Everest Advice from Mike Hamill
A Personal Welcome to 'Climbing the Seven Summits' Mt. Everest Expedition from Mike Hamill
Everest is a journey that should be approached with patience and a high level of attention to detail. It’s often the small things that can derail what would be a successful summit.
Here are just a handful of things I’ve imparted on my clients over the years (and used myself!) that have helped them be successful – tips that I hope will contribute to your summit too.
Best wishes,
Mike
- On Everest it is vitally important that you take care of yourself and your body well before you feel you have to stop to do so. Be very preventative vs. reactive.For instance; Sip small amounts of water often by keeping a small bottle in your pocket close at hand rather than in your pack and waiting for a big rest stop when you are likely already dehydrated.Make sure you start the day with warm feet by keeping your boots in your tent and inner boots in your sleeping bag. Putting your feet into cold boots means you will expend precious energy all day trying to warm them up.On Everest it is key to anticipate your body’s needs before things become a problem.
- The mountain is more active and therefore more dangerous later in the day when the sun begins to melt ice and snow, making rock and icefall much more common so for safety travel early in the day (before the sun hits) when it is cold. It can also get unbearably hot in the sun and the body doesn’t perform well when overheated.
- If you start to feel a headache or signs of altitude illness, even if mild, it’s not worth pushing through it, being tough or stoic. You need to spend more time at your current altitude or descend and then reascend. If you don’t, you risk more serious illness which could end your expedition and put you in dire danger. This is not the place to ignore any symptoms however small.
- The key to reducing risk in the icefall is being able to move quickly and continuously (as best you can). Acclimatize before you head through the icefall so your body feels strong and ready. You can do this with acclimatization hikes to Kala Patthar and Pumori Camp 1 and using a climb of Lobuche as a substitute for one rotation thus reducing your overall exposure to risk.
- My favorite bit of gear is actually the humble buff. It’s one of my keys to climbing Everest. Get used to it as much as you can so it becomes comfortable to wear religiously on the mountain. It helps to humidify and warm the cold, dry air which can contribute to ‘Khumbu cough’. Khumbu cough can get so bad that climbers have actually broken ribs ending their summit bids.
Want more golden advice like this from Mike on Everest?When you join our Everest program you become part of our CTSS family, which means access to lots more personal advice from Mike in our Everest Client Consults and Briefings.
Everest Training & Prerequisites
Climbing Everest is a serious (& expensive) undertaking so you want to ensure you are ready.
A major factor in your success is being sufficiently prepared. If you are unsure whether you have the requisite experience, we can help answer your questions and create a custom progression for you.
Please note, we do not accept beginner climbers on our Everest programs.
Experience Level
You need to be an advanced climber with:
- Altitude experience of at least 7000m (a summit of Aconcagua is sufficient)
- Technical familiarity, confidence and proven experience with cramponing and glacier and fixed line climbing
- Comfortable with exposure and steep rock and ice terrain
- A well rounded resume of climbing experience (please feel free to contact us with your climbing experience to see if it is appropriate)
Physical Training
For success on Everest you need to have a high level of ‘climbing specific fitness’ and aerobic capability and strength. It is vital that your training closely simulates what you will be doing on the mountain. Traditional gym workouts or general fitness plans aren’t targeted enough. You need to emulate long physical days (10hrs +) in the mountains, back to back.
You should:
- Start training specifically for Everest at least 9-12months in advance of departure.
- Have the time to commit to training 5-6 days a week
- Be comfortable hiking 1,500 vertical ft per hour with a 20lb pack.
- Concentrate on High Volume but Low Intensity training
Mindset
Mindset and mental preparation are integral to your success on Everest.
Everest is a sustained and stressful environment for 2 months. Your psychological and emotional state need to be robust and ready to face a multitude of challenges.
While you are training, push yourself so you start to get ‘comfortable with being uncomfortable’.
Whilst training, get to the point you want to quit and picture yourself on the mountain to find the motivation you need to push yourself.
As a base, you need to:
- Be prepared and comfortable being away from home/work for 8-10 weeks
- Have a desire for rugged adventure travel and be adaptable enough to ‘roll with the punches’
- Be prepared to be patient. There is extensive ‘down time’ at Base Camp that can feel monotonous.
- Be open to receiving and deferring to guidance, support and advice from your guides/expedition leaders (even if you are an experienced mountaineer)
- Be able to manage and regulate your stress levels effectively
- Be comfortable having open conversations with your guides
- Be able to work within a team environment and be supportive of fellow team members
- Be humble, respectful and considerate even under pressure
Advice on Training & Specific Coaching
We strongly recommend specialist mountaineering coaching who can help formulate a specific plan for you that is both sustainable to your lifestyle and help keep your training goals on track.
We work with and strongly recommend Uphill Athlete.
Their guidance toward specific, structured, progressive training along with their deep knowledge has contributed to the success of many of our climbers. Your preparation should not be underestimated.
Training for Everest
CTSS Logistics, Safety Strategy & Risk Management
CTSS Logistics, Safety Strategy & Risk Management
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Logistics & Risk Mitigation vary greatly between operators on Everest. Here are a few of our key logistics/risk minimization strategies we prioritise for your safety and success.
Acclimatization Schedule
Acclimatization is the process your body takes to become accustomed to lower levels of oxygen at altitude – is hugely important to your safety and the success of your entire expedition. Here are the advantageous approaches we chose to help facilitate this critical process:
Slow Acclimatization
Throughout your expedition, from the trek, to the summit, we employ a slow, steady, approach with a very generous acclimatization schedule which builds a strong foundation of acclimatization for your body to build on. This conservative approach gives your body the rest it needs to undergo the long terms physiological changes of acclimatization – like increasing your red blood cells, lung capacity increase, capillary growth for better circulation. These long term changes take time and can’t be rushed.
Once at Base Camp we will make three forays (or rotations) up the mountain to successively higher altitudes to prepare for our summit bid, with plenty of rest back at Base Camp in between.
Your rest environment at Base Camp is first rate so that this process isn’t a test of patience, but a relaxing break from the arduous climbing.
We believe healthy, well rested climbers are the strongest climbers.
Lobuche East Rotation
Included in your expedition is a climb of Lobuche East en route to Everest which counts as one of your acclimatization rotations.
We recognise that one of the most dangerous sections of Everest is the Khumbu Icefall so to eliminate unnecessary trips through the icefall we climb Lobuche East enroute to Base Camp which makes our expedition safer overall.
Lobuche is a great 6,000m climb in and of itself, and a fantastic opportunity to shake out your climbing skills and a huge “value add” not only for the safety factor, but also the joy of tagging another Himalayan gem.
