Everest is perhaps the most coveted mountain in the world. The north (Tibetan) side is the least expensive way to climb it, and the dates we have chosen feature the best weather of the year. Our proposed schedule allows for two possible summit attempts and two full descents to the Chinese basecamp at 5200 metres. Our style of climbing is cautious and careful, with excellent leadership, organization, Sherpa climbers, cooks and waiters, tasty food, the best equipment, two full kitchens and basecamp plus advanced basecamp, 6 camps on the mountain, 1000s of metres of fxed line, hundreds of rock ice and snow anchors, top-quality high altitude tents and high altitude stoves, expedition mix gas, and full safety equipment: medical oxygen, gamow bag, and extensive medical kit.

This expedition to Everest maximizes many years of accumulated wisdom of the high Himalaya, a strong record of reaching the top of 8,000ers: Everest, K2, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho-Oyu, Shishapangma, and many other 8,000 metre summits, in addition to more than 25 Himalayan expeditions, in all safety, along with an intimate knowledge of the Tibetan and Chinese officials who regulate the permit system.

The monkey temple makes a nice training walk in Kathmandu (Franck Pitula. Try to go at dawn when the pollution is not so bad. A local woman leaving an offering at a temple (Ryan Waters).