ExWeb has posted a number of Everest updates today, with news that most teams are nearly done with their acclimatization process and are gearing up for their summit bids. Most teams descended to base camp or lower over the weekend, where they enjoyed some rest and relexation before they head back up the mountain. Weather reports indicate that the next few days will not provide a window to the summit, but hopefully things will clear soon.

David Tait who will be attempting a historic double traverse, has indicated in his dispatches that he is ready to go. He has passed the endurance and skills tests that HiMex has set for him, and now he's resting and waiting for the weather to co-operate. David and a team of women from the Philippines are the only ones to actually get permits from the Chinese to allow them to traverse the mountain, but that doesn't mean there aren't others who would like to try.

Meanwile, Austrian climber Thomas Bubendorfer intends to climb Everest via a new route. His orginal intention was to climb the Super Couloir, but because of the amount of snow in the area, he has been forced to go up the North Col along a route that hasn't been attempted before. Thomas will go alpine style and solo, using few fixed ropes. The latest reports have him in BC, but setting off soon for his summit attempt.

Right now, we're in the holding pattern as teams rest and wait for their window to come. We're in to May now, which means summit attempts will be coming fast and furiously very soon. Once the weather clears, look for teams to move back up the mountain en mass. The closer we get to the end of the month, the quicker these windows will slam shut.

It's Wednesday! Which means we're half-way through the week, Lost is on tonight, and of course we get a new episode of The Rest of Everest which has returned to regular shows again following the brief hiatus while Jon went back to Tibet.

This episode is entitled Episode 43: 20,000 Leagues Above The Sea. Jon spends much of the episode in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines camp and we get to see what life is like for other teams on Everest. As a military expedition, the team is well funded and equipped, not to mention well fed if the dinner scenes are to be believed. :)

However, their "military spec" computers failed at high altitude so Jon, and his trusty Mac Powerbook had to come to there rescue. Yeah, Apple stuff is just that good! I'm enjoying the return of the regular episodes and it's fun to continue to see what life is like in BC. Of course, we all want to get on to the maincourse, which is the climb, but we see those aspects of Everest all the time. I like seeing the teams interact in the down time, and watching what life is like on a day to day basis as well.

Never fear though, the climb is coming. Jon remarks in the video that we'll start to see more climbing in the coming weeks but for now, it's all about life at Base Camp. After all, this is an "Unabridged Expedition Experience".

As the Spring Climbing Season heats up and we get closer to the inevitable summit attempts on Everest, the community will begin to debate the ethics of climbing on the World's highest peak and who is ultimately responsible for those climbing the mountain.

It is with that question in mind that The Adventurist presents this editorial entitled Responsiblity and Death on Everest. The article, in no uncerain terms, places the responsiblity clearly on the shoulders of the Expedition Leader for insuring the safety of their clients. The argument is that they know the climbers better than anyone, and it is their job to monitor their progress and the conditions on the mountain, and make the judgement call on who is fit to go up or down.

While I won't disagree with this assessment, it's not always that easy. For instance, the article mentions the David Sharp incident from last year, but in Sharp's case, he was climbing independently. He had no guide or Expedition Leader to tell him to turn around and go down. He also was quite an experienced climber with experience on Everest before.

Obviously the guides do have a responsibility to their clients to see themoff the mountain safely, but the climate on Everest is one that has become about money, and it means more casth for their company if they have successful summits. The clients paying those large sums of money are also hell bent on getting to the top. They spent their cash and they expect to get their chance at the summit, with nothing getting in their way. You can point to the Sharp incident once again, when nearly 40 people stepped over and around him on the way to the summit that morning. Sharp was still alive when this happened.

In my mind, the best thing to do is to start limiting the number of permits to climb Everest. However, considering how much money is involved for both Nepal and China, I wouldn't expect that to happen any time soon. The overcrowding is going to get worse, and in the process the risks are only going to increase as well. If something isn't done about the situation, it's likely that we'll soon see a season that will make 1996 look tame.

MountEverest.net has all the latest news from the mountain where there weather remains very good, and summits continue today.

