Jamie McGuinness - Project Himalaya owner
Project Himalaya

 

Esther Tan jumps over Everest

North Col bathed in moonlight - Jamie McGuinness

Everest night shot from Everest BC Climbing on fixed ropes to North Col Jamie's Flickr photo sets - explore them!

Why go with us?

We have been safe and successful multiple times, providing the best possible summit success chance (no compromises) at a value price. Everything we have works, and works well. We have great radios with extra batteries and they even take AA batteries, so never run out. We pay for multiple weather forecasts. We have consistent leadership and our sherpas are loyal, organized and honest, and have worked with Jamie many times on 8000m peaks, including Everest half a dozen times. We have good relations with all the administrative staff, and especially the liaison officers, and have a proven record of successful expeditions.

Summit timing

Summitting Everest later in May always safer. First, it is warmer, it is scary to think how many people get frostbite by summitting early, including in the big commercial expeditions. Second, if the weather has already been good then the zoo is over. Third, if the jet stream winds do not stop until very late in the season, we can still climb, we still have time and strength and have not been waiting forever. Occasionally expeditions have had to leave the mountain before they ever had a chance to mount a summit push.

The other big debate is about how long to spend on the expedition. This is a balance of taking enough time to get strong, but not deteriorate significantly, and has many tricks to it, we will discuss as part of the expedition.

1:1 climbing sherpa

On our normal expedition you carry your personal equipment between camps: sleeping bag, mattress/s, down suit, snacks, clothing while the sherpas carry the meals, gas, stoves, tents and oxygen. This split suits fit mountaineers. The team members and guide climb together between camps while the climbing sherpas stock the camps mostly separately. For the summit push the climbing sherpas, guide and team members climb together, with one sherpa assigned to each member for the summit climb, critical for safety. This is a good level of service, and suits most climbers.

Additional climbing sherpa

For extra security an additional climbing sherpa can be useful. They can assist in carrying some of your personal gear between camps (generally carrying your sleeping bag and snacks) and climb with you all the time. Note that they don't necessarily trek with you when we head back to base camp.

Special projects

We are happy to handle film teams and certain other projects (and this was the reason our expeditions of the last few years were small affairs). We have separate western leaders available.

Want to see our Everest expedition on film?

Jamie was the climbing director for the Everest Peace Project's Everest expedition in 2006 and the resulting documentary, "Everest - a Climb for Peace" is definitely worth watching. See the Everest Peace Project website. We had rather more drama on that expedition than on any other to date.

What is included

Kathmandu

We pick you up at the airport and provide a single hotel room so you can spread gear out. Because we provide all tents, oxygen, dehy meals on the mountain etc, you should be able to get to Kathmandu without extra freight charges.

Tibet

We handle all the paperwork for the Chinese visa and all the Tibet travel and climbing permits.

Base Camp and ABC

At base camp we have a permanent kitchen with cook and helpers, large dining tent and smaller ones as required, radio contact with ABC and camps on the mountain, and internet. We provide 1 BC tent per member (a two-three person tent), three good meals a day and afternoon tea, plus all hot drinks and boiled water for drinking. At ABC we provide the same.

We have good solar power systems providing 12v, 115v and 230v, so you can charge all smart phone, digital cameras, video cameras, battery packs, tablets and laptops.

At base camp we provide free internet through the mobile phone network.

Climbing

All mountain tents and meals, gas and stoves are included. Fixed rope charges are included. The sherpas are responsible for stocking all the camps; carrying the oxygen, tents, gas and meals. They normally climb separately from the team until the summit push. The sherpas don't carry your personal gear (but you can pay extra for a personal sherpa).

We climb on the mountain mostly as a team with the guide and assistant guide(/s).

Oxygen

We use Poisk oxygen and will have 5x 4 litre bottles available for each climber. Climbing sherpa oxygen is also included, and we provide for them.

Weather reports

With internet we have access to a variety of weather reports, and we subscribe to paid weather forecasts too. Judging the weather is one of the most important issues surrounding climbing Everest. When not on 8000m peaks, Jamie has forecast for friend's expeditions on K2, the Gasherbrums, Manaslu, Everest, Dhaulagiri, Makalu, Shishapangma and Kanchenjunga with uniform praise "the single most valuable forecast".

Medical

We have a comprehensive medical kit at BC and ABC. You should be prepared with a small personal med kit for on the mountain. Jamie is used to dealing with altitude issues and intestinal problems and other minor medical issues.

Emergency evacuation

We have emergency oxygen at ABC and BC, plus full medical kits. If you have to leave the mountain early alone or as two people then there will be a charge of approx $800-1000. If you are a group of three or four then there is unlikely to be a charge but it may be a while before your baggage arrives in Kathmandu.

Departure

Although we all travel in together, you can leave separately provided you are 3-4 climbers travelling together. There is a $25 per person visa separation fee (as we are on a group visa).

Insurance

This is your choice. It is sometimes possible to get insurance for 8000m peaks thru your national alpine club; the BMC in the UK and American Alpine Club offer particularly good packages. There is no reliable helicopter rescue possible in Tibet so normally evacuation is by Landcruiser to Kathmandu. There is one particularly good clinic in Kathmandu otherwise the nearest high standard hospital is Singapore or Bangkok. All our Nepali staff are insured.

Warning

Everest is the highest mountain on the planet and despite some of the publicity it is not "easy" or even "straightforward". It is a very serious peak and bad judgment or even bad luck can be fatal up there. Even with the best companies, including us, the risk of frostbite / death is real.