Everest South Col

Altitude 8,850m/29,036ft » Duration 65 Days » Grade 4E

The world's highest mountain by the South Col route from Nepal

Introduction

"Gavin is a jewel. He is creating meals which could easily be served at the most fancy restaurants in Toronto or London. This may actually work a bit against me. I was hoping to loose some weight before the summit attempt, but with all this great food it may not happen." - Jack Jakobczyk 2010

"Lots of good memories - but on reflection, the best thing was my absolute confidence that everything that could be done to help me get to the top and back safely, was being done." - Bruce Goodlad, team member 2009

"Our Sherpas and the support we got from Jagged Globe was simply outstanding. We had the best of everything and in ample supply. This definitely put us at an advantage especially with regards to our brilliant Sherpa team. They were an inspiration and joy to clmb with, becoming great friends of us all" - Dr Mike Grocott, Leader Caudwell Xtreme Everest 2007

"A superbly planned and executed expedition - but then I wouldn't expect anything less from Jagged Globe" - Barry Welsh, team member 2006

The following information provides you with details of how our Everest expedition will be run and the level of support you can expect to receive. It will also help you decide whether or not Everest is a climb that you should be attempting.

After reading though this information, if you would like to discuss any aspect of the expedition further, you are welcome to contact Simon Lowe or Steve Bell, both of whom have led past Jagged Globe Everest expeditions. Between them, they have been on 7 Everest expeditions covering almost the entire mountain: including the summit from the South Col, the North Ridge Route, the West Ridge (from Tibet and from Nepal) and the upper reaches of the North Face through the Hornbein Couloir. This combined experience will be at your disposal in helping you to prepare for you own ascent of the mountain, as a member of the Jagged Globe team. This intimate experience of climbing on the mountain is in addition to that gained whilst planning and organising all of Jagged Globe's expeditions for more than a decade.

In Spring 2012, we will run our 14th expedition to the Summit via the South Col, as this remains the best way to get to the top. We first climbed the route in 1993, and have climbed it many times since.

Everest North or South?

Just a causal referral to the statistics shows that the South Col route gives the best chance of reaching the summit, and of returning fit and well. This is mainly because the time spent at over 8,000 metres is less, as the last camp on the way to the top is on the South Col, at just under 8,000 metres. On the North Ridge (which we have also climbed, so this comes from experience) the top camp is at 8,400 metres. This means being exposed to the extremes of altitude for appreciably longer, spending at least one night there on the way up and, more than likely, one there on the way down. It is also a long distance from this camp to the top, along an increasingly narrow ridge, exposed to the prevailing winds, and all the time above 8,600 metres.

Using the South Col, however, you go from under 8,000 metres to the top and back all in one go. This means you will not be exposed to the harshness and physiologically debilitating need to sleep at over 8,000 metres. The spring of 2010 was a good example of conditions on the North Ridge making it harder to climb to the top and back down in a settled period of weather. On the South Col route during the same period of weather, climbers could move up to the South Col when the winds were strong, relatively unaffacted. This was not the case on the North Ridge, with many climbers arriving at the highest camp having already endured very tough conditions.

The North Ridge has become more accessible in recent years, simply because it attracts people on the basis of cost as it is cheaper than to climb from Nepal. This is largely for two reasons: The permit prices are considerably less in Tibet, and all equipment can be delivered directly to Base Camp by lorry, which is far cheaper than using porters to load carry. However, the rope fixing on the North Ridge is now carried out by the Chinese Mountaineering Association, rather than the pooled resources of the main teams, as it used to be and is on the South Col route. This is another factor to consider when comparing the two routes. In spring 2011 this rope fixing was delayed and not completed until 19 May, leading to frustration from climbers who were ready to summit when a good weather window appeared earlier in mid-May, but were unable to as the ropes had yet to be put in place. They then faced over-crowding and delays on the route (in particular, at the notorious Second Step) as all climbers were trying for the summit during one narrow weather window. The cooperation between the bigger teams on the South Col route has been very good, particularly in the past few seasons, with Jagged Globe contributing to this fixing effort. In 2009, 2010 and 2011, the ropes were fixed to the summit on 5 May, meaning that climbers were spread out over a number of weather windows.

All of the above factors must therefore be considered when choosing your route to the summit. We feel that the South Col is more cost-effective, reliable and probably safer on balance (albeit never safe, in any meaningful sense) route than the North Ridge. That is, you are more likely to reach the top via the South Col, even if it has cost more to participate in an Everest climb.

In terms of climbing, technical interest is similar, if not more sustained on the North Ridge, as longer passages are on rock with a series of "Steps" to be negotiated on the way to the summit. Nevertheless, you won't be disappointed by the climbing on the Lhotse Face and of reaching the South Summit, or by the steep passage up the Hillary Step, although it doesn't warrant the use of a ladder, as does the Second Step on the North Ridge. Of course, the big technical and physical obstacle that exists for you, should you chose "South" in preference to "North", is the Icefall. To tame that, it helps to be in the company of Leaders and Sherpas who have many years of experience of negotiating its maze.

Our Everest Record

On our first expedition to Everest, in 1993, we climbed via the South Col and there were sixteen summiteers: seven climbers, seven Sherpas and two leaders. Since then, we have been successful on many other occasions, as follows:

1993: South Col - summit (post monsoon).
1994: North Ridge - stopped by deep snow.
1996: North Ridge - summit.
1998: South Col - summit.
1999: South Col - summit.
2000: South Col - summit.
2003: South Col - summit.
2004: South Col - summit.
2005: South Col - summit.
2005: North Ridge - summit.
2006: South Col - summit.
2007: South Col - summit.
2008: South Col - summit.
2009: South Col - summit.
2010: South Col - summit.
2011: South Col - summit.