The Alpine Ascents Team reached the summit this morning and according to their website all the members are down safely. The SummitClimb Team put five climbers on top as well, as did the French Jomolangma team.

We're still waiting more information about the Nepalese woman that the IMG Team rescued yesterday beneath The Balcony, but now we have word of another rescue, this time on the North Side. The Seven Summits Club rescued a fallen Italian Climber, identified only as "Marco", who apparently lay in the snow unconscious for two days outside of camp at 8300m. Turns out, he was still alive, and Abramov's team had to get him down safely, which they did.

The word is that Gavin Bates is lucky to be alive after giving up on his summit attempt and traverse. After having problems with his oxygen mask high up the mountain, he was forced to turn back as pulmonary edema set in. He made it back to Camp 3, where doctors were shocked that he was still standing, let alone came off the mountain. Apparently his lungs were quite full with liquid. Hope you're feeling better soon Gavin.

And finally, sad news to report from Lhotse where Pemba Doma Sherpa, a two time Everest summiter, has fallen to her death following a successful summit bid. There are also unconfirmed reports of two other Sherpas dying as well.

The Sherpas are the backbone of any Himalaya climb, and they always put their heart in soul into helping the teams they are hired to support. When one of their own perishes, especially someone as well known as Pemba Doma, it hits the whole community hard. So while we're keeping all the western climbers who have died, in our thoughts and prayers, lets not forget about the brave Sherpas who make all this possible.

Update: The Adventurist has posted an more information on the death of Pemba Doma. Jason has some contacts in Nepal, and is attempting to get more details at this time. Hopefully we'll know more about the incident, and the condition of the other Sherpas on the climb soon.

If you are a regular viewer of The Rest of Everest you probably heard Jon's announcement a few weeks back that he is returning to the North Side of Everest this year. In just a few days actually, as he departs on Sunday, April 1st. He has more details of the trip in this week's video podcast on what we fans can expect.

For starters, there is a whole new webpage you'll want to bookmark that will be updated throughout the trip, with blog entries, images, audio files and more. We'll hear from Jon while he meets up with some teams on the North Side and Ben, the lead climber on the Rest of Everest video podcasts, will be checking in from time to time as he goes for the summit of Shisha Pangma this year. It sounds like we should be treated to some great stuff.

Also, in this bonus podcast, we learn about climbers Brian Oestrike and Justin Hewitt who are taking on Everest this year for a good cause, namely to raise money and awareness for lung cancer. The charity they are climbing for is lungevity.org and you can follow their whole climbe at ClimbForCancer.Blogspot.com.

Good luck to Brian and Justin on the their climb for a cause, and have fun in Nepal and Tibet Jon. We can't wait to see what kind of new adventures you have and look forward to you sharing them with us. Be safe guys!

The Daily Record has a short, but alarming, article about Conrad Anker's plan to climb Everest using the same gear that George Mallory and his team had back in 1924 on their ill fated attempt at the highest mountain on Earth.

Anker was part of the team that found Mallory's body on Everest back in 1999, and he claims that he's been "haunted" by it ever since. He may be haunted by something else if the weather turns bad on his climb. Apparently the climb will be filmed to be included in a movie project down the line.

I'm not sure about you, but I personally like the new gear we have these days. I'm kind of attached, literally and figuratively, to my fingers and toes. If I were going up Everest in retro gear, I think I would have chosen the gear that Hillary used. At least he was successful in his attempt. :)

Thanks GoBlog!

Update: As usual, I don't know what the hell I'm talking about. Fortunately, I have smart readers who are always around to set me straight. Carl has passed on two very cool and interesting articles on the gear that Mallory used and how well it would work on Everest. The first article discusses how after building replicas of Mallory's gear it was determined that not only could Mallory and irvine have survied at high altitudes, they would have been able to climb quite comfortably. The second article is a follow up to the first, with experts actually stating they would rather climb in the Mallory gear than the more modern stuff. The argument is that the the older gear was plenty warm, comfortable, and didn't restrict climbing as much. They did note, however, that it was probably tougher to pee in. ;)

Thanks for the education Carl! Always appreciated. :)

Alan has published several briefs on his Everest 2007 page to help keep us up to date on what's happening over there.

