Zerotoeverest - Mike Kessler

Zero toEverest
October 2010
Join the FiveMile-High Club
Want to summit the world’s highest peak? You can, three years from today, if you follow this
straightforward plan. by Mike Kessler illustrations by Peter Cury
it used to be that serious mountaineers spent their
entire careers working their way up to a Mount Everest summit bid.
But in recent years, climbing Everest has seemed like a dilettante’s
pursuit: Any socialite with a Himalayan-size wallet can buy their way
up the Big One, no matter if they endanger themselves, their teammates, or their guides. Today’s reality lies somewhere in between.
Break 19,000 Feet
Get down to Ecuador and scale 19,347-foot
­Cotopaxi; it’s not as technical as big glacier
climbs, but it will get you acquainted with the
notion that the higher you go, the worse you
feel. “You need to get accustomed to those
feelings in order to know the difference between
‘normal’ and ‘fixin’ to die,’ ” says Whittaker. You’ll
also expose your system to such challenges
of Third World travel as fever, diarrhea, and
crowded public transit — probably some gruesome combination of all three. Two-thirds of
travelers to Nepal get a gastrointestinal malady
within two weeks of arrival. “The culture shock
and potential bacterial challenges of traveling
from Kathmandu to Everest base camp have
ended many a climber’s trip before they even
reached the mountain,” says Whittaker. $1,975;
mountainmadness.com
Radically light new gear, flexible work schedules, and a glut of guiding services have made Everest’s 29,035-foot summit a much more
attainable goal than it was even 15 or 20 years ago. But no matter how
rich you are, you’ve still got to be prepared for the ordeal. Our threeyear training program explains how a rank amateur can make it to
the top of the world — the right way.
May 2008–May 2011
Build a Base
You’ll need to create an exercise regimen that addresses three categories of fitness: cardiovascular health, strength,
and balance. “You want to be in the best shape of your life,” says Dr. Luanne Freer, director of Everest Base Camp Medical
Clinic. “And you’ll want to maintain that level of fitness throughout.”
Cardio Running, cycling, hiking,
Strength Training You want
aerobics, or spinning classes,
boxing, or jumping rope — whatever
your exercise of choice, do it for a
minimum of 45 minutes, three times
a week. Stay between 65 and 85
percent of your max heart rate (the
zone where you can feel your heart
humming, but you aren’t gasping
for breath). Cycling and trail running
are especially good, and seek out
hills whenever possible. By month
six, you should be able to knock off
a half-marathon or century bike ride
without too much trouble.
to avoid bulking up; hauling extra
weight up a mountain is no fun.
That means lighter weights at higher
reps. Down low, do calf raises, leg
curls, leg extensions, and squats;
up top, do pecs, biceps, triceps, and
shoulder exercises, twice a week.
“You’ll also need a strong core for
carrying a pack,” says Peter Whittaker, co-owner of and a guide at
Rainier Mountaineering Inc., “so it’s
important to find a handful of abdominal and lower-back exercises.”
Balance Hike off-trail, where
loose rocks and scree move
beneath your feet. At the gym,
break out the Bosu balls (the halfballs with the flat bottoms) and
try the Telemark Jump: Get into
a lunge position, with one foot
on each ball, then leap up and
switch legs in midair. It’s not exactly
like picking your way over a
boulder field at 17,000 feet, but it’s
better than not practicing at all.
Climb Mount
Rainier
Just because you’ve bagged a few peaks in the
12,000-14,000-foot range doesn’t mean you’re
ready to march into the death zone (26,000 feet
and higher). “You need to practice climbing on
snow and ice,” says Whittaker. And 14,411-foot
Rainier has plenty of it; in fact it’s the most glaciated peak in the lower 48. “It’s got everything:
nasty weather, snow and ice, and high altitude,”
says mountaineering god Ed Viesturs. On Rainier
you’ll carry a 35-pound pack stuffed with a
minus-20-degree sleeping bag, crampons, and
climbing rope, to name just a few items. And
you’ll log some serious vertical: 18,000 feet
round-trip, over 30 to 36 hours. “You may sleep
for two or three hours at the high camp at
10,000 feet,” says Whittaker, “but most climbers
don’t.” This is your first real test piece for
Everest. You’ll be dehydrated, nauseated, insufferably cold, irritable, terrified, and anxious.
