Up and Down !

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When getting to high altitude, climbers have to face low oxygen level and harsh weather. Combined with fatigue and the toughness of a strenuous terrain, having the right gear is essential. Insulation, lightweight and compressiblility are the required properties to always be safe in the heights.

Down filling garment and gear are the choice made by adventurers and mountain climbers when they takle big mountains. Actually, down is the fluffy layer that most birds have underneath the feathers. Down provides warmth and comfort while feathers provide an efficient outer against wet conditions and cold temperatures. It has tremendous insulation properties as down traps the heat of the body in its clusters - or barbules. When it lofts, the heat is trapped and provides the suitable insulation while wicking the excess body moisture to keep you dry. That's why down gear (especially jacket and sleeping bags) are prefered to synthetic fibers for its unbeattable performance on insualtion, longevity, compressibility and weight. It is an amazing natural fiber you can rely on in any outdoor activity.

Goose and duck down are used by outfitters to fill their technical garments. Grey Goose down is considered to have the highest performance, the highest loft and an exceptionnal longevity. The quality of the down is rated in cubic inches also called CUIN. The higher it gets, the better is the quality of your down. The range varies from 400 to 800 cubic inches - or fluffing capacity - and should be combined with the proportion - or % - of down / feathers to rate the insulation. The label of your garment, jacket or sleeping bag should mention a rate of, for exemple, 95 / 5 which means, 95% down and 5% feather - that is the highest performance possible. If you have no specification of that rate, it may indicate that the CUIN is under 400 cubic inches and that your garment contains low proportion of down. Duck down is also very commonly prefered as it is far cheaper but the quality does not meet the requirements of goose down. The number of compartments that trap the down in the construction of your garment is also an essential information ; they are here to maintain the down in place keeping on insulating along your body. Finally the outer should be lightweight, have an impermable to down liner, resilient and wick efficiently the moisture ... surely, choosing a sleeping bag or a down jacket for your next big mountain trip will give you a taste of the altitude sickness headache !

Same down jacket on the spot ! ... on Cho Oyu summit - Everest in background -

To keep your garment for a lifetime, take good care of it. Store it in a dark and dry place out of its compression bag to allow the down to fully loft. Wash on delicate program - wahsing machine is OK - with no other garment and temble dry on mild temperature with 2/3 tennis ball to help restoring the loft - refer your label for more details. Always use the LOFT DOWN WASH non-detergent NIKWAX product to maintain loft and performance to always enjoy your passion of climbing in altitude in fluffy warm gear.

Highest Cricket Game ...

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Wednesday, July 1st. 6:00 pm.

I rushed in the crowded London underground at the worst time of the day and on the worst line that ever works (when it works) in London, Victoria Line, to head South to The Oval Cricket Club for the Nokia Everest Test.

Entrance 10£ + a couple of beers and some crisps to keep me waiting for the big show. In a large conference room about 30 photos of all sizes were on display on boards, chairs and tables. A Macintosh was connected to its projector for an expected film of the fabulous game. I was excited and I couldn't wait for the team to make me dream and to give us a taste of that stunning Everest Region.

But nothing of that happened ... No presentation of the team, no interested film - that no one was watching, more preoccupied by their beer - no explanation of the charity challenge, no speach of the photographer to give the story behing the shoots ... no dream at all. Just beer and nibbles with a running film that was displaying the TV and radio coverage of the event. So disappointing !

Expedition leader Richard Kirtley, in black suit and tie, had a 15mn talk to thank all sponsors and urged everyone to buy photos - that were very nice actually - Another adventurer and speaker, also made a 10mn speech ... and that was all !

Well, ordinary people like me, would have loved to understand why such an idea grew up in the team mind. The story behind the scene. The facts behind the words and internet pages. The charity Challenge and the encounters when at Gorak Shep ... Sherpa people are so nice and welcoming ! But nothing of that happened ... such a shame !