On the North Side, Alex Abramov's 7 Summits Club has arrived in Kathmandu and have met with Russel Brice's Himex team to discuss fixing ropes up the mountain. As reported, the Himex Sherpa's will go up the mountain to put down the fixed ropes for the other teams, with every climber putting $100 into Brice's coffers. Himex will also, as is the norm, set the climbing schedule for the other teams using their ropes.

Over on the South side, the report is that the Sherpas have been building tent platforms for all the teams that will be arriving soon at Base Camp. Alan also explains the politics of BC a bit, with teams sending their Sherpas in early to mark out a preferred spot. He notes that some teams like to be close to the Khumbu Icefalls to shorten their climb some, while others prefer to be further away to prevent traffic from going through their camp.

Also, check out the short introduction to the "Teahouses" in the area that act as hostels for the climbers trekking up the Khumbu Valley to BC. It's a nice read and offers insights into the climbing exerpience that you don't always find somewhere else. Great stuf Alan!

While reading Alan Arnette's Everest 2007 Page earlier, I came across an interesting, but disturbing, story. It seems that the IMG Team had to come to the rescue of woman who was in trouble just below the Balcony as they were making their descent following a successful summit. It seems the woman, who is described as a Nepalese climber, but non-Sherpani, was "abandoned" by her team on the way up the mountain. It seems the IMG Team found her in what is described as "bad shape" and helped her down to Camp 3 where she was turned over to the Extreme Everest Team which consists mostly of doctors doing high altitude research.

At this time, that is about all we know of the story, but just a year removed from the David Sharp incident, you have to think that this will raise some serioius questions about the ethics on the mountain. It seems that this woman was left behind by her team as they were in the midst of their summit push, and no one bothered to make sure that she could safely get back down the mountain. Considering the out cry from the climbing community last season, it seems so strange that we would have a similar incident this so soon afterwards. Thank goodness the IMG Team were on their way down and were still strong enough, and caring enough, to make sure she reached medical care.

I'm sure we'll hear much more about this story in the days ahead, and I don't want to jump to too many conclusions until we've heard it all, but honestly, it smells like another controversy preparing to boil over. I can see the headlines now: "Climber Abandonded At 27,500 Feet" It'll be interesting to see which team she was a part of. One thing is for sure though, Russel Brice wasn't involved in any way shape or form with this one.

Apa, a Sherpa from Nepal, who scaled Everest for a record 17th time, has definitely hit the big time. There is a feature article about him on ESPN.com, a site that covers major sporting events, such as football, baseball, and basketball, but rarely touches on something like mountaineerning.

Apa was of course a member of the Super Sherpas who topped out on Everest earlier today. The article notes that Apa first summitted back in in 1989 and has had 16 more summits since then. Definitely an amazing feat, and at the age of 46, he very well may continue to climb.

This story is amazing for several reasons. Of course, Apa adding to the record he already held is a great story in and of itself, and the Super Sherpa's charity climb to raise money for schools for the children of the Sherpas is a great cause. But it's also amazing that ESPN bothered to even put this up on their website. As I said, this is not the kind of story that gets mainstream buzz. As I write this, the story is actually on the ESPN.com front page. It's great to see the sport get some recognition from the mainstream media. It is certainly well deserved.

Thanks for the heads up on this one Carl!

MountEverest.net has posted another Everest Update this time with more news on the death of that Sherpa yesterday, and an word that the Khumbu Icefall is closed at the moment.

Forty year old Dawa Sherpa was working yesterday between C2 and C3 when he fell to his death. Dawa apparently slipped and fell into the Kharpas crevasse while climbing towards C3. My guess is that he was taking supplies to the camp for the ten member international team that he was working for. The Sherpas know the risks they are taking when they work on the mountain, but they are the strongest, most amazing climbers in the World. It is alway a shame when something like this happens, and we wish his family and friends all the best in this trying time.

