having one.

Ganesh Adventures provides the following medical resources on all of our 8000M expeditions:

• 24 hour on call Canadian or American emergency room doctor prepared for high altitude emergency consultation.
• Wilderness first responder certified base camp manager.
• Wilderness EMT certified mountain guides with very extensive high altitude medical experience.
• Extensive trauma medical kit at base camp.
• Extensive airway medical kit with oxygen at base camp and abc.
• Fully stocked medications kit at base camp and abc.
• Portable Altitude Chamber (Gamow Bag).
• Stretcher with spinal immobilization equipment at base camp and abc
• Emergency response plan documented for all contingencies.

Personal Shelter & Sleeping at Everest Base Camp and ABC

To minimize the metal strain on our members, we provide individual private sleeping arrangements while at base camp and ABC on all of our expeditions.

Each member of the 2013 Ganesh Adventures Mt Everest North Ridge Expedition will be provided:

• Personal Marmot Thor 2 or 3 base camp tent
• Two sleeping mats
• Solar powered lantern for reading
• Bed tea/coffee served to your door each morning

Communications at Everest Base Camp and ABC

We will have a dedicated communications or ‘comms’ tent. This comfortable, heated space will be your office away from home and house all of our communications gear along with a comfortable workspace for members to use at their leisure. Please feel free to bring your own laptop but make sure it has a standard ethernet port, we won’t have wi-fi up there.

On all of our 8000M expeditions Ganesh Adventures provides the following communications infrastructure to all of our members to keep in touch with family, friends and business:

• Broadband internet access through a BGAN Inmarsat satellite modem transceiver.
• Laptop and Printer.
• Two Thuraya Satellite telephones.
• VHF radios for communications on the mountain and between camps.
• Flat screen TV with DVD player for movies at night.
• Personal Blog website designed by and hosted on Ganesh Adventures’ servers.
• Solar power grid with battery bank and backup generator.
• Ganesh Adventures Equipment of Mt. Everest

Included in the cost of your expedition is the following high quality, professionally maintained and tested equipment.

Mountain Tents & Stoves

Ganesh Adventures exclusively uses Marmot tents and MSR Reactor or Jetboil mountain stoves. Depending on the configuration of the camps and members, either Marmot Thor 2 or Thor 3 tents will be placed at all high camps by the Sherpa staff. Additionally, each tent will have a minimum of one MSR Reactor or two Jetboil high altitude stoves. We have used both of these cooking systems up to and above 8000M and feel they are the best option for an expedition such as this. If you have your own system you would like to bring please feel to contact us to ensure we have comparable fuel for your kit.

Rope Fixing & Opening The North Ridge Route of Everest

The rope fixing is a collaborative effort between all of the teams on the route at a given time. Every year the rules change and a different entity takes over the fixing and preparation of the route. Well before the start of the 2013 Mt Everest north side spring season, we will co-ordinate with other expedition outfitters and guides on the equipment and staff needed to safely prepare the North Ridge route on Everest.

Oxygen

The Everest North Ridge expedition cost includes all of your bottled oxygen, mask and regulator for use above 7800M. Ganesh Adventures uses the Top Out system, Poisk regulators and Poisk titanium oxygen bottles. In addition to your own oxygen system, we will have a number of backup systems on hand in case there is a system malfunction. The Poisk system was originally designed for the Russian space program and although it has proven to be the most reliable equipment for high altitude mountaineering, it still has some problems dealing with the dirt and grime on the mountain. All of our systems are professionally maintained and thoroughly tested before every Everest expedition.

Ganesh Adventures will supply enough oxygen for all members to make at least one summit attempt. That said, you can not ‘plug in’ at ABC and expect to have your Sherpa carry up 10 bottles for you along the way. This is just not logistically possible, nor is it safe.

Nutrition and Hydration

Your Everest North Ridge expedition cost includes all food and non-alcoholic drinks for the duration of the expedition outside of Kathmandu. While in base camps, our experienced Nepali cooks will prepare a high quality hygienic set of meals consisting of imported and local foods. Each day you will be awoken with bed tea or coffee by one of the cook staff shortly before breakfast is served. After you enjoy a slow start to your day, the usual banging on a pot will signal the start of breakfast. Typically, a breakfast will include cereals, porridge, eggs toast, hashed browns and baked beans. We also do our best to keep a constant supply of fresh fruit available. Lunch will usually start with soup followed by a heavy lunch of chips, a meat dish, rice, curry or some other creation by our fantastic cook. There is always an afternoon snack of soup and some finger foods followed shortly after by dinner. We strive for variety and dinner can be anything from an amazing Indian feast to Pizza, fried chicken, ribs and much much more. Soup is the standard and also a great way to stay hydrated.

There will be boiled and treated drinking water available at all times in the dining tent with a selection of coco, teas, juice mixes and coffee. We also try to keep a stock of soda drinks on hand and maybe even the occasional can of beer or six.

While on Mt Everest itself, above base camp, all members will be provided with a large selection of boil in a bag meals along with soup mixes, coco, chocolate, power bars and candies. It is the responsibility of each member to go through the stores of food and choose their own food for that days excursion. The Sherpa team will be responsible for delivering all members food and equipment to the higher camps on the mountain.

Mt Everest North Ridge Personal Climbing Equipment

All personal climbing equipment is the responsibility of the member. Please look at our 8000M Equipment list page for exact details of what you will need for this climb. Ganesh Adventures also offers its members discounts on nearly everything on the gear list through our partner companies. A note of caution: it is always best to properly size and test all of your equipment thoroughly before an expedition of this magnitude.

Brands recommended and used by Ganesh Adventures:

• Marmot
• Camp USA
• Scarpa
• Dynafit
• Intuition Liners
• Icebreaker

Insurance

We require all members to have comprehensive travel medical coverage. This coverage must include coverage for high altitude climbing involving the use of ropes. Policies and plans vary greatly from country to country so please contact us for a list of recommended and trusted providers in your area.

Additionally, we strongly recommend and in some cases require all members to have trip cancellation and lost equipment coverage for the duration of the Everest expedition.

Payment and Bookings

Ganesh Adventures requires a usd $3000 deposit to reserve your place on the climbing team. The remainder of the balance is due 90 days prior to the commencement of the expedition. Payments can be made via electronic bank transfer to our Canadian US dollar account. Upon receipt of your initial deposit we will email you a detailed trip file that will help you prepare and train for your upcoming adventure. In addition to the online bookings form we will also request that you complete a medical history form and detailed questionnaire for our records. At this time, we will launch a personal website for you stored on our servers under a sub-domain name of your choosing.

Incentives, Sponsors and Special considerations for Special Projects

Any expedition to Mt Everest is bound to attract attention from a variety of media and charitable sources. If you feel that your climb is unique in some way of wish to raise money for a charity, Ganesh Adventures is prepared to offer you a discounted price on the 2013 Everest North Ridge expedition. Choosing a guiding company that offers the level of support that we do will definitely make your sponsors sleep easy knowing you are in good hands and your chances of making the summit Mount Everest safely are high.

Your Personal Everest Blog Website from Ganesh Adventures

As a service to all of our 8000M members, Ganesh Adventures will build and host a personal blog website for your use before, during and after the expedition. This blog style website will present your personal profile, something about your project, photos, supporters and sponsors and of course a blog section to keep family, friends and sponsors up to date on your personal quest for the top of Mt Everest. You will be free to add, remove and modify all of the content on your personal Everest climbing blog.