Oxygen Strategy & Management
Oxygen Allowance & Flow Rates
Oxygen helps you climb more efficiently, feel stronger, faster and importantly; stay warmer. All in all, it makes you safer.
Look for generous supply included in your expedition as a standard. At CTSS, we allocate a generous 11 bottles per climber (8x for you and 3x for your Sherpa). We plan for you to run an oxygen flow of 3L/min or more while climbing, and 1L/min sleeping on your summit bid. While this is more than enough oxygen, we still cater for climbers who want to take advantage of the ‘Extra Oxygen’ option.
We only use advanced technology, hyper-efficient, state-of-the-art oxygen masks and regulators and make sure we have redundancies on the mountain for summit bid.
We also train you extensively at Base Camp on the use of the system, how to correctly and securely fit your mask, common errors in use, how to troubleshoot it should you need to etc.
Guides & Oxygen
Our Guides ALWAYS climb on Oxygen.
At CTSS our guiding team and sherpa always climb on oxygen, for your safety.
Above 8000m you will be mildly hypoxic even on oxygen. No human is immune to this. Being mildly hypoxic is like being tipsy. You can still make decisions and function quite well but you aren’t quite yourself.
Whereas, climbing above 8000m without oxygen is like being really drunk. There’s no denying you will be mentally impaired and severely hypoxic.
A good analogy might be driving home tired and drunk from the pub, you can probably pull it off when road conditions are perfect, and there’s no traffic etc, but it’s extremely risky.
Now imagine you are a drunk taxi driver, on a busy main road and you have paying passengers in your car. You aren’t just risking your own safety, you are now endangering other people’s lives unnecessarily in your own pursuit.
Lately there has been an explosion in these kind of unsafe guiding practices. “Guides” have been boasting about doing ‘No O2 ascents’ whilst guiding paying climbers, as if this should be applauded. This isn’t impressive, it’s gross negligence.
Non O2 ascents should be reserved for personal pursuits only outside of the guiding arena.
Oxygen Reserves & Redundancy
As they say when it comes to redundancy; ‘two is one & one is none’. CTSS invests in
- Emergency Oxygen cached at South Col & Camp 2
- Redundancies and spare masks & regulators (between them the Guides & Sherpa always have a handful of extra masks and regulators spread across the team, as they move above the South Col on summit bid.
Weather Reports
Weather is integral to safety and success on Everest. We need to be able to accurately forecast down to the hour, at the exact altitude bands, many days in advance.
To do this, we invest heavily and use a professional, Air Force trained, meteorologist whose speciality is 8000m peaks and isolated, extreme environments, to give us daily, tailored forecasts for Everest and Lhotse that we know we can trust.
Their accuracy has been second to none over years and the proof is in our decades long relationship.
We keep our forecasts and movements on the mountain top secret to avoid other operators who try and save $ by using free sites like Windy from following our lead and crowding our teams.
Staff & Climber Training
Climber Training
Even though you may be competent, refreshers cement technical skills into second nature.
Repeatedly getting your systems dialled, over and over again helps improve your overall efficiency and safety.
Between rotations, both on Lobuche and at Everest, we run additional skills clinics.
We will train in:
- Climbing skills (rappelling, ascending, cramponing, fixed line climber and safety systems)
- Use of the oxygen systems, troubleshooting, flow rates and system management
- Icefall & Ladder Crossing Techniques
Staff Training
Every year CTSS invests in their climbing staff and sherpa by funding a specific mountain safety training course including;
- 3x days technical and high mountain rescue training
- 2x days of medical training
- Taught by 3x technical climbing instructors & 2x doctors
All of our CTSS Guides are professional, full time career mountain guides who hold current Wilderness First Responder qualifications/first aid certifications & leave no trace training.
Closed Camp Policy & Hygiene
Beyond our COVID safe procedures and policies, we’ve always had a huge focus on hygiene because when your body is hard at work at altitude, it can be easier to pick up bugs.
We are fastidious about hand washing, sanitation, food handling safety etc. We ask you to limit unnecessary personal contact, keep your distance, cough into your elbow, keep your buff up and if team members do get sick we will quarantine them immediately.
All of our communal areas at Base Camp have hand washing stations and our staff are trained to keep our Camp squeaky clean and our food handling practices are extremely stringent.
We also maintain a closed camp policy where we don’t invite members from other expeditions to freely enter our camp and ask you to keep your socialising beyond our immediate team socially distanced and masked and avoid hugs, hand shakes etc.
How to Choose a Mount Everest Expedition
Climbing Mount Everest? Learn how to choose an expedition that works for you.
One of the greatest challenges in planning a goal as large as climbing Mount Everest is finding the right expedition company to support you.
It’s important to do your homework so you feel 100% confident in your choice and can focus on your climb of Mount Everest.
Look closely at both the big picture and the small details. Look at a company’s priority on safety, their investment in their infrastructure, quality and experience of their guides and sherpa teams, their reputation, their customization and their level of ‘care factor’.
Mount Everest: Safety & Success
Your safety and success are the top priorities, in that order.
An expedition company should invest heavily and plan extensively for your safety. Look for safeguards and redundancies (for example; positioning highly experienced Sherpa and extra oxygen at the South Col for rescues)
Their leaders should be seasoned experts and their strategy should be patient, conservative and well planned which will give you the best opportunity for success. They should be using the best weather forecasts and leaning on their experience to be able to “thread the needle” when it comes to picking the best summit window and helping you to navigate crowding.
Remember that the mountain is always there so your safety must come first.
Mount Everest: Value
Planning a summit climb of Mount Everest is a hugely expensive undertaking and it is easy to be swayed by the lowest price on the market because what’s the difference? Surely you’re climbing the same mountain?! Let’s break it down so it is a bit clearer:
Why is climbing Mount Everest so expensive?
An Everest expedition is an enormous logistical exercise.
On average a reputable operator will plan for a year, employ up to 400+ local staff over a 2-3 month period, have hundreds of tonnes of equipment flown by helicopter (or carried by foot) to the mountain and then stage it where it is needed (all the way up to 8000m!) hire the best guides and bring them in from around the world, fork out tens of thousands for state of the art equipment and weather forecasts, transport, feed and accommodate their teams and climbers and that’s before the approx. 13K per climber in both permit and government fees, amongst a myriad of countless other hard costs. You can see how quickly things add up.
So when you see a low price tag please ask what is being sacrificed to get the price low?
- Are they cutting corners around redundancy and equipment and therefore safety?
- Are they foregoing hiring expert staff who in turn command good wages?
- Are they skimping on oxygen allowances, solid forecasts, good food and infrastructure?
Being such a competitive industry it is important to ask how low cost operators are able to offer those prices. Sadly the answer is they are under-resourced.