“Embrace suffering,” says Whittaker. “It only gets
worse after Rainier.” around $1,000 for a guided
trip up Rainier, ­offered by a number of outfits
Bag a 14er
Then another. Hiking 14,000-foot peaks, or even
ones above 10,000 feet, is essential for developing
leg strength, increasing lung capacity, learning
to breathe calmly and slowly while moving
sluggishly at elevation, and withstanding high
winds and cold temperatures above the treeline.
Start with day hikes, then work up to overnights,
bagging two or more high peaks in a trip — and
getting used to carrying a heavy pack. If you live
far from the high country, fly to Denver and try
Quandary Peak (14,265) in the Mosquito Range
and Mount Bierstadt (14,060) in the Front Range,
or head for Durango and the San Juans, which
have 13 peaks over 14,000 feet. (New Hampshire’s
famously nasty Mount Washington is also a
good practice ground.) three round-trips to Denver
from New York or L.A.: $900
TIPS FOR
NAILING
THE SUMMIT
c hill
sleep li k e
a hob o Strange as it may seem, you’ll need
to “train” yourself to sleep in uncomfortable places. Turn day hikes
into overnights, or camp in your
backyard on the nastiest patch of
ground you can find — and leave
the Therm-a-Rest in the house.
These sleeping scenarios suck, but
a bivouac at 20,000 feet is worse.
out
Train for freezing temperatures by
taking cold showers and swimming
in cold lakes, pools, or oceans for
as long as you can tolerate. Spend
entire winter days — sunup to
sundown — moving around in the
cold on foot, snowshoes, skis,
anything. “Also, know what layering
systems work,” says Whittaker.
m e n ’ s j o u r na l
206
m ay 2 0 0 8
May 2011
Everest
By now you will have
chosen a good guide (see
page 210), spent two weeks
at base camp to adjust to the
altitude, and learned a few
Tibetan prayers. If you’re not
ready now, you never will be.
The summit awaits.
Good luck.
April 2010
June 2009 July–October 2008
“Statistics show that climbers who have topped
out on an 8,000-meter (26,000-foot) peak
before trying Everest have a much better chance
of being successful than those who have not,”
says Whittaker. So if time and money allow, get
over to the Himalayas and climb Cho-Oyu, the
26,906-footer that many Everest summiters
have cut their teeth on. Climbing Cho, you’ll
learn what it’s like to share a base camp with
wily climbers from multiple countries and to
climb with a supplemental oxygen device clinging to your face. You’ll taste the homesickness,
depression, and physical ailments that plague
mountaineers who venture to the higher reaches
of the planet. And most important, you’ll experience the death zone, which begins at 26,000
feet. “It’s not some sexy term,” says Freer. “In
the death zone you are literally dying. There’s
not enough oxygen in the brain, so everything
goes slower. Sometimes you can barely put a
sentence together.” $13,750; mountainguides.com
December 2009
perfe c t
your aim
One little-discussed but essential
Everest skill is the ability to empty
your bladder into a water bottle
while shivering in a sleeping bag in
zero-degree temperatures with a
headache and stomach cramps.
Also, says Viesturs, “Learn how to
differentiate your pee bottle from
your water bottle.”
Mount McKinley:
the Mini-Everest
August 2009
Rainier 2.0
“You’ll need to get more mountaineering skills,”
says Whittaker. “Taking a hero shot of yourself
on Rainier to show friends and family back home
is great, but you need additional experience.”
That means learning how to kick-step with
crampons, swing your ice ax like a pro, work
your way up a fixed line, drive anchors into
seemingly impenetrable ice, rappel in single-digit
temperatures with numb fingers, belay a buddy
without killing him, and rescue said pal from a
crevasse. Whittaker offers a six-day seminar on
Rainier’s Kautz or Emmons glacier. “Be sure you
go with someone who knows what he’s doing,”
adds Viesturs. “It’s about more than just learning
to climb; it’s about learning to be a team member,
traveling with more than just two people.” Your
second climb of Rainier should feel easier physically, which is a good barometer of how your
training is progressing. $1,600; rmiguides.com
put
a soc k in it
“My blisters hurt.” “I have a headache.” “How much longer till we
eat?” Blah, blah, blah. Everyone else
feels crappy too, and you’re only
making things worse for everyone
by complaining. It’s one thing to
speak up if you’re in agony, it’s
another thing to announce every
hangnail or gas pain.
