Alyssa Azar Climbs Mount Everest

[Overlandman]

From ABC

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-21/a ... an/7434258

Queensland teenager Alyssa Azar has become the youngest Australian to reach the peak of Mount Everest, in a case of third time lucky.

The 19-year-old left camp early Saturday morning for the final climb of about 800 metres to the summit of the world's tallest mountain.

The young adventurer's father, Glenn Azar, who is currently walking the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea, confirmed his daughter completed her goal.

Family friend Sonia Taylor, from Adventure Professionals, said Ms Azar's feat was incredible.

"It is something that has been a goal of hers for several years," she said.

"She has an amazing mental and physical strength about her."

Her family said she was in good spirits, however the challenge was not over.

"The descent off the mountain is equally as challenging, it will be a couple of days before she is back into base camp," Ms Taylor said.

It was the Toowoomba teen's third attempt to reach the summit after natural disasters thwarted two previous attempts.

In 2014, while she was at base camp an avalanche struck the Khumbu Icefall, killing 16 Sherpas.

In April 2015, she was again at base camp when Nepal was struck by a devastating earthquake, killing 3,218 people.

Last edited by Overlandman on Sun 22 May, 2016 1:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[wayno]

Great news for her summiting everest,
but i dont think there should be a record for the "youngest" in climbing mountains or walking long trails. the younger you get at that age the riskier it gets health wise and the young shouldnt be put in the position of doing it for a record, it skews peoples thinking on planning and can lead to young people who arent adequately prepared to take on such risks
china banned someone in their mid teens from attempting everest this year. they didnt want any negative publicity if it ended in tragedy.
Nepal have put an age limit of 18 for everest, i think younger people have already climbed it in the past.
in the states there are cases of pre teen children walking the long distance trails non stop. its a debateable practice, especially if you're struggling to get an adequate healthy diet on a trip like that. i was a top competitive athlete in my early teens, and bush walked a massive amount in my teens and ended up with chronic fatigue which stopped me from exercising for several years.
there will be a parent behind the scenes that has helped the child to make a record attempt. hopefully the parent hasnt pushed the child too hard or created a false picture of the risks involved

[weeds]

It appears she was well prepared and it appears the family is into hiking adventure. It also look like dad wasn't there pressuring her has he was doing kokoda.....she is also 19 therefore an adult.

[wayno]

It appears she was well prepared and it appears the family is into hiking adventure. It also look like dad wasn't there pressuring her has he was doing kokoda.....she is also 19 therefore an adult.

its more the "youngest record" that i have issues with as ever younger people chase a record, 18 is the youngest that will now be likely to scale everest. but using records like that in other places can lead to children going or records on extremely tough and dangerous route.

[weeds]

Umm, it seem natural to say youngest when she is......its like when they report using oldest is because the person was the oldest.

Saying a 19yo has summered Mt Everest does quite tell the story.

Last edited by weeds on Sun 22 May, 2016 6:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[vanNek]

Her dad even sold his local gym & PT studio. To fund the adventure. Been going on for a while. I think she was also the youngest too do kokoda. Her dad organizes and runs Kokoda treks. He started doing as a fitness motivation for his PT clients.


"No half measures......"

[Giddy_up]

Wonderful achievement from a highly motivated young lady and her family. Everest is no place for the faint of heart, the best mountaineers in the world have been turned around buy that peak so for a young person, man or woman it's a remarkable feat of endurance.

You don't climb Everest unless you're prepared, It's that simple!!!


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[Eremophila]

It's certainly a great achievement.

I always wonder - as with Jessica Watson - what happens when you come home and see what all the other people your age are doing? How do you join in "normal" life again? How banal it must seem. And - what do you plan next?

Anyhow it's probably not an issue I'll need to worry about myself

[DaveNoble]

Umm, it seem natural to say youngest when she is......it like when they the oldest is because the person was the oldest.

Saying a 19yo has summered Mt Everest does quite tell the story.

I think it is fairer to say "youngest Australian" rather than "youngest" as I think a few 13 year olds have summited Mt Everest?

