Mallory Family in Base Camp

Picture taken by Dan Mazur of Summit Climb

Everyone is safe

The family is at base camp or hiking down from base camp. They should be in Lukla in the next few days. Then back to Kathmandu where Dan and the family will try and get an early flight home. I can hardly wait to see them, hold them and hear all the stories.
Mike is safely down at base camp. He was the last person in the Summit Climb group to try for the summit. He successfully reached the summit before running into difficulty.
A huge thanks to Summit Climb staff for keeping everyone safe. You are awesome!!

Video Coverage of the Summit

Message From Team Mallory

To climb the highest mountain in the world at 29,029 ft. (8848 meters) requires tremendous mental and physical effort. Only the most dedicated climbers in the world attempt it.

On May 26, 2008, Dan Mallory and sons Adam age 25, Alan age 23, and on May 27, daughter Laura age 20, were successful in reaching the top of Mt. Everest, the world's highest mountain. Laura is now Canada's youngest female summiter and, with her father and brothers, part of a family of 4 to reach the summit.

Adam, Alan, and Dan left high camp on the South Col at 8:30 pm in a strong cold wind to begin the final ascent traveling all night by headlamp reaching the summit at 8:15 am the following morning. After resting an extra day at Camp 4, Laura left for her summit climb at 7:00 pm similarly climbing all night to summit the following morning at 9:00 am.

The challenges are extreme, the risks are great, but the rewards on the top looking over the world are beyond words. We are looking forward to our return home to family and friends.

Dan, Adam, Alan, Laura

Europcopter

I was going to publish in the last blog that helicopter rescue above Base Camp had only occurred once but I thought I should check the internet first. The following is from GreatOutdoors.com June 2005.
http://www.greatoutdoors.com/published/helicopter-on-everest-makes-history#comment-137
Heretofore, the summit of Everest was utterly out of reach for helicopters. In fact, just landing at base camp, 10,000 feet lower, was considered a life endangering feat. Several attempts resulted in crashes. KC Madan, a Nepalese military pilot , became a hero when he landed his machine at Camp II to rescue Beck Weathers and Makalu Gau after the 1996 tragedy. Now, pilot Didier Delsalle has landed on the summit, where he remained for two minutes.
I was absolutely amazed.

Death Zone

The area at Camp 4 (approximately 8000 m or 26, 000 ft.) and above is known as the Death Zone. At this altitude the human body loses its ability to acclimatize and the body’s cells slowly deteriorate and die. The longer a person stays at this altitude the more likely high altitude cerebral or pulmonary edema or death will occur. Frostbite of exposed body parts is common. Both body and mind are in slow motion. High winds and slippery icy slopes add to the danger. At the summit, there is two thirds less oxygen than at sea level.

Mike

Summit news reports that 5 sherpas are helping Mike descend down the Lhotse face to camp 2.