McKinley is a big-time commitment, and it’s
the closest thing to a Himalayan expedition
you’ll find in North America. You get high altitude
(20,320 feet at the summit), catastrophically
bad weather, and major tent time. “You’re looking
at three weeks of sleeping on ice, carrying a
60-pound pack, eating crappy food, and learning
how to survive on the side of an inhospitable
mountain,” says Whittaker, who also notes that
the fixed lines from the camp at 14,000 feet up to
McKinley’s west buttress (16,000 feet) will give
you a taste for the miles of fixed lines on Everest.
The altitude is serious, too. “Your body tries to
stay warm, which of course requires oxygen
that’s not readily available,” says Freer. “How
you function under these conditions is a tell-all
sign of how you’ll do in the Himalayas.” Expect
to be stormed in for up to a week with odiferous
tentmates who enjoy your company about as
much as you enjoy eating MREs. But get to love
your teammates. “You don’t go anywhere without
being roped to partners,” says Whittaker. “And if
you summit with a smile on your face, you’re set
to tackle Everest.” from $4,850; mountaintrip.com
d o
your
home wor k
“Don’t show up in Asia without
knowing your Messner from your
Mallory,” says Whittaker. “Or your
Geneva Spur from your Yellow
Band, or your namaste from your
nee how.” Start building your mountaineering library at climbalaska
.org and longitudebooks.com.
m ay 2 0 0 8
fen d off the
c ough
You want to avoid what Freer calls
the Khumbu cough. “It’s called highaltitude bronchitis,” says Freer. “It’s
the most common reason climbers
come visit us in the med tent.” Freer
suggests using a thin face mask,
which warms your exhaled air, creating moisture over your mouth.
207
m e n ’ s j o u r na l
lov e
the w e b
There are hundreds of great
mountaineering resources online.
Abc-of-mountaineering.com is
home to online forums where you
can discuss everything from gear
to the best way to bag Cotopaxi.
For all the ugly details about altitude sickness, check out Freer’s
website, everester.org.
z e r o
t o
e v e r e s t
Gear up
1. Scott Witness Goggle
The helmet-compatible Witness
features a spherical lens for minimal
distortion and airflow vents that
help prevent fogging when you
start to sweat on brutal uphill slogs.
$75; scottusa.com
Whether you’re skiing in Aspen or
climbing in Yosemite, chances are the
gear you’re using was first tested by
putting it through the rigors of Everest.
Here’s a look at some of the key items
climbers will be taking up this year.
2. Mountain Hardwear Absolute Zero Suit
Only on Everest can you get away with
wearing a puffy red one-piece suit.
Mountain Hardwear’s Absolute Zero
keeps you warm with 800-fill goose
down even when temps dip to –30.
$800; mountainhardwear.com
1
3. Arc’Teryx Khamsin 70 Backpack
The mountaineering-oriented Khamsin
70 expedition pack has all the space
you need (4,577 cubic inches) plus
dual aluminum stays and an emergency
bivy pad. $350; arcteryx.com
2
4. Black Diamond Raven Pro Ice Ax
At only 12 ounces, the Raven Pro is
one of the lightest ice axes on the
market, but with a cast stainless-steel
head and spike, it still blasts through
rock-solid ice. $100; bdel.com
3
5. Julbo Dolgan Glacier
Glasses
Julbo’s Alti Spectron X6 lens offers
maximum protection against snow
glare as you kick it at base camp. $65;
julbousa.com
6. La Sportiva Olympus Mons Evo Boot
At less than three pounds per boot, the
Olympus Mons is insanely light, and
a breathable Cordura gaiter with Kevlar
reinforcements keeps the snow out.
$850; sportiva.com
5
4
7. Petzl Ecrin Roc Helmet
8
A polycarbonate shell makes this
helmet durable and safe. Fourteen
ventilation holes and two adjustable
foam headbands make it comfortable.