In other news, an avalanche has closed the route across the Khumbu Icefall this morning, forcing some teams to stay in BC until it can be cleared. The route was expected to be inspected and repaired today allowing teams to move on tomorrow, however there is some word of dissention amongst the teams that the route through the Icefall, the most dangerous place on Everest, is not being maintained well this season. Each team pays part of the fee to build the route of ladders through the Icefall, and apparently some of those teams are demanding more Icefall Doctors be brought in to shape things up. I've also heard that the Icefall is quite active this season, which can't be making conditions any better.

On the North side, word is Maxut and Vassily, the two men making their summit bid a few days ago have been forced to retreat to ABC due to bad weather. They'll wait for another weather window before making another push. Gavin Bate's Team on Cho Oyu reports being woken by the Chinese Military who were searching for climbers who are reportedly heading to Everest without the proper climbing permits. These "undocumented" climbers are not allowed on the mountain, and the Chinese will likely try to find them and stop them from heading to Everest. Either that, or they'll shake them down for the cash for those permits. Finally, those American activists that showed up in BC to protest for a Free Tibet a few days ago have been expelled by the Chinese Government. Big surprise.

We're well into the Spring climbing season, and teams are crawling all over Everest and the other major Himalayan peaks, so natuarlly there is a contants stream of dispatches, updates and news flowing from the teams that are in BC. Sometimes there is actually too much to try to follow. Fortunately, there are some great websites out there to help us sort through all the news and offer some commentary on what is happening on the mountain.

First, I'd like to recommend Alan Arnette's Everest 2007 Season Coverage page. Alan is tracking every team on the mountain, and has a handy chart at the top of his page that allows you to tell at glance just where each team is. The team names are also links to their respecive websites where you'll find even more information. Scrolling further down the page, you'll find daily commentary from Alan himself on the latest news and events from Everest. Alan, who is an experienced mountaineer himself, and has summitted Everest, always has great insights and information to share. And when you're done reading his latest posts, be sure to drop in The Climbing Forum to discuss your thoughts with the motely crew that inhabit that virtual hang-out.

Next up, head over to The Adventurist for more news on Everest teams and events. The site is updated daily with the latest stories from the mountain, including insight from team dispatches, and progress reports from a wide variety of sources. Be sure to leave comments on the stories that you enjoy or have an opinion on as well, as feedback is always appreciated. The blog posts aren't strictly about Everest however, as you'll regularly see items about other peaks around the World as well.

Of course, there are always the old stand bys as well, such as MountEverest.net, which I often cite as a source for my articles. Most everyone already knows about them and visits regularly I'm sure. There is also EverestNews.com but quite frankly, I find the writing rather poor there, and the updates often lack depth or any real information. Still, from time to time, they have some scoops you won't see any where else.

We're still a few weeks away from summit bids, but you know things will be heating up soon. The news will be flying fast and furious before you know it, so be sure to check the above links regularly as you root for your favorite climbers to top out on the big hill.

While teams move up Everest towards the summit, you can get a peak at what life has been like for them the past few days and weeks as they waited for their turn. Check out The Rest of Everest for just such an inside look. This week's epsidode is Episode 44: Predicting The Future.

In this week's episode you'll actually see the teams, still in Base Camp, reading the latest weather reports and waiting for that coveted weather window to open up. You can see the concentraion and worry on the faces of team leaders as they discuss strategy on when it would be safe to let their climbers go up. Watching this footage, you can get a sense that these same kinds of discussions were taking place not very many days ago on the mountain itself, as all the teams that have reached the top in the last day or two, or are still moving up now, waited for their window to open.

This is another episode that takes place in ABC and you can tell that the time spent there is starting to wear on the teams. They've gone through all the work to acclimatize, the camps up the mountain are established, and now they are ready to go, but the weather just hasn't cooperated yet. Soon though, that window will open, and it will be time to climb.

It's also interesting to hear Jon mention that the footage that we're watching today was shot on May 16th in 2003, and is being released today, May 16th 2007. It really is a great look into what is happen right now on Everest. Great work as always Jon, and thanks for the plug at the beginning of the episode. Always appreciated!