In addition to our Jagged Globe expeditions each spring, we also organise expeditions to Everest and other 8,000 metre peaks for private teams. Below are some of the teams we have organised an expedition for:

2007 Caudwell Xtreme Everest
2007 AMA Shishapangma (British Army)
2006 British Army Everest West Ridge (EWR)
2006 Xtreme Cho Oyu
2005 EWR Tibetan Reconnaissance
2004 British Services Makalu (Makalu and Baruntse)
2000 British Services Kangchenjunga
1996 British Services Gasherbrum

We have also supported expeditions to base camp for the following organisations:

To film Caudwell Xtreme Everest
McGilliveray Freeman Films (IMAX)
BBC Horizon
BBC World Service (a documentary on the working lives of commercial porters)
The Sunday Times (to follow Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE attempt in 2005)
Independent Television News (ITN)
British Sky Broadcasting
PCI Fitch Film Production for EWR 2006

Some personal records achieved by our expeditions:

1993 The Jagged Globe South Col expedition places 16 people on top, to become the most successful of all Everest expeditions at that time.
1996 North Ridge: Jagged Globe becomes the first team organiser to climb the mountain from both sides.
2003 South Col: Sibusiso Vilane becomes the first black African to climb Everest.
2005 North Ridge: Jens Bojen becomes the oldest Brit to reach the summit at age 61.
2005 North Ridge: Sibusiso Vilane becomes the first black African to climb Everest twice, and by both routes.
2005 North and South: Jagged Globe becomes the only team organiser to lead climbers to the top from both sides in the same season. Taken together, the number of people reaching the top (22) re-establishes Jagged Globe as the most successful team organisers for ascents of Everest in any one season.
2006 South Col: Rhys Jones becomes the youngest person in the world to climb the Seven Summits by reaching the top of Everest on his 20th birthday.
2007 Jagged Globe organises the Caudwell Xtreme Everest expedition, which takes the title of the most successful British Everest expedition, with 25 summiteers.
2007 The Caudwell Xtreme Everest expedition undertakes medical research at unprecedented altitudes; needles plunging deep into legs to take arterial blood at the Balcony on their way back down from the top, for example. Jagged Globe Sherpas also put an exercise bike on the South Col, for research.
2008 South Col: Jagged Globe expedition puts 11 members (climbers, leader and Sherpas) on the summit on 23 May.
2009 South Col: 17 members (climbers, leaders and Sherpas) summit over two nights - 19 and 20 May. Adele Pennington becomes the only British woman to summit twice (in consecutive years) and Amanda Richmond becomes the oldest British woman to summit, at 54.
2010 South Col: 8 members (climbers, leaders and Sherpas) on 17 May and 7 members (climbers, leaders and Sherpas) on 23 May. Assistant expedition leader, Tore Rasmussen becomes the only Norwegian to climb Everest via both the South and North sides of the mountain. Leader, Robert Anderson summits for the second time for Jagged Globe.
2010 Makalu SE Ridge: Jagged Globe Operations Manager, Matt Parkes, reaches Camp 3 on one of the last great problems of the Himalayas - the unclimbed (in its entirety), South East Ridge of Makalu. The team is stopped by deep snow, having spent 3 nights at 7,400m.
2011 Everest South Col: 21 members. 100% success. All ten climbers who arrived in Kathmandu at the start of the expedition reached the summit of Everest. Six members summited with leaders, David Hamilton and Andy Chapman, plus eight Sherpas on 16 May and four members, plus four Sherpas on 25 May. A total of ten climbers, two leaders and eight Sherpas (three climbing to the summit twice).

*Figure includes all team members, Sherpas and leaders.

Questions to ask potential expedition organisers

In addition to questions about the level of service provided by an expedition company on Everest (how much oxygen, number of Sherpas, base camp services and leaders), we would advise you to consider the following:

What criteria is set for the experience of your fellow team members?
We urge you to read our experience requirements (see below). We set our benchmark at a previous 8,000 metre peak attempt, as the minimum. We take a few climbers on comparable alternative, broader and deeper experience should someone not have been so high before. For example, 6 of 8 of those who went to Everest with us in 2010 had attempted another 8,000er, (with the 2 who hadn't having both climbed Ama Dablam and Denali, as well as numerous other big mountains) and in 2011, 8 of 10 had been to a previous 8,000er (with the 2 who hadn't having been to Denali and Muztag Ata, amongst many other peaks).

What was the succes rate of the entire team who joined the expedition from the outset?
Publishing success percentages, based on how many of those who reached Camp 4 on the South Col then made it to the summit, does not provide the whole picture of how successful an expedition has been. Nor does taking a snapshot of years x, y and z, but choosing to omit more recent years when an expedition was less successful. How many climbers dropped out early on in the expedition? How many reached Camp 2, slept at Camp 3 and set off on the summit bid? Of course, climbers turn round on Everest for lots of different reasons. Did they have another attempt and were the resources there to try again for the summit? Probe deeply to get an overall picture of how well each expedition was organised and led.

Do you have a Western Chef in base camp?
Since spring 2010, we have employed a Western Chef on Everest and this have proven to be hugely beneficial for our climbers. The challenge with such a long expedition is as much about variety, as the quantity and quality of food. Our Chef prepares the menu in advance of the expedition, ensuring that ingredients which aren't available locally are sourced and shipped to Nepal. As someone who is considering climbing Everest, you should have spent plenty of time in base camps and on mountains and will understand how important food is to morale, as well as keeping you fueled for the summit. The food on a Jagged Globe Everest expedition is the best in Base Camp!

