Posted: Oct 18, 2006 01:37 am EDT
It's the first Everest autumn summit since 2002 and the first autumn South side summit since 2000. The Berg Adventures stellar team of Sherpas and climbers Dave Hahn, Kit DesLauriers, Rob DesLauriers, Bryce Brown and Jimmy Chin just pulled of an Everest summit we haven't seen in 6 years!

At 10:54 local time, Dave Hahn's voice came over the radio, reporting from his 8th Everest summit to BC: "We are all here," he said. Writes Wally, "I knew at that time that all 14 climbers of our team were standing on the summit of Everest together."

Lighting the juniper fire

Just past 10:00 pm local time yesterday, Tashi, the team Lama, set a light to the sacred juniper fire to bless the climbers who were waking up at the South Col. 11.30 pm, the advance team of Sherpa climbers, Danuru, Pasang Tenzing, Pemba Dorjee and Dawa Tsering left the South Col. The other climbers reached South Col (8000 meters) in light snow fall after only 4,5 hours climbing from C3 and started from the Col at 01:45 this morning.

At 06:00 the report burst over the radio that the advance team was on the south summit and could see the main climbing party advancing below toward the south summit. The Sherpa climbers reported the one most important thing on everyone's mind at that point: "No wind."

Then, the word came: "It is exactly 10:00 AM local time on October 18th in Nepal and Pasang Tenzing just called me from the summit of Everest!" Wally reported. Sonam Galygen, Da Tsering, Danuru, Pemba Dorjee, and Dawa Tsering followed close behind, with expedition co-leader Dave Hahn, Kit DesLauriers, Rob DesLauriers, Jimmy Chin, Kami, Lakpa Galje, and climbing leader Dasona arriving shortly after.

At 10:20 am, Bryce Brown walked onto the summit of Everest with his climbing Sherpa partner Mingma Ongel.

At 10:54 am, the rest arrived. "My God, my God this is beautiful, " said Dave, reports Wally: "He spoke, as his voice cracked, of the amazing work this Sherpa team had done this morning and throughout the expedition. I responded with pride that I knew what he meant, our combination of the old school and the new generation of the finest Sherpa climbers are the reason this team knows the success we have. And Dave Hahn, the man who perhaps more than any other has been 'thanked' by others for success on Everest, just kept saying over and over into the radio, 'Thank you, Thank you..'"

"Congratulations in Number Eight, Dave! And thank you for demonstrating the strength and humility that all the greatest mountaineers have. Now, we are hearing excitedly from some of the Sherpas, 'Kit is putting on her skis'. Here we go. This is history folks."

In the footsteps of Marco and Davo

The last to step on Everest top in fall was Marco Siffredi. On September 8, 2002, Marco summited through the N Col-NE Ridge with Sherpas Da Tenzing, Panuru and Phurba Tashi. (Sadly, Marco perished when he tried to snowboard down the steep Hornbein Couloir.)

The last time Everest south side had a summit was in 2000, when Slovenian extreme-skier Davo Karnicar achieved the first (and only) complete ski-descent of Everest. In fact, two different teams topped out via the South Col ridge that year. First up were 5 south Koreans led by Kim Hwan-koo, who summited on October 4.

3 days later, Slovenians Davo Karnicar and Franc Oderlap followed, together with Sherpas Ang Dorje II and Pasang Tenzing. On October 7 at 7 am, Davo reached the top and one hour later, he clicked into his bindings and began to ski down the mountain. He would not remove his skis until 4 and half hours later, near BC at 5360m. His was the first, and remains the only complete ski descent from the Top of the World.

2 days after Davo's amazing feat, on October 9, the circle was closed by the Slovenian expedition's team mates Tadej Golob, Matej Flis and Gregor Lacen who became the last to summit Everest south side in the coming 6 years.

Kit and Rob

The current expedition also includes top skiers. No plans for ski descents have been announced earlier, but with the latest report - that might change.

American Kit DesLauriers is the reigning women’s world freeskiing champion, winning the title for two consecutive years. She was the first American woman to climb and ski from the summit of Denali, the first woman to ski the north side of Elbrus in Russia, the first woman to ski Mount Aspiring in New Zealand and the third woman to climb and ski the Grand Teton. Most recently Kit has added a successful ascent and ski of Mount Vinson and Aconcagua.