Often their strategy is ‘quantity over quality’. They will accept anybody and everybody – regardless of whether they have the experience to be safe and successful on Everest – to fill bums on seats and make their quota. They cut every cost they can, giving bare bones logistics marketed as full service guidance.
Climbers are drawn in by the low price tag believing they are getting a good deal, but it is a false economy, which leads to greater expenditure. Without the right infrastructure in place to facilitate a safe summit climbers need to return again for a second try.
You may think you are saving $10K but you might end up costing yourself $50K in the long run.
Even worse is the lack of safety that this severe cost cutting creates. Many climbers have found themselves in serious danger when it is most crucial. There’s no denying the correlation between low cost operator and higher incident rate.
On any 8,000-meter peak you want to do it once, you want to do it right and you want to do it safely.
On the other hand you will also find very expensive Mount Everest climbing options on the market (sometimes 20 – 50K more expensive!) and it’s equally important to ask questions as to what extra “unique” service they are offering that justifies such a huge increase in price?! More often than not it is spiffy marketing on an overpriced product to make it look more boutique vs. actual delivery of any tangible advantage.
It’s vital that you do your research and compare and contrast the different operations. Try to speak to other climbers who may have used a particular operator in the past and get their insight into their set ups.
This extra time invested will give you a solid understanding of the difference and similarities behind the services and which ones offer the best value, potentially saving you tens of thousands of dollars.
We couldn’t be this straight forward with you if we weren’t confident that we offer the highest quality services on the mountain for the best price.
So how do we keep our prices so fair and reasonable?
Simple, we don’t skimp on the mountain, our staff or on our infrastructure but we do hustle to reduce our overall business overheads. We’re a family run business who doesn’t have to appease big stakeholders and we would rather keep our overheads low and invest those profits back into improving our programs. We also want to give you great value in the hope you will return to climb other peaks with us.
Mount Everest: Leadership
When you are examining an expedition company look for three things in their team:
1) The caliber of their guides
2) The structure of the team
3) The Sherpa team
Leaders
You want your 8,000-meter guides to be highly experienced, personable, professional but above all else – you want them to be GUIDES.
There’s a common saying in the mountains that not all great climbers make great guides and this has never been more true.
Being an accomplished climber and a media personality, doesn’t automatically qualify someone as a good guide.
Guides have spent years, if not decades perfecting their craft of leading people in the mountains. Of course they must be strong, have medical and emergency training, diligently assess conditions and know how to troubleshoot when things go sideways, but above that, a good guide will be able to identify the X factors that are going to help their client be successful.
This isn’t just physical, it’s also mental.
The best guides have the right mindset for guiding. They are patient, encouraging, humble and intrinsically motivated to help you achieve your dreams. They enjoy being the “Supporting Act” to your goal. Beware the climber chasing their own fame and ambitions who use clients as a means to their own ends under the guise of being a guide.
Ideally on Mount Everest they have summited themselves, (preferably numerous times) but regardless they need to have a very strong, proven track record at altitude. (Last year our Mount Everest guide team averaged five summits each and one of our guides’ boasts 13x!).All of our Mount Everest guides have been selected for those traits and are great people who we trust to have your back.
The Structure of the Team
Many expedition companies shortcut their staff by combining their Expedition Leader and Lead Guide into the same person. To physically and mentally climb Mount Everest at the same time as managing a large team of both staff and climbers whilst staying on top of logistics, threading a needle with the weather etc is a herculean, multitasking effort.
Think of your dedicated Expedition Leader as the Air Traffic Controller and the Guide as a Pilot. It’s difficult for the pilot to be 100% present in the cop-pit flying the plane whilst keeping perspective and abreast of all the other planes in the sky. Something has to give.
As a business we consciously made the decision to not spread too thin and allow our Guides to focus on their climbers’ well being and our Expedition Leader to focus on running a smooth expedition.
The Sherpa Team
The Sherpa team is a keystone to any expedition and as such the best ones are in high demand. Pick an expedition who has a loyal, proven Sherpa team who they work with season after season. Not just because of ‘team cohesion’ but also because if the Sherpas are happy to return to the same company, year after year, you can bet they’re going to be good operators who care for their staff and their clients.
We purposely pay our Sherpas more than anyone on the mountain so that they are happy to go the extra mile for our clients and to attract the best. Once they’ve been hand selected, they go through intensive training and a 5 day review process every season which includes mountain medicine, client care, technical rescue, and guiding principles before being ok’ed to work.
On Mount Everest, those Marginal Gains (the small things) add up!
Have you heard of our Marginal Gains philosophy?
The idea is that by capitalizing on every little hidden advantage, 1% here, 1% there, gains quickly compound into a huge overall improvement.
CTSS prides itself on this kind of innovation. We optimize both the big details like staffing, oxygen systems, weather forecasting, camp hygiene all the way through to the tiny comfort details.
People may dismiss these little luxuries as ‘soft’ but in fact we invest in them because they are highly strategic.
For instance; we hire a dedicated, professional chef for the whole season to prepare fresh, nutritious and delicious meals. It’s not about having instagram worthy dishes but about fueling people’s bodies at altitude as best we can.
One of the most critical parts of mountaineering is eating well.
Most climbers lose a huge amount of weight on Everest because altitude effects appetite and suppresses hunger. People just don’t “feel” like eating, the very thing they need to do given how much energy the body expends on Everest – even at rest! We pull out all the stops to tempt our team to eat. Compare that to most camps who churn out basic, highly repetitive and unappetising food – canned fruit, rice, spam, and other long life options over and over again.
Our goal is to help our climbers keep their energy, strength and stamina high throughout the expedition. Hence the chef.
For breakfast this morning our Everest team had Eggs Benedict with shiitake mushrooms and truffle hollandaise, last night dinner was steak and fresh sautéed garlic vegetables with espresso chocolate marquis and toasted toffee almonds for desert!
The Big House Geodesic Dome – is designed to feel like a second home, a giant living room where you feel the most comfortable.
Sure, the world’s highest cafe serving limitless cappuccinos and freshly baked brownies while people play ping pong, watch movies, or work on their laptops overlooking the icefall might seem a bit over the top, but let’s think it out. You are spending 6 or more weeks tackling the greatest physical and mental challenge of your life, how would you feel freezing cold in damp, cramped, dark tents with nothing to do all day? Do you think you would you have a better frame of mind if instead you were in a fun, warm, open place that encourages rest and recovery?
Boredom is actually a major obstacle for climbers on Mount Everest.
Generally speaking you only spend an average of 10-14 nights above Everest Base Camp and yet the expedition takes 2 months! That’s A LOT of downtime. Downtime is a critical part of your climb as it allows your body to make the physiological adaptations (increasing lung capacity, blood cells, capillary growth etc) to acclimatize to the extreme altitude. The problem with lots of downtime is that people get uncomfortable, depressed, anxious, homesick, physically sick, and more.