Dave

[walkerchris77]

Lets hope she makes it down ok. I read another australian died on the way down.

[wayno]

Lets hope she makes it down ok. I read another australian died on the way down.

http://www.9news.com.au/world/2016/05/2 ... on-everest

thats another issue, how much do the young really comprehend the dangers of what they are doing fully? you cant predict what will happen to any individual at altitude and in the alpine environment.
eagerness for action in the young can over rule their understanding of how much they need to prepare or just be prepared for the fact they may not come back, and would they still go if they understood the risks were that great..

[Giddy_up]

I'm not sure on Alysss's big mountain experience but I assume she has some as it is generally a prerequisite to join a team to climb Everest.

Even the "board room mountaineers" have to get experience on big mountains before climbing Everest. They also have to embark on a serious fitness regime as you won't climb it if you're not superbly conditioned.

Also as pointed out, it's not the climbing, it's the getting down that causes most of the problems.


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[Giddy_up]

Looks like she has a great weather window to descend in. The next batch of climbers will find it more difficult with quite a lot of snow falling over the coming days with Avalanche a real risk later in the week.


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[weeds]

Umm, it seem natural to say youngest when she is......it like when they the oldest is because the person was the oldest.

Saying a 19yo has summered Mt Everest does quite tell the story.

I think it is fairer to say "youngest Australian" rather than "youngest" as I think a few 13 year olds have summited Mt Everest?

Dave

What ever.......isn't it funny, instead of praising an awesome achievement here we are knocking her or pointing out there are younger whoopi doo

[weeds]

Lets hope she makes it down ok. I read another australian died on the way down.

http://www.9news.com.au/world/2016/05/2 ... on-everest

thats another issue, how much do the young really comprehend the dangers of what they are doing fully? you cant predict what will happen to any individual at altitude and in the alpine environment.
eagerness for action in the young can over rule their understanding of how much they need to prepare or just be prepared for the fact they may not come back, and would they still go if they understood the risks were that great..

My bet would be more older climbers have die......just saying

[wayno]

more info about recent summits and casualties including frostbite

http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2016/05 ... te-deaths/

[DaveNoble]

Umm, it seem natural to say youngest when she is......it like when they the oldest is because the person was the oldest.

Saying a 19yo has summered Mt Everest does quite tell the story.

I think it is fairer to say "youngest Australian" rather than "youngest" as I think a few 13 year olds have summited Mt Everest?

Dave

What ever.......isn't it funny, instead of praising an awesome achievement here we are knocking her or pointing out there are younger whoopi doo

I cannot see any "knocking her" in my comment. If anything I am knocking the press report that said she was the youngest rather than the youngest Australian. Also, a day or two ago a woman climbed Mt Everest for the 7th time, which is quite amazing. I did not see that one reported in the local press.

Dave

[Overlandman]

I also couldn't see a problem with Dave's post.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-21/n ... ts/7434272

A Nepali mountaineer has broken her own world record for the most Everest summits by a woman after scaling the peak for the seventh time on Friday, her expedition company said.

The daughter of a yak herder, 43-year-old Lhakpa Sherpa worked as a porter and kitchen hand on trekking and mountaineering expeditions when she was young, before becoming a climber herself.
Key points:

Sherpa first summitted Mt Everest in 2000, becoming the first woman to do so successfully
Friday was the seventh time Sherpa summitted the mountain
Sherpa plans to eventually beat the male record of 21 total summits, held by Apa Sherpa

The mother of three retired from climbing after her sixth summit of the 8,850-metre high Mount Everest in 2006 before deciding to make a comeback, 16 years after she first scaled the world's tallest peak.

"Lhakpa summitted Everest at 5:00am (local time) today for the seventh time," said Svetlana Nujoom, program manager of 7 Summits Adventure, which organised her expedition.

In March, Sherpa said she intended to summit Everest twice this season, although Ms Nujoom was unable to confirm whether she still planned a second bid before weather conditions worsen by the end of the month.

"The team is descending at the moment and I am not sure if she will go back up this season," Nujoom said.

