SummitPost.org

Posted: **Fri Apr 18, 2014 12:08 pm**

Awful news from Mt. Everest: http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/18/world/asi ... ?hpt=hp_c2

Posted: **Fri Apr 18, 2014 1:31 pm**

More infos here http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2014/04/17/everest-2014-avalanche-near-camp-1-sherpa-deaths/#comment-32145

Posted: **Fri Apr 18, 2014 3:54 pm**

This is bad. There are 13 confirmed dead and another 4 missing, all Sherpas working for a variety of outfits. Earlier in the season a Peak Freeks sherpa died of HAPE. Unless those 4 are found alive*, this will be worst Everest year ever, and almost no clients have even made it past C1, so the season has hardly begun.

*Only HIMEX Sherpas carry avy beacons, so not much hope for the missing, who were not with HIMEX.

Death toll from Alan's page:

Jagged Globe, Pasang Karma, died from avalanche into Khumbu Icefall
Shangrila Nepal on NBC Everest Expedition, Mingma Nuru Sherpa, died from avalanche into Khumbu Icefall
Shangrila Nepal on NBC Everest Expedition, Dorji Sherpa, died from avalanche into Khumbu Icefall
Shangrila Nepal on AAI Everest Expedition, Ang Tshiri Sherpa, died from avalanche into Khumbu Icefall
Shangrila Nepal on AAI Everest Expedition, Nima Sherpa, died from avalanche into Khumbu Icefall
Adventure Consultants, Phurba Ongyal Sherpa, died from avalanche into Khumbu Icefall
Adventure Consultants, Lakpa Tenjing Sherpa, died from avalanche into Khumbu Icefall
Adventure Consultants, Chhiring Ongchu Sherpa, died from avalanche into Khumbu Icefall
Adventurist Everest, Dorjee Khatri, died from avalanche into Khumbu Icefall
Adventurist Everest, Dorjee Sherpa, died from avalanche into Khumbu Icefall
Adventurist Everest, Phur Temba Sherpa, died from avalanche into Khumbu Icefall
Pasang Karma Sherpa, died from avalanche into Khumbu Icefall
Himalayan Ecstasy Lhotse, Asman Tamang, died from avalanche into Khumbu Icefall

Posted: **Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:53 pm**

Looking at the pictures posted by macintosh, I'm surpirsed that there are not multiple avalanche deaths in that spot every year.

Posted: **Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:52 pm**

It was actually a serac collapse and apparently it has been an issue for several years. You can't really tell when a serac is going to go, but it has been frightening people for a while. In 2012 Russel Brice pulled his entire expedition out because the seracs in the area of the "popcorn field" were too dangerous. At the time Brice said he "expects an accident of catastrophic proportions to hit the icefall". 2 years later, its seems that has happened.

Posted: **Sat Apr 19, 2014 7:48 am**

Sunny Buns wrote:Would some avalanche control in the icefall at the start of the season help?

The 2014 event was an ice release, (technically not an avalanche), not snow, and when the serac hovering off the west Shoulder of Everest collapsed, it sent house sized ice blocks all over the route. This is different than a traditional snow avalanche that can be triggered to release by explosives. With hanging ice it may stay there for decades or fall tomorrow, there is no way of knowing or predicting.(sic)
http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2014/04/17/everest-2014-avalanche-near-camp-1-sherpa-deaths/

By the way, the American Alpine Club opened a special bank account in order to bring some support to the victims families. http://americanalpineclub.org/p/sherpa-support-fund

Update http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/mountaineering/The-Value-of-A-Sherpa-Life.html

Posted: **Sat Apr 19, 2014 4:41 pm**

UPDATE from today rescue in Khumbu Icefall. Helicopter and rescuers could be seen in the middle of this picture.

More pictures here
http://annapurnapost.com/en/news/social/6436/htm

Posted: **Sat Apr 19, 2014 5:02 pm**

Interview with Simone Moro on Everest tragedy
http://www.planetmountain.com/english/N ... eyid=41737
http://www.simonemoro.com/en

http://gripped.com/news/deadliest-day-e ... st-13-die/ -- Includes Video

Posted: **Sat Apr 19, 2014 5:55 pm**

KBurnett wrote:Looking at the pictures posted by macintosh, I'm surpirsed that there are not multiple avalanche deaths in that spot every year.

Most of the accidents on Khumbu icefall take place when climbers/sherpas fall into crevasses or get crushed due to serac collapses. This was not an ordinary avalanche as Alan Arnette explains in his article:

"The 2014 event was an ice release, (technically not an avalanche), not snow, and when the serac hovering off the west Shoulder of Everest collapsed, it sent house sized ice blocks all over the route. This is different than a traditional snow avalanche that can be triggered to release by explosives. With hanging ice it may stay there for decades or fall tomorrow, there is no way of knowing or predicting.(sic)"

Posted: **Sat Apr 19, 2014 6:35 pm**

What’s a tragedy!

Posted: **Sat Apr 19, 2014 9:24 pm**

Marcsoltan wrote:Most of the accidents on Khumbu icefall take place when climbers/sherpas fall into crevasses or get crushed due to serac collapses. This was not an ordinary avalanche as Macintosh explains:

"The 2014 event was an ice release, (technically not an avalanche), not snow, and when the serac hovering off the west Shoulder of Everest collapsed, it sent house sized ice blocks all over the route. This is different than a traditional snow avalanche that can be triggered to release by explosives. With hanging ice it may stay there for decades or fall tomorrow, there is no way of knowing or predicting.(sic)"

This is Alan Arnette's opinion as written on his site. Quæ sunt Cæsaris, Cæsari.