Khumbu Icefall ladder crossing

Khumbu Icefall ladder crossing

One of many ladders placed to cross crevasses in the Khumbu Icefall on Mt. Everest. In early May 2008 I counted as many as 35 ladder crossings between Base Camp and Camp 1.
Kurt Wedberg
on Jun 9, 2008 11:19 am
Image Type(s): Alpine Climbing
Image ID: 411078

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eferesen

eferesen - Jul 25, 2008 9:56 pm - Hasn't voted

Infamous Ladders

I read about the infamous ladder in the book "into thin air".

Kurt Wedberg

Kurt Wedberg - Aug 5, 2008 10:09 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Infamous Ladders

The expeditions pay a group of Sherpas they call the "Ice Fall Doctors" to maintain the route through the ice fall. They're constantly rearranging ladders as the glacier shifts. It's a lot of work!

Deltaoperator17

Deltaoperator17 - Nov 11, 2008 4:56 pm - Voted 10/10

So you are headed. . .

So you are headed down in this pic? Awesome picture and background.

Cheers

S

Kurt Wedberg

Kurt Wedberg - Nov 17, 2008 6:19 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: So you are headed. . .

Yes I'm headed down in this photo. It is in the lower part of the Khumbu Icefall. There were several avalanches that came down from that area in the background but they didn't come across the route.

rmac10

rmac10 - May 26, 2009 4:24 pm - Hasn't voted

Ladder

OK, that does it! No climb of Everest for me! LOL. That ladder would fire off my acrophobia like crazy! Congrats on your climb... and may you have many more! I was shocked to read that a man my age--66--and from Washington State where I live, just summited Everest.

Kurt Wedberg

Kurt Wedberg - May 28, 2009 10:56 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Ladder

Yeah, the trick to crossing the ladders is to focus on the rungs of the ladder and NOT look past them to the abyss below.

jasonwb

jasonwb - Sep 29, 2009 1:57 pm - Hasn't voted

Harness?

are you in a harness? If you fell, what happens? I guess falling is not an option.

Kurt Wedberg

Kurt Wedberg - Oct 5, 2009 7:28 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Harness?

Yeah I'm wearing an alpine climbing harness and clipped into one of the ropes that is used as a hand line. If you fall you would go maybe 2 meters (with rope stretch) and you'd need a set up for ascending rope to get out unless you had someone nearby who could throw you a tag line.

Viewing: 1-8 of 8