The Team

Leadership

The leader of our spring 2012 Everest expedition will be David Hamilton. David has led six sucessful Everest expeditions previously and has been to the summit five times. He led our highly successful 2011 expedition, which saw all ten team members achieve their goal of reaching the top of the world.

Leaders of Jagged Globe Everest expeditions over the past few years include; David Hamilton and Andy Chapman (2011), Robert Mads Anderson and Tore Rasmussen (2010), Adele Pennington and Tomaz Jakofcic (2009), David Hamilton and Adele Pennington (2008), Iain Peter (2007), Kenton Cool and Carlos Escobar (2006), Kenton Cool (2005 and 2004), David Hamilton and Neal Short (2005 North Ridge), Robert Mads Anderson and David Hamilton (2003).

Chef

"A Western chef was a stroke of genius and a real selling point for the future. Everyone else in camp was seriously envious. The Chef was a total legend and did everything in his power to ensure we were happy." RF, 2010

Adam Ward is taking over the reigns from Gavin Melgaard in spring 2012 as our Everest Chef, as Gavin is spending a year in Antarctica. Adam is a keen mountaineer and experienced outdoor chef. He started his culinary career working in Alpine chalets and soon progressed to a supervisory role, training new chalet hosts. In the summer months Adam travelled Europe in search of new cooking experiences. Amongst the highlights was an eight-month stint learning Italian seafood cuisine in a tiny restaurant in Rome. Some personal recommendations resulted in Adam embarking on his first private chef contract, in 2001. He has been employed regularly in Martha's Vineyard, London, Jackson Hole and Vancouver amongst other locations. A long trip to Canada in 2005 saw Adam stepping into a baking role at a famous coffee shop in Banff. This led to being hired to lead the pastry team at the Sunshine Village Hotel, Banff's only ski-in, ski-out lodge. This was also his first sous-chef position. More recently, Adam has returned from a two-year trip through the Americas. The adventure started in Antarctica where he cooked at the base camps for expeditions to Mount Vinson and the South Pole. He and his girlfriend, Liz, then travelled from Patagonia to Canada visiting farming communities and learning many new skills from bee keeping to mushroom cultivation. Along the way they climbed Aconcagua, South America's highest mountain and peaks in Bolivia, as well as completing lots of rugged treks. At the beginning of 2010 Adam was working near Seattle helping to organise a Child Support Agency (CSA) scheme and an edible gardening business before he and Liz came back to England to have their first child, Cleo. Since then Adam has been working at an educational farm on the edge of the Peak District near Sheffield. His role as catering manager includes a wide variety of culinary and organisational challenges, from outdoor catering for several thousand people to creating canapés to suit a sommelier or winning awards and a great reputation for the on site café.

Sherpas

Mingma Temba Photo: © Simon Lowe

" Our Sherpas and the support we got from Jagged Globe were simply outstanding. We had the best of everything and in ample supply. This definitely put us at an advantage especially with regards to our brilliant Sherpa team. They were an inspiration and joy to clmb with, becoming great friends of us all" - Dr Mike Grocott, Leader Caudwell Xtreme Everest.

"We had the best Sherpa team on the mountain. Other teams followed our Sherpas. They were superb athletes and a pleasure to work with." - Barry Welsh

Jagged Globe's Sirdars and Sherpas are mostly from the Rolwaling Valley or from Makalu and undoubtedly form the strongest Sherpa team on the mountain. For instance in 2007, the Sherpas thought that the most efficient way of getting loads high quickly, was by carrying them in one day from Base Camp to the South Col, before dropping back down to the Western Cwm for their tea (for reference, that's a height gain of about 2,700 metres, something that we would take no less than 3 days to do, just to get up there).

Our Sherpas work for Jagged Globe regularly on Everest, Cho Oyu, Shishapangma and Ama Dablam, as well as on our Trekking Peak expeditions. Some of our most experienced Sherpas (e.g. Mingma - left) have summited Everest as many as 17 times.

We provide one high-altitude climbing Sherpa per team member on Everest. On summit day, a Sherpa will accompany you to the top and back to the South Col.

During the expedition, the Sherpas will do all of the load carrying in order to prevent members from burning themselves out. This will extend to helping you with your personal loads and taking your high altitude sleeping bag and down suit to the high camps, ready for you when you arrive.

The number and quality of the Sherpas provided to you on a Jagged Globe Everest expedition is reflected in the cost. Conversely others (who may offer an expedition more cheaply), will most probably compromise on the number of Sherpas provided in order to present a cheap price, which will be an attraction for some. When considering who to entrust with your goal of climbing Everest, be careful to examine what is meant by the promise of how many Sherpas will be provided. It is not uncommon to be promised one Sherpa per climbing team member for summit day, but for it not to be explained that "your" Sherpa has to be shared with other team members when they go to the top.

We don't compromise; we ensure that there is one Sherpa for every team member so that everyone can go to the top at the same time, if that's the best thing to do (although this naturally relies on Sherpas remaining fit and well). We extend this philosophy to the provision of equipment and tents to ensure that we can accommodate the entire team at each camp, if needed. This is immensely important on Everest if, for example, you have to take advantage of the first sign of good weather in what might prove to be a limited window for success. We have the Sherpa support and equipment to do what the mountain and weather dictate, in order to ensure maximum success without compromising your chance of reaching the summit. It must be galling to be in Base Camp whilst others on your "team" getting the first crack at the top, in good weather, whilst you wait to be assigned a Sherpa and a tent place on the South Col, and all the time hoping the weather will hold.

