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Johan Frankelius High Himalaya photo gallery

I have participated in four Himalayan expeditions (I–IV) and done one trek in the Everest region (V) over a span of twenty months:

(I) Ama Dablam International Expedition 2005 (Southwest Ridge, led & organized by Daniel Mazu r USA) between the 1st and the 30th of October 2004,

(II) Mount Everest South Side International Expedition 2005 (Nepal side, led & organized by Daniel Mazur USA) between the 13th of April and the 4th of June 2005,

(III) Cho Oyu Tibet Side International Expedition 2005 (Northwest Ridge, led by Arnold Coster NL and organized by Phil Crampton UK/USA & Daniel Mazur USA) between the 5th of September and the 7th of October 2005,

(IV) Mount Everest North Side International Expedition 2006 (North Col/Northeast Ridge, led by Scott Woolums USA and organized by Jamie McGuinness NZ)

(V) Khumbu Himal Trek (i.e. the Everest region, conducted by myself and Mindu C. Sherpa) between the 17th of Mars and the 13th of April 2005. This trek includes one ascent of Island Peak (6173 m) on the 11th of April.

A selection of photos taken during these expeditions and trek along with one Mount Everest-diagram and one list of geographical names, both of which accompany the black-and-white photo of Everest and other prominent eminences, are shown below. Enjoy!

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Looking north-northeast at the Mount Everest massif from the summit of Ama Dablam on October 24, 2004.

To the left: Nuptse (7861 m/25,790 ft); middle, above the Nuptse wall: Mount Everest or Chomo-lungma (8850 m/29,035 ft, the highest mountain in the world); and right: Lhotse (8501 m/27,890 ft), Lhotse Middle (8410 m/27,592 ft), and Lhotse Shar (8383 m/27,503 ft). Distance between the summits Everest – Ama Dablam: 13 kilometers/9 miles.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 1.8, f=50mm; Fuji Velvia ISO 50

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Ama Dablam (6828 m/22,402 ft) seen from Hotel Everest View at 3650 meters/11,975 feet near Shyangboche and Khumjung on April 5, 2005.

During climbing season Camp 3 (6230 m/20,440 ft) is pitched on a small snow field (not the big one) to the right and a little more than two-thirds up from the bottom of the photo to the summit. Mingbo Glacier is seen at the bottom left.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 5.6, f=400mm USM; Fuji Velvia ISO 50

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A climber rappelling the Yellow Tower with the aid of his figure-eight descender on October 25, 2004.

The Yellow Tower (at 5850 meters/19,193 feet) of Ama Dablam is a steep six-meter-high/ twenty-feet-high section (Hard Severe and 5.6, the British and N American rating system respectively) near Camp 2. I stand on a ledge waiting for my turn to descend on my way to Camp 1, Advanced Base Camp, and finally, Base Camp. One climber slipped and dropped to his death here on October 11 the previous year.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 1.8, f=50mm; Fuji Velvia ISO 50

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The southwest ridge of Ama Dablam on the morning of October 25, 2004.

One climber of Summit Climb is seen here abseiling from just below Camp 3 at 6230 meters/20,440 feet the day after my group´s successful summit push. Apart from four members who made their summit attempts between the 19th and 21st of October, our team was divided into four groups each of which made their summit attempt between the 22nd and 25th. My group consisted of Jay, Rex, Ken, Guan, and myself. All of us made it to Base Camp (4650 m/15,256 ft) from C3 this very same day. Camp 1 (5400 m/17,717 ft) is seen at the uppermost part of the photo.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 1.8, f=50mm; Fuji Velvia ISO 50

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Johan Frankelius on the summit of Ama Dablam (6828 m/22,402 ft) on October 24, 2004.

Together with Jangbu Sherpa I summited Ama Dablam at 11.30 am. We lingered for about fifty minutes to behold the pyramid of Mount Everest towering above the Nuptse-Lhotse wall and to take photos. Note that Mount Everest is adorned with a white "plume" protruding from the Southeast Ridge (to the right of my shoulder). This plume is seldom absent from the peak. It is caused by clouds which rise up along the Kangshung Face (East Face) of Everest from Kharta Valley in Tibet. When the clouds reach the SE Ridge and the summit (as well as the upper part of the NE Ridge on the opposite side of the mountain), the westerly jet stream – often exceeding a speed of 400 kilometers/250 miles per hour – pushes the clouds eastward. Thus, the clouds appear like a plume. The downdraught causes this cycle to repeat itself. Ama Dablam was first climbed on Mars 13 in 1961 by Barry Bishop (USA), Michael Ward (UK), Michael Gill (NZ), and Wally Romanes (NZ).