And the whole package, including four
headlamp clips, makes it the helmet
you want for Everest. $90; en.petzl.com
8. Mountain Hardwear Masherbrum Mitt
6
Mountain Hardwear’s warmest
mountaineering mitt is loaded with
Thermic Micro synthetic insulation
and covered in durable yet breathable Pittards Atacama leather. $135;
mountainhardwear.com
7
9. petzl vasak Crampons
These classic 12-point mountaineering
crampons have both flat and angled
teeth that provide maximum traction
on the ice, plus easily adjustable
bindings and snow-shedding plates
underfoot. $150; en.petzl.com
10. Buck X-Tract LED Multi-Tool
10
9
m e n ’ s j o u r na l
208
m ay 2 0 0 8
michael pirrocco (9)
This multitool has pliers, screwdrivers
(both Phillips and flat head), an
LED flashlight, and, of course, a threeinch partially serrated blade — just
about anything you’ll need for emergency repairs on the way up (and
down). $65; buckknives.com
z e r o
t o
e v e r e s t
Willie Benegas
Follow
the Leader
Deciding on the right guide to help you navigate Everest is a pivotal decision.
Try to nail one down early so that you can bag a lesser peak before you tackle
the Big One — and please allow us to introduce you to four of the best in the
business. by Scott Gornall
benegas is known as the mayor of
Base Camp for several reasons. For one,
he’s summited Everest seven times in six
expeditions. And when there’s trouble on
the mountain he’s one of the first guides
contacted for search-and-­rescue missions.
“When there’s an accident on Everest, you
don’t call 911,” he says, “you call Willie.”
The guy gets respect, and aside from occasionally talking in the third person, he
stays humble.
Guiding Style “I push my clients as hard
as I can. I give them a chance to prove
themselves,” Benegas says. “Instead of saying, ‘You’re not going to make it,’ I give
them a chance. Eventually, though, I might
have to say, ‘We’re heading down.’ But it’s
important to give the client a share in the
decision making.”
Before You Go “Learn to stay healthy.
The biggest problem is getting sick. You
start coughing, you get bronchitis, and then
you go home,” he warns. “But most importantly, you have to be true to yourself.
It’s not about the summit. It’s about the
process. Be aware of the process. Respect
the process. The summit is a bonus.”
patagonianexpd.com
Dave Hahn
hahn has mountaineering in his blood. growing up in california, he
backpacked around the Sierras with his father, a climber himself who monkeyed around on
Yosemite’s peaks in the 1940s and ’50s. Since then the 46-year-old has notched nine Everest
summits on 13 expeditions.
Guiding Style “I tend to seek out clients who are strong and experienced, and then my
main job is to hold them back so they’ll use that strength at the right time,” Hahn says.
Before You Go “High-alpine experience is a must, but it’s not just chores you have to do
before Everest,” Hahn says. “If you don’t want to climb McKinley, if you don’t want to go
rock climbing every weekend, then you’re in the wrong game.” mountainguides.com
Luis Benitez
all everest guides work with sherpas to get their
clients safely up the mountain, but Alpine Ascents International
guide Morton actually trains Nepalese Sherpas at the Khumbu
Climbing School, where he teaches them technical mountaineering
skills and risk management.
Guiding Style “I lean toward not getting worked up very often,
but when I need to, I do,” Morton says. “I try not to raise my
voice unless it’s a safety issue.
You don’t gain your clients’ trust
by yelling at them. I try to get
people to stay positive.”
Before You Go “Climb Rainier
or McKinley or the White Mountains on the East Coast and get
your ass handed to you by bad
weather,” Morton recommends.
“It’s beneficial to experience both
success and failure in tackling
big peaks.” david-morton.com
m e n ’ s j o u r na l
benitez’s big break came in 2001,
when he bagged his first Everest summit along with a high-profile client,
blind climber Erik Weihenmeyer. “I
knew it would make or break my career,” Benitez says, “because no one
wants to work with the guide who
killed the blind guy.” Benitez has overcome hurdles himself. Growing up in
St. Louis, he had such bad asthma that if someone mowed a lawn
in his neighborhood, he’d go to the hospital with a respiratory attack. The solution? His father sent him to the mountains of Ecuador, where an uncle taught him mountaineering and the high
altitude eventually cleared up his asthma.
Guiding Style “I’m a big believer in empowering folks, but it’s all
situational,” says Benitez. “I wear a lot of different hats, and there
are times when I need to be a drill sergeant.”
Before You Go “You need mileage on mountains,” he says. “And,
obviously, you need to be in great shape. Everest is so big that it
sends people home who don’t belong there.” luisbenitez.com
210
m ay 2 0 0 8
clockwise from top : jake norton/alamy; chris figenshau; didrik johnck; co urtesy david morton collection
David Morton