Even if you do have to sit out bad weather, our philosophy is to ensure that when the time is right the Sherpas that go with you to the top will be available and ready for the task.

Additional Sherpa staff will include cooks and kitchen assistants. We site a cook tent at Camp 2, as well as Base Camp, so that in both locations a Sherpa cook prepares your food for you.

How will you reach the top?

The Trek

Firstly, we take a long leisurely trek to Base Camp during which we spend two nights in Namche Bazaar then 5 nights, (4 full days) in Dingboche (4,300 metres) to acclimatise. Each day, we take a walk from our lodge and increase the altitude of our daily objectives, until everyone can cruise to heights of about 5,400 metres without undue difficulty. When everyone feels well adjusted, then we finish the walk to Base Camp.

Base Camp Training and Preparations

Once in Base Camp, we set about acclimatising and learning the specialist skills needed for the mountain, such as how to use the oxygen and the radios. We will also hone our equipment and clothing requirements for the mountain, and set aside the food we want to eat in the upper camps (as this will be pre-placed for us by the Sherpas.)

In between times, we rest and get used to the altitude without undue exertion, as experience has shown this is the best way to prepare. We aim to make Base Camp as comfortable as is reasonably possible, with a heated, triple-skin mess tent, individual tents for each climber to sleep in, broadband internet connection and satellite telephones. Unfortunately, the potential for espionage means I can't reveal all of our "secrets" here!

Before venturing into the Khumbu Icefall, we will practise secure movement through complex ice terrain including the use of the ladders and fixed rope. We do this locally, in Base Camp and on the ice columns found at the lower edge of the Icefall. As soon as the route through the Icefall is prepared and after the training in Base Camp, we will have our first go at the Icefall, with the aim of getting halfway through and back in time for mid-morning in base camp. Then, we will progress higher until we know we can get through the Icefall and all the way to Camp 1 in a reasonable time. It is important to become familiar with the Icefall, so that you are psychologically prepared for the climb through it and also to improve your speed through the maze of fixed ropes and ladders. By late April, when it can be oppresively hot in the Western Cwm, you need to move through the Icefall quickly and efficiently to reach Camp 2 in the relative cool of the morning.

Whilst we are getting accustomed to the ropes, ladders and altitude, the Sherpas will be running loads through the icefall, into the Western Cwm and beyond.

The Climb

From base camp, the route to the summit can be divided into four separate sections:

The Khumbu Icefall
The Western Cwm
The Lhotse Face
The Summit (South East) Ridge

These distinct sections give the climb tremendous variety, although they do have their individual challenges and hazards. Being able to divide the mountain into four parts also has psychological benefits, enabling climbers to focus on each section and to measure their progress up the mountain more easily.

The Khumbu Icefall

The Khumbu Icefall, the highest ice-bouldering obstacle course in the world, deserves respect.
The Icefall is a jumbled morass of ice-blocks, ice towers, and centuries old ice, riven by crevasses, all moving inexorably downwards from the Western Cwm to the Khumbu Valley, below. It's dangerous, as the ice is constantly moving and ice towers can collapse without warning. It is not a place for the uninitiated, except in the company of experienced leaders and Sherpas, who have negotiated its labyrinth many times before. Even then, safety is far from absolute and speed is important, as is an intricate knowledge of the ways of the Icefall that can only have been gained by many passages up and down. Although the exact route changes each year, and throughout the season as we move from hard winter to softer spring, it retains the same essential features and direction from bottom to top.
Climbing in the Icefall, or entering the Western Cwm in the heat of the day, is akin to being in a blast-furnace, so our rate of ascent slows a great deal after the sun rises. So whenever we do go through the Icefall, we will do it as early as is practicable in the morning and aim to get to Camp 1 just as the sun reaches us.

The Western Cwm

A walk into the Western Cwm is to walk into the hall of the mountain gods. It is an awesomely impressive and inspiring place. Gigantic walls tower over you as you move from Camp 1 towards the full expanse of the Cwm above, with the West Ridge of Everest to the left, and the North Face of Nuptse to the right. Here, the Cwm is at its narrowest and the ground reasonably flat. You will find some gaping crevasses across the floor. They are big enough to be measured in terms of double decker buses! This means the crevasses need to have ladders stretched across them, which gives easy access (if not goggled-eyed) to their upper sides, or they have to be walked around. Either way, they add to the sense that having passed through the labyrinth of the Icefall, the gods have set one more task for you to pass before they let you into their inner sanctum. This final test usually includes at least one steep wall of ice, rising straight from the floor to give a vertical step of about 30m/100ft and so to the hallowed ground of the upper Western Cwm.
From here, with the gods gazing down from the mountain's upper ramparts, easy (but perhaps exhausting) progress is made to reach Camp 2, nestled below the West Ridge, just short of the foot of the South West Face.