If you were an Olympic-level athlete feeling like that, do you think their performance would be impacted? Absolutely it would. Our climbers are no different. We treat them like the athletes they are and we take their frame of mind as seriously as we take their physical fitness.
We entertain them, we make them comfortable, we create purpose and play in downtime. Climbers have fun, socialize and enjoy the facilities. See our blog post on the World’s Highest Ping Pong Tournament.
They are happy and healthy and well rested and as a result, they climb better, stronger and faster.
Having added height in your tent isn’t about the ‘luxe’ factor, it’s so you can stand up and put your harness on, inside an even surface where you can see so you don’t twist an ankle. The 6inch mattress isn’t just about a pillowy sleep, it’s to keep your body further off the cold ground so you don’t expend precious energy keeping warm at rest.
The list is endless on how we do this – but what you need to know is that we’ve spent time thinking about it and everything has been engineered to make you feel your best, so you can focus on climbing at your best.
Mount Everest: Customization
Be wary of a ‘one size fits all’ approach to climbing Mount Everest that many operators employ.
As mountaineers ourselves, we know not every climber is the same. Your expedition should suit your experience, climbing style and budget.
If in doubt, our advice is to lean towards a higher level of guidance than you think you need, as it will always improve your chance of success.
Think of a good guide like a good coach. Even the most elite athletes lean on their coaches, just as the most seasoned climbers can benefit from a great guidance.
Please look through the various options on our Climb Options page and chat to us about the options available so we can help tailor your climb to you.
Mount Everest: Buyer Beware of Crazy Summit Guarantees!
Steer clear of ‘Summit or Free’ guarantees!
If you are hiring a guide or a guide service – you are hiring them for their experience and expertise making decisions in the mountains.
Beware of guides or guide services that guarantee a Mount Everest summit – as incredulous as that is! Guarantees like that negate the critical decision making process and create an enormous conflict of interest.
The last thing you want is a guide who is choosing between risking your life in reckless pursuit of the summit, or taking an enormous financial hit to stick within safety margins.
Buyer beware, this egregious attitude of “summit or die” has absolutely no place on Everest and puts you at extreme risk.
You have to question the ethics here, yes it may draw you in, but at what cost?
Mount Everest: Values & Philosophy
Does an operator have strong values?
This is sometimes a little harder to identify as it’s more a feeling than a sales pitch, but you should get a feel for a company through their little interactions, their care factor, their attention to detail, their corporate social responsibility, their response to you.
When the stakes are high and you have two long months on the mountain you can expect things to be a little stressful at times so you want to pick an operator who has strong core values and a team mentality that aligns with yours so that when things get challenging as they are bound to do, you can rely on open lines of communication, knowing you will work together and they will do what they can to support you.
It is this team cohesiveness that flows through to each individual climber and helps them stand on top.
Mount Everest: Seek References
Don’t be afraid to seek objective perspectives from other climbers.
When you are interviewing a job candidate, or canvasing a new tenant etc, you always ask for references. You can do the same thing when picking an operator. Ask to speak to a recent climber about their experiences within a team to get objective information straight from the horse’s mouth on things like safety, guides, service levels, experience and amenities.
For instance Bruce (below) will tell you what his experience with CTSS was like in comparison to another Mount Everest operator.
Expedition Beta & Route
Elevation: 8,850m or 29,035 ft
Duration: 8-10 weeks
Continent: Asia
Season: Nepalese Spring (March – June)
Meets in: Kathmandu, Nepal
Route: South Side (Nepal)
Difficulty: Advanced, 8000m +
Elevation Gain: 3532m (11,560ft) + trekking approach 2737m (8980ft)
First Ascent: Tenzing Norgay & Sir Edmund Hillary
Special Considerations:
- On this expedition you will be climbing in the ‘death zone’. Beginning with an imaginary line at 8,000m the oxygen in the atmosphere is so sparse that the human body cannot stay for prolonged periods of time. Climbing on oxygen on Everest is standard practice and lightweight, state of the art systems are provided for all of our members.
Route Choice
Which route you chose is important. Both sides of the mountain have pros and cons. CTSS favours the South Side of Everest (from Nepal) for these reasons:
- The South Side has better opportunity for infrastructure which means better facilities, more assurances and rescue capability including helicopter access
- The HRA (Himalayan Rescue Association) at base camp is a medical clinic manned with speciality trained doctors 24/7
- In the event of a rescue; we can get helicopter access up to Camp 2, meaning definitive care is within a few hours vs days on the North Side
- The South Side has a steeper approach which allows you to drop back to lower altitudes more quickly and efficiently, meaning a better quality of rest and recuperation between rotations
- The South Side is a milder environment vs the drier, dustier, windier North Side
- The border to Tibet has been closed to climbers multiple times, on very short notice over the last 10 years, and as such we have greater confidence in reliably accessing the mountain from the South Side.
Everest
EVEREST | Nepal
Price Range:
Starts at US$54,995
Elevation:
29,035 ft / 8850 m
Duration:
30-69 Days
Difficulty:
Advanced
Route:
South Side
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The crown jewel of any climbing career, Everest is a transformative peak that is guaranteed to not just challenge you, but to change you.
Highlights:
- Discover what you are truly capable of
- Stand on the highest point of our planet
- Be humbled climbing amongst the giants of the Himalaya
- Enjoy lifelong friendships with your Sherpa and fellow climbers alike
- Climb through the famous and rugged Khumbu icefall
- See the sunrise over the Himalaya from the highest point on earth!
CTSS is proud to be the gold standard in Everest expeditions.
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Choosing the Right Option
Choosing the right service level is a decision based on your experience, desire for more supervision/personal attention or autonomy and that meets your budget can be tricky.
Essentially the greater level of experience you have, the more autonomy you can enjoy at a lower price point.
As the level of Guidance increases, naturally so does the cost.
Here’s a good way to start:
Everest Options
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Allowing you to customize your expedition to suit your needs is a huge priority for us.
As mountaineers ourselves we understand that it’s the little things that can make the difference. Comfortable, well rested climbers are successful climbers.
Whilst people often dismiss these Add On’s as indulgent luxuries, for many it’s Therefore we encourage you to tailor your expedition and talk to us about any other options you may wish for.