Kit's partner extreme skier Rob DesLauriers has early connections with Warren Miller. In the 80’s Rob appeared in several of Warren’s films, afterwards starting his own production company. The couple resides in Teton Village, Wyoming.

There have been 15 ski descents from Everest before, but only Davo Karnicar's has been complete. Hans Kammerlander skied down the north side in May 1996, but his descent was from 7800m and not complete.

Choosing the road less traveled

Fall climbing takes very skilled and self-sufficient leadership, Sherpas and mountaineers. The challenge of logistics and weather turn Everest into a completely different mountain compared to the spring's packed slopes.

Few climbers attempt routes outside the normal lines on Everest these days; and off season attempts are in decline as well:

Between 1987 and 1996 there were autumn summits every single year on Everest; in the beginning of the nineties almost as many climbers summited during autumn as during spring. Since the new millenium however; Everest suffers overcrowded slopes in spring - while remaining deserted in fall.

Veteran mountain guide and expedition leader Wally Berg has led many expeditions on Everest but when the peak became a bit too crowded for him, Wally decided to lead Everest climbs in off season only. His small, mostly American crew have met a mountain very different from a few months back. The expedition had a tough task in terms of weather and logistics - but also an Everest experience hard to come by these days: They had the walls and high camps all to themselves.

The expedition holds some well-known mountaineers.

Wally Berg is a veteran expedition leader and four times Everest summiteer. With over 25 years of experience in this field, Wally is one of America’s foremost international guides. In the Himalaya, Wally has organized and guided more than 30 trips and expeditions over the past 20 years.

Dave Hahn is another professional mountaineer and expedition leader bigwig. With 20 years climbing experience, Dave now has eight Everest ascents; three on the North Side and five on the South.

Kit DesLauriers has an extensive search and rescue background; is certified Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician, Professional Ski Patroller, Search and Rescue volunteer, Rescue 3 International low to high angle rope rescue instructor and Helicopter Rescue Technician.

Moreover, Kit is the reigning women’s world freeskiing champion, winning the title for two consecutive years! She was the first American woman to climb and ski from the summit of Denali, the first woman to ski the north side of Elbrus in Russia, the first woman to ski Mount Aspiring in New Zealand and the third woman to climb and ski the Grand Teton. Most recently Kit has added a successful ascent and ski of Mount Vinson and Aconcagua.

Kit's partner extreme skier Rob DesLauriers has early connections with Warren Miller. In the 80’s Rob appeared in several of Warren’s films, afterwards starting his own production company. His goal this year was to document and climb Everest with his partner Kit. The couple resides in Teton Village, Wyoming.

Photographer Jimmy Chin is a well known face at ExWeb since his Hornbein Couloir attempt with snowboarder Stephen Koch a few years back. Since then, Jimmy has climbed with Ed Viesturs and Conrad Anker among other.

Bryce Brown; on his third assignment as an Everest expedition doctor - went for the summit this time.

BC manager Leila Silveira is a veteran of many BAI expeditions. She works with Ang Temba Sherpa at Base Camp, sending daily dispatches and leading the outfit's Base Camp trekking expeditions.

Sirdar Ang Temba Sherpa was in charge of all Sherpa logistics and has been a member of numerous BAI expeditions over the years. Pasang Tenzing, who was first on the summit this fall, Sonam Galygen, and Da Tsering were recommended to Wally by Conrad Anker as being top students from his Khumbu Climbing School. Danuru and Pemba Dorjee are two of Wally's older friends. Wally first climbed with Danuru in 1990; he is a veteran of the first Canadian Expedition in 1982, and long time friend of many people in Alberta and B.C. where he has visited on several occasions. Pemba Dorjee is Wally's friend since the latters first Everest expedition in 1989.

The Berg Adventures International Everest 2006 Expedition is climbing Everest South side, normal route.

Berg Adventures International is a trekking, traveling and expedition outfitting company based in Canmore, Alberta, Canada.

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