More Thoughts on Mallory, Irvine and the Camera.

Author : Kraig Becker.

Last week I posted a story about an upcoming search to fine George Mallory and Sandy Irvine’s missing camera on Everest. When the story broke at that time, the news was that Everest historian Tom Holzel had been using satellite imagery of the mountain to search for the body of Irvine, who was the climbing partner of Mallory on their fateful 1924 expedition. Holzel believes that he has now found the missing climber, and perhaps a camera that could put an end to more than 85 years of speculation.

Ever since they perished on the mountain, people have wondered if Mallory and Irvine may have successfully made it to the top of Everest. If they had, they surely would have taken photos of it, and those photos could still be waiting to be developed, in a camera, lost somewhere on Everest. When Mallory’s body was discovered back in 1999, that camera was not found on his body, so naturally, the speculation was that Irvine was probably carrying it. To date, his body has not been found, but an expedition is being mounted for this spring to go examine the area that Holzel has pinpointed to see if it indeed Irvine, and discover if he still carries the missing camera.

The story has gotten a lot more attention since I first wrote about it last week, with a couple of other websites that I respect weighing in on the topic. First, Alan Arnette has posted a good synopsis of the entire affair in the latest post to his Everest 2010 blog. Alan’s examination of the event includes more insight into how Holzel determined where to search for Irvine and why he thinks that an “oblong blob” seen in the satellite imagery may very well be man that everyone has been looking for for all these years. It’s a very compelling story. From there, Alan follows up his detailed intro with a brief interview with Holzel himself. in which he talks about the challenges of finding the body and organizing and expedition to go and look. To close things off, there is even a link to see the image that Holzel has been studying for yourself. Click here to check it out.

Not to be left out of the party, ExWeb has also posted a story of their own on the search for Irvine’s body. It contains much of the same information as we’ve seen elsewhere, including an explanation of the search for the camera too, but they also include some analysis of the photographs to show what is purported to be Irvine’s body.

I’ve mentioned multiple times over the years that the camera has become the legendary Holy Grail of Mountaineering. Personally, I think it’s an extremely long shot that even if Irvine’s body is found, the camera will still be on him, and intact, without the film being exposed. After all, it has been out in the elements, in one of the harshest environments on the planet for nearly 86 years.

And not to sound too much like a broken record, but what if it is found and the photos are able to be properly developed, and they show the two men on the summit? Will that change how we feel about who climbed the mountain first? It was another 30 years before Hillary and Norgay topped out on the mountain, and made it back down in one piece. Standing on top is just one part of a successful climb. Still, it would be pretty amazing to think that they may have made it to the summit considering there relatively primitive gear and clothing back then.

Efforts are underway to launch an expedition this spring to determine once and for all of this “blob” really is Irvine. Reportedly, Thom Pollard and Jake Norton, both of whom were on the 1999 team that discovered Mallory, are ready to go. But with a small window of time to finding funding and organize the climb, it may have to wait until 2011 for a proper look around the mountain.

* Source : – http://theadventureblog.blogspot.com/

* Related Links :

- Everest 2010: Still Searching For Andrew Irvine and that Damn Camera!

- In Search of the Elusive Mallory Camera on Mt. Everest.

- Search For a Frozen Camera Could Rewrite History Books On Everest’s First Climbers

* Previous story :

- An Urgent Request from EverestER.

- Alan Arnette Explains The Champion Everest Supersuit.

- Himalaya Spring 2010 expeditions.

- 2010 climbing season kick-off: Everest and Himalaya list of expeditions!

- Everest Clean-Up Above 8000m.

- Summit Day on Mt Everest – amazing video.

- Interview with Dave Hahn.

- The Deadly Side of Everest.

- The Conquest of Everest – 1953 style : amazing video.

- Everest 2010 season – Expeditions with any British Teams or Britons.

- Everest 2010: An Interview with Phil Crampton of Altitude Junkies.

- ExplorersWeb Year 2009 in Review: Farewell to friends.

