The summits continue on Lobuche East, and today we are sending our congratulations out to:

• Diego A.
• CTSS Guide Edgar Parra

They join the growing list of climbers who have now topped out on Lobuche East this season as the team prepares to turn their attention to Everest.

One unique aspect of our Everest program is that we set up a dedicated Lobuche Base Camp to allow our teams to climb Lobuche East en route to Everest Base Camp. We use Lobuche as a warm-up climb to practice climbing techniques and to acclimatize in a safer, less consequential environment than the Khumbu Icefall. This is not only a rewarding climb in its own right, but it also allows us to skip a rotation through the Khumbu Icefall, keeping our teams safer and more acclimatized when they do move through it. In the high alpine, speed is safety, and arriving at the Icefall stronger means moving through it faster.

We do extensive training before the Lobuche climb and maintain a superbly well-appointed and hygienic camp, rather than staying in the town of Lobuche, where sickness can run rampant. We have been using Lobuche as a shakeout and acclimatization climb since the beginning, and remain one of only a few teams to employ this strategy. The results speak for themselves.

This is one of many thoughtful aspects of our Everest program that allow our teams to be safer and more successful on the mountain.

Photos courtesy of Edgar Parra