Then the next day, i showed up at the Sir Ranulph Fiennes Everest Climb for Marie Curie Cancer Care where I had to meet both local and oxygen supplier Partners that were stunt by the presentation performed : http://www.everestchallenge.org.uk/

Highest Cricket Match at Everest Base Camp : photo showcase

What an idea ? Only insane or genius minds could have imagined such an event ... the highest cricket match in the world at the feet of Everest. Last may a bunch of enthusiastic players (in fact 15 per team + the support and cheering team) played the most ambitious cricket match between Team Tenzing and Team Hillary. Gorak Shep (last village below Everest Base Camp from Nepal side) was turned into a playground field at 5165m altitude just below the Everest Base Camp where all expeditions were gazing at the summit of Everest in the hope to get a weather window to climb ...

On 1st of July 2009, the team is back with photos. I would not miss such an occasion to see the pictures as I was in Kathmandu (Nepal) at that time of the year. Don't miss it as well ! Let's meet on Wednesday 1st July 2009 from 7 to 9pm at The Ashes Suite @ Brit Oval - Surrey County Cricket Club - London SE11 5SS - Entry : £10

Further info on the website : http://www.theeveresttest.com

If you pop in, text me from there at 07903749740 to share a good moment and get the pleasure to meet some addicted bloggers.

Training indoor for mountains ? Get treadmill addicted.

Reach Summit | www.reachsummit.com | Mountain climbing peaks in everest region

Most of us have no time to train. No time to get climbing in altitude. Having a city life really plays havoc on our everyday training to tackle altitude peaks. Gym is always the best way to remain fit and increase stamina before climbing mountains. Running on treadmill is sometimes one of the best solution to keep on improving stamina, to increase the cardio performance and to reach goals on efforts. Start with easy workout program at least 5 mounths before putting up crampons to be physically and mentally prepared.


1 - Get an Incline

To simulate the resistance of the terrain and the effort you will need to climb uphill, progressively increase incline throughout the work and adjust the incline regularly to gain greater endurance and to strengthen your heart.

2 - Monitor your cardio condition

Use a heart rate monitor to focus on your heart-rate to help you adapt your training program. Always try to keep your heart rate low and steady even when increasing incline and speed throughout the work.

3 - Increase speed

The incline gives you the sensations of outdoor training sessions and build your stamina but increasing speed helps to challenge yourself and to push limits as if you were on a mountain trip. Start at moderate speed and speed up your pace to increase your cardio performance. Keep on monitoring your heart rate and try to maintain your beat rate as low as possible.

4 - Eat, drink and breathe

Eat 4 hours before your training session. Carbohydrates, heart healthy fats (fish oil) and proteins will help muscles to stay healthy. Drink a lot to avoid exhaustion and muscle pain. Breathing properly is also essential to maintain continuous work and to ease the oxygen transfer to red blood cells. In altitude, the lack of oxygen will harm your boby and reduce the oxygenation. Having a regular running program will help you keep a comfortable breathing pace and optimize the process of adding oxygen to the red blood cells that feed your muscles. Never forget to stretch after each running exercise and practise some yoga to learn how to breathe properly.

Running on treadmill may not be as fun as running on the outdoor but will surely build up your endurance. The incline is not as good as walking uphill but can simulate a generous uphill climb. After some time, weight a bag and start your running program with a loaded rucksack, 4 Kgs would be nice as it is the exact weight of the oxygen cylinder you will have to carry when tackling the 45/50° slopes on Everest :) !

Expedition : Climb Everest in 2010
Gear : Some heart rate monitor by Suunto

Gore-Tex technology to always keep you dry in the outdoors

Reach Summit | www.reachsummit.com | Tailor made trips for Adventure seekers.

Goretex is a patented micro-porous membrane designed for outdoor activities and developped to provide waterproofness, breathbility, durability, and lightweight to all manufactured garment.

Looking to hike in a windy, wet and cold weather ? the Goretex lining shell is the right choice to stay warm and dry. The membrane originally created by Bill Gore in the sixtees, have the ability to wick the moisture and to relase the extra body heat generated by the sportive activity. The outer fabric of your garment is also designed to remain water-repellent and to prevent rain to soak the fabric. Comfort and protection are garanteed even in very harsh weather. The membrane is manufactured with PTFE fluoropolymer (Polytetraflourethylene -don't twist your tongue !) and its micropores are 20,000 times smaller than a water droplet, but 700 times larger than a water vapor molecule allowing the moisture to be released while preventing the rain to permeate the garment.

