Lhotse Couloir skied

[North]

Great short. Wasn't aware of Jim's family background - can't imagine recovering from something like that, let alone thriving.

Such a baller line by that final Sherpa: "Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Manaslu....you?"

[splat]

Wait? Is Hilaree Nelson the former Hilaree O'Neill?

[byates1]

didn't this happen last year? wtf. supra cool!

[tino_]

didn't this happen last year? wtf. supra cool!

Yeah it happened last fall, North Face just released the video on it today. Definitely worth the watch

[byates1]

yeah i know. dry wit.

[byates1]

it's like the long awaited supra

[jmedslc]

Wow.
Cannot be overstated how big of an accomplishment that is. The real deal.
Thx for posting!

'And you?' :-D

same here./..thanks for posting. so awesome

[swissiphic]

Mind blown.

That Jeremy Jones quote: "If you think of all the thousands of little things that need to line up for that to happen, and not only to succeed but to get it in, in what I would call Himalayan A+ conditions, it's truly a mini miracle."

I think those of us who've spent a lifetime gettin' after it and have set long term goals of ski line objectives quantum leap levels lower than the Lhotse Couloir, can relate; waiting years or even decades for the full bright green light...brought a tear to my eye to see all those external factor/environmental stars align for them and all the human body/brain/mind/soul elements to be in their right places as well. Unreal accomplishment, thanks for posting that vid.

[Danno]

that was rad

[uglymoney]

Simply amazing people and accomplishment. Most people in the world can watch this and have no clue that mountains half that size are more challenge than most 'mountaineers' can tackle. Great video.

[bodywhomper]

Amazing feat (!!) and good capturing of the action and interviews in the short film.

The vid brought to light some items that I was not aware of and may have incorrect:
-expedition style climb versus alpine style?
-the entire ascent was fixed by the climbing sherpas?
-supplemental O2?

I remember when Chin and Koch unsuccessfully attempted an alpine style ascent/descent of the hornbein route (if I remember correct). Their style could have been one factor for their lack of success.

Hearing about Morrison’s horrible family loss reminded me of the similar loss that E. Hillary (sp?) experienced.

[AK47bp]

Amazing. That could of been made into a 2 hour movie or a series of 1 hour episodes easily, I’d of loved to learn and see more about this accomplishment.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[total_immortal]

I read an interview a while back about their ski and they discussed some of your questions. I would link it but I can't remember where I read it. If I recall these are some answers:

-expedition style climb versus alpine style?

This was alpine style. They had a small group of Sherpas, two photographers and themselves. They were the only group in the Western Cwm.

-the entire ascent was fixed by the climbing sherpas?

More or less, they followed closely behind the lead sherpas who set the fixed rope. The entire group summitted at the same time including the lead sherpas.

-supplemental O2?

Their initial goal was to not use O2, but they ended up using it because their pace was too slow and I think Hilary was having trouble with cold hands.

[Boissal]

I read an interview a while back about their ski and they discussed some of your questions. I would link it but I can't remember where I read it. If I recall these are some answers:

This was alpine style. They had a small group of Sherpas, two photographers and themselves. They were the only group in the Western Cwm.

Not to nitpick too much but you can't go alpine style and have sherpas + fixed lines and O2 (? on the latter). That was definitely expedition style, not anywhere near as heavy handed as what happens in the spring with the hordes of barely-in-shape dentist but still expedition style. Alpine means crossing the Khumbu without ladders and booting to the summit without a minitrax on a fixed lines. I doubt 2 people as experience as they are would entertain the confusion and IMO it doesn't take away from their insane accomplishment.

[bodywhomper]

I agree that it does not detract from their accomplishment and is part of the reason for their success.

[doebedoe]

You're treating expedition vs alpine style as a binary. It's a continuum.

I bet even Killian and Steck on their Everest attempts used ladders in the Khumbu.

[total_immortal]

You're treating expedition vs alpine style as a binary. It's a continuum.

I bet even Killian and Steck on their Everest attempts used ladders in the Khumbu.

Exactly, when I think of 8000ers I consider what they did alpine style. Using the standard of not using ladders in the ice fall then I don't think there has ever been an "alpine" style climb of Everest from the Western Cwm. If we're getting into semantics perhaps they did it in "expedition style" as opposed to "siege style" that your average dentist does.