The Lhotse Face

An early start from Camp 2 will see you crossing the upper Cwm to the base of Everest's most impressive wall, the Lhotse Face.
Early in the season, when the face is still unfettered by human steps, this steep section makes for the most grueling and technically intricate day on the mountain. Gusting winds, snow plumes, and the sight of the steep face above greet you at the base of Lhotse after a steady morning walk to the very end of the Cwm, above Camp 2. Careful footwork will have you ascending this section confidently where the laser-straight ascent, which rises on a slope that seems to touch your nose is in stark contrast to the zigzag maze of the Icefall below.
Arrival in Camp 3, halfway up the Lhotse Face, gives you a truly rugged, high mountain experience. Platforms, cut just wide enough for the tents, will have been hewn out of the bullet-hard ice by the Sherpas ahead of your arrival. But once that work has been done, it's a mass exodus of our Sherpas back down to the comforts below. The Sherpas play by Sagarmatha's rules and for them, a night on these exposed ledges is frowned upon by the mountain gods. Well that's what they say, but if it only takes an hour or so to get back here, and if you can be ready for work before the team's climbers have even risen for breakfast, why wouldn't you take your rest lower down? For those with slower legs (but seemingly normal hearts and lungs), we settle here on our ledge for one of the most glorious sunsets seen by any human in all time (save the Apollo Astronauts, perhaps!)
Typically, our camp is pitched in the lower neighborhood of Camp 3 (which can sprawl over several hundred metres up the slope) affording us better shelter from the wind than some of the tents perched above. And, after a night of re-hydration and an initial round of oxygen-rich sleep, it's a return to base camp and then all the way off the mountain to Dingboche before you return here just once more, on the way to the top.
Next time, when we leave Camp 3 at 7,400 meters, you will be gripped by the first flush of true summit fever; down-suits donned, TopOut masks fitted, the first hiss of oxygen spreads from tent to tent as valves are cracked open. This marks the first day of climbing on "gas" and the first stage of your ascent into the "death zone".
The view does not disappoint either. The Nuptse Wall forms one half of the crescent bowl surrounding us, and the West Shoulder of Everest the other. Down the valley, the towering peaks of Pumori and Lingtren, which stand with grand presence above Base Camp, now look like anonymous ridges in the vast sea of Himalayan Giants stretching as far away as the eye can see. The village of Base Camp is long out of sight and registers now only by crackling radio transmissions during early morning calls.
The climb from Camp 3 launches another adrenaline-pumping attack on your senses as you inch-up the steep Lhotse Face. Using an ascender on fixed line, you grind up slowly and steadily. After a hard, enduring early morning, the effort is rewarded by a left-hand turn and a traverse across Lhotse toward the famous landmark of the Yellow Band. It's no small relief at this point, as you will have ascended some 1,200-m/3,700-ft from Camp 2. When you look down the sweep of the Lhotse Face, our tents will appear as tiny dots, like peppercorns scattered at your feet.
A second section rears up and onto the rocky Geneva Spur adding exciting scrambling to the mix. The exhilaration of scrambling in such a sensational setting, combined with the apprehension of approaching 8,000-metres and the anxiety of catching your breath on top of the Spur, drawing heavily through the mask, needs first-hand experience to comprehend. Turning the corner here, you will be heading across the home stretch to our highest camp at the South Col on what seems to be flat ground. Now the fixed-line disappears briefly, which lends an enticing sense of freedom, even though the wind usually picks up speed here to whisper caution. The last few metres of walking to the South Col inevitably brings with it a whole flood of emotions, since you've made all but the very last leap en route to the highest point on earth.
After a few moments of contemplation, it's down to business. Navigating to the relative shelter of our tents it is then an immediate dash to remove damp socks, arrange boots to dry, tying down crampons and ice axes outside, and diving into warm sleeping bags while setting to work on sparking up the stoves.

South Col to Summit

After an afternoon of drinking and eating, as well as attempts to sleep (thwarted by excitement and adrenalin), the summit push begins between 10 pm and midnight. Typically, the howling winds which will accompany the team in the first hours of climbing die down as the night continues.
At 8,443m (27,700 feet) we arrive at the small platform of snow known as the Balcony. Here, we change over oxygen bottles, steal a few minutes rest and make contact with base camp, who are on stand-by, maintaining a watchful vigil whilst we reach out for the top.
The route then turns to a sustained 300-m/1,000-ft climb up the South-East Ridge towards the South Summit. The climbing remains similar to the earlier sections: step, pause, breathe, repeat. Across some rocky steps at the top of the ridge, we reach the South Summit and from here the view opens up to the Hilary Step and all the way up to the top. Depending on whether we have changed oxygen bottles at the Balcony, we may switch again here.
Above the tangle of fixed lines on the 40 foot Hilary Step, it's about 100-m/330 vertical feet between here and the summit. But the sheer drop down the Kangshung Face on one side and the South West Face on the other makes this a section of breathtaking climbing both physically and emotionally hard. The reward, of course, opens up at 8,850m/29,028 feet where there's no higher step in the world.
We hope to be on the summit in the early morning, with plenty of time to make the long descent to the South Col. Before starting out for the top, you will have agreed a turn-around time with David, who will ensure that should you not have reached the top by this time, you will go down to the relative safety of Camp 4. After spending another night sleeping with oxygen, the team will descend from Camp 4, on the South Col, directly to Camp 2 and then, the next day, to Base Camp.

Experience Required

Everest South Col is graded 4E.

To join the Everest team you will need to have extensive mountaineering experience. This should include previous high altitude experience of at least 6,000 metres, mixed with a multitude of Alpine mountaineering and, preferably, you will have taken part in a previous 8,000-metre expedition.

