Climbing Everest: a 2 year plan

xphys wrote:

i think its like every 1 in 8 people die trying

Not quite.

The overall mortality rate for Everest mountaineers during the entire 86-year period was 1.3 percent; the rate among climbers was 1.6 percent and the rate among Sherpas was 1.1 percent.

I appreciate the replies. they were about what I had expected...negative nellies, poorly veiled humble brags, most comments made by those with only mountain experience relegated to reading books, and also some really good suggestions. as stated, I appreciate all of them. very typical letsrun. I guess I should have mentioned that i'm pretty comfortable with mountains in general, having spent lots and lots of time hunting elk and bear in the frank church in Idaho, as well as the bitterroots in Montana. it's not atypical to cover 50 miles in 3 days over rugged terrain during the elk rut. I've also done a very significant amount of 3-4 day xc skiing and dogsledding up in Manitoba and ely over the last few years, with camping conditions hovering right around minus 10, at times. obviously, as someone adeptly mentioned above, my number one goal is to come back alive, without placing anyone in untoward danger. I have no family, so affairs and what have you are not a concern, though it was a good point. I understand that it has become somewhat of a tourist carnival up there on the mountain, but like running a mile under 4 minutes, it was/has been an obsession of mine since very young. as stated, i'm getting a bit older now, and the window is quickly closing. I liked the progression suggestions of Ranier to Aconcagua idea quite a bit. though, after all of this, the question originally posed still remains: does anyone know of/have any contacts in the salt lake city area that they could put me into contact with regarding periodized goals/training/suggestions?

Realism wrote:

xphys wrote:

i think its like every 1 in 8 people die trying

Not quite.

The overall mortality rate for Everest mountaineers during the entire 86-year period was 1.3 percent; the rate among climbers was 1.6 percent and the rate among Sherpas was 1.1 percent.

Wow, those are some bad odds. Why not climb a real mountain without a pull rope at the top and massive congestion? Climbing Everest seems more like a bragging thing than anything else.

wasatch range wrote:

I am 41

I have no family.

That's kind of sad.

Why are you asking this question on a running forum? Try a climbing forum like mountainproject.com

wasatch range wrote:

I liked the progression suggestions of Ranier to Aconcagua idea quite a bit. though, after all of this, the question originally posed still remains: does anyone know of/have any contacts in the salt lake city area that they could put me into contact with regarding periodized goals/training/suggestions?

Go here:

here:

or here:

Start asking your questions there. Frankly your inability to locate these resources on your own doesn't bode well for your quest. Anyway, plan to spend 5+ years on this quest. 2 is not nearly enough to develop the skills you need.

Do you wish to become a fossilized relic? If so, you're on the right path!

So many of you are trying to talk the OP out of his dream. It makes me think the only peak any of you ever climbed was Brokeback Mountain.

Care to give an example? Maybe include evidence as to how you know it's an exaggeration, since apparently you know more than the guy who was there and wrote the book about the experience.

bolier wrote:

Side note: I can't truly enjoy this book due to Krakauer (being your typical author) exaggerating too many details.

xphys wrote:

i think its like every 1 in 8 people die trying

It's actually gotten much safer these days.

1. The Sherpas set fixed lines before the white people make their summit attempt.

2. Radar forecasting means that the likelihood of getting caught by a storm is now very low.

3. Satellite radios mean that the climbers are all watched and monitored via telescope from base camp and an objective, experienced guide makes the go/no go decision as well as provides extra advice.

Apparently hundreds of people "climb" it every year. The trail up has turned into a disneyland type attraction for rich people. You just go, hire shirpas to do all the tough work, and all you do is hike up and down the different levels to acclimatize. You end up being part of an endless ant line of people, most of which don't even have any climbing experience, just big egos that need stroking. There are much greater feats to be done.

Great point. You would have better luck checking with the local climbers through stores, outfitters, gyms... or go on Supertopo forum. 2 years is pretty ambitious without any mountaineering or technical climbing experience. I guess the way it is now you could get drug up the mountain by some guide, but that would be unsatisfying?

While the technical skills and fitness are most important, mountaineering is a very expensive hobby unless you have a gear hookup. And until you are proficient and trusted enough to climb with others you will probably be relying on paid guide services to get experience.

privo wrote:

There are much greater feats to be done.

Like what?

Lateral Mover wrote:

xphys wrote:

i think its like every 1 in 8 people die trying

It's actually gotten much safer these days.

1. The Sherpas set fixed lines before the white people make their summit attempt.

2. Radar forecasting means that the likelihood of getting caught by a storm is now very low.

3. Satellite radios mean that the climbers are all watched and monitored via telescope from base camp and an objective, experienced guide makes the go/no go decision as well as provides extra advice.

72 have died since the start of the 2001 season. It is a small percentage though it does sound like a lot.

wasatch range wrote:

I have decided to make getting up Everest a 2 year plan/goal from this coming May. It has been an obsession my entire life, and I feel almost like I must take a shot before I become too old. A bit of background:

I am 41, a former D1 miler, and remain significantly fit. I am 6 feet and 185 pounds with 8% body fat. Though gym work and faster runs on the track have been my fun for the last 20 years, I realize that long aerobic/endurance sessions wil be required, as will specific climbing and mountaineering abilities. I currently live at 5000 ft altitude, and higher altitudes are an easy drive away. Can anyone here put me into contact with someone here in the Salt Lake City area that might be available for specific training advice/goals along this period?