- Alan Arnette’s Everest 2010 Coverage Begins, Double Traverse Announced!

- Everest Spring 2010 preview: Kaltenbrunner & Dujmovits.

- How Much Does It Cost To Climb Mt. Everest?

* Polish Himalayas – Become a Fan

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An Urgent Request from EverestER.

Namaste!

Hello Everest Nuptse and Lhotse-bound expeditions!

YES the Everest base camp medical clinic will be on the mountain this year for our 8th season.  We will continue to ask for $100 per Non-Nepali staff and climbers in base camp, which will cover all doc consultations for your team including all of your team Nepalis at no charge. As in past years, we will charge a low fee for medications, oxygen and hospitalization as used.

I have been funding this clinic for the past 8 years from our nonprofit (the $100/climber doesn’t come close to covering the expenses unless all non-Nepali folks in EBC sign up.)

Despite promises to the contrary, there has been no movement on my continued and repeated requests to the ministry of tourism to either 1) create a separate mandatory EBC clinic permit for all non-Nepali climbers or 2) use a small portion of the climbing permit fee to subsidize the clinic operational fees so that everyone supports the clinic and keeps fees low.

Because I can’t continue to subsidize the clinic forever and want to be sure it will endure on it’s own,  last year I let the HRA and ministry know that 2010 is the last season that I’ll pay the operations costs.  I’ve told the ministry that if they don’t come up with a way to subsidize the clinic (again, all we need is $100/non Nepali climber out of the climbing permit fees?) then there will be no clinic in 2011.

Can you help us out?  When you go to apply for your permit, if every exped leader puts in a plug for paying a fee for the clinic, it might get them to budge.

If they know you’ll be behind this permit (and I assume you are, since you’re paying that same fee when you come anyway) please let them know that you see it as a big advantage to climbing on the Nepal side (maybe it’s not the only reason you don’t climb from Tibet, but if reliable and cost effective medical care is even a part of that decision, then perhaps we can use it to our advantage.)

I appreciate your support!  Easiest if you send us a list of all your climbers, and $100 per NonNepali.  The check can be made out to HRA-USA and sent to PO Box 365 Gallatin Gateway, MT  59730.  Then if you can provide us with a list of your Nepali staff once you get to EBC I’d appreciate that too.

See you on the rockpile soon, and thanks for your support.  If you’d like me to send you a list of suggested medications for your climbers to bring along to minimize their costs in EBC, I’m happy to do so – just let me know.

Luanne
EverestDoc
EverestER.org

* Source : – Alan Arnette : 2010 Everest expeditions.

* Related Links :

- Everest Base Camp Clinic.

- Himalayan Rescue Association Nepal.

* Previous story :

- Alan Arnette Explains The Champion Everest Supersuit.

- Himalaya Spring 2010 expeditions.

- 2010 climbing season kick-off: Everest and Himalaya list of expeditions!

- Everest Clean-Up Above 8000m.

- Summit Day on Mt Everest – amazing video.

- Interview with Dave Hahn.

- The Deadly Side of Everest.

- The Conquest of Everest – 1953 style : amazing video.

- Everest 2010 season – Expeditions with any British Teams or Britons.

- Everest 2010: An Interview with Phil Crampton of Altitude Junkies.

- ExplorersWeb Year 2009 in Review: Farewell to friends.

- Alan Arnette’s Everest 2010 Coverage Begins, Double Traverse Announced!

- Everest Spring 2010 preview: Kaltenbrunner & Dujmovits.

- How Much Does It Cost To Climb Mt. Everest?

* Polish Himalayas – Become a Fan

** zapraszam na relacje z wypraw polskich himalaistów.

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Himalaya 2010 climbing season, Karakoram and Himalaya wrap-up /3/ – Week in Review.

It’s faster, it’s bigger, it’s interactive! You asked for it and we built it. Go check the brand new ExplorersWeb if you haven’t yet. Other major news: Contact 5, price-slashed to below US $300 and with some incredible one-click updates.