We have found that those who have been to an 8,000-metre peak previously have a considerably better chance of getting to the top of Everest. We would strongly advise you to climb one of the other 8,000 metre peaks before going to Everest, as this is the best way of ensuring the money you spend on Everest will be rewarded by a successful ascent and a safe return home. Exceptionally, however, climbers who have not had the chance of climbing an 8,000 metre peak may consider Everest if they have a compensating depth of experience. This might include many alternative expeditions such as Huascaran, Illimani, Denali, or Muztag Ata. We do not consider an ascent of Aconcagua, by itself, to be suitable preparation for Everest and would not accept a booking on this basis.

Although fixed ropes will be used where appropriate, expedition members must have the ability to climb Alpine routes graded AD, or equivalent. All team members must be competent mountaineers and self-sufficient with the ability to move between and to live in high mountain camps un-aided or supervised.

In the extreme, we will be looking for some assurance that climbers would be able to survive being storm-bound in a tent at 8,000 metres for as long as 5 days, without significant detriment to their health and well-being such that at the end of such a storm, they return safely.

Jagged Globe Everest expeditions are professionally-led teams of competent mountaineers who each have enough experience to climb the world's highest mountain, under the supervision and leadership of an accomplished and experienced high-altitude leader.

Our Everest expeditions are not "guided" because this is not a realistic proposition in the high-altitude realm of 8,000 metres and above. "Guiding" and being "guided" implies the intimate supervision and care of a "client" by a "Guide" who can be responsible for the direct and immediate control of safety, as is normally and traditionally practised in the Alps. On Everest, such a direct duty-of-care, implicit in the traditional guide-client relationship, is not possible. Instead, Jagged Globe accepts team members that, with a combination of their past experience, balanced with a strong team around them and highly experienced leaders, empowered to reach the top of the world. This ensures you have the support that you need dependent on your own abilities. You can leverage your current experience and how you feel on the mountain, with the independence to move between camps and optimise your schedule on a day-by-day basis. When you need additional support and advice, Leaders and Sherpas are there to assist and advise you on your ascent.

Acclimatisation

Approximate altitude profile of Everest South Col:
Everest South Col altitude profile, 14 kb

Please note: This profile does not represent the gradient of the mountain!

Expedition Itinerary

Day 1:	Outbound flight departures.
Day 2:	Arrive Kathmandu. We are met at the airport and taken to the Summit Hotel. This is an excellent hotel positioned well away from the bustle of the city centre and its friendly people do their best to make us feel at home. It has extensive gardens and a swimming pool. For those joining the expedition in Kathmandu, all team members should aim to meet at the hotel on this day. Exclusive to our Everest expedition, we will use the Himalayan View wing of the hotel. This has larger rooms opening on to spacious balconies and furnished to a higher standard than the main rooms of the hotel.
Day 3:	At leisure in Kathmandu. While the leader attends a formal briefing in the Ministry of Tourism, you will be able to explore this fascinating city. As those who have been there before will know, it is a wonderful mixture of crowded bazaars, temples and shrines, in a blend of ancient, colonial and modern architecture. Today, the expedition leader will also check everyone's equipment, as Kathmandu is the last opportunity to buy anything missing.
Day 4:	Fly Kathmandu to Lukla. We will make an early morning start for the Twin Otter flight to Lukla, the gateway to the Khumbu. This is an exciting flight, which should give a glimpse of Everest in the distance. In Lukla, we will meet our camp staff and porters and set off straight away for our first night's stop at Phakding. Situated on the banks of the Dudh Kosi, which drains the whole of the Khumbu Region, this small hamlet is on the main trade route through the area and there are a number of clean, well-built lodges where we can spend the night.
Day 5:	Trek to Namche Bazaar. We will continue up the banks of the Dudh Kosi, crossing it twice by small suspension bridges before reaching the village of Monjo where we will enter the Khumbu National Park. We will then cross the confluence of the Dudh Kosi and the Bhote Kosi on a high suspension bridge and climb steeply for about two hours to reach Namche Bazaar. This is a prosperous trading town and the capital of the Khumbu Region. Many Tibetans cross the nearby border to trade their wares and the local market is a fascinating spectacle. This is a good place to buy genuine Tibetan artefacts. Just across the valley to the east stand the peaks of Thamserku and Kangtega, both very impressive mountains.
Day 6:	At leisure in Namche Bazaar. We will spend a day in Namche Bazaar resting and allowing our bodies to become acclimatised to the altitude of 3,450m (11,300ft).
Day 7:	Trek to Deboche. From Namche, the well-worn Everest trail contours around the side of the valley high above the Dudh Kosi. As we follow the path, we will get our first really good views of the great peaks of the Khumbu: Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam. Passing by several villages and numerous tea shops, we will cross the Dudh Kosi river and make a steep climb to Thyangboche, home of an impressive and recently rebuilt monastery. We have plenty of time to look around Thyangboche and have a cake at the bakery before dropping down to the river and the village of Deboche (3,700m/12,135ft) a little further along the trail, where we will stay in a relaxing lodge.
Day 8:	Trek to Dingboche. Shaded by rhododendron trees, the path leads gradually down to the river once again to another airy suspension bridge. An hour's walking from here, will bring us to Pangboche, an excellent viewpoint for Ama Dablam. Contouring up the valley side, we will re-cross the river and turn up the Imja valley to reach the picturesque farming village of Dingboche.
Day 9-12:	Acclimatisation. This is an important phase of the expedition. We will be based in Dingboche, which is a good location for acclimatisation. The expedition leader will organise daily outings to the adjacent hills with the aim of providing a gradual and beneficial programme of acclimatisation. We will go out with the aim of walking some of the nearby hills in order to slowly increase our exposure to altitude. However, the aim will not be on strenuous exercise and you will be encouraged to follow the regime that you have previously found most suitable, in order to give you maximum acclimatisation before you arrive in base camp. While in Dingboche, we can attend a seminar about high altitude acclimatisation at the hospital in nearby Pheriche, run by the Himalayan Rescue Association. The walk over to Pheriche and back will also serve as good acclimatisation training and so make the walk doubly worthwhile.
Day 13:	Trek to Lobuje. We will retrace our steps back to Pheriche before continuing up the trail towards base camp. We will eventually reach Dugla situated below the snout of the Khumbu Glacier, a convenient place for lunch. After lunch, the trail starts to climb steeply beside the glacier moraine. After a couple of hours the track eventually leads to a small cluster of tea houses pleasantly situated at Lobuje.
Day 14:	Trek to Gorak Shep. About three hours beyond Lobuje we reach Gorak Shep (5,220m/17,126ft), the site of the 1953 expedition's base camp. It consists of a few small tea houses which, undoubtedly, will become a welcome 'bolt hole' during the expedition.
Day 15:	Trek to Everest base camp. Contouring along the valley side, the trail leads on to the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and becomes quite vague, weaving between mounds of rubble. After about 3 hours we will eventually reach base camp near the foot of the Khumbu Icefall. This will be our home for the next six weeks.
Day 16-18:	Rest and preparation.
Day 19-64:	Ascent of Mt Everest. We will climb through the Icefall as infrequently as possible, but this will mean at least 4 planned trips during the expedition. The outline climbing programme for the trip will be as follows: Climb One - aim to reach Camp 1 and descend to Base Camp. Climb Two - aim to sleep at Camp 1 for 2 nights, and to reach Camp 2 for acclimatisation on the day between. Climb Three - aim to sleep at Camp 2,or above for 6 nights. During this time, we will also climb to reach Camp 3 and descend to Camp 2 for a rest. We then take a day off, and go back up to spend one full night in Camp 3, using oxygen for sleeping. Day 1 - Climb to Camp 1. Day 2 - Arrive in Camp 2. Day 3 - Rest and Acclimatisation in Camp 2. Day 4 - Climb to the Lhotse Face, descend to sleep in Camp 2. Day 5 - Rest and Acclimatisation in Camp 2. Day 6 - Climb to Camp 3. Sleep camp 3. Day 7 - Descend to Camp 2. Day 8 - Descend to Base Camp. R&R - now well acclimatised with strong legs and lungs, we stock up on calories and to have a thorough rest. Climb Four - we go up, to reach the Summit.
Day 65:	Withdraw to base camp. All team members will return to base camp.
Day 66-68:	Return trek to Namche Bazaar via Dingboche and Deboche.
Day 69:	Trek to Lukla.
Day 70:	Fly Lukla to Kathmandu. We will return to the welcome haven of the Summit Hotel. Once back in Kathmandu, Jagged Globe will host an evening barbecue to celebrate the expedition and as a farewell party to thank the Sherpas for their support and friendship.
Day 71:	At leisure in Kathmandu.
Day 72:	Homebound flight departures. Our scheduled flight back to the UK arrives in London Heathrow early evening.