More news from MountEverest.net today concerning the ongoing climbs on Everest and elsewhere in the Himalaya. It's mid-May now, so obviously things are about to get intense on Everest, while others are finishing up climbs on various other peaks.

On Everest things are really heating up with teams moving up the mountain on both sides. On the North side in particular, it seems that they are poised for a major push in the next few days, while on the South they are still a bit tenative as fixed ropes on the upper slopes are still being put down and there is fear of traffic jams later in the week.

Rumor has it that David Tait may be making his summit bid tomorrow, and of course finishing up the first leg of his double traverse. The 16th seems like a big day on the North side with the Scottish Scouts, the Philippines Team, and Nices Meroi all aiming to give it a go. The ladies on the Phillippines Team will end at BC in Nepal on their traverse as well.

Mountain Madness seems to be leading the way on the South side, as they are making the push to summit on the 16th as well. Since they are one of the first teams up, that also means they are laying down the last of the fixed ropes too. The feeling amongst the other teams seems to be wait and see, as a number of them watch the weather and the movements of their companions.

Else where in the Himalaya other teams are preparing to top out on their own particular summits. News from Annapurna is that the Spanish team there is saddened and subdued following the loss of their friends on Dhaulagiri. But word is that they will attempt the "German Route" on the North side none the less.

Snow on Manaslu kept a team from reaching the summit there. They've returned to Base Camp and are awaiting another opportunity. And finally, word is that Amical Alpin’s Cho Oyu team topped out on Friday, May 4th.

Congrats to all the recent summitteers and good luck to all the teams going up this week. Climb high, climb safe!

It's another busy day on Everest with plenty of more climbers reaching the top, this time from both the North and the South sides. We knew things would come fast and furious once the weather window opened, but I'd say it's been even crazier than I expected. As usual, you can find great coverage at MountEverest.net, which is being updated regularly. Don't forget to drop by Alan Arnette's Everest 2007 Page as he has a very nice commentary already posted this morning about the grit and determination of these climbers. Alan makes a good point that it's been popular to bag on Everest climbers this past year or so, but most of these climbers are doing it the right way, and are genuinely dedicated to high altitude mountaineering. And for even more Everest news, because I know you can't get enough, drop by The Adventursist though out the day, as I'm sure Jason will be following all the breaking news as it occurs as well.

A few stories to touch on. The Pinay Girls have topped out from the North side and are now traversing down the South and into Tibet. The The Super Sherpas also completed their summit attempt today from the South side. This is probably the least surprising of all the summits, as these guys were a lock it seems. Word is that Nives Meroi will be making a no O2 summit attempt tonight as she goes for another 8000m peak to add to her resume. Also, it seems that Ming Kipa Sherpa has summitted on the North side at the ripe old age of 15!!

The other big news is that there seems to be some trouble brewing on the North side. There may be a rescue attempt underway. There are not a lot of detail at the moment, and we don't want to speculate too much, but according to the Cracking Day Everst Blog the climbers witnessed some kind of incident with a Japanese girl at around 8300m, but were reluctant to say much more. MountEverest.net is also reporting that there seemed to be some activity on the mountain that would lead you to believe a rescue was underway. Lets keep our fingers crossed on this one folks!

Congrats to all the climbers who reached the "Top of the World" today. Awesome accomplishment all around. Now get back down safe, as you're not done yet. And for everyone still on their way up, I hope the weather holds out for you, and be careful. Climb safe! We all want you back down in one piece so you can tell us your stories!

I'll post more updates as they come in throughout the day.

Update: MountEverest.net has an update on the Japanese climber that I posted on earlier. It seems that he collapsed on their descent from the summit, after successfully reaching the top on the North side. The Sherpas attempted to adminsiter CPR, but were unsuccessful in reviving him. The climbers name has not been revealed as of yet, but news has also hit the Japanese media.

Amidst all the celebrations for the successful summit, lets keep this man's friends and family in our thoughts.

