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Did Chinese climbers reach the summit of Everest in 1960?
There has been a lot of gushing editorial written recently to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first American ascent of Everest in 1963. I could write a bit more about the expedition here, but I...
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Is the death zone a myth?
If you've read a few things about Everest or other 8000m peaks then you've probably come across the term death zone. If you have then it's likely you reacted in one of two ways. Either your respect for...
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Top rock climber accuses sunbathers of cheating
This week the Footsteps on the Mountain team caught up with champion rock climber Bill Scheidt, who has completed many first ascents on bold new routes. Bill is known for a very pure style of climbing,...
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Everest comes to London: celebrating the 1953 Everest expedition
Although I've lived here for 17 years, I've never been a big one for taking advantage of London's art galleries and exhibitions. Last weekend was an exception because it had a mountaineering theme. I...
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What’s the world’s best mountain for cheating?
Climbing purists should look away now. This post is for those with a more laid back approach to getting up mountains. I thought it might be interesting to compare some of the world's high mountains to...
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Book review: Everest The First Ascent by Harriet Tuckey
There has been a flurry of books about Everest published this year to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the first ascent. This one stands out because it challenges many widely held beliefs and...
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Book review: The Ghosts of K2 by Mick Conefrey
“It’s a savage mountain that tries to kill you.” George Bell, upon returning from K2 in 1953 Of all the 8000m peaks 8,611m K2, straddling the China-Pakistan border in the Karakoram, seems to be the one...
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For busy executives: the world’s shortest 8,000m peak expedition
We try to steer away from controversy here on the Footsteps on the Mountain blog, but sometimes difficult subjects have to be tackled. It’s been a while since we did our last interview. You may...
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Is the first winter ascent of K2 a turning point for Sherpa mountaineers?
It’s not very often that the ascent of an 8,000m peak makes international news headlines, but earlier this month something rather special happened. At 5pm Pakistan time on 16 January 2021, a team of 10...
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Everest and COVID-19: Why don’t operators donate their oxygen to hospitals in...
This short post is partly speculative (as are a lot of things about the 2021 Everest season). It will raise more questions than it answers, but now is the time to ask. First off, I have neither a...
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