Other news: Lists of expeditions are up for Himalaya, Everest, the North Pole and other Arctic. Remote Medical will be main contributor on the medical section of ExplorersWeb (BaseCampMD), now expanding from Everest to the rest of the world. ExWeb scrutinized the NASA budget proposal and Tom Holzel believes he’s got Irvine (and possibly the camera) this time.

Don’t miss next week’s special by the way: a series about motherhood in high Himalaya!

ExplorersWeb 3.0: kickin’ it up Following 400 programming hours and marking our 10-year anniversary; Monday a new ExplorersWeb was born. Now just one single website, 7 brand new areas have been added to the regular content with a host of new features overall. Ratna Park and the Souq are just some of the interactive news.

HumanEdgeTech proudly presents: CONTACT 5 – the world in one click! Created in 2001 as private expedition software for the first live dispatches from the polar caps, over a thousand of expeditions later CONTACT5 is ready to enter the new decade: go live with text, images and video to Expedition Website, Twitter, Facebook and more with one single click! At a price of $299.

The “new” Basecamp MD: Remote Medical at ExplorersWeb A market leader with over seventy employees across North America, conducting operations and training on seven continents; Remote Medical will be main contributor on the medical section of ExplorersWeb (BaseCampMD), now expanding from Everest to the rest of the world.

2010 climbing season kick-off: Everest and Himalaya list of expeditions! Yes it’s that time of the year again! Check out the first edition of the brand new 2010 Everest and Himalaya list of expeditions. Several traverses will be attempted on Everest, expect the biggest action on Annapurna though.

2010 Arctic and sub-Arctic list of expeditions! Three solo skiers and five teams plan to ski to the Geographic North Pole. Jim McNeill and his relay team will ski to the North Pole of Inaccessibility. Several teams will ski to the 1996 position of the Magnetic North Pole. Two teams will cross Lake Baikal and Greenland braces for a Norwegian invasion.

Irvine’s body spotted? “Now all we need is some boots on the ground” Has Andrew Irvine’s body been found? After studying aerial images taken at 8200m, Everest researcher Tom Holzel believes he has spotted Mallory’s climbing partner: “Now all we need is some boots on the ground to prove it one way or the other – and bring back Irvine’s folding Kodak camera,” he wrote at ExWeb.

Irvine update: wealthy sportsmen offered Everest history for $200K “It occurred to me that some wealthy sportsmen would love to be the discoverers of what might be a history-altering find,” said Tom Holzel. “They would have to be strong, with some mountaineering experience and able to put up $200K in a few days time.”

Mark Kalch’s Iran crossing debrief: “Iran is not simply about nuclear ambitions and politics” As three American hikers remain jailed in Iran; Aussie Mark Kalch completed his trek alone across the country. Walking from Iran’s northern border on the Caspian Sea to its southerly border in the Persian Gulf, Mark said he witnessed “people going about their lives in much the same way we do.”

Henk de Velde in Puluwat: birds and currents vs. autopilot and GPS They developed their own navigation skills using stars, birds, currents and colors of the water, and sailing trips up to 500 nm. The people of Puluwat admired Henk de Velde’s autopilot and GPS, but they are proud of their ancestors’ methods. Currently Henk is sailing to Japan after a visit to Pacific Islands.

Erden Eruc update: Sea-kayaking on the east coast of Australia Erden Eruc who is on a human powered circumnavigation of the globe has concluded his 33-day Coral Sea crossing in a rowboat from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea to near Thursday Island, Australia. On January 28 he left off from where he stopped near Thursday Island and is now sea-kayaking to Cooktown.

The Antarctic meteorite hunters’ season from a Meteorite’s perspective The ANSMET meteorite hunters 2009-10 season is over; 1010 meteorites were individually sealed in bags, locked in boxes, and kept frozen for their trip from Antarctica to Johnson Space Center where their secrets will be revealed. The Chinese meteorite hunters meanwhile conducted their search at the Grove Mountains.