Another Everest Update today from MountEverest.net. Word is that despite the bad weather, teams are moving up and getting into position for their summit bids. The weather reports say it's very windy on the mountain right now, but that those winds are expected to calm down and a weather window will open sometime in the next four to five days.

Things are especially busy on the North side where some of the larger teams are waiting for their chance. Nives Meroi sends word that she is heading up today despite the weather conditions and that she'll wait for the weather window to open while camped at 6300m. There is also word that Wim Hoff, the so called Dutch "Iceman" has made it to the North Col in just his boots and shorts. You'll recall that Wim is the crazy man who intends to summit in shorts. Lets hope that nothing... er...vital...gets frostbitten. As for me, I don't think I'd want to take the chance.

On the South side things are a bit more quiet. Teams are said to be mostly acclimatized now, and are resting in ABC or even lower. There are still some fixed ropes to be put into place, and the weather window is still a few days away for them as well. Mike Haugen of the Coleman Everest Team is keeping his cards close to the vest and has elected to not reveal his team's target summit day.

You get the sense that on the South face it's much more relaxed and there is a "wait and see" attitude. Much more so than on the North side where the fear of traffic jams seems much more likely. Let's hope the weather turns on schedule, and these anxious teams can start to make their way up.

Update: Alan is reporting on his Everest 2007 Page that there are two teams on the South side making their summit bids as I write this. The teams are breaking trail and laying down the fixed ropes with the hopes that they'll make the summit today. I'm sure we'll hear more about these teams tonight or tomorrow. It looks like not everyone is just resting at lower elevations.

More news from Everest today, as you would expect this time of year, courtesy of MountEverest.net. I imagine we'll be getting updates and stories nearly every day between now and the end of the month, as teams are now preparing for their summit bids and we'll be hearing about various attempts as long as the weather holds out.

The biggest news today is probably that the Olympic Torch has made it to the summit! As most of you probably know, the Chinese sent a large team to the North side this season to practice taking the torch to the summit for next year when the Olympics will actually be held in Beijing. The team of 17 Chinese climbers who summitted on Wednesday had several torches with them and confirmed that it burned brightly while on the highest point on Earth. Apparently the Chinese burned brightly on the way down however, as they were observed to have been smoking cigarettes on the descent.

David Tait has moved up to ABC and intends to make a summit bid, along with Phurba Sherpa sometime in the next few days, weather permitting. David is reported to be ahead of the other teams and will rest in ABC for a few days before proceeding up to C1 on Sunday, C2 on Tuesday, and C3 on Wednesday. From there he'll assess the situation and then make his push. David is going after the historic Double Traverse and plans to descend into Nepal after climbing on the North side. After a rest there, weather and health permitting, he'll go back up the mountain and come down on the Tibetan side, ending up where he started.

On the South side all eyes are on the weather forcast. There has been a report of a team making a summit push, but having to turn back due to the high winds. But it seems everyone is returning to BC and ABC in anticipation of things improving soon. The Mountain Madness Team was suppose to leave on the 9th, but now intend to move up on the 12th, so we can expect the action to really get going over the weekend and into the early part of next week.

ExWeb has all kinds of climbing updates again today, with this one from Everest topping the headlines. David Tait is reporting that the Chinese team has placed 17(!) people on top of Everest this morning in what is described as very windy conditions. As of this writing, we're still awaiting official confirmation, but Tait has a good handle on what's going down (or up as the case may be) on the North Side. He hasn't forgotten about his historic double traverse of course, and the word is that he'll make his first summit attempt around the 16th of May.

Meanwhile, over on Dhaulagiri, there is news that Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner will be heading to the summit on her own. When she and her climbing partner Lucie Orsulova proceeded up the mountain to make their first summit bid, they arrived at Camp 1 to find that all the gear they stowed there was missing. Someone found their stash and cleaned it out. The pair soldiered on however, making it to C2 the next day and the proceeding to C3 the following. But the exertion of climbing was too much for Lucie, who began suffering from altitude sickness. The summit attempt turned into a resuce mission as they proceeded back down the mountain. Now, Gerlinde will make the bid on her own. She is a strong climber and has topped out on nine of the 8000m peaks, so things look good. Still, a solo climb on a mountain like this one is never easy.