[Boissal]

You're treating expedition vs alpine style as a binary. It's a continuum.

I bet even Killian and Steck on their Everest attempts used ladders in the Khumbu.

Continuum? To some extent but nobody is going to claim an alpine ascent in these conditions without getting called out on it. It makes no difference if the ladders and fixed ropes have been in place for the whole season or were installed 15 minutes earlier. They clearly weren't carrying the entirety of the supplies to camp 3 either. Again, they were there to ski the couloir, not to do a fall ascent in alpine style followed by a ski descent. I doubt they were as concerned about their ascent's style as they were about getting there with enough in the tank to ski safely and not tomahawk 7000' in the bergschrund.
I'm sure both of them have summitted Lhotse and Everest in as good a style as possible before.
Killian and Steck probably used whatever was in place to access the base of new routes they wanted to do in alpine style. I doubt they considered getting to camp 2 or 3 as part of the new lines themselves, just the approach to high camp. Semantics I know...

[doebedoe]

Continuum?

https://lmgtfy.com/?q=continuum

I don't see Hillary or Jim claiming it was pure alpine style.

[Boissal]

https://lmgtfy.com/?q=continuum

I don't see Hillary or Jim claiming it was pure alpine style.

Sigh...
I'm familiar with the concept of a continuum which I don't think is particularly applicable to alpine vs expedition. Alpine style is pretty clear cut. Whether the definition applies to Everest and other traditionally sieged peaks is a different issue.

Regardless, I didn't say Hillary/Jim claimed anything about their ascent, I was responding to a post (#89) above stating it was alpine style. As I said earlier, I doubt Hillary/Jim were in it for the purity of the ascent style and the fact that they got there and back safety is really all that matters.

[total_immortal]

I'll own up to using that sloppy language. I agree it wasn't a true alpine style climb, but it wasn't a full expedition/siege either. I think it kinda falls into a grey area where it was a small team, alone in the western cwm, where Jim and Hillary were carrying loads and contributing to building camps and fixing the ice fall. Their hands weren't held to the top, they played an important role in the expedition beyond simply climbing and skiing.

[hafjell]

Sorry if this is mentioned earlier in the thread, but Totally Deep podcast interviews them after the trip. Very cool discussion of the gear used. She basically bought her boots, had them fitted in the CO shop in the summer, got on the plane, put them on at basecamp, climbed and then skied them with the only break-in from the climb. Great endorsement of Blizzard.
Also, makes the endeavor even more impressive, imo. (Jumaring fixed lines that the Sherpas put in for them makes it very much not an alpine ascent, but that's beside the point.) She climbed most of Everest, then skied that couloir in new gear. Fabulous accomplishment.

[Boissal]

Sorry if this is mentioned earlier in the thread, but Totally Deep podcast interviews them after the trip. Very cool discussion of the gear used. She basically bought her boots, had them fitted in the CO shop in the summer, got on the plane, put them on at basecamp, climbed and then skied them with the only break-in from the climb. Great endorsement of Blizzard.
Also, makes the endeavor even more impressive, imo. (Jumaring fixed lines that the Sherpas put in for them makes it very much not an alpine ascent, but that's beside the point.) She climbed most of Everest, then skied that couloir in new gear. Fabulous accomplishment.

I can usually make it 1000' up the skinner on a new pair of boots before going back to the bootfitter to bitch and moan...

[MiddleOfNight]

I doubt Hillary/Jim were in it for the purity of the ascent style and the fact that they got there and back safety is really all that matters.

+1. They're not making any wild/false claims that I know of.

And listen to them talk .. about inspiration .. things that are beautiful and special .. full of life. Expanding the self-imposed walls we put around ourselves .. risk and passion and growth. It's personal and it's powerful, and it's what mountains are all about.

[S_jenks]

The next logical step in extreme skiing:

After reading the white spider, i can only imagine the glory and death one would be flirting with if they attempted to ski the Eiger's North face. It would definitely need to be a combination of rappels and stints of skiing, but my god that would be exhilarating. It's apparently safer to climb during the winter months, so it could be done.

Maybe Cody and Co. could have a go at it?