Already some of the expedition teams are arriving in Kathmandu. There are many reasons for arriving early: more time to acclimatize, perhaps its easier to find just the right spot at basecamp or maybe teams want to be ready for an early summit window. At HAEX we believe the best chance for a successful summit comes towards the end of May when the days are getting longer and supposedly warmer. Even so, the fact that some teams are gathering make me anxious to get started!!
Last Tuesday Lincoln Hall passed away after a battle with cancer. Lincoln came to the attention of the mainstream media in 2006 when he was pronounced dead high on the north ridge of Everest, only to be found alive the next day and rescued by other climbers. It is an incredible story, but for me Lincoln will be remembered as a member of the Australian Everest expedition of 1984. This team of four climbers succeeded in climbing the previously unclimbed north face of Everest by a route they called White Limbo. It was an astounding feat of mountaineering and I was proud to shake Lincoln’s hand in 2006 before his climb and tell him that. Safe travels, Lincoln.