PLEASE NOTE: The above itinerary is not a fixed programme but is intended to give an indication of the likely events during the expedition. Please note that because of climbing Everest, it will be necessary to have a flexible plan in order to take the best advantage of situations as they present themselves. Any changes to the itinerary will be made with a view to maximising the benefit to the team members and of ensuring their eventual success on the mountain.

Jagged Globe 8000m Service

Climbing an 8,000m peak is a tough proposition for any climber, both physically and psychologically. We recognise the importance of quality leadership, Sherpa Support, food and equipment and the part all of these things play in a successful expedition. We continually examine every aspect of our expeditions, with a view to providing a very high level of support so you can undertake the tremendous challenge of climbing Everest, without concern for the organisation of the trip.

Medical Cover

All of our leaders are trained in first-aid and have a good knowledge of high altitude medical problems. The expedition will be equipped with the following:

A well stocked first aid and medical kit sufficient to counter any possible mountaineering ailments, from headache to serious injury.
Oxygen equipment for medical use only.
A portable hyperbaric chamber (Gamow bag)
Emergency communications on the mountain and satellite communications link for helicopter evacuation (see below).

We will also enrol all team members into the medical facility provided by the Himalayan Rescue Association. This has featured in the BBC documentary, "Everest ER". It is staffed by doctors (Usually Brits or Americans), and by enrolling all team members for a fee (paid by us), we ensure free access to the doctors for all of our Sherpas.

Base Camp Equipment

"Base camp was heaven after a few days on the hill. The tents were great for some personal space and room to have gear, and the sleeping mats were better than my bed at home!" - Rhys Jones, Everest 2006.

We aim to make base camp as comfortable as possible, commensurate with the location and the nature of the expedition. This is to ensure that between climbs on the mountains, it is as restful as possible to allow relaxation and preparation for the summit attempt. We will provide:

In base camp, each team member will have his or her own sleeping tent.
Electricity will be available for recharging batteries for digital cameras, video cameras and other electrical equipment.
Hot showers, on demand.
A diet from both Western and local sources including fresh fruit, eggs and vegetables.
Spacious dining tent, with high-backed chairs and tables.
Communication facilities to keep in touch with family, friends, work or business, consisting of:
- Laptop and printer.
- High speed, digital broadband web access provided by a BGAN Inmarsat satellite transceiver.
- Thuraya and Iridium satellite telephones.

Weather Forecasting

We contract a Swiss mountain weather forecasting service to provide weather reports as required by the team leader and base camp manager.