Sherpa, who works as a part-time housekeeper in the United States, scaled the peak from its Tibetan side, unlike most climbers who begin their ascent from Everest base camp in Nepal, the easiest and most popular route.
Climbers
Photo: Mt Everest had a good climbing week following a years-long lull after two disasters. (www.duncanchessell.com)

Generations of men from Nepal's famed Sherpa community have climbed the Himalayas, while their wives and daughters have traditionally kept the home fires burning.

Sherpa said she eventually wants to beat the record held by male climber Apa Sherpa which stands at 21 total summits.

Her record caps a successful season for climbing on Everest, which has seen around 300 summits since last week, ending a years-long lull after two disasters.

Nine Nepalese last week became the first group of climbers in three years to summit the peak, paving the way for others to follow.

Hundreds of climbers abandoned their expeditions last year after an earthquake-triggered avalanche at Everest Base Camp killed 18 people.

In 2014 only one climber reached the summit, using a helicopter to transport tent equipment to higher camps after an avalanche killed 16 Nepali guides and prompted the cancellation of that year's mountaineering season.

Mountaineering is a major revenue-earner for impoverished Nepal but last year's earthquakes, which killed almost 9,000 people, threatened the future of the Himalayan nation's climbing and trekking industry.

[weeds]

Overlandman.........just to clear things up.....I'm not sure why Dave quoted me in the first place.......I was just pointing out the term 'youngest' in general around discussing/reporting...I didn't say the Aussie girl was the youngest to do it.....

[DaveNoble]

Overlandman.........just to clear things up.....I'm not sure why Dave quoted me in the first place.......I was just pointing out the term 'youngest' in general around discussing/reporting...I didn't say the Aussie girl was the youngest to do it.....

I just wanted things to be clear. The ABC news report was clear about this, but I also saw a Brisbane news report that was not clear. It had said "Youngest to climb Mt Everest" - and that was probably what I was thinking of, when I saw "youngest" again with the "Australian" not being present.

I can remember reading that at one time the accepted wisdom for high altitude climbing was not to be too young. Older climbers (30+) seemed to have a better success at avoiding oedema and other problems than younger climbers.

It is also interesting to note that one of the bunch of recent summiteers was 77 and claimed the oldest to climb Everest record.

But there is sad news from the mountain too.

Dave

[Overlandman]

Alyssa returns to Base camp

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-23/a ... mb/7438310

The youngest Australian to reach the peak of Mount Everest has returned safely to base camp following "an amazing climb".

Queensland teenager Alyssa Azar thanked everybody for messages of support in a post on her Facebook page today.

"I am now back safely in Base Camp after an amazing climb and successful expedition," the 19-year-old wrote.

Ms Azar left camp early on Saturday morning for the final climb of about 800 metres to the summit of the world's tallest mountain.

The young adventurer's father, Glenn Azar, who was walking the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea when his daughter reached the summit, confirmed at the weekend she had achieved her goal.

It was the Toowoomba teen's third attempt to reach the summit after natural disasters thwarted two previous attempts.

In 2014, while she was at base camp an avalanche struck the Khumbu Icefall, killing 16 Sherpas.

In April 2015, Ms Azar was again at base camp when Nepal was struck by a devastating earthquake, killing 3,218 people.

The same day the teenager conquered Everest, Melbourne woman Maria Strydom died of altitude sickness while climbing down the mountain.

She was on her way down from Camp 4 to Camp 3 when she fell ill and died on Saturday afternoon, tour company Seven Summit Treks said in a statement.

Ms Azar is expected to return home to Brisbane by late next week.

[north-north-west]

It was the Toowoomba teen's third attempt to reach the summit after natural disasters thwarted two previous attempts.

In 2014, while she was at base camp an avalanche struck the Khumbu Icefall, killing 16 Sherpas.

In April 2015, Ms Azar was again at base camp when Nepal was struck by a devastating earthquake, killing 3,218 people.

The same day the teenager conquered Everest, Melbourne woman Maria Strydom died of altitude sickness while climbing down the mountain.

The girl's a jinx!

