From home to Everest in only 3 weeks? Furtenbach Adventures makes it possible.
Acclimatization for this expedition is already done at home. While a traditional Everest expedition takes two months, our Flash™ Expedition saves time and additionally increases safety and chances of success. (3 weeks only)
One of the main reasons for being forced to abort a summit attempt on an 8000-meter-peak is the lengthy acclimatization period on the mountain. Going up high and back low several times over, the risk of catching an infection at base camp where people have to live in close proximity to one another saps the energy of many climbers before they’ve even started on the actual ascent. To raise your chances of success, we start the acclimatization process using hypoxic tents in your home, 6-8 weeks prior to departing for Nepal. The tents are set up by experts, and under their supervision your body will slowly become acclimatized to conditions equivalent to being at camp at 7,000 meters on Mount Everest.
Conventional acclimatization tents can simulate a maximum altitude of 5,000 meters. Furtenbach Adventures has used hypoxic tents for 20 years now and has a great deal of experience in using this kind of acclimatization for high altitude mountaineering. In 2016, we ran the first ever successful Everest expedition, where all team members were pre-acclimatized using hypoxic tents. Our team was fully acclimatized within a very short period and ready for the ascent to the summit. After reaching the summit, we were also the only team to descend to Camp 2 in one push. In 2018 we our whole team summited in less than 3 weeks from home with 100% success. This was the beginning of a revolution in Everest climbing. Increased performance such as this, thanks to proper pre-acclimatization, greatly increases safety.
This special kind of pre-expedition preparation, combined with our small group sizes, maximum oxygen support, the latest equipment, an experienced team (some of our Sherpas have stood on the summit of Mount Everest 19 times) and our vast logistical experience allow us to schedule the expedition to last just 3 weeks. To date, we are the only Everest operator that can offer such a short itinerary without any increased risk. Over the past decades we’ve seen advancements in mountaineering technology, equipment, high-altitude medicine and weather forecasting. Climbing tactics however, have remained the same as they were in the 1970s. We are now writing history by providing a climbing alternative that’s bang up-to-date and meets with the latest standards in technology.
The Everest Flash™ Expedition uses the objectively safer route on the north side of the mountain, in Tibet. We travel from Lhasa by Jeep to base camp. By the time our expedition members reach base camp, all of the high camps and oxygen depots have already been set up by our Sherpa teams. All we have to do is wait for a weather window.
For our oxygen systems, we rely on Summit Oxygen, the latest, lightest and most reliable system on the market. Climbers are given special regulators that have been customized for us and deliver a higher flow rate of oxygen than other regulators – up to 8 liters/ minute. Unlimited oxygen* is available from ABC at 6,400m or from the North Col at 7,000m.
We carry entire spare oxygen systems – masks, regulators and bottles – for each client, all the way up to the summit and back. We budget a minimum of 2 Sherpas per client to make up for any shortfalls in Sherpas and to enable them to carry all of the oxygen equipment.
Highlights:
- Reduced expedition duration (3 weeks only) due to pre-acclimatization
- 2:1 Sherpa client ratio on summit day
- Unlimited oxygen* for each climber
- Spare oxygen system for each climber
- IFMGA/AMGA mountain guide
- Small group size for increased safety and higher success rate
- The Everest Flash™ expedition is exclusively available from Furtenbach Adventures. Shortest expedition in the industry.
- CO2 negative
- Success rate 2017 100%
- Success rate Everest Flash™ 2018: 100%, 21 days from home to summit!
- Success rate Everest Flash™ 2019: 100%, 28 days from home to summit!
- 2020 expedition cancelled because of COVID
- 2021 expedition cancelled because of COVID
- Success rate Everest Flash™ 2022: 100%, 16 days from Kathmandu to summit! (South) + first CO2 negative expedition in history
Itinerary
Preparation:
Preparation is key for an Everest expedition to be carried out in such a short timeframe. This starts with an individual consultation, where targets and training schedules are determined. Each team member must have comprehensive high-altitude mountain experience. Intense physical fitness and mental resilience training must be carried out in the months leading up to the expedition. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of careful acclimatization. This will take place at your home using hypoxic tents: every climber will receive an individual training schedule and will be acclimatized over a period of 8 weeks up to an altitude of approx. 7,000 meters. This means that most of the on-mountain acclimatization which carries risk and is exhausting can be skipped and the total duration of the expedition can be brought down to 4 weeks.
Planned itinerary:
The exact itinerary on Mount Everest is subject to changes in official regulations, weather and snow conditions, as well as the progress of line fixing along the route. The actual itinerary may differ. Schedules of other groups are also taken into account in order to avoid any potential bottlenecks. In addition to the basic framework which we provide, such as oxygen, Sherpa support, base camp set-up, route selection, high camp set-up etc., a successful ascent also involves a great deal of luck, good weather, and good physical and mental strength on the part of the climbers. We allow for maximum flexibility so that the expedition can be extended should circumstances require it, as long as participants wish to do so and are prepared to bear any additional costs incurred.
Day 1: Arrival and get-together at thehotel in Kathmandu.
Meet and greet the other climbers while enjoying a beer in the hotel gardens. A great adventure awaits us, and our journey is soon to begin. You can feel the anticipation, excitement and joy.
Days 2: Free day in Kathmandu
Those who are not yet familiar with Kathmandu will fall in love with it. Relax in the comfortable hotel, shop and people-watch in Thamel, enjoy the cultural programme, or simply soak up the atmosphere. It’s up to you.
Day 3: Flight to Lhasa, capital of Tibet – probably one of the most stunning mountain flights in the world. You might even catch a glimpse of Everest. Rest of the day free to explore Lhasa’s old town or enjoy a traditional Tibetan dinner.
Day 4: Lhasa Sightseeing – Shigatse
In the morning, there’s time for sightseeing: the Potala Palace, the former residence of the Dalai Lama and the Jokhan Monastery which demonstrate the rich culture of this beautiful country. Later we start our journey to Shigatse (3,800m) where we will spend the night at a decent but clean hotel.
Day 5: Transfer to Everest base camp(driver’s camp) at 5,200m. The journey leads over the Tibetan Plateau to Rongbuk Monastery where we have lunch and some time to explore. Then we move on to driver’s camp where we start preparations for the ascent.
Day 6 – 7: Ascent to advanced base camp (ABC) at 6,400m via middle camp at 6,200m. Get-together with the ABC team and set up our tents.
Day 8 – 23: Final acclimatization and ascent to Everest!
We will undertake a few acclimatization walks over the coming days to get used to our surroundings. Our Sherpa-team has already installed three high camps at 7,000m (North Col), 7,800m and 8,300m. Ascent Everest. We are waiting for the right weather window for our first summit attempt. In the past, all successful summit days are in this period. After the steep glacier climb to the North Col we stay at Camp 1, follow the less demanding North Ridge which leads us to the Northeast ridge, where we stay at Camp2 at about 7,800m, and then Camp3 at 8,300m. From here we cross below the Northeast Ridge to the Northwest Face and then back to the ridge with the secured 1st, 2nd and 3rd steps (all secured by rope) and finally we tackle the summit face. From Camp 1 onwards, oxygen is available. At Camps 3 and 4, we will also sleep with oxygen. There is plenty of time for a few days of rest and a second attempt at the summit.
Day 24: Preparing for departure. After our (hopefully) successful ascent, we now have to say goodbye to our Nepalese Team. We wander back to drivers’ camp and prepare for our departure.
Day 25-26: Transfer back to Kathmanduwith probable one-night stay half way.
Day 27: Kathmandu
Day 28: Flight home