Photo: Jangbu Sherpa -- Canon EF 1: 1.8, f=50mm; Fuji Velvia ISO 50

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Looking southwest at Ama Dablam from a hill between Chukhung (village) and Island Peak Base Camp on April 10, 2005.

During my trek in to Island Peak Base Camp I walked up a hill at a height of about 5500 meters/18,045 feet with the intention of studying the uppermost part of Mount Everest (8700–8850 m/28,543–29,035 ft) through my 400mm telescopic lens. (From this hill the two giants Nuptse (7861 m/25,790 ft) and Lhotse (8501 m/27,890 ft) block the view of Everest save for the last 150-meter/490-foot section of the peak.) I also took the opportunity to document the northeast face of Ama Dablam, an impressive peak reminiscent of Matterhorn that stands sentinel to Nuptse and Lhotse.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 1.8, f=50mm; Fuji Velvia ISO 50

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Makalu – the fifth highest mountain in the world – seen from Island Peak on Mars 31, 2005.

I estimate that there is a two-hundred-meter (650-foot) drop from the summit (8463 m/27,766 ft) to the bottom seen on this photo. Makalu was first climbed on May 15 in 1955 by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy from a French expedition. The peak, fourteen kilometers (8.7 ft) away and to the east, is considered to be one of the hardest of the eight-thousanders.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 5.6, f=400mm USM; Fuji Velvia ISO 50

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Lhotse – the fourth highest mountain in the world – seen from just below the summit of Island Peak (6173 m/20,253 ft) on Mars 31, 2005.

I dared not climb the fifteen-or so-meter-high (50 ft) steep last section of Island Peak since this seemed too risky without a fixed rope, which I, foolishly, expected to be there. On April 11, however, I and Mindu Sherpa equipped ourselves with pickets and set out for the summit once again, but this time a line had been fixed by a group of climbers unbeknownst to us, so we had no use for them! Still, the best shots were taken on Mars 31.

To the left: Lhotse [Lhotse (Main)/lho=south, tse=peak; i.e. "the south peak of Mt. Everest"] (8501 m/27,890 ft) – first climbed on May 18 in 1956 by Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger from a Swiss expedition; center: Lhotse Middle (8410 m/27,592 ft) – first climbed on May 23 in 2001 by Eugeny Vinogradsky, Serguei Timofeev, Alexei Bolotov, and Petr Kuznetsov from a Russian expedition; and to the right: Lhotse Shar [shar=east] (8383 m/27,583 ft) – first climbed on May 12 in 1979 by Zepp Maierl (Aus) and Rolf Walter (Aus). From the summit there is a sheer drop of about 2,5 kilometers/1.5 miles to the area at the bottom of the photo. The distance from Island Peak to the Lhotse wall is approximately three kilometers/two miles.

Photo Johan Frankelius -- Rolleiflex – Tessar 1:3.5, f=75 mm; Fuji Reala ISO 100

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Nuptse (7861 m/25,790 ft) seen from Chukhung [nup=west, tse=peak; meaning "the west peak of Mt. Everest"].

On Mars 29, 2005, I and Natar Sherpa trekked from Chukhung (the village) at 4730 meters/15,518 feet to Chukhung (the aiguille; not to be confused with the lower Chukhung Ri and the village with the same name) at 5833 meters/19,137 feet – an eleven-hundred-meter (3,600 ft) gain – to have a close look at the enormous Nuptse wall, which rises about 2400 meters/7,875 feet from the bottom of this photo to the summit. The main summit, sometimes referred to as Nuptse I, is actually the rather flat peak to the left (not the far left peak), which seen from this viewpoint appears to be shorter than the peaked peak in the middle (Nuptse Central). It is only about two kilometers/1.2 miles to the wall from here. Nuptse was first climbed on May 16 in 1961 by Dennis Davis (UK) and Tashi Sherpa from a British expedition.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Rolleiflex – Tessar 1:3.5, f=75 mm; Fuji Reala ISO 100

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Island Peak (6173 m/20,253 ft) seen from a viewpoint (about 4450 m/14,600 ft) near and to the northwest of Dingboche on Mars 28, 2005.

The summit is located on the left side of the photo and to the right (slightly bulging) of the high snowy ridge. It is not uncommon for climbers to climb Island Peak as a training exercise in preparation for a Mount Everest expedition later in April and May. I and Mindu climbed on the peak twice, but only the second time did we reach the summit. In fact, the majority of people who attempt to climb Island Peak do not actually summit, mainly because of fierce winds at the summit ridge, inadequate equipment, or altitude sickness. Before climbing Island Peak a climbing permit must be obtained. Employment of a sirdar registered with the NMA is also compulsory. Island Peak was first climbed in 1953 by members (including Tenzing Norgay) of John Hunt´s Mount Everest team.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 5.6, f=400mm USM; Fuji Velvia ISO 50

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"Trilogy" Mount Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse.

