Climbing the Lhotse Face

Chip scales the Lhotse Face of Mount Everest with the help of a climbing device called an Jumar ascender. He also takes advantage of the footholds bored into the ice wall to gain ground. Although it is an icy cliff, climbers can overheat due to direct and ice-reflected sunlight, so Chip has removed the top half of his down suit to stay cool. (Learn more)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Learn more

Unlike the group’s first approach, this attempt to climb the Lhotse Face was successful. But even when the conditions are good, scaling the face is never easy. Lhotse Face can become a traffic jam with climbers and sherpas coming and going from Camp III. It can be unnerving when an ascending climber and a descending climber meet on the same rope. The ascending climber must unclip one of the carabiners and swing around the descending climber to clip on to the rope again.

Chip writes in his journal:

As climbers above kick their crampons in the ice, they break pieces of various sizes which come down the face very fast so you are under a constant shower of ice and rock rapping on your helmet and suit. From time to time you hear “Rock” or “Ice” which means a big piece is coming down the face. You look up and if needed, you swing in the rope to get out of the way. The pieces are very fast and they hurt or kill climbers. Despite all this, climbing Lhotse face is exciting and interesting.

Learn more about Himalaya Mountains, Lhotse Face, Mount Everest, Nepal, and mountain climbing.

Definitions

sherpa n.
When capitalized, refers to an ethnic group living in the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal. Lowercase "sherpa" refers to local people who work as guides to mountain climbers in the Himalayas.
carabiner n.
A D-shaped clip with a spring-hinge used to connect ropes in mountain climbing.
crampon n.
Spiked metal device that attaches to a mountain climber's boot and provides sure footing on ice and snow.

Powered by LEARN NC