Photo: Cory Richards
After three years and several devastating natural disasters including avalanches that rocked the Nepalese climbing community, closing the mountain, a group of climbers has a shot to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
And they’re broadcasting their ascent live to the world, via Snapchat. Adrian Ballinger and Cory Richards are working their way to the summit now. Under the account name, Everestnofilter, the duo are attempting the summit without supplemental oxygen. Ballinger, a gifted mountaineer, has been on top of Everest six times and even contemplated skiing off the summit this trip.
Ballinger posted that 9 Sherpas, who are using oxygen, made the summit Wednesday. “Lots of friends in the fixing team, and they called us from the summit at 5pm, exhilarated. Congratulations!” he said on his Instagram account.
The camp at the North Col. Photo: Adrian Ballinger
This is certainly not the same mountain that Edmund Hillary first climbed in 1953. There’s actual 4G service on the peak, which at one point took months, just to reach base camp via foot (it still takes over a week from the airport at Lukla). In 2013, China Moble provided the 4G coverage for expeditions broadcast on Twitter and other social sites.
The two should be continuing their climb in the next few hours, but as with any Everest attempt, especially without oxygen, the mountain says what’s happening, as Ballinger confirms: “Cory and I are back at the North Col, continuing our no-O’s acclimatization. Feeling great and headed higher tomorrow.”
Photo: Cory Richards