The south ridge of Pumori extends as far as to Kala Pattar (5545 m/18,192 ft). This photo was taken from this ridge some 250 meters/820 feet to the north of Kala Pattar at a height of about 5600 meters/18,375 feet at 3 pm on April 13, 2005. From here more of Lhotse and more of the Northeast Ridge of Everest (including NE Shoulder marked 8383 m on the National Geographic Map of Mount Everest and Pinnacles I & II a little further down the ridge) are visible. This is arguably the best Nepal Everest viewpoint reached without the need to join an expedition. Later that day, at 7 pm, I joined an Everest expedition which lasted until early June.

Far left: West Shoulder of Mount Everest (7903 m /25,928 ft); left: Mount Everest (8850 m/29,035 ft); center: South Col (7980 m/26,180 ft); right: Lhotse (8501 m/27,890 ft); far right: Nuptse (7861 m/25,791 ft); below W Shoulder, at left: Khumbu Icefall; and bottom: Khumbu Glacier.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Rolleiflex – Tessar 1:3.5, f=75 mm; Fuji Reala ISO 100

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The crown of Mount Everest seen from above Pumori Advanced Base Camp (around 5800 m/19,030 ft) at 2.10 p.m. on April 16, 2005.

Kanuri Sherpa, our expedition lama and assistant cook, led Arnold, Mike, Chris, Kay, Gary, and me to Pumori ABC for an awesomely impressive Mount Everest view. We left Everest Base Camp at 10.30 am and arrived at Pumori ABC two and a half hours later. It was a pleasant day and everyone seemed to be in high spirits. At this early stage of the expedition none of us from the Everest/Lhotse team had been above BC. Top, center: summit (8850 m/29,035 ft); right: Hillary Step (8763–8771 m/28,750–28,776 ft) and South Summit (8751 m/28,711 ft); and seen transversing the crown is the Yellow Band. The first people to scale Mount Everest were New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay on May 29, 1953. 

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 5.6, f=400mm USM; Fuji Velvia ISO 50

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The Southwest Face of Mount Everest, Summit Pyramid, Geneva Spur, and South Col seen through a 28mm SLR wide angle camera from the upper region of the Lhotse Face at a height of approximately 7450 meters/24,400 feet at around 11 am on May 29, 2005.

This almost perfect morning with little wind (the wind was getting up during the night, but by 7 am it had dropped markedly) and a clear sky I climbed from Camp 3 (7130 m/23,400 ft) toward the South Col. One hour after this photo was taken, at noon, I arrived at an area where the rather steep face of Lhotse flattens out and the climbing trail leading to the South Col slightly bends toward the left. Though recovered from a two-week old nasty cold yet probably weakened by it, weakened by a ten-day spell in C2 at 6400 meters/21,000 feet (plus one night in C1 at 6100 meters/20,000 ft), and fearing upcoming dehydration and fatigue, it soon became obvious to me, however, that this was not the right moment to push on toward the col and, later, further up the summit pyramid, so, here at around 7500 meters/24,600 feet, I decided to call it quits. (I was to have a second go on the mountain twelve months later, though!!)

The period May 29–31 offered the first, and indeed very late, weather window of a significant duration on Everest that year. After May 31 climbers were facing deteriorating weather conditions again. According to reports, by May 28 about two-thirds of the climbers on this side of the mountain had abandoned their plans to go for the summit. Certainly, it was a harsh spring here in 2005.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Ricoh GR1s – GR lens 1:2.8, f=28mm; Fuji Velvia ISO 100F

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Cho Oyu (8201 m/26,906 ft, on the border between Nepal and Tibet) seen from Gokyo Ri on Mars 23, 2005.

Standing on Gokyo Ri (5483 m/17,989 ft) trekkers may feast their eyes on the magnificent south face of Cho Oyu some thirteen kilometers/eight miles to the north. I estimate that the vertical distance between the summit and the bottom of the photo is around 400 meters/1,300 feet. Little did I know that I would climb on this mountain – the sixth highest in the world – six months later. The first people to scale Cho Oyu were Herbert Tichy (Aus), Sepp Jöchler (Aus), and Sherpa Pasang Dawa Lama on October 19, 1954.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 5.6, f=400mm USM ; Fuji Velvia ISO 50

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Cho Oyu revealed in full flush of the alpenglow on September 25, 2005.

The evening light hits the west side of the upper slopes of Cho Oyu while I and eleven other team members lie resting in our C1-tents at 6400 meters/21,000 feet.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 5.6, f=400mm USM; Fuji Velvia ISO 50

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Cho Oyu Camp 1 (Tibet side) at 11.30 am on September 26, 2005.