The membrane is not only an extra layer added to your garment, it is laminated into the fabric to improve the breathability and the lightness. With the demanding expectations of sportive activities, Goretex has adapted its technology to suit all kinds of requirements : mountain biking, alpinism, running ... all these activites demand specific adaptations to suit every expectation. Goretex has then adapted its outers in creating specific layers : extra-lightweight (Paclite technology), stretch, anti-abrasive (XCR technology), windproof (wind stopper technology) ... The laminated Goretex layer is now incorporated to all kinds of fabric to increase waterproofing and breathability. Jackets but also shoes, gloves, beanies, trousers, hats ... well, any kind of garment can now get the benefit of this amazing membrane that gives you the garantee to remain dry at all times.

The best innovation that maximize the performance of your outwear is the seam taping process. Every seam and needle holes are taped to prevent any leaking, keeping the garment fully waterproof. It is essentiel that no holes should be made as percing the membrane will inevitably ruin the effectiveness of the Goretex membrane. While buying your garment in a shop, always insure that the security tag is located either on the colar label or on the soften part of the zipper, never in the garment itself ! but mountain and trekking shops know this and pay extra care to provide you the best quality.

Finally, a serie of tests and processes insure the quality and the high performance of the membrane that is now used by all major sportive brands.

Ice Axe : Stopping a slide with the self arrest technique

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The ice axe is indispensable in mountaineering walk and choosing the right one is as important as having the right crampons to suits the mountain terrain. Long ice axe can be used as walking sticks to provide more stability on icy routes. It is also a useful security tool to stop a slide on any type of snow slopes. As soon as you slide, strongly grab the head of your axe, keeping it close to your body with the adze kept hight on the chest just under your shoulder on one hand and with the other hand fermly hold the shaft to provide stability. Then roll yourself on the side to finally face the slope to push the pick into the snow. Apply a pressure with your shoulder and put all your body weight on the head of your pick to dig it into the snow. Dont forget to adapt the pressure : pushing too hard and you may loose your axe, not enough pressure and you will keep on sliding. Strongly grab your axe to avoid losing it in the process. The head of your ice axe also has a hole in which you can attach a sling to be placed around your wrist or clipped with a carrabiner to your harness (adapt the length of the sling to advoid any restraint and don't make it too long as it could hook your climbing gear).


If your head is facing downhill during your fall, twist your body to find the right position using your ice axe as a pivot to quickly get your feet first. If you are wearing crampons, get your feet up and never try to arrest yourself using your points to prevent a spill down,loosing control of the maneuver or increasing
the risk of any major injuries.

To step up the effectiveness of this technique, the pick of your ice axe should be placed backwards to the walking direction. In case of slide, placing the pick directly into the snow take less time to accomplish.

Never rely on the self arrest technique only and avoid using it on slopes over 40 degrees as it will only be fully efficient on moderate steep snow slopes. What type of ice axe to use ? The CE and UIAA certification determine the strength and durability of your pick : B means Basic rating and T Technical rating (letters are in a circle printed on the shaft of your ice axe - see above photo). The T rating insure that your pick meets stringent criterias that makes it suitable for self arrest technique.

Final advice, always buy your pick in a climbing store and practice the self arrest technique with a professional climber.

Bad weather on Everest

After a slight lull in the snowfall last week that enables climbers to reach the summit of Everest, EBC is now experiencing heavy snowfall.

The weather keeps on deteriorating each day and no sign of improvement is expected. Hundreds of climbers are stuck either at EBC or in Lhukla waiting to catch their flight back to Kathmandu. All flights from Lukla have been cancelled and 300 - or more - climbers are on their way to Lukla whereas the weather is unlikly to improve. North side is also under the turmoils as massive storm has hit the mountain and Base camp delaying the return to BC.

Few weeks ago a Sherpa died in an avanlance on the icefall. This tragedy brings out the dangerousness of the tracks winding along the glacier leaving climbers totally vulnerable when crossing crevasses and climbing laders under those impressive hanging seracs.


