Last updated: 31-May-17
He’s done it!
Kilian Jornet has summited Everest without fixed ropes or oxygen. In an absolutely astounding feat of endurance, Kilian Jornet reached the summit of Everest at midnight of 21st to 22nd May (local time +5:45 GMT) in a single climb.
He did it without the help of oxygen or fixed ropes. It took him 26 hours.
He summited via the north face, which is the traditional route. Kilian Jornet began the challenge at Everest Base Camp Base near the ancient Rongbuk monastery (5,100m) on May 20th at 22h local time (+5:45 GMT).
Just in case you need a reminder. Everest is the world’s highest mountain at 8,848 metres.
By 12h15 local time on May 22nd he was back at the Advanced Base Camp which lies at 6,500m. There he confirmed summiting Everest at midnight, 26 hours after beginning the ascent.
At the Advanced Base Camp he told us a bit about how he was feeling:
“Until I reached 7.700m I felt good and was going according to my planning, but there I started to feel stomach ache, I guess due to a stomach virus. From there I have moved slowly and stopping every few steps to recover. However, I made it to the summit at midnight”.
Because of his stomach problems, Kilian chose to end the attempt at the Advanced Base Camp rather than returning to Rongbuk as originally planned.
What an extraordinary achievement. Congratulations to the unstoppable Kilian Jornet!