[wayno]

more details on the deaths
Guy Cotter from Adventure consultants questions the amount of support provided by the victims guiding company

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/na ... a7e045af1d

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-23/e ... ty/7437946

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

I didn't think Dave was being negative. He was being his usual, measured, insightful self. His criticism was at the journalism, not the achievement.

I respect the achievement immensely too, but what Wayno alludes too is something important to consider (which may well have been considered in depth by her family and team). He's just suggesting it's an important angle to think about and was most definitely not shooting down her personal achievement. Wayno is entitled to his own opinion, whether everyone agrees or otherwise.

I'm glad she has returned safely. Well done!

[Overlandman]

Maria's body recovered

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-24/m ... rd/7442460

The body of a Melbourne woman who died while climbing Mount Everest has been brought down the mountain, the trekking company that led the expedition says, as it defended its safety record.
Key points:

Two bodies brought down off Everest
To be transported to Kathmandu
Company defends safety record
Calls deaths an "unexpected accident"

Seven Summit Treks said Dr Maria Strydom's remains would be transported to the Nepalese capital Kathmandu within three days.

The 34-year-old finance lecturer at Monash University died at an altitude of about 7,800 metres near Camp 4 on Saturday.

The body of another climber from the group, Dutchman Eric Arnold, who died after making it to the summit, was also recovered from the peak.

"Maria's family is already in Kathmandu and we have already applied our manpower to bring down both dead bodies, so within three days we are going to bring (them to) Kathmandu," Furtengi Sherpa, who works for the operator, said.

Dr Strydom's husband Robert Gropel also became unwell on the mountain but has since been discharged from hospital.

Her mother had previously expressed her hope that her daughter's body would be retrieved from the mountain.

But she was critical of the trekking company's lack of communication with her in the days following Dr Strydom's death.

"We saw through the Himalayan [Times] post that my daughter died. Pemba Sherpa was called several times, he didn't want to help at all. Your satellite phone and Maya's phones were off too," she wrote on Facebook.
Everest deaths 'an unexpected accident'

Mr Furtengi said the company was run by a group of brothers who were very experienced on Mount Everest and had regularly led successful climbs to the summit.

He said they took about 200 people to 8,000m each season.

He also denied claims Seven Summit Treks were one of the riskiest companies to climb with because their comparably lower fees meant they had less resources and safety measures.

Mr Furtengi said the deaths of Dr Strydom and Dutchman Eric Arnold were an "unexpected accident".

"Dr Maria was being rescued ... with enough supply of oxygen, but due to lack of energy and altitude sickness she [died] ... in the altitude of 7,800m," he said.

He said their sherpas were very experienced and often the first point of call for any rescue efforts on the mountain.

"Obviously [a] few accidents happens and that is unexpected," he said.

"We are real mountaineers helping all mountaineers to success their dream."

He said Seven Summit Treks was the only local company competing with Western tour operators, who often charged excessive fees for the same service.

[wayno]

I noted on another article that a claim was made seven summits provide less oxygen than more expensive expeditions..
this may have meant having to stretch oxygen by delivering it at a lower flow rate than a lot of other expedition climbers were using theirs at... so it looks like there were three people in that expedition at least who had serious health issues, two of them dying. the sister of the lady who died insisted they had trained extremely hard for the climb and were fit enough.

[wayno]

Information on the various standards of service provided by the guiding companies

http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2016/05 ... e-everest/

[weeds]

I see it was mentioned the husband and wife were vegans......I only know one vegan and he always seems to lack energy and always looks tired.

I'm sure these guys would have been across the nutritional requirements as they are pushing the envelope to max.

Good to see the efforts in getting the bodies back down, I could imagine it would have be a difficult task.

[Giddy_up]

I think the fact that she turned around at the South Summit is pivotal, she clearly was not prepared for the climb. It wasn't weather that turned her back or equipment failure, it was "human factors". The South Summit is less than 200 meters from the main summit of Everest

[GPSGuided]

Given the established death rate on these climbs, it was somewhat immature and early for the family to cry foul on the guiding company.