EVEREST BASE CAMP, Nepal: Wi-Fi, baked goods and trendy coffee: gone are the days of deprivation at Everest base camp, with hipster perks and modern conveniences ensuring life is cushier than ever on the roof of the world.The Khumbu glacier at the foot of Everest transforms every spring into a high-altitude metropolis of surprising luxury for the hundreds of climbers aiming for the peak of the world's highest mountain.Canned food and bulky satellite phones are a thing of the past.Today's climbers enjoy fresh salads, Instagram and creature comforts unthinkable when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first stood atop the 8,848 metre (29,029 foot) peak 65 years ago."The first question people ask when they arrive at base camp is where's the Wi-Fi. The second question is where's the hot shower," said Everest veteran Russell Brice, owner of Himalayan Experience, one of the oldest and most established expedition operators.The first intrepid teams to attempt Everest took a month to reach base … [Read more...] about Baked goods and Wi-Fi bring Everest closer to home
Everest base camp adventure
As price comes down, risk goes up for Everest ‘trophy hunters’
EVEREST BASE CAMP, Nepal: Everest is the ultimate mountaineering "trophy", but the rising number of inexperienced climbers attempting to tackle the summit are running huge risks to reach the top of the world. An Indian airline pilot, a builder from Ohio and a former online media sales executive are all waiting at base camp for a chance to scale the 8,848m mountain this climbing season. They haul themselves up the same ropes to the top and face the same dangers of frostbite, avalanche and exhaustion — and yet they pay vastly different amounts for the privilege. Cheaper fees mean far more people can attempt a lifelong dream of conquering the world's highest peak, but there are grim predictions that an increasing number will never make it home. Critics warn bargain operators — who have slashed the price of an Everest ticket to as low as US$20,000, (RM79,010) — accept even the most inexperienced climbers. Meanwhile, more expensive rivals, who charge around US$70,000, have … [Read more...] about As price comes down, risk goes up for Everest ‘trophy hunters’
News Nepal preps for busy year as hundreds cleared to climb Everest
Hundreds of adventurers have been granted permits to climb Mount Everest, officials in Nepal said Thursday, foreshadowing another bumper year despite concerns about overcrowding on the world's highest mountain. Tourism authorities have granted 346 mountaineers permission to scale Everest this spring climbing season, with many already at base camp acclimatizing before embarking for the summit. That figure falls just shy of the record 373 permits granted last year. Most Everest hopefuls are escorted by a Nepali guide, meaning about 700 climbers will tread the same path to the top in the coming weeks when the weather is most favorable. A boom in climbers has made mountaineering a lucrative business since Sir Edmund Hillary and sherpa Tenzing Norgay made the first ascent in 1953. But the rapid growth in the climbing industry has accompanied complaints of overcrowding on the mountain and fears that inexperienced mountaineers could run into trouble. "There is an optimum number of people who … [Read more...] about News Nepal preps for busy year as hundreds cleared to climb Everest
Nepal preps for busy year as hundreds cleared to climb Everest
KATHMANDU: Hundreds of adventurers have been granted permits to climb Mount Everest, officials in Nepal said Thursday (Apr 26), foreshadowing another bumper year despite concerns about overcrowding on the world's highest mountain.Tourism authorities have granted 346 mountaineers permission to scale Everest this spring climbing season, with many already at base camp acclimatising before embarking for the summit.That figure falls just shy of the record 373 permits granted last year.Most Everest hopefuls are escorted by a Nepali guide, meaning about 700 climbers will tread the same path to the top in the coming weeks when the weather is most favourable.A boom in climbers has made mountaineering a lucrative business since Sir Edmund Hillary and sherpa Tenzing Norgay made the first ascent in 1953.But the rapid growth in the climbing industry has accompanied complaints of overcrowding on the mountain and fears that inexperienced mountaineers could run into trouble."There is an optimum number … [Read more...] about Nepal preps for busy year as hundreds cleared to climb Everest
Australian paraplegic ‘humbled’ by Everest base camp trek
KATHMANDU: A wheelchair-bound Australian who reached Everest base camp under his own power said Tuesday (Mar 27) he was "humbled" to be the first paraplegic to make the gruelling journey mostly unaided.Scott Doolan, 28, took ten days to reach the foot of the world's highest peak.He suffered a stress fracture while navigating the rocky terrain and extreme altitude - in his wheelchair where possible, on his hands and occasionally being carried.Doolan reached the camp, 5,364 metres above sea level, on Sunday, taking barely longer than many able-bodied trekkers."I was struggling to breathe at that time because I was walking on my hands but I just remember looking up and seeing a crowd of about 20 people. Once I actually got there they all start cheering and that was pretty damn humbling," Doolan said of the moment he reached base camp.Walking on his hands, in a technique he dubbed "wheelbarrowing", Doolan wore through five pairs of gloves during the trek. And on day seven, one of the … [Read more...] about Australian paraplegic ‘humbled’ by Everest base camp trek