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Everest Amenities
- State of the art lightweight oxygen systems
- The best weather forecasts money can buy
- 5 star accommodation in Kathmandu
- Trek accommodations at some of the finest teahouses in the Khumbu
- The leading Everest Base Camp set up with dedicated 'Hotel Manager' at Base Camp to ensure camp is maintained
- Team jackets & hats
- Unlimited 3rd party wifi available for purchase
- State of the art communications tent and facilities
Everest Big House - The Heart of Camp
- A 10m insulated, powered geodesic dome
- Cafe with barista and espresso machine and unlimited cappuccinos
- Heaters
- Viewing windows overlooking the icefall,
- Raised, carpeted and even flooring, further insulating from the glacier
- Mud room entryway with shoe storage
- Relaxation zone with couches, beanbags
- Yoga and stretching area
- Tables and chairs for working
- Training seminar venue (oxygen clinics etc)
- Charging stations for your devices
- State of the art projector for movies
- Book swap library
- Ping-pong table
Everest Executive Domes
- Personal, powered, 4m geodesic domes
- Insulated throughout
- Personal heater & humidifier
- Personal US style power outlet for charging and power board
- Overhead lighting
- Queen sized bed with linen, pillows and comforter
- Table & chairs for a work station
- Raised and carpeted flooring
- Viewing window with curtains
- Covered foyer/entryway with shoe rack & private gear storage
- Morning ’to your tent’ beverage service
Everest Associate House Tents
- 2 room insulated house tent (vestibule entrance foyer for gear storage & bedroom)
- Single bed with linen, pillow and comforter
- Overhead lighting
- Raised and carpeted flooring
- Table & chair for work station
- Power outlet for charging
- Shoerack
- Morning ’to your tent’ beverage service
Standard Member Tents
- Individual custom-built 4 season tents with extra height and space
- Insulation layer with insulated flooring to avoid damp and cold of glacier
- 6 inch memory foam mattress with pillow
Dining - The Best Food on Everest!
- A team of chefs, cook staff & wait staff at Base Camp & Camp 2
- Fresh meat, eggs, dairy, fruit & vegetables helicoptered in weekly
- Full catering kitchen with gas stovetops & ovens
- Custom double walled, heated, insulated & carpeted dining tents with power
- Wide dining tables, padded & upholstered chairs with arm rests
- Warm water hand wash, hygiene stations with mirrors
- A wide array of healthy and nutritious high altitude food for the upper mountain
- A wide array of imported snacks & comfort food
Power in Camp
- State of the art solar array and battery bank for sustainable power in camp
- Generators for back up power
- Full time electrician
- Charging stations in the Big House & Dining tents
- Personal power outlets in Everest Associate & Executive Domes
Bathrooms
- 2x room hot shower tents; a dry room to get changed and a wet room with overhead shower-head and mirrors
- Multiple 2x-Room WC tents with Western Style sit down toilets & hygienic wash stations with mirror.
- Hand wash stations throughout camp
- Laundry service available for purchase
- Toilet tent at Camp 2
Upper Mountain Camps
- 4x full time cooks at Camp 2 and dedicated kitchen tent (while most other climbers eat dehydrated meals)
- Camp 2 Dining tent with table and chairs, plates, mugs, cutlery and condiments at Camp 2 (most other climbers eat on their laps in their sleeping tents)
- Camp 2 toilet tent and waste management
- Dedicated Camp 1 kitchen tent
Lobuche Camp
- 8m insulated, geodesic dome for dining/hang out
- Full time cook & dining facilities (tables and chairs)
- Toilet tent
- High Camp cook & kitchen tent
- Member tents at both Base Camp and High Camp to avoid packing down/re-pitching
- Porter service to High Camp
How early should I commit to my climb?
We feel that the sooner you commit the better as it gives you more time to prepare mentally and physically for the climb. Climbing Everest is a huge undertaking and something that you will want to work up to consistently. I have found that people are generally more successful when they commit earlier as it gives them longer to shake out any problems that may arise, arrange their home and work life to be away for a number of months, and build their fitness endurance and strength up over time and thereby avoid injury etc.
What’s the best climb to prepare for Everest?
Hands down I think that Manaslu is the best, most specific Everest prep. You get an understanding of how your body does at altitudes over 8000m and get familiar with the oxygen system and climbing with the Sherpa.
Will I need to purchase insurance?
Yes, trip insurance is required for this program and it needs to cover the entire cost of the trip and include trip cancellation, trip interruption, medical expenses, repatriation, and evacuation for the entire length of the expedition.
Unforeseen hiccups both before and during the expedition can be very expensive. For instance you may accidentally have a fall the week before you are due to leave, a family emergency might crop up half way through your trip or unsafe climbing conditions beyond anyone’s control may put a hard, premature end to the season in the name of your safety. In such circumstances we want you and your investment to be protected. It’s important to know that we pay for your expedition expenses well in advance so these costs are already sunk and irrecoverable whether things get shut down day 1 or day 60. Of course every effort is taken to account for every eventually in advance wherever possible.
Please forward a copy of your insurance for our records so that we can help you in the event of an emergency or hiccup during the expedition as most insurers require us to contact them immediately.
Trekkers are required to have the same coverage.
For more information on trip insurance please visit the “Trip Insurance” page
Why do you choose to climb from the south side?
I prefer the South side of Everest for a number of reasons. While people think avoiding the icefall means a safer climb, I beg to differ. The South side has a lot more infrastructure which means there are more assurances including helicopter access, the HRA (Himalayan Rescue Association) medical clinic manned with speciality trained doctors 24/7 at base camp. If something goes wrong, we have much higher chances of evacuating you and getting you to a hospital in Kathmandu within hours, whereas if something were to go wrong on the North Side, it could take days for a rescue and evacuation to be completed and to get you to the nearest hospital. The North side is also a more hostile environment being windier, drier and dustier. Further, the border to Tibet has often been closed to climbers on very short notice over the last 10 years.
What program upgrades are available?
The main add-ons for the Everest programs are extra oxygen, the Everest Executive & Associate Options, Helicopter drop backs, single rooms upgrades and/or deluxe rooms in the trekking lodges. If you are climbing Everest you may choose to add on an ascent of Lhotse. Please discuss these add-ons with us and we can help you decide if they are right for you.
It’s a long time away from home – can my family and friends join me?
Yes, your family and friends are more than welcome to join us on the trek in to base camp and even climb Lobuche peak if they like. (Our standard treks stay a 2 nights in Base Camp before departing but we have had people stay longer and this can be arranged by chatting to us directly) Please let us know immediately if you have people who want to join us so that we can make arrangements for them. Space in hotels in Kathmandu and in the teahouses is limited during climbing season so we need to know final numbers asap!
What’s the deal with extra oxygen?
