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LINKS
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Everest Summit wrap-up: Global Extremes, IMG, Alpine Ascents, and Discovery team summit
Posted: May 30, 2003 02:08 pm EST
The waiting paid off! This morning teams summited Everest from both the North and South sides in the season’s best weather: clear, with very little or no winds at all. On the way up, one team even said there wasn’t enough wind, and they were sweating in their down suits.
From the South Side, Alpine Ascents, IMG, and a climber from the Discovery South African expedition summited. On the North Side of Everest, Global Extremes and a possible climber from another team summited as well
0745 hrs Nepal time – IMG leader Dave Hahn, Ben Marshall, Gary Johnson, David Pierce Jones, and Sherpas Ang Passang, Ang Chhiring, Mingma Chhiring, and Dorje Lama summited Everest in perfect weather with no winds. This is Dave Hahn’s fourth Everest summit.
IMG waited up at the summit for the Global Extremes team that was coming up the North Side. Dave Hahn and Ben Marshall of IMG were on Everest last year with Global Extreme’s photographer Jake Norton. Also, Dave Hahn and Mike Brown (the director and cameraman on the Global Extreme’s team) summited on the same day in 2000 as part of the same team. It was a little Everest reunion last night.
At 0800 hrs Nepal time, Sean Wisedale from the Discovery South African team summited. He was climbing with two Sherpas.
In a phone call with ExplorersWeb, OLN has confirmed that the Global Extreme’s summit team made it in 6 1/2 hrs, putting them at the top around 0815 Local time. The summit team was: Cameraman turned expedition leader Mark Whetu, a film/camera crew of Michael Brown and Jake Norton, contestants Jesse Rickert and Ted Mahon, and Sherpas Loppasang, Chhuldim, Karssang, Phuru, and Lakpa.
Later on at 1215 hrs the first wave of Alpine Ascents climbers summited with guide Vernon Tejas, Matthew Holt, Jean Michel Valette, James Clarke, Bruno Rodi, Lakpa Rita Sherpa, Thapkee Sherpa, Mingma Sherpa, Kami Rita Sherpa, Tsherri Sherpa, Tshering Sherpa Pemba Tenzing Sherpa.
Forty-five minutes later, Luis Benitez and Paul Obert summited. Earlier on the summit push, expedition leader Willi Prittie and climber Jeff Mathy turned around as Jeff wasn’t feeling too well. They returned safely to Camp IV, 7900m.
On the way down, Paul Obert was exhausted and moving very slowly. Luis Benitez, Lhakpa, Kami, and Pemba Sherpa stayed with him on the way down and they eventually joined the rest of the team in Camp IV after dark. Tomorrow they will move down to Camp II, 6500m, spend the night, and then go down to base camp the following day.
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