The early degradation of the weather may be due to cyclone Alia that hits eastern India and Bangladesh yesterday.Normally, monsoon time is only expected from the second week of june. The alteration of the weather is also attributed to the climate change : impredictable rainfall, early monsoon - or late as we experience in kathmandu now -, heavy droughts during the dry season are the sign that climate is changing.

Even in Kathmandu the weather seems to have turned crasy. After months without a drop of water, leaving the population without water and electricity (which is supplyied by hydraulic energy), the city is now experiencing heavy rainfall everyday sustained by dreadful storms.

Summit Everest : Walk, Fat Boy, walk !

When you tackle the slopes of Everest (South), bear in mind that distances between camps require that you remain fit, well-trained and mentally prepared to achieve long days of strenuous walk. If altitude sickness does not kick in too early ...

Base Camp to Camp 1 > +/- 4 hours
Camp 1 to Camp 2 > +/- 5/6 hours
Camp 3 to Camp 4 > +/- 8/10 hours
Camp 4 to Summit > +/- 12/14 hours + descent +/- 6 hours

Reach Summit | Everest Expedition 2010

Altitude Mountain Sickness : when altitude makes me sick !

Reach Summit | www.reachsummit.com | Tailor made trips for Adventure seekers

Altitude sickness, also called Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) affects the body in low air pressure conditions in high altitudes where atmospheric pressure conditions is lower than at sea level. A change in weather or temperature affects barometric pressure and the level of oxygen molecules available in the air you breathe. The surrounding environment has a role to play. Cold, heat, wind or wetness affect trekkers or climbers exposed to altitude. Dehydration, fatigue, strenuous exercise and even anxiousness can also increase the developpment of AMS.

How to explain AMS ? There is no definite cause. But, we know that the low level of oxygen molecules in high altitude generates hyperventilation. Even if altitude is an important factor, the speed in which you ascend has a significant influence in the development of AMS symptoms. Remember not to get too high too fast !

As you gain altitude, the barometric pressure decreases. Even though the air still contains 21% oxygen, the molecules expand and every breath you take contains fewer molecules of oxygen to feed the body with the necessary fuel. As a consequence, you breath deeper and also faster to get the same level of oxygen molecules as you need at sea level pressure. This phenomenom is named Hypoxia with lungs getting less efficient to absorb oxygen.

AMS can appear from approx. altitude 2500 m and the body has to adjust itself in a slow process of acclimatazation. Extra days in your trip itinerary always helps the body to get used to low pressure and lack of oxygen. As it is difficult to determine who may be affected by altitude sickness, it is highly recommanded to improve your stamina and lungs capacity by training regularly (running, biking, swimming ...), getting a gradual acclimatization and sufficient rest to avoid altitude sickness. Surprisingly, AMS is often more likely to strike young, healthy and sportive climbers ! Why ? They usually prefer to attempt a rapid ascent by climbing up rapidly, challenging themselves. Both genders are affected equally and the age has no influence on AMS. Doing a test of effort is often the only way to know if you are sensitive to altitude sickness.

The main symptoms are :

- Headache or dizziness
- Increasing of breathing rate
- Nausea and vomitting
- Swelling of the face, hands, feet
- Loss of apetite
- Insomnia
- Persitent drowsiness during the day, weakness, fatigue
- Shortness of breath or irregular breathing
- Loss of coordination

At 3,600 metres (12,500 feet) there is approx. 45% fewer oxygen molecules per breath than at sea level and i f AMS is not treated these above mentionned symptoms can rapidly turn into Pulmonary edema (HAPE) - with fluid in the lungs - or celebral edema (HACE) - with swelling of the brain -.

