Everest 2021 Update – Siggi Bjarni – 6th May
An Everest update from Sigurdur Bjarni Sveinsson, climbing with Angs Himalayan Adventures – 6th May.
“Upper part of Western CWM is very dramatic landscape. You climb up the broken icefall, tired, hot and fighting the altitude at 6000m. Then you reach a plateau where the icefall breaks and drops into the Khumbu valley
“This is like a upper part of a waterfall but frozen in Ice. The big rapids are massive crevasses that span up to 20m wide.
“In order to get to camp1 you zigzag these crevasses, tiptoe over snow bridges, rappel in and climb out. All this in high altitude, with big packs and hard to avoid the burning sun.
“I’ve heard many critics on Everest, the “tourist mountain” a walk in the park, a long hill stroll, and all kinds of big words. After making the plan to go to Everest I started to get curious and excited to feel for my self, what the climb to the highest mountain meant. After my rotation, pushing body, mind and spirit I’ve realised this is a big stage… none will get up there without a suffer and mental push. The mountain makes me humble and my respect to the locals that make it look so easy is enormous.
“But don’t be fooled, the Sherpas have a different mindset, appealing characteristics but they still need to do the heavy haul and same routes we feel so much.
“It’s not only Sherpas and the average tourist here testing them self on the mountain. You will find yourself among the strongest climbers in the world waiting to their chance to test their strength.
“There are many ways to climb a mountain and to test your abilities, some costs more than others, and some are harder than others…
“but “tourist mountain” my ass…”
