Everest 2002 Expedition: others...

Update 6/3/2002: EverestNews.com: "The reports that Jorge Egocheaga Rodriguez (Spain), from the International Expedition, had summited Everest without Oxygen is false. We climbed in the same day, he started without Oxygen but was too slow and he used Oxygen. I saw him climbing with mask on, beside he never claimed to summit without it. He was a nice caring person, fast on his climb but you cannot compare him to Messner in any way. He and his Sherpa climbed with Oxygen, dozen of people can confirm what I just stated.", George Dijmarescu

Update 5/23/2002: Please find enclosed some details about Jorge Egocheaga, that summited Everest from North 17 May 2002 [see our reports below], as you had reported. Jorge Egocheaga Rodriguez is a young doctor, 33 years old, with climbing experience on 7000 meter peaks. He had climbed Pobeda Peak (Kazjastan) and Muztagh-Ata (China) with a new speed record: 11:30 hours. He is a cross mountain marathon European champion and also regional champion of Duatlon. He had planned a low budget expedition to Everest, and finally he had climbed it, without supplemental oxygen [we will need to confirm this part], 17 May 2002. Pedro Lopez

Update 5/22/2002: We have receive word that both Jorge and Daniel have reached the Summit on 17 May 2002. However, we are marking these as unconfirmed for now until we hear from the climbers..

Editorial Comment: Everest 2002 on the North is the year of the low budget expeditions! If you notice most of these teams do not have much if any Sherpa support this year. Asian Trekking is dominating the expeditions with several expeditions (the number of which is based on how one defines an Expedition). In the past great climbers, like George Dijmarescu (there summits of Everest), has done well on these expeditions, but others have died! These are unguided, pay for what you want expeditions, where you buy a slot on a permit and then get what else you pay for. You can hire a team of Sherpas or none.