To improve oxygen delivery to the blood, the heart beats more quickly and strongly, the breath gets deeper and quicker and the marrow produce more red blood cells to transport the oxygen to the main organs and to provide oxygen to the whole body. As a consequence, the blood gets much thicker and it increases the risks of AMS. To prevent AMS, climbers should not gain too much altitude in one day to reach the upper camp for the night - not more than 700 metres altitude / about 1000 feet -. Getting some rest is mandatory. Alcohol, sleeping pills, cigarets are respiratory depresssant and increase the disturbance in breathing and sleeping.

toes frostbite

How to detect the early signs of AMS ? The inability to control arms motions, the lack of coordination, strong headache that can not be cured with aspirin, sometimes retinal hemorrhagies, general confusion or when stumbling while walking must urge you to get back to lower altitude as soon as possible. If this simple rule is not respected, AMS can progress in severity and rapidly turn into edema. Some medicines can improve AMS symptoms as Diamox. This medicine has to be taken at least 3/5 days before ascent but side effects can be noticed as tingling in hands and feet that can hide frostbite problems, nausea and the increase of urination frequency as Diamox is a diuretic. Viagra is also sometimes used and appears to be effective in preventing AMS ... among other things ! When mild Altitude Sickness get severe, dexamethasone can be provided and a quick descent is strongly recommanded. With Pulmonary edema, lungs slowly fill with water hindering the oxygen transfer to the red blood cells and climbers drown in their own fluid. With Cerebral edema, the brain swells with heavy shivering, poor decision making, stiff muscles or painful cramps and strong feeling of cold.

What to do then ?

- drink at least 4/5 liters of liquid per day
- get in a gamow bag : portable compression bag
- give oxygen
- administer suitable medicament as Diamox or similar (with doctor prescription and beforehand instructions)
- get warm (drink and eat hot, change wet clothes, build a shelter ...)

For further details about AMS, consult the IFREMMONT website, Institute of Mountain Doctors in Chamonix, France.

To treat light symptoms of AMS you need : enough rest, lots of fluids - tea, juice, water ... -, and analgesics as paracetamol or aspirin. In all cases, do not climb any higher and get to lower altitude with immediate descent !

EVEREST 2009 | Clear garbage from Everest next year

Reach Summit | Trip organiser, on Everest in 2009

All Everest expedition Teams are now moving to South Side in 2009. According to recent news, China has planned to clean Everest from all garbage preventing all expeditions from organising climbing trips next year. Even big companies that were used to run through Tibet are now moving to South via Nepal through the Khumbu Valley.

Read what the Tibet China Information says in their former article posted few months ago:

The Tibet Autonomous Regional Environmental Protection Agency plans to cooperate with the Tibet Mountaineering School in the first half of 2009 to to conduct a comprehensive clean-up of Everest ...

Read more >

NEPAL | Monsoon season, singing in the rain !

www.reachsummit.com | Tailor-Made trips for Adventure seekers

From mid-may till mid-september in southern Asia, the moist air coming from the Indian Ocean gets through the sub-continent covering India, Nepal, Buthan and all the countries of the region of heaving rain shouwers and storms. These air masses slidding up to the North are stopped by the impressive himalayan range living tibet and the Southern China very dry climate. Monsoon refers the seasonal winds blowing from the Indian Ocean and Arabian coast bringing heavy rainfall throughout Asia.


Here in Nepal the heavy rainfalls start from early afternnon and stops only at night. Then roads and streets are completly under water ! Originally, the name monsoon, comes from an arabic word that refers to the seasons and the changing climate that goes with it. The monsoon starts about 20 millions years ago with the uplift of the Tibetan plateau and began to interact with the ocean approximatively 5 millions years ago to turn into the seasonnal monsoon we know nowdays.

Even if you are a fierce trekker, forget your breathable waterproof goretex lining trekking shoes when experiencing the monsoon's heavy showers but do prefer the extreme-breathable-floatable-rubber-made flip flop instead !

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NEWS | Everest Expedition 2009, we climb from South Side (Nepal)

Shadow of Everest at the back -View from Kala Pattar

| Khumbu Valley | Nepal

Uncertainties on the Tibet Side this year (due to Chinese restrictions) urged Reach Summit to change its plan and re-route the expedition through Nepal.

We are happy to have sorted out all transfers and to inform you that the expedition planned from the Khumbu Valley is fully operationnal. Thank you to the climbers who confirmed their place dispite the change of itinerary !

We still provide : Full Board Service, 1 sherpa per climber (Ratio 1:1) and 5 bottles of oxygen. We also are the ONLY expedition that propose Alan Hinkes, first Briton to reach the 14 highest 8000ers as your leading guide on the mountain. Don't wait too long and discover the new itinerary.

Further details > HERE