Finally, things are starting to heat up in Pakistan as well, with teams starting to arrive on Nanga Parbat. The climbing season is a bit different in the Karakoram, and while Everest teams are nearing their big push, the logistics of the climb are still being worked out. Dodo is at home right now, fresh off his double header of Shisha Pangma and Cho Oyu, but he'll only take a short rest before going to Pakistan for a second double climb, this time on Nanga Parbat at K2. This guy sure know how to make us all feel like slackers. Hey Dodo! How about you stay home, sit on the couch, and watch some TV for a change? Please?!?

Another climbing update from MountEverest.net today brings us news on the Spring Climbing Season in the Himalaya. Things are really picking up with all kinds of news starting to roll in.

Swiss Climber Ueli Steck has big plans for Annapurna, where he intends to climb the mountain by a new route, solo and in alpine style no less. Ueli, who recently set a speed record on the Eiger is warming up for Annapuran with summits on Cholatse and Pumori while he treks up the Khumbu Valley.

Over on Shisha Pangma, the Slovak Team are at 7000m and about to make their summit push, with weather conditions being less than ideal. On Dhaulagiri, Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner is celebrating a unique honeymoon. While she waits for her chance to go up the mountain, her husband is guiding another team on Manaslu. (Dude! You've got a keeper!)

On Cho Oyu the news isn't so good when it comes to summit attempts. Gavin Bate is reporting that his team is turning back, giving up on their attempts to top out. At 6800m, not far below Camp 2, they were turned back by an ice cliff that is making it all but impassable. Their climb, it appears, is over.

Alan Arnette brings us some news from Everest as well, where the word is that the HiMex sherpas will once again be the first on the summit, and by the end of April no less. Of course, these amazing climbers are laying down the fixed ropes that will allow the other teams to follow them up the mountain. Rumor has it that the Chinese team carrying the Olympic Torch may not be far behind though. Word from the South Side is that fixed ropes now reach up to Camp 3 and a number of teams are rerturning to Base Camp as part of their acclimatization process.

The first team of climbers for the Caudwell Xtreme Everest expediton have arrived in Kathmandu and are preparing for the largest human biology study at altitude ever. The team hopes to study the effects of hypoxia on the human body with the hope that the study will benefit clincial care worldwide.

During the Spring climbing season, nearly 200 people in total will venture to Nepal to take part in the expierment. The team will consist of members from the U.K., Europe, the U.S., and Australia who will be test at four different locations to measure the effects of altitude on the human body. Tests will be conducted in Kathmandu, 1,355 metres (4,379 ft), at Namche Bazaar, 3,450 metres (11,318) Pheriche, 4,280m (13,805 ft) and Everest Base Camp, 5,300 metres (17,225 ft).

Subjects will be expected to pedal a bike while wearing equipment to measure the effects of low oxygen on the human body at high alitiudes. A new breathing apparatus will also be test with the eventual use being for patients who require oxygen.

This sounds like very cool study and could yield some interesting results, both for the mainstream public and their health care as well as for mountaineers looking to travel efficiently at altitude. My only question is why didn't someone contact me? I'd have been happy to join the team in Nepal!

It appears that the general strike that hit Kathmandu a few days back has been lifted. According to this article (via The Advenurist) the businesses in Nepal decided to lift the strike after the eight ruling parties in the Nepalese government vowed to work towards meeting some of the demands of businesses in the city. This comes as a major relief for all the climbers currently in the city who feared being able to actually fly out to the various regions they'll be climbing in this Spring.

Meanwhile, MountEverest.net has published a new update from the region as well, and indicate that teams acclimatizing in the Khumbu Valley are begging to get their first look at Everest as they trek closer to the mountain. Other teams are arriving for Spring climbs on Cho Oyu and Dhaulagiri as well.

Activity in the Himalaya is picking up with more teams arriving this weekend as well. It wont be long until "Tent City" is alive with activity and the Sherpa guides will go to work on fixing ropes and setting up camps. That's whent he fun begins. Stay tuned!