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The South Col Route from Nepal
From base camp on the Nepalese side, the route to the summit can be divided into four separate sections:
The Khumbu Icefall
This icefall offers complex ice terrain, which requires the use of ladders and fixed ropes. The NUS Everest team has prepared for this experience through their successful navigation of the Cho Oyu and Gasherbrum Icefalls. The team also created a ladder crossing simulation in Singapore (a technique used for safetly crossing large crevasses) to prepare them for the many ladder crossing they will face on the Khumbu Icefall. As soon as the route through the Icefall is prepared, we will be able to start carrying loads to camp 1.
The Western Cwm
A normal course of events would be for everyone to reach camp 1 with a light load and then return to base camp. A day or two later, the team would spend a few nights there; during which, we would carry some loads to establish Camp 2. Camp 2 is near the top of the Western Cwm and although this will not be fixed with ropes, all of our team will be roped-up in case of hidden crevasses. Following this, the team should then return to base camp for a few days' rest.
The Lhotse Face
The team will then move up to camp 2, which is in a spectacular position at the foot of the South West Face of Everest. Camp 2, our effective advance base camp, will be well stocked with supplies, including mess tent and cook tent. After two nights here, the team will make a light load carry to camp 3 on the Lhotse Face, at around 7,200m. An ascent of the Lhotse Face will give everyone a really good look at the climb and a general feeling of things to come.
The Summit (South East) Ridge
The following describes summiting with oxygen. Once the weather is settled, the team will move up, camp by camp, sleeping at camp 3 and on the South Col, at camp 4. The summit day will start at around midnight, when we will set off with head torches from the South Col. The route soon steepens as we ascend a 500m (1,600ft) snow slope to reach the crest of the South East Ridge at around 8,400m (27,560ft) by dawn. The sun will bring with it great views across the Kangshung Face. The ridge above this point starts easily and then steepens below the South Summit. Fixed ropes lead steeply for about 200m (650ft) from below the South Summit. Standing on the South Summit the true summit looks very close but halfway between is the notorious Hillary Step which is a short, steep rock and snow groove about 10m (30ft) long. Strenuous jumaring and climbing over this short but arduous section leads to the final easy ridge and the top. The team will expect to reach the top in the mid to late morning, no later than 12pm.
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