Summiting Mount Everest

Hello and Namaste everyone from Mt Everest Base Camp. This is it. Our first team to the summit of Mt Everest happened on the 18^th - 19th of May. We left in the evening time of 2300 hours, leaving the tents of the South Col, 7,900 meters in height. Most of the other teams took off from the Col between 1900 hours and 2000 hours. We left 3 hours later to try and not get caught in the traffic jams that has happened in the past around the Balcony and in front of the famous Hillary Step. My team of 2 clients were AB from Australia and George from Cyprus. I had 3 other clients with me at the Col that night, Mark from South Africa, Steve from Australia and John from Canada, they were poised to come with us on the first summit push but needed to rest the next day to make the best attempt for the their summit moment. Unfortunately the winds picked up and their attempt did not look good, so Tim, who  was  down in Base Camp and getting worldwide weather reports from Becky back in Canada,  asked them to return back to camp 2 to rest a few days for their second attempt starting on the 22^nd of May from camp 2. 

Now back to our first attempt with AB and George……..it was an amazing remaining hour of the evening, we quickly caught up with the rest of the teams, feeling strong and focused. We started to wait longer then we wanted in the queue lines. Up until then, we had a good pace and we were on target to summit before 0800 hours. All was good, but then the slowness of others kicked us in the sides and we waited and waited. 

This is Everest in the moderns times these days, many people reaching out for the narrow opening from the weather so that we human beings can reach the highest point on the earth and get down safely. Up until reaching the back of the queue, I was climbing without oxygen, around 8,200 meters (26,902 feet) and  feeling good, but then having to slow down our pace and with me being a professional guide and guiding my clients, I need to go onto oxygen to go slower and stay warm. I know it sounds the opposite of what oxygen should be used for but to deal with high altitude I have learned to move quickly to keep my feet warm. I have speed ascents of Aconcagua 6 hours and 13 minutes in 1989, Cho Oyu in 2001 with 10 hours 45 minutes and with Everest in 2008 from Base Camp to the Balcony in 11 hours and 30 minutes. From experience I know how to survive above 8000 meters (26,246 feet) and I know how to take care of my clients in this realm, so the slower one goes the more issues the human race will have above the death zone. So on we travel towards the Balcony. 

Nikki Nash

Nikki Nash is a Marketing Manager at Intel by day and the Editor in Chief of The Rising Professionalista, a fashion and lifestyle site for career women, by night.  Prior to Intel, Nikki worked at Starcom-MediaVest where she managed print media for a number of Kraft Foods brands and at magazines such as Travel + Leisure and InStyle in sales and marketing. She has also completed consulting projects for global companies based in China and India. Nikki earned her B.A. in English from St. Joseph’s University and her M.B.A. from Howard University. To hear more from Nikki, you can follow her on Twitter @NashNikki.

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