Our tents (about nine in number) are the yellow ones in the upper middle between the track bending sharply to the left and the big crevasse to the right. The height of the mountain in the background is 6592 meters/21,627 feet and  behind this mountain is Langpa La, a famous mountain pass poised between Tibet and Nepal.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 1.8, f=50mm; Fuji Velvia ISO 50

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Climbers between Cho Oyu Camp 1 (C1) at 6400 meters/21,000 feet and the ten-meter/thirty-three-foot ice step, mounting a fairly steep slope on their way to C2 on September 26, 2005.

From the ice step at 6700 meters/22,000 feet it is possible to ski down to C1. Ski tracks are seen to the left of the climbers and to the right of the crevasse.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 1.8, f=50mm; Fuji Velvia ISO 50

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Johan Frankelius arrayed in his brand new Mountain Hardwear Absolute Zero suit breathing bottled oxygen on the summit of Cho Oyu at around 9 am on September 28, 2005.

Being a true oxygenophile I much rather breathe the eight-thousand-meter-plus air mixed with bottled oxygen than the natural air alone. I used the breathing apparatus (set to release two liters of oxygen per minute) from Camp 3 (7450 m/24,442 ft) and onward. In the background, at right, the mountain chain of High Himalaya stretches westward. (I took this photo by holding a camera at arm´s length.)

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Ricoh GR1s – GR lens 1:2.8, f=28mm; Fuji Velvia ISO 100F

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Mountaineer Johan Frankelius standing together with Tibetan- and other Asian climbers on the summit of Cho Oyu (8201 m/26,906 ft) facing Mount Everest thirty-two kilometers/twenty miles to the east-southeast at around 9.15 am on the windless morning of September 28, 2005.

The oxygen mask (taken off for about forty-five minutes on the summit), on which hose a chunk of ice has formed due to (moist) air exhalation, can be seen above the flag with the coat of arms of the Swedish province of Östergötland attached to my Charlet Moser Goulotte (65 cm) piolet. Sweden is divided into twenty-four provinces (or twenty-five if you include Norrbotten). They each have their own coat of arms. Never before has one of these been brought up to an eight-thousand-meter (26,240 ft)-plus peak --- until now.

Turje (from Tingri) – or Thumba as he is called by us westerners – stands to the far right. He is a graduate of China Tibet Mountaineering Guide School in Lhasa. Along with ten other Tibetan staff – all of them students or graduates of this school – he helped us carry through the climb by, for example, putting up tents, carrying group- and some of our personal gear up the mountain, and, perhaps, more importantly, he was there to assist climbers off the mountain should a critical situation have arisen.

Prayer flags on the summit is a peculiarity of Himalayan climbing peaks. On the Cho Oyu summit plateau, the flags mark the highest point seen on this photo, which was taken by means of a carbon fiber monopod and a self-timer.

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 1.8, f=50mm; Kodak Plus-x 125

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X.  Panorama of Mount Everest and other high eminences from the summit of Cho Oyu.

About five vertical meters (sixteen feet) below the summit and about 50 meters/160 feet toward the east, Cho Oyu-summiteers may indulge in this breathtaking panorama. The lower parts (e.g. Lho La) of the Mount Everest massif seen here are not visible from the summit unless a little descent is made (which I did). To proceed from here, unroped, further down the slope (seen in the foreground) would, however, be quite a dangerous undertaking. This photo shows five of the six highest mountains in the world, all of them clearly visible from the Cho Oyu summit: Mount Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, and (in the foreground of the photo and on which summiteers stand) Cho Oyu. Only the second-highest is missing. K2, however, is planted on the Sino-Pakistan border in the Karakoram range some 1400 kilometers/870 miles out of the Khumbu region, in the opposite direction.

Solely based on this photo – taken at around 9.30 am on September 28, 2005 – I have made a diagram which shows eighty-nine different locations found in X (see Y and compare this with X) and one list of altitude indications and geographical names (i.e. place names) of these locations (see Z). This diagram (Y) and place name list (Z), which I call "Panorama from Cho Oyu: Mount Everest in outline" and "Panorama from Cho Oyu: Mount Everest, place names" respectively, accompany this photo (X).

Photo: Johan Frankelius -- Canon EF 1: 1.8, f=85mm USM; Kodak Plus-x 125

Click on the diagram for larger size and details on place names.

Y. Panorama from Cho Oyu: Mount Everest in outline. Click on the diagram for place names.

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Summit push at 8800 meters (28,870 ft) on Mount Everest on May 25, 2006. I have now been climbing for about eight hours from High Camp (8260 m; 27,100 ft) and the seemingly endless climb will continue for another forty-five minutes before I reach the most coveted summit on the Globe. Two Sherpas keep a watchful