Everest 2006

Climbing Everest is an annual event for many guides and Sherpas. While it is always exciting and dangerous, there must be a sense of familiarity as they set up base camp, fix the ropes and wait out the weather year after year. You can tell from the dispatches if this is someone's first attempt or their tenth. That is why I like to follow the smaller teams and specific individuals on their first climb. They share with us an incredible view of a world 99.999% of the population will never see up close. They share their feelings, hopes and dreams and some do it with enviable wit and skill.

So as the expeditions list for Everest 2006 continues to grow, I am very happy to see the site of Paul and Fiona Adler. I "met" Paul through this site during my coverage of previous Everest climbs. This young Australian couple have been training for couple for years now and did a great job of chronically their 2004 climb of Khan Tengri. It will be fun following their south side climb and I am counting on some excellent dispatches and pictures! Another individual to follow in Ken Stalter. He has entitled his expedition "Climbing to Cure Childhood Leukemia" or CCCL. Ken lost his daughter to this disease in 1991. He attempted Everest in 2004 but weather kept them from the summit. I wish him the best on this try.

Taking the cold plunge for Everest

Alexander Abramov talks about his training for Everest on his site. In addition to the normal running, climbing and weights, the Russian organizer adds a cold-water plunge to his routine. I wonder if he has hot water at base camp for the showers?

How fast can you run up Aconcagua?

Aconcagua.com reports that the fastest ascent of Aconcagua took place in February by Peruvian Holmes Pantoja Bayona. He went from basecamp to basecamp on the normal route from the Horcones Valley in 13 hours. This shattered the previous record by Willie Benegas of 23 hours. His diet during the climb/run consisted of chocolate bars.