We give you plenty of oxygen to run a comfortable oxygen flow (3L/min or so) throughout the climb. As standard we give you 10 bottles (7 for your and 3 for your Sherpa). If you would like extra oxygen we encourage your decision and are happy to arrange an additional 3 bottles. With the extra Os you can run high flow (4 – 5L/min) throughout summit day, start oxygen at Camp 2, and have a bit extra in case of delays at the South Col etc. Extra oxygen can help keep you warmer and moving faster so it’s a great safety margin. You certainly don’t need the extra oxygen but I’ve always seen it as a good on-mountain insurance policy as such.
Will we be taught how to use the oxygen systems?
Top quality, reliable oxygen tanks, masks and regulators will be provided for you on your climb and we will go through their usage in depth at base camp so you can practice before your climb. We typically use oxygen from Camp 3 (roughly 24,500ft) to sleep & climb on to the summit. If you are interested in extra oxygen to use from C2 (roughly 23,000ft) on the summit bid and to run a higher flow rate on summit day please let us know in advance and we can arrange this.
What’s the acclimatization process?
Our entire expedition including the trip to base camp is slow in order to allow our bodies ample time to acclimate. In the Khumbu, we gaining altitude quickly and this slow process will allow us to acclimate properly and avoid altitude sickness. That means there is plenty of down time while your body adjusts. Please bring a few books or movies on your devices and be patient. This is a slow process but it will give you a much better chance at success on the climb and trek. Make sure to communicate with your guides directly if you are experiencing any altitude issues.
How much cash should I bring?
It is better to have more money than you need than not enough, while most things are covered on the trip once you land in Kathmandu (check what’s included/what’s not included list for details) you will still need cash. The cash that you need to bring includes money for visas ($100 for 1 single entry 90 day), Sherpa tip pool ($600 for climbers and $300 for trekkers), money for staff tips (customary but optional) $200 for potential consultation and treatment by the doctors at base camp, $500 to cover expenses for a potential early departure (not often, but sometimes this occurs) and $1,500 – $5,000 if you think you’ll want a helicopter ride out, $300 for miscellaneous expenses like non-group meals, shopping, drinks around Kathmandu and while on the trip to base camp if you want wifi, sodas, specialty coffees, bottled water, charging of devices or snacks (meals are covered), Generally we recommend bringing $2,000 – $3,000 USD plus a credit card to cover all potential expenses including an early departure but it is unlikely that you will need all of this. Small denominations (1’s, 5’s, 10’s and 20’s) are better and although American dollars are accepted, you can change money into Nepali rupees at change houses when you arrive. Rates are generally about the same and I’ve never encountered one that isn’t legitimate. Also, there are now quite a few ATM’s around town where you can use your card to take out local cash at a good rate. It is much more difficult to change money, especially large sums, once in the Khumbu Valley. Please let your credit card company know you will be traveling so you can use your card (and not set off the fraud alert due to using the card in a foreign country)
How much gear can I bring?
We pay for yak + porter transport for two 50lb duffels (1x trekking duffel which will travel with you and 1x climbing duffel which will go straight to base camp) this should be more than enough weight. If you want toto bring more than this with you, you will be expected to pay for the excess weight. This amount will include excess on the flight to Lukla and then be roughly $300/duffel each way to base camp beyond the two duffel allotments. Transport is getting more expensive every year so please leave the kitchen sink at home! (we already have those at base camp) Just bring what you need to be comfortable but not more than that.
What immunizations do I need?
Make sure your immunizations are up to date. Consult your doctor, local travel clinic, or the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for updated information on immunizations for Nepal and China. Recommended immunizations include diphtheria-tetanus (DPT), polio, mumps-measles-rubella (MMR), meningitis, hepatitis A and B, cholera and typhoid, and rabies. Malaria shouldn’t be a problem in Kathmandu or on the climb. If you plan to travel to lower-elevation areas in Nepal before or after the climb, you should consider malaria chemoprophylaxis.
How should I pack?
For the trip to base camp climbers will need to pack in two separate duffels: a base camp duffel and a trekking duffel. Climber’s base camp duffel will not be accessible while on the trek to Lobuche en route to base camp and should contain all of your climbing gear (crampons, axes, down suit etc) and items you won’t need until Lobuche. Your trekking duffel will contain everything you will need for the trip to base camp including your trekking gear, rain gear, street clothes, and a light sleeping bag. Trekkers will have everything with them in one duffel. Please keep everything you will need with you such as medications and medical supplies. What will go in your trekking and base camp duffels will be covered in more detail in Kathmandu. Pack an additional small lightweight duffel in your luggage to leave street, travel clothes and things you won’t need on the expedition at the hotel in Kathmandu
What is the food like on the climb?
At Base Camp CTSS has the best chefs and food, hands down. Our teams are consistently blown away by the quality of food and hygiene at base camp considering where we are in the world. Our head chef trains at 5 star restaurants during the off season. Think lemon crepes, cheese omelettes, chicken cordon bleu, pizza, fresh fruit almost daily, fresh salads, steaks, apple pie, fresh croissants and cinnamon rolls, and moist chocolate cake. We get shipments of fresh meat, fruit, vegetable, and other supplies weekly. Dave Hahn, non-Sherpa Everest summit record holder with 15 summits said about our head chef Kumar, “A real pro. Kumar is the reason I kept climbing in the Himalayas as long as I did.”
I have dietary requirements, can you cater for those?
Yes, our chefs are amazing on Everest and are well versed in catering for a wide variety of dietary requirements and allergies. Please feel free to chat to us about your needs.
Why do I need to bring my own snacks?
We do a big Costco run for group snack and meal food for the mountain and will have lots of good stuff but we want to make sure everyone has the food that they need. Even people who aren’t usually picky about food can get really particular about what they can digest on Everest due to the extreme altitude and getting lots of calories is hugely important. Gu packs, shot blocks, nuts, Snickers bars, cheese, etc… whatever it is that you know you can eat when you don’t want to eat anything is best. Getting speciality and familiar food can be difficult in Nepal so it’s best you bring what you love from home. Also, bring a good supply of cough drops or hard candy as you might like them in the dry air. We’ll have some for the team but people seem to go through them really quickly.
How safe is the food and water?
As in Kathmandu, once on the trail in to base camp it is highly recommended that you stick to treated rather than tap water. Properly boiled water is available in all the teahouses and bottled water is readily available in stores en route but to reduce the amount of trash and pollution in the valley we encourage you buying boiled or UV treated water from teahouses. You can also bring your own water treatment solution. We will provide some teas and coffees at meal times but if you want sodas, bottled waters, specialty coffees, or drinks outside of meal times we ask that you purchase them yourself. Nepal isn’t known for its cuisine. The food on the trek to base camp can become a bit monotonous but it’s energy dense and fufilling. Asian inspired, there is a lot of fried rice, rice based meals, soups, omlettes etc. Stick to meals where the food is obviously local and sourced from the valley. We stay in reputable teahouses who have a good understanding of food hygiene so our climbers and trekkers rarely get sick. It’s ok and somewhat expected to get a slightly upset tummy as you’ll be eating food that is different to what you are used to. At Base Camp, we have our own chefs who are incredible and take every precaution, in a full catering kitchen. They also cook Western foods, have fresh food including fruit, vegetables and meat resupplied regularly and serve a good variety. CTSS is known to have the best food on the mountain and given where in the world we are, that’s a remarkable feat.