Communications

Experience has shown how important it is on Everest to be able to talk to every team member, at all times. If you join Jagged Globe on Everest, you will have a dedicated VHF radio, with lapel mic. Each Sherpa will also have his own VHF radio, so that at all times we can keep in touch with everyone, and everyone can keep in touch with each other.

Base camp and Camp 2 will be equipped with high-power VHF base stations along with high-gain antennas.

Equipment

All team mountaineering equipment, including ropes, fixings, tents, stoves and fuel is supplied from the UK. Climbers will need to provide their own personal equipment. We can provide the following specialist "8,000m" equipment:

To Buy:

RAB Expedition 1100, 8,000-metre sleeping bags.
RAB Expedition Down Jacket.
RAB Expedition Down Salopettes.

To Buy or to Hire:

8,000 metre mountaineering boots, choose from:
- La Sportiva Olympus Mons.
- Millet Everest.
- Scarpa Phantom 8,000

Oxygen

We buy and supply oxygen in the ratio of:

7 bottles per team climber and
4 bottles per Sherpa.

The amount of oxygen available to each team member has a direct bearing on the overall success of an expedition. The quantities above will provide enough oxygen for every member to sleep on it from 7,200m (Camp 3 upwards) and to use it to climb from there to Camp 4 and onwards to the summit and back again. The Sherpas will also be using oxygen on summit day and for sleeping and working on and around the South Col. If you are unsuccessful in your first attempt at the top, we will then ensure that you have enough oxygen for another go. In spring 2011, our second summit team were forced to delay their climb from the South Col due to high winds, so spent a full 24 hours there. They had enough oxygen to do so, then for all of them to reach the summit the following day.

Cylinders and Regulators

We will be using lightweight Russian oxygen bottles throughout the expedition, manufactured by Poisk. The Poisk bottles are without doubt the best available for mountaineering, as they have a proven track-record and are relatively light. The regulators are also manufactured by Poisk.

Mask

You will be given a TopOut mask for your own personal use, manufactured by Ted Atkins, a former RAF engineer. Ted was on Everest in 1988 with both Steve Bell and Simon Lowe when they tackled the West Ridge. He finally climbed Everest himself in 2004, at the same time pioneering his new design for a more effective and efficient oxygen mask, (compared with the Poisk mask which remains popular with some organisers).

Ted brought his new design to show Simon Lowe at the end of 2004, and Jagged Globe were the first organisation to use the masks on Everest during our expeditions to the north and south side of the mountain in 2005. The success rate on those trips was in part due to the undoubted, improved efficiency of the TopOut masks, as well as the sheer quantity of oxygen provided to team members. In short, the design of the TopOut mask fixes or improves upon the known shortcomings of the Poisk mask. In doing so this ensures that a greater number of the oxygen molecules in the cylinders is delivered to a climber's bloodstream with greatly reduced leakage to the atmosphere due to ineffective seals and valves. Most importantly, being based on a mask used by pilots, it is ergonomically a much better fit, allowing for a better seal against the face (stubble permitting), and making the mask far less obstructive of a climber's vision. This alone makes the mask a safer proposition as it is easier to see where you will be placing your feet, which is notoriously difficult in a Poisk mask, and especially so when coming down.

We have sufficient masks to ensure that all Sherpas are also equipped with TopOut as it is morally and ethically appropriate that we afford the Sherpas the same benefits inherent in an efficient oxygen supply and improved visibility, with its implications for safer movement whilst climbing on steep ground. We believe we are the only 8,000-m organiser currently equipping all climbers and Sherpas, in this way.

However, you must know that no oxygen system is entirely reliable and that all suffer from being in an extremely hostile environment (grit was never a problem in the Russian Soyuz programme!) In Nepal, in the higher reaches of the breathable atmosphere, grit and ice can cause seals to fail and valves seats to erode. This is unavoidable and some cylinders and regulators will be affected, if even to a modest degree. Beyond keeping all seals and valves clean and dry, the problem is countered by our supplying more masks and regulators than there are team members, as well as a surfeit of oxygen bottles which includes an effective reserve beyond what will be required just for summit ascents.

As Oxygen is an essential ingredient of any realistic attempt on the mountain, the cost of its supply and use are included in the overall price of the expedition.

What the price includes

Hotel/airport transfers.
Accommodation at our base in Kathmandu, the relaxing Summit Hotel.
Oxygen - 7 bottles + use of TopOut mask
All road transport by private vehicles.
All camping facilities and meals during the expedition.
All porterage costs.
All costs for leaders, guides and Sherpas.
Jagged Globe kitbag or fleece.

What the price does not include

Economy class return airfares from the UK (unless Land Only).
UK airline taxes.
Visa fees.
Overseas airports taxes not paid in advance through the international airline ticket.
Bar bills and laundry.
Travel insurance.
Lunch and evening meals in Kathmandu.
Optional trips and sightseeing tours.
Tips.

Additional Information

If you wish to discuss any aspect of the expedition or your suitability for it, please contact us by telephone:

+44 (0) 845 345 8848

Alternatively, you can contact us by email via the Contact Page on the website.

Booking

If you would like to book a place on this expedition, you can do so on our secure on-line booking facility, on our website. The US$2000 deposit for this expedition will secure you a place on your chosen departure. You will receive an automatic email confirmation, followed by a written confirmation of booking, climbing questionnaire and Expedition Dossier. Alternatively, you can book over the telephone or by sending in a booking form by post.

Expeditions to the 8000 metre Peaks