Start with 4000m peaks, than do something like Mera Peak/Agoncaqua and then start thinking about attempting Cho Oyu. If all this doesn't satisfy your obsession; you have a good idea whether you want to attempt Everest. I can tell you this: Everest is getting more and more resemblance with Disney World than it has with experiencing the spirit of the mountains, the beauty of nature and so on. It's a garbage dump a cemitery and a place where you'll experience human behaviour at it's absolute worst.

There are very beautiful and demanding peaks that can be climbed expedition style which offer you more satisfaction.

It's not the summit that counts, but the experience.

1. The items i bolded are the glaring issues with your approach to this "dream." If this forum is your starting point and you have zero point of reference on how to go about preparing to climb Everest (ie. progressive climbs on the 3 peaks that every North American climber prepares on), then this is not for you to do in 24 months. Side note: Cho Oyu is the aforementioned eaiser/cheaper 8000m peak to prep or just do

2. You seem to feel like you're fit enough to walk into this thing as is or at least fit enough to carry your oxygen and get schlepped up with the other's plunking down $50-100k for their "obsession." If you want to greatly increase your chances here, actually get climbing fit. This isn't hiking around, its not climbing stairs for a day. It's weeks of hard, weight-reducing activity at *actual* altitude (14k does not count). Do some trips like my neighbor in Leadville suggested.

3. Buy Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills and start reading. If you really want someone local to start talking to, these guys are your only guides in Utah. However, when it comes to paying someone to haul you up the mountain, talk to the big boys: Alpine Ascents, RMI, Mountain Madness, etc.

4. Start planning your Denali trip now, if you have any desire to make this happen. From where you're starting, Denali would be questionable in two years if you feel like hikin and XC skiing is your ticket to success. [time for the brag you were waiting for:] I've climbed 20k peaks in SA and a number of legitimate climbs in the states. Denali/Aconcagua has been a "two year plan" for me for some time, and I'm a strong step (not a far step) ahead of you.

5. Decide if $100k, months of time and the possibility of major issues is worth it for your life. Sure, you're single and hitting the realization of fleeting youth. But is this experience and your new tagline worth what you don't yet understand it will/could cost?

G'day mate.

My dog and I are also currently training for an Everest summit attempt. I'm 42 and in marginal shape. Bowser is 5, and is a Lab/Retriever/Shephard/Doberman mix. Sadly there are no mountains in Indiana, so we have been doing intervals up a hill in the local cemetery, which happens to be the highest point in the county at some 900 feet. Right now we can climb tens of thousands of feet in a relatively short time by climbing the hill, going down, then doing it again. It is still winter, and we have a lot of snow, so I feel this is a fairly suitable training regimen.

Continuer of things wrote:

Care to give an example? Maybe include evidence as to how you know it's an exaggeration, since apparently you know more than the guy who was there and wrote the book about the experience.

bolier wrote:

Side note: I can't truly enjoy this book due to Krakauer (being your typical author) exaggerating too many details.

I am enjoying the book overall & like I said, it is enlightening about the extreme danger involved with climbing Everest. It's more the word choice he uses than anything that I don't like. He's a sensationalist. It's very annoying & it makes the story difficult to read. Yeah, I know, that's what writers do to get you to read the story. They make everything sound grandiose & near death. I'd prefer the quiet truth. Here are some examples.

Approaching base camp, 17,000 feet: "the sun felt like it was boring a hole through the crown of my skull. I'd NEVER experienced anything like it: crushing pain between my temples - pain so severe that it was accompanied by shuddering waves of nausea & made it impossible for me to speak in coherent sentences. Fearing that I'd suffered some sort of stroke..." (p.107)

Stroke? Yet, he gets 2 pain pills & a little bit later he's perfectly fine.

Here's another example. Shortly after leaving base camp.

"I'd hoped the giant overhanging tower at 19,000 (mousetrap) had toppled by now, but it was still precariously upright. Again I redlined my cardiovascular output rushing to ascend from its threatening shadow, and again dropped to my knees when I arrived on the serac's summit, gasping for air and trembling from the excess of adrenaline fizzing through my veins." (p. 134)

And finally, I question his account of how a Sherpa (Lopsang) towed Sandy Pittman on a short-rope for 6 consecutive hours at 27,600 feet. Yet, Pittman has come out to say it was more like 1 hour.

I wasn't there, so you're right, who am I to say if it was true, but it's kind of easier to believe Pittman considering the context.

Also, Krakauer introduced the story by saying this.

"the memories of the survivors had been badly distorted by exhaustion, oxygen depletion, and shock. At one point during my research I asked three other people to recount an incident, and none of us could agree on such crucial facts as who was present or what had been said."

i'm an SLC guy. i got into running specifically to spend time in the mountains, though lately i've been focusing on road/track speed before jumping into the mountains once the snow melts. races like speedgoat are what i love. i haven't gotten into mountaineering but do run up stuff like olympus and pfeifferhorn, and will be getting into the uintas this summer. give me a shout if you want to link up.