What’s the accommodation at Base Camp like?
We use North Face VE-25 tents. They’re large, spacious (the same size as a 3 man tent) and extremely high quality. Inside you will have a thick, comfortable 15cm sleeping mattress and a pillow. This is placed on top of a ground cloth to keep out the wet and cold. We do offer a heated double roomed tent under our Everest executive program. To avoid you overcrowding your tent, there is a separate gear tent where you may store your climbing equipment.
Will I be sharing a tent?
No, for the majority of the climb you are not sharing a tent. We stay at the famous “Yak and Yeti” hotel in Kathmandu and in the finest teahouses while trekking to base camp. While at Everest base camp you will have your own tent to spread your gear out and call home. There will be times on the mountain where you will need to share a tent with another climber to reduce the number of dangerous loads the Sherpa need to carry through the treacherous Khumbu Ice fall. It’s also a lot warmer and safer when you can keep an eye on each other.
What about phones & wifi?
We understand it’s important to stay in touch with friends and family and on top of your inbox. There are a number of ways to do this;
We suggest picking up a local Ncell sim card in Kathmandu with a data package. Signal is reliable in Kathmandu & for most of the trek up the Khumbu valley it is strong enough to support both calls and data. Once you get to base camp cell service becomes unreliable, although it can sometimes pick up a low signal (not enough to support data). You can buy a local Ncell sim card in Kathmandu and there is a Ncell store close to our hotel that we are happy to show. Your phone will need to be unlocked and you will need your passport to get a sim card. You can get recharge cards almost anywhere. This is by far the most affordable way of staying connected and getting data in the Khumbu valley up until base camp. If you’d like to use your own sim card, talk to your provider about activating your international roaming and you should be able to tie into the local networks. At base camp, when the cell service runs out, you can connect to the wifi network and make calls on facetime, Whatsapp, FB, or Skype. It is available for individual purchase which means you only pay for what you use. Please note, this is operated by a third party and we have no control over whether it works or the expense. There are also internet cafes in the bigger towns along the route to base camp to get online and third-party wifi available for purchase in most of the teahouses. Please keep devices like laptops, smartphones and iPads waterproofed in your trekking packs so they don’t break in your duffels. You will be responsible for your own valuables. There will be a satellite phone with the team but we don’t expect to use it until above base camp. It can be made available to team members at $3/minute. If you plan on bringing your own satellite phone with you, you are required to register it with Nepal which costs thousands of dollars. Should you choose not to register it and use it anyway, you do so at your own risk.
How heavy will my pack be?
In general, climbing packs on Mt. Everest are relatively light. You will likely be carrying 15lbs – 30lbs (7kg – 12kg) most of the time while climbing and less on the trek into base camp. While climbing you should be prepared to carry your gear for the day and some of your personal gear for the mountain. Sherpa will carry all of the group gear and help with personal gear where possible.
How do I charge my devices?
Given the local expense of electricity, teahouses charge you to repower and recharge your electronic devices en route to base camp. This tends to get more expensive up the valley and a portable battery pack is a good idea. You will need to bring an adapter. This cost is your own expense. Once at Base Camp we will have power and power cords that fit North American plugs. Charging is dependent upon the sun or fuel for the generator so it won’t be available all the time but we will try to make it available enough to meet your need.
I’d like my own room in hotels & teahouses…
All hotels and teahouses are double or triple occupancy but once we get to base camp you will have your own tent to spread out in. If you want single rooms en route to base camp, we can arrange this at an additional cost. Sometimes teahouses are full during the climbing season and may not have room to accommodate single rooms so please let us know as early as possible for the best chance of us securing a private room. Again this is adventure travel and we ask you to roll with the punches if they are not available.
Do I need a visa? How do I navigate Kathmandu airport arrivals?
Often just getting to Nepal can be the hardest part. Once you’re on the ground it’s time to relax. Upon exiting the plane walk to the left of the customs area and have your passport, photo, money, and visa form handy. You must pay for your visa first at the desk straight ahead and to the left before getting in the “Visa Upon Entry” line (far left of the large room). Purchase the a 90 day for Everest and Lhotse climbers or the 30 day visa for trekkers and Lobuche climbers single entry Nepali visa.
http://www.nepalimmigration.gov.np/page/visa-on-arrival
In the Khumbu, what’s not included?
We cover almost everything in the cost of the trip once we fly into the Khumbu valley so there shouldn’t be too many other expenses that you need to worry about. The biggest expense is tips. The Sherpa tip pool is $600 and I will collect that at the beginning on the climb to disperse amongst the entire team at the end of the climb including cook staff and dining staff. People sometimes tip their individual summit Sherpa a bit more than this and it seems like people have been tipping their guide about 1k-2k on the Western Guided option. The other personal expenses people accrue are wifi (through third party operators) additional personal snacks, drinking, charging of devices & toilet paper. We suggest you bring a portable charger and pack a few additional rolls of toilet paper for the trek in.
What if we can’t get into Lukla in time because of weather?
It’s good to remember that we are in the Himalaya and weather can be variable so it’s important to be patient. Generally, it’s no more than a day or two delay. If it looks like we’ll be unable to get in on the plane then we’ll look at hiring helicopters to get into a safe spot in the valley to stay on schedule.
What’s the deal with blog updates?
We know family and friends will want to follow your progress so we will be posting regular updates to the Climbing the Seven Summits blog here: https://climbingthesevensummits.com/blog/ We try to update it as often as possible but make sure your loved ones know that ‘no news is good news’. If a few days pass between updates it doesn’t mean that anything is wrong, simply that we are probably busy climbing.
Didn't find an answer to your question? Don't hesitate to ask us.
2018:
100%
Success Rate
2019:
100%
Success Rate
2020:
0%
Covid Cancelled
2021:
60%
Covid Impacted
2022:
100%
Success Rate
2023:
85%
Success Rate
2024:
90%
Success Rate
Don't take our word for it, hear it directly from our CTSS family
Free Expert Advice
6x Reasons to Choose CTSS
Safety
Your safety and success are our priorities in that order. We make conservative decisions, plan redundancies and all our guides have wilderness medical training, safety & rescue plans & access to doctors 24/7 to help keep you safe.