Climbing Mag – expert on climate change? The United Nations’ expert panel on climate change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were forced earlier this month to retract inaccurate claims about the melting of Himalayan glaciers, reportedly based on a dissertation written by a geography student and an article in Climbing magazine.

Atlantic rowing update A low-pressure system set in over the Atlantic Rowing Race fleet and crews were losing miles. They used their para anchors and safety equipment to minimize lost ground. Independent 22-year old solo rower, Katie Spotz, crossed the 1,000-mile line; still 1,500 to go.

* Polish Himalayas – Become a Fan

Exweb Week-In-Review is sponsored by HumanEdgeTech the world’s premier supplier of expedition technology. Our team helps you find ultra light expedition tech that works globally.

e-mail or call +1 212 966 1928

* Read these stories – and more! – at ExplorersWeb.com

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Alan Arnette Explains The Champion Everest Supersuit.

Author : Kraig Becker.

Last week I posted a story about a new piece of gear coming from Champion and scheduled to be tested on Everest this year by the Climb With Us team. Dubbed the “Supersuit” this new gear is reportedly light, thin, and flexible, while offering the same weight as much thicker and bulkier down jackets and suits. According to PR from Champion, the Supersuit is just 3 millimeters thick, while traditional down gear is as much as 40 millimeters in thickness.

Champion’s new technological wonder was unveiled a few weeks back at the Winter Outdoor Retailer show, and since then it has been met with a healthy dose of skepticism. I’ve read comments from climbers that are hopeful that this new gear delivers on its promise, while others have outright condemned the Supersuit to failure before it ever sees the light of day. They wonder how any such product could exist, let alone come from a company like Champion.

Fortunately for all of us, Alan Arnette is on the case, and the latest post to his blog has lots of insights and information on how the Supersuit works. As some have speculated, the suit uses Aerogel, a high tech product that Alan describes as: “warmer than down, can be compressed, is breathable and is virtually unbreakable. It keeps hots things hot and cold things cold.” He then goes on to provide a history of the product, information on how it is manufactured, and the impact it could possibly have on the gear we’ll be wearing in the near future.

Alan also points out that there has been other gear on the market that have used Aerogel in the recent past, including water bottles from CamelBak and Quiver, and a jacket from Burton that cost twice that of a regular version. He also points out that the material has been used on Everest before, with climber Anne Parmenter wearing a pair of Aerogel socks on her summit bid back in 2006. Reportedly, her main complaint was that the socks were too warm!

We’ll all have to wait until this spring to see how the new Supersuit performs on Everest, but this article gives us all reason to be optimistic in my opinion. It sounds like it should live up to its promise of lighter, thinner, and warmer gear. The question remains though, how much is it going to cost? (And where can I get one?!?)

* Source : – http://theadventureblog.blogspot.com/

* Related Links :

- Champion Supersuit Unveiled!

- Everest — Gear For The Expedition.

* Previous story :

- Himalaya Spring 2010 expeditions.

- 2010 climbing season kick-off: Everest and Himalaya list of expeditions!

- Everest 2010: Still Searching For Andrew Irvine and that Damn Camera!

- Everest Clean-Up Above 8000m.

- Summit Day on Mt Everest – amazing video.

- The Deadly Side of Everest.

- The Conquest of Everest – 1953 style : amazing video.

- Everest 2010 season – Expeditions with any British Teams or Britons.

- Everest 2010: An Interview with Phil Crampton of Altitude Junkies.

- ExplorersWeb Year 2009 in Review: Farewell to friends.

- Alan Arnette’s Everest 2010 Coverage Begins, Double Traverse Announced!

- Everest Spring 2010 preview: Kaltenbrunner & Dujmovits.

- How Much Does It Cost To Climb Mt. Everest?

* Polish Himalayas – Become a Fan

** zapraszam na relacje z wypraw polskich himalaistów.

zapraszam do subskrypcji mego bloga