Kazi Sherpa crosses Khumbu Icefall en route to Everest summit

CAMP-1 ESTABLISHED, TEAM HEADING TOWARDS SETTING UP CAMP-2
GANGTOK, 22 April: Sikkimese mountaineer, Kazi Sherpa, who is on a Mt. Everest Expedition at present, after reaching the base camp of Mt. Everest on 08 April halted there till 15 April to acclimatize himself. On 16 April before heading for the real expedition, the team offered prayers to the Mountain Gods in a special ceremony conducted by monks and hoisted prayers flags, informs the leader of 2008 Mt. Everest Expedition, GT Bhutia, the Director Indian Himalayan Center for Adventure and Eco- Tourism, Chemchey.
Mr Bhutia mentioned that on 17 April Kazi Sherpa crossed the Khumbu Glacier, the trickiest part of the Everest expedition and established camp-1 at an altitude of 19,500 feet. To climb ‘Khumbu Glacier’ it takes about 4-5 hours from the base camp for a fit climber or else the time consumed can even extend up till 6 to 7 hours. Sherpa after establishing the first camp has returned back to the base camp to acclimatize and rejuvenate himself and till 19 April the team is expected to rest.
On 20 April, the team was to again march from the base camp to establish the second camp at an altitude of 21,200 feet but for the same the climbers will halt a night at camp-1 and then head for the establishment of camp-2, he mentioned.
Sharing his expedition experience, Mr Bhutia said that ‘Khumbu Glacier’ is said to be one of the trickiest and most dangerous areas to negotiate during the climb as it consists of shifting ice, huge ice walls along with deep crevasses.  The climbing can only be negotiated by fixing ladders across the stiff ice slopes and deep crevasses.
Likewise, with respect to establishment of camp-1, Mr Bhutia mentioned that camp one is located on the shoulder of Khumbu ice fall. It may be recalled that Chief Minister Pawan Chamling had flagged off Kazi Sherpa on his Everest Expedition from Gangtok on 27 March.