Value for $
We keep our overheads low to pass savings on to you. We are proud to offer the best service for the most competitive price, without skimping on safety or taking shortcuts with logistics, staffing and infrastructure.
Holistic Approach
Our service goes far beyond the mountain. Think of us as your climbing coach, we’ll be there from start to finish to prepare, debrief and plan your progression as a mountaineer, whether your goal is a single summit or the Seven.
Guides & Team
Guides can make or break your climb. We hand pick the most qualified, tenured, tested and personable guides and Sherpa in the world. Owner and mountaineer Mike Hamill personally oversees the management of each expedition.
Our Values
We care about you, our people and the planet and we walk our talk by donating a percentage of every expedition to Tiger of the Snows fund which supports outdoor tourism workers all over the world and following strict Leave No Trace principles amongst other initiatives.
Success
We have an unparalleled summit success rate. How? We do it in a myriad of ways; like a great chef’s secret sauce, we've fine tuned the recipe over decades but most importantly, we believe in you & your ability to achieve your goals and are invested in putting you on top.
Need More Experience?
Consider these expeditions
After doing research on the various mountaineering guide companies, I could find no reason to use anyone other than Climbing The Seven Summits. Now that I’ve returned from a successful summit of Mt. Everest with CTSS, I would highly recommend them to any climber, for any summit in the world. CTSS has significantly raised the bar in the mountaineering world – and all the other companies know it.”
– William B, (USA)
Everest Adventures
Testimonials
Everest Inquiry Form
...The Everest Experience Lecture Series...
** PLEASE NOTE - THIS POST CONTAINS ALL 3x LECTURE REGISTRATION LINKS** - you will need to sign up for each episode separately.
..Join Us...
While we can't physically be in the mountains together right now, we'd like to continue to educate and inspire our community and are thrilled to be offering a FREE 3x part online Everest Lecture Series to educate and prepare you with everything you need to know to summit Everest starting Thursday 21st May at 8pm Eastern Time (GMT-4:00)
If you've ever dreamt of, or are planning an Everest climb, or even if you are just curious, you don't want to miss this!
Register on Zoom for all 3 here:
21st May - Episode 1:
Using actual footage of the route, Mike Hamill (owner of CTSS and author of the guide book) will virtually guide you through every section of the South Side Everest climb whilst offering detailed insights garnered from his 13x expeditions.
Following the route visualisation, we will then moderate an Q&A with Mike and past Everest summiteers, PS Sim & Mark Wilkins.
REGISTRATION LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XMY9tXy0TgeXHp947MWwAQ
28th May - Episode 2:
The Summit Bid - Following on from Episode 1, we take a more detailed look specifically at the summit bid, again using video, Mike Hamill will provide time tested strategies and insights to lead to a successful Everest summit. Special guest panellists Everest Blogger, Mountaineering coach and Summiteer Alan Arnette & Tendi Sherpa 13x Everest summiteer, Sirdar and Lead Guide
REGISTRATION LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_erUieOe7SGed1vq0z4GHAQ
4th June - Episode 3:
Broken into two parts, this episode will address Everest specific training strategies and how best to prepare for your climb with Uphill Athlete Trainer Mark Postle before deep diving into the duffel bag with Mike Hamill to give you an inventory of the most needed gear for Everest. We are thrilled to also be joined by Speedy Steve (Steve Plain) - the current record holder of the fastest lap of all 7 summits in just 117 days!
REGISTRATION LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JfWPLLuiRNWYpIHAdUeAjg
..CTSS Corona Virus Update..
To our climbing friends and family -
We hope more than ever that this newsletter finds you safe, healthy and well.
CTSS's Commitment to Our Climbers...
The well-being of our climbers and staff is always the first priority whether we are in the mountains or as in this moment, confined by COVID-19 to home.
Based on the most recent travel advisories and recommendations from the experts we have postponed all upcoming expeditions and private climbs in April and May and have communicated and coordinated with all affected mountaineers and trekkers. We will continue to work closely with each team.
CTSS staff are actively working (albeit from home!) on all of your logistics for expeditions in the second half of the year and beyond, with the same dedication and commitment you know from us. Of course, like you, we continue to actively monitor the situation as it unfolds, taking direction from the World Health Organisation and other expert voices and remain flexible.
We know these are challenging and uncertain times for us all - from the stress of safeguarding our individual health and that of our loved ones, to the psychological battle of cabin fever! We are all in the same boat longing to make land and head up towards a summit again.
For the current moment, in lieu of taking you into the mountains we will endeavour to bring them to you! We will use our social channels to inspire you, motivate you and increase your knowledge base with information that you can put to use when we’re back in the mountains again. We hope this will inspire you in the weeks ahead to keep focused on your at-home training and prepare for getting back to the big open spaces again soon!
If you have any questions, our office is open and the team is always happy to speak with you as we continue using this time to improve many aspects of our operation.
Taking Care of Our Own...
One of CTSS' efforts that we are most proud of is our Not-For-Profit arm the Tiger of the Snows Fund which supports Outdoor Tourism Workers and their families around the world and particularly the Sherpa in the Khumbu during challenging times. TOTS has been running since 2015 supporting all manner of projects and people.
As many of you have asked, with the closure of the Everest season on both the North and South sides there are impacts to the wider Khumbu community. For the Sherpa community we have started a special initiative where we continue to raise funds in support of local families during this time - from the porters, to the cook teams, to the climbing sherpa and all the valued team members in between - All donations until the end of June will be directed to this end.
If you would like to support this special initiative you can donate here:
https://tigerofthesnows.com/donate/
Our goal, as always, is to ensure you have a safe and unforgettable experience in the mountains. We look forward to climbing/trekking with you in the future and thank you for your continued support.
Best wishes,
Mike, Caroline & the CTSS Team
..Sherpa Team Training..
Preparations for Everest 2020 are ongoing here at CTSS. Thousands of kilos of gear are currently en route to Everest base camp via truck, helicopter, porter and yak with more gear and food prep being finalized in Kathmandu and the US.
Here Big Tendi (above) leads one of our many specialized 5 day training seminars that we run exclusively for our Sherpa team to refresh their skills and reinforce our high safety standards.
The countdown continues.
Cheers
Team CTSS
...Final Everest Packing..
It's that time of year again; our absolute favorite. Everest season is well underway and our exceptional Sherpa team in Kathmandu are working hard as ever to get the final preparations complete.
Everything from tents, to solar panels, to kitchen supplies and wooden floors start their steady move up the Khumbu valley ahead of our climbing teams over the coming month.
Climbing Sirdar Tendi reports in that after many weeks getting the packing in order, today they're happy to report it's almost at the final stage. "All are so excited to start the spring season with CTSS and can’t wait to another great and successful climb!"
The countdown continues.
Cheers
Team CTSS
