From London to the roof of the world in 5 days: For this speed ascent, a mountaineering team from Great Britain used the noble gas xenon for the first time, thus saving themselves the time of acclimatization on the mountain.
Last week, four former elite soldiers from Great Britain were the first team to Mount Everest using xenon gas. The group climbed the 8.848-meter-high summit on Wednesday in just five days and for the first time without acclimatization in Himalayas – a record. The Tyrolean expedition leader and entrepreneur Lukas Furtenbach had organized the tour.
Everest conditions simulated in advance
Alpinists typically spend about six to eight weeks before attempting to climb Everest to acclimatize to the conditions there and prevent altitude sickness. Above 8.000 meters, only a third of the usual oxygen is available—in the "death zone," life is at risk.
The group of Furtenbach, whose agency is High-speed inspection Instead, the expedition team used the noble gas xenon to prepare for the oxygen deficiency before the flight to the Himalayas. The four Britons participated in a three-month acclimatization program with hypoxia training and inhaled xenon two weeks before the start of the expedition.
From the airport directly to the summit
In a new speed record, the team managed a round trip from London to Mount Everest and back again – in 6 days and 13 hours. The British started from the airport in Nepal directly to the summit and, like most other alpinists, used artificial oxygen.
Please don't imitate what you don't understand. Speed ​​means nothing if safety is compromised.
Lukas Furtenbach
According to organizer Lukas Furtenbach, the expedition's main goal, in addition to speed, was to demonstrate that rapid ascents of Everest do not have to be associated with danger to life and limb – "thanks to years of research, meticulous preparation, and the new application of xenon."
Noble gas xenon: data insufficient
The first use of xenon in mountaineering has not been without criticism, among other things because there is not yet sufficient data on the gas's effects. Xenon is used in medicine as an anesthetic. One side effect: It increases the number of red blood cells that transport oxygen in the body.
According to media reports, not only scientists but also parts of the mountaineering community are criticizing the use of xenon, which could further intensify the onslaught of crowds on Mount Everest. At the same time, Furtenbach emphasizes that this isn't about glorifying speed: "Everest doesn't take shortcuts, but rather punishes megalomania."
Furtenbach Adventures According to a report in the Financial Times, the company will offer one-week Xenon tours to Everest for €104.000. Summit aspirants will pay around 40 percent more than for regular expeditions, which last considerably longer.
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Credits cover photo: Lukas Furtenbach