Xinhua News Agency, Everest Base Camp, May 9 Question: News Analysis: What is a good time to climb the summit after the summit of Mount Everest?
Xinhua News Agency reporter
On the 9th, the 2020 Mount Everest elevation mountaineering team announced that due to the impact of the snow on the climbing route, the date of the summit measurement will be later than planned.
It is understood that the mountaineering team originally planned to choose the top of the weather window on May 12th, so it chose to move up from the base camp on the 5th. On the 8th, the guide of Tibet Holy Mountain Company, which was responsible for the measurement of mountaineering logistics and mountaineering safety, tried to explore and transport from the advance campsite at an altitude of 6,500 meters to the North Col ice wall at an altitude of 7,028 meters. When climbing to an altitude of about 6,700 meters, the guide found that the snow on the climbing route was deep and there was a danger of snow drift, and then descended.
Earlier, many coaches of the China Mountaineering Association and Tibet Holy Mountain Company guides who participated in the climb said to reporters that it is expected that the "road" to the summit will be repaired from 9 to 10, which means that the protective rope will be laid until Everest summit. Once the protective ropes are laid, the measurement of the mountaineering team will be just around the corner.
But in less than a day, the situation on the mountain changed suddenly. In this regard, relevant mountaineering and meteorological experts said: The plan cannot keep up with changes, which is the normal state of mountaineering activities. The snow conditions of the climbing route, the peak weather, and even the material security will affect the choice of the timing of the summit. The mountainous weather is changeable and climbing is not risky. The mountaineering team must adjust the plan according to various factors at any time.
Wang Yongfeng, head of the 2020 Mount Everest elevation survey and vice president of the China Mountaineering Association, said that the previous weather forecast showed that May 12 was a suitable window to climb to the top, but it only lasted one day, and the climb must be arranged very tightly. This time, the climbing route from the camp at 6500 meters above sea level to Bei'ao was blocked, which prevented the mountaineering team from catching up with this window.
"A few days ago, there was a lot of snow in the forward camp and Bei'ao, so the snow on the mountain was very deep. The guide judged that if it is strong, an avalanche may occur." Wang Yongfeng said.
Several sacred mountain company guides stationed at Qianjin Camp confirmed Wang Yongfeng's statement. They said that after several consecutive snowfalls on the mountain, new and old snow did not blend well and the snow conditions were loose. A guide said that due to the epidemic this year, foreign commercial mountaineering teams all canceled the climbing plan on the northern slope, and the number of people on the mountain became smaller. "No one stepped on it after the new snow fell, which is untrue."
Xinhua News Agency reporters experienced the unpredictable weather of Mount Everest personally during the interview on March 9 from the hiking camp at an altitude of 5,800 meters to an altitude of 6,500 meters. The campsite was shining in the morning when it set off in the morning, but it was already full of wind and snow when going to the camp. Some climbers said: "Except for no summer, you can experience 'three seasons a day' at Mount Everest."
"The local weather in the mountain area is changeable, and it is common to make changes to the mountain climbing plan within one day." Wang Yongfeng said that this year, mountaineering organizers also refer to the mountaineering weather forecasts provided by the Meteorological Department of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Swiss professional agencies. prediction. "Generally speaking, what we value the most is the forecast at an altitude of more than 8,000 meters, because it is directly related to the weather at the peak." He said.
Shi Lei, the captain of the elevation survey meteorological support service and deputy director of the Shigatse City Meteorological Bureau, said that the meteorological department will provide the mountaineering team with forecasts for different heights and different time periods in the base camp and mountains. It is understood that the temperature of 8,000 meters above sea level in recent days is close to minus 30 degrees Celsius, and the wind speed can reach about 20 meters per second.
Wang Yongfeng introduced that the weather window suitable for climbing Everest is best free of strong winds and blizzards. Among them, the wind has a greater impact on the summit, which will cause the temperature to drop linearly, make marching difficult, and easily cause frostbite, snow blindness and other dangers.
"Generally speaking, the summit windows of Mount Everest in spring usually come in May. After June, it enters the monsoon season, and the snow continues to climb on the mountain. It is difficult to climb; although the weather improves in autumn, the previous snowfall will make the altitude seven to eight thousand. The snow in the area is more than two meters thick; and in the long winter of Mount Everest, the strong wind on the mountain will prevent climbers from going forward. Therefore, most climbers will choose to summit in May. "Wang Yongfeng said.
Some professional guides who climbed Mount Everest for many years in a row felt that the snowfall in Mount Everest in spring this year was more than in previous years. Wang Yongfeng said that in the past, it was rarely encountered that snow was blocked from 6500 meters above sea level to Bei'ao, and bad weather often affected the stage of peaking from 8300 meters above sea level.
In this regard, Shi Lei said that the trend of climate change requires comparison of long-term meteorological data. At present, there is no research conclusion on this aspect of local meteorology.
It is understood that on the 10th, the road construction team of Shengshan Company will go to 7028 meters above sea level to explore the road to determine the danger of snow drifts in the section below Beiao and determine the next schedule. A mountaineering guide said: "Mountaineering can't be in a hurry. Good weather will definitely come, we just need to adapt to the changes and wait patiently." (Reporter Duoji Zhandui, Bianba Ciren, Wang Qinou, Sun Fei, Tenzin Nimaqu Zhu, Tian Jinwen)