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On the summit, I was not expansive, not sublime; I felt like a frail human being. |
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| Photo Gallery | 8,000 Meter Peaks | Continent Summits |
Asia’s Mount Everest, 29,035 feet |
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The Nepalese side of Everest as seen from the famous trekking summit Kala Patar The right side of Everest’s black pyramid is the southwest face, and the left side is the upper part of the north face The snowy shoulder to the left of the black summit pyramid is Everest’s West Shoulder at 23,000 feet, and the foreground ridge leading out of the right side of the photo is the west ridge of Nuptse Just below the center of the photo’s left edge you can see the top of the Khumbu Icefall, which is draining from the Western Cwm between Everest and Nuptse The Khumbu Glacier is in the bottom of the photo |
| All Rise. Mount Everest is Earth’s highest peak, the highest peak in Asia, Earth’s largest continent, and the highest peak in both Nepal and China. No Earth-bound peak can top it! Those who think Everest is easy to climb have usually not been to the top of the “Big E.” Some glibly dismiss Everest with, “Oh! K2 is harder to climb than Everest!” Those folks have likely never been to the top of either peak, and most have never even seen these peaks. Set your prejudice aside, and take a good look at the photo. Then, take a fresh breath and hold it for three minutes while you stare at the photo. The discomfort you feel while holding your breath will be minor compared to the discomfort you will feel near Everest’s summit. Once, I held my breath for six minutes, and I would quickly accept that discomfort over Everest’s. If you can’t hold your breath for two to three minutes with aplomb, then you likely won’t be able to climb Everest. Just standing on the summit feels like running a six-minute mile. Movement, of course, only makes matters worse. The Big E has long since earned her reputation. |
| Take another look at the photo. The sky is black for a simple reason. There is not enough air up there to scatter light. There is not enough air up there to sustain human life for more than a few hours. If you flew from sea level and jumped out of a chopper onto Everest’s summit, you would die pronto. Actually, choppers can’t fly up there anyway. Perhaps you could arrange to jump from a balloon. However, if the balloon’s gondola were not pressurized, you would die before you got your chance to jump. If you solved that problem, you would still have to survive the jump. If the jump didn’t kill you, then you are back to the original problem. You would die pronto on the summit. |
| Gently set such silly techno porn aside. The locals call Everest “Chomolungma,” which means “Goddess Mother of the Snows.” Indeed, the Gods spend more time on Chomolungma than people do. If you travel to these heights, the Gods will touch you. My translation of Mallory’s answer to the why climb question is, “Because the Gods are there.” |
| I traveled to Chomolungma in 1976 with the American Bicentennial Everest Expedition. I was as fit as I have ever been. Muscle and bravado were not enough, I did not make it to the top, and retreated from the mountain in despair. I pondered Chomolungma’s lessons for seven years before returning in 1983 to make the summit. The Gods touched me, and I am still pondering those lessons. |
| – Gerry Roach |
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In Kathmandu, 1976 |
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On the approach march, 1976 Our permit was for the post monsoon season, which meant that we could not fly to Lukla Because of the permit’s late arrival, all of our personnel and equipment had to trek 180 miles from just outside Kathmandu to base camp Rain, leeches and mud were the norm as we walked through Nepal’s incredible lowland screnery Photo by Johnathan Wright |
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On the approach march, 1976 Photo by Johnathan Wright |
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On the approach march, 1976 After two weeks of marching, we reached the Dudh Kosi - the river in the Solo Khumbu valley - the waters of Everest We were still far from the peak, but even touching Everest’s melted snow was exciting, even spiritual Photo by Johnathan Wright |
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On the approach march, 1976 Sometimes the monsoon waters were almost more than we could deal with Photo by Johnathan Wright |
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In Namche Bazaar we rested and met more of the Sherpas who are certainly some of the friendliest people in the world |
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Our approach march continued above Namche and we began to acclimate to higher
altitudes Photo by Johnathan Wright |
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Above base camp we entered the dreaded Khumbu Icefall Along with the danger came scenes of incredible beauty This dawn shot is of Sherpa Ang Phurba and Hans Bruyntjes with Pumori behind |
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In the Western Cum with Nuptse looming overhead |
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In the Western Cum with Everest looming overhead |
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Gerry at Camp III, midway up the Lhotse face at 24,000 feet Photo by Johnathan Wright |
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Frank Morgan in the South Col at 26,000 feet Photo by Peter Pilafian |
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Leaving high camp on the summit climb as Makalu watches Bob Cormack and Chris Chandler made the summit on October 8th, 1976 My second summit team made the South Col the next day, but alas, events and weather conspired to keep us from reaching the summit Photo by Chris Chandler |
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Back in Kathmandu in my first staredown with the eyes of Buddha at the Monkey Temple My failure to climb Everest devastaed me |
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I resolved to try again on a lower peak and went to Manaslu in 1978 It snowed 50 feet in 50 days, and alas, nobody made the summit |
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Back in Kathmandu in my second staredown with the eyes of Buddha |
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I resolved to try yet again on Tibet’s Xixabangma in 1981 Events transpired and seemingly conspired, and once again my search for the summit of one of Earth’s highest peaks eluded me |
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This time there was no stare down - the only thing left to do was meditate |
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Time passed, but the pull of the Himalaya remained strong |
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The pull of the Himalaya is very strong |
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Other events transpired, and I found myself landing in Lukla in the spring of 1983 |
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This time, treking up the Khumbu took on a deeper flavor |
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Ama Dablam watched my return to the Tangboche Monestary |
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The message from the chortens remembering six lost Sherpas was especially potent |
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Nuptse watched my return to the Triumvirate |
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After a windy winter, Everest was quite black |
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The 1983 Seven Summits Expedition was the imagination child of Dick Bass (L) and Frank Wells (R), here being interviewed by Rick Ridgeway |
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My return to the dangerous Khumbu Icefall was full of hope |
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The happy moment when we topped the Khumbu Icefall |
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Gary Neptune at Camp I above the Khumbu Icefall in 1983 |
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Back in the Western Cum |
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Ang Rita at Camp II |
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Back in the South Col The Big E still taunted all comers with her plume |
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Looking down at the South Col and across at Lhotse during my 1983 summit climb |
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Gerry on top of Everest on May 7th, 1983 Photo by Dave Breashears |
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Gerry on top of Everest on May 7th, 1983 What have we learned? Breathe from the diaphragm Drink lots of water Take small steps Stay smart Stay spiritual Photo by Dave Breashears |
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Ang Rita and Pete Jamieson on top of Everest Photo by Dave Breashears |
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Gerry with Old Glory on top of Everest Photo by Dave Breashears Presented courtesy of ABC Sports Swirl by Gerry Roach |
| Photos by Gerry Roach unless otherwise indicated | |
Copyright © 2001-2023 by Gerry Roach. All Rights Reserved. |
