RMI has just reported that First Ascent guide Seth Waterfall, Michael Brown, Casey Grom and Scott Jones have returned to Base Camp after a night at Camp II. First Ascent guide Dave Hahn and Leif Whittaker spent the night at Camp IV after summiting, are currently at Camp II, and will arrive at Base Camp tomorrow.
Last year, Eddie Bauer launched First Ascent in dramatic fashion, from the top of the world. This year, several members of the First Ascent family will return to Everest to attempt some amazing new firsts and we’ll be there to capture all the action.
On May 1, 1963, Jim Whittaker became the first American to summit Mt. Everest, outfitted head to toe in Eddie Bauer gear. This May, Jim’s son, Leif Whittaker, will attempt to follow in his father’s footsteps and stand on top of the world for his first time Read More…
Written by T-Dawg on August 19, 2009
Hi Seth! What type of exercise plan do you recommend for the six hour training day? I know a lot of cardio. is recommended, so would it be good to do some cross training or just go on a extended hike?
Answered by Seth Waterfall on August 24, 2009
Thanks for the question, T-Dawg: Training is something I am very passionate about.
Training for a long endurance event such as a climb should include several days where you try and simulate the effort level and length of the event. For a climb like Mt. Rainier, a long (6 or more hour), strenuous hike with a 20+ pound pack should suffice. For longer, harder climbs, you should increase the duration of your endurance training. This is especially true if you’ve never exerted yourself for that length of time. Of course, your training should include plenty of strength building as well. My strength training is comprised of short, intense cross-training circuits which I do three or four times a week. Short, intense workouts can yield rapid gains in strength and they are very convenient, but they must be accompanied by endurance training to gain results applicable to big mountain climbs.
Of course, rest is very important as well. Most guides that I know are stereotypical overtrainers. Be sure to allow your body time to recover and strengthen in your workout cycle.
Thanks again for the question. Seth
Climbing season is at its peak in the Pacific Northwest. First Ascent Guide Seth Waterfall shares his tips on how to boost your chances to tag the top. Read More…
June 25, 2009
Ashford, WA
By Seth Waterfall
I’ve always dreamed of skiing off the summit of Denali. This spring I had an opportunity to make that dream come true.
I’d planned to do a fast ascent, with minimal time for acclimatization. Having just returned to the States from my first trip to the Himalaya and a summit of Everest, I felt that I could comfortably pull it off. The only problem with the plan was the weather in the Alaska Range. It is notoriously unpredictable Read More…
Everest Dispatch #89
May 27, 2009
Namche, Nepal
By Dave Hahn
The cyclone pushed us out of Everest Basecamp. Early yesterday morning, it tried to crush us in our tents. Heavy, wet snow was falling at the rate of perhaps three inches per hour. Everything was getting buried fast… tents, yaks, climbing gear. It was tough to tell just how much accumulation there was since the ground is so uneven to begin with at BC, but it was common to be thigh deep while attempting to get from one tent to another Read More…
Everest Dispatch #87
May 24, 2009
Everest Basecamp
’09 Pre-Monsoon Climbing Season
There are two distinct sounds that jar me away from the day to day life at Basecamp and instantly remind me of the sobering landscape in which we are living. The first starts as a low grumble, like a distant roll of thunder moving up the valley, then turns to a deep guttural roar that shakes through camp. It is as if the mountains themselves are groaning under the weight of their icy loads and they shift to ease their burdens. At the head of the Khumbu valley and surrounded by a full 270 degrees soaring peaks, Basecamp is ringed by steep flanks of rock, ice, and snow. The panorama surrounding Basecamp is stunning as some of the world’s highest peaks rear up directly above. Beginning with the hanging glaciers flowing from Pumori’s almost perfect conical summit, and stretching over Lingtren, Cholatse, Lho La Pass, Everests’ West Ridge, the Khumbu Icefall, and Nuptse’s impressive West Face, the Himalayas dwarf Basecamp. And from these faces comes the deep groans. It is the sound of falling ice and rock as the glaciers hanging high on the mountains above calve off, sending tons upon tons of ice crashing down the faces below. From Basecamp the first distant grumble echoes across the valley, growing in intensity as the falling chunks gain speed, breaking apart as they hit the mountain sides and dispersing into fine clouds of billowing ice crystals. These clouds of ice blast across the valley floor, like the smoke from a canon as it discharges its deadly load, billowing up in boiling white curtains that rushes through Basecamp. Read More…
Everest Dispatch #86
May 24, 2009
Basecamp
I was perplexed this morning at ABC. Shouldn’t a night’s sleep have healed all wounds and refreshed me enough to seize one more Everest day? But as I lay –uncomfortably- in my sleeping bag at 5:30 AM, rubbing my eyes, stifling coughs and wondering why so many muscles hurt… I remembered what we’d accomplished the day before and why we deserved every bruise, blister and affliction in return. Read More…
Email from Basecamp:
We heard from Dave that the the summit team are currently descending from the South Col to Camp 2. They departed the Col. at approx. 12.30pm and are expected to arrive at Camp 2 around 5 pm. We will post an entry as soon as the team arrives at Camp 2.
Gerry
Email from Basecamp:
Hi there,
The summit team including Dave, Seth, Melissa and Kent have arrived safely at the south col. They plan to spend a few hours resting and evaluate the weather conditions before making the decision to spend the night at camp 4, or descend to camp 2. As soon as we hear from them we will post a new entry.
Gerry
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