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The Way to the Summit
Western CWM | Lhotse Face | Yellow Band | Geneva Spur
South Col | Southeast Ridge | South Summit | Cornice Traverse
Hillary Step | Summit
The Western Cwm
See Western Cwm QTVR
Often called the "Valley of Silence," the Western Cwm is a broad, flat, gently undulating
glacial valley basin terminating at the foot of the Lhotse Face. The central section is cut
by massive lateral crevasses which bar entrance into the upper Western Cwm. In this section,
climbers must cross to the far right, over to the base of Nuptse to a narrow passageway known
as the Nuptse corner. From here, climbers have a stupendous view of the upper 8,000 feet
of Everest—the first glimpse of Everest's upper slopes since arriving at Base Camp. The
last 5,000 feet on Everest, including its distinct black pyramid summit, are not visible
from Base Camp. Contrary to what most people believe, some of the most difficult days on
Everest are in the Western Cwm, when on a windless day it is desperately hot. Says David
Breashears, "You literally pray for a puff of wind or a cloud to cover the sun so you can
keep moving up to Advance Base Camp."
The Lhotse Face
See Camp III QTVR
The expansive western flank of Lhotse is called the Lhotse Face and is an
unavoidable part of the traditional southeast route up Everest. Camp III sits
about halfway up this ascending wall of glacial blue ice. From its bergshrund
(base) to the top, the Lhotse Face rises some 3,700 feet, at 40 and 50-degree
pitches with some occasional 80-degree bulges. The entire route is fixed with
ropes, and climbers must get into the rhythmic movement of pulling and stepping
up. Kicking steps, while lodging one's front points into the hard blue ice, is
the predominant movement required for this unrelenting ascent up towards the
South Col.
The Yellow Band
The sedimentary sandstone rock of the Yellow Band is a distinctive feature of
the Lhotse Face which requires about 100 meters of rope to traverse it. This
is the first rock a climber touches on the route up Everest. It becomes very
obvious when one has reached this point in the climb—one's crampons hit hard
rock. The top of the yellow band is at 25,000 feet.
The Geneva Spur
Named by a Swiss expedition in 1952, the Geneva Spur is an anvil-shaped black
rib of rock fixed with ropes so climbers can scramble up its steep snow-covered
surface. The spur starts at about 24,000 feet. It is the last major hurdle
before reaching the last camp on Everest.
The South Col
The site of the high camp, also known as Camp IV, this rock-strewn wind-swept
saddle between Everest and Lhotse lies at 26,000 feet. Col is a Welsh word for
saddle or pass. This location was named by the British Reconnaissance
Expedition of 1921 which viewed it from a vantage point some seven miles away.
Currently used by all expeditions as the high camp, it is still a demanding
3000-foot climb from here to the summit. Discarded expedition equipment litters
the football field-sized area used for camp. At this elevation, all expedition
and Sherpa members sleep with a low flow of oxygen except those wishing to
attempt the summit "gas free." Fierce jet stream winds can demolish an
uninhabited tent here in minutes so the expeditions do not erect their tents
until they arrive.
The Southeast Ridge
The climbers reach the Southeast Ridge at 27,700 feet at a place known as "The
Balcony." At this platform the climbers rest and admire the dawn light
illuminating the peaks to the east and south. From here, the snow ridge rises
1,000 feet to the South Summit and gently arcs to the north. 400 feet below the
South Summit, a series of rock steps often forces climbers to the east and into
waist deep snow. This can often be the most strenuous and dangerous section of
the climb, because the wind-deposited snow can be avalanche prone.
The South Summit
The climbers' first small victory of the day, the South Summit is a ping pong
table-size dome of snow and ice at 28,700 feet. From here the climbers can
obtain the view of the final obstacles ahead of them: the Cornice Traverse, the
Hillary Step, and the final slopes to the summit. It is traditional to change
oxygen bottles here so that one has a fresh bottle for the final ascent and
return to the South Summit. If it's late in the day or the weather is
deteriorating, this is the place to make the all-important decision to turn
around.
The Cornice Traverse
A 400-foot long horizontal section of rock and wind-carved snow, this is easily
the most intimidating section of the climb. Climbers must carefully traverse a
knife-edge ridge of snow plastered to intermittent rocks. This is the most
exposed section of the entire climb, and a misstep to the right would send a
climber tumbling down the 10,000-foot Kangshung Face. A misstep to the left
would send one careening 8,000 feet down the Southwest Face, were it not for
the fixed ropes.
The Hillary Step
The most famous physical feature on Everest, the Hillary Step, at 28,750 feet,
is a 40-foot spur of snow and ice. First climbed in 1953 by Edmund Hillary and
Tenzing Norgay, the Hillary Step is the last obstacle barring access to the
gently angled summit slopes. Modern-day climbers use a fixed rope up here to
ascend the Hillary Step. We marvel at Hillary and Tenzing's achievement in
climbing this impressive mountaineering obstacle without fixed ropes and using
what is now considered primitive ice climbing equipment.
The Summit
See QTVR View from the Summit
At 29,028 feet, the world's highest point is covered with an assortment of
prayer flags, remnants of surveying equipment and other offerings from climbers
(photographs of family members, prayer packets, and discarded oxygen bottles).
Covering the area of a picnic table, the snow-covered summit slopes steeply
away to the north, southwest, and east. Climbers take care to not venture too
far to the east as the massive cornices overhang a 10,000-foot face. The
360-degree panorama takes in the Tibetan Plateau to the north, as well as the
great Himalayan peaks of Kanchenjunga to the east, Makalu to the southeast, and
Cho Oyu to the west. On a clear day, it seems as if one can see across half a
continent. 150 feet below the summit, climbers heading down often collect small
rocks as mementos of their climb.
Photos: (1) David Breashears; (2,3) Pete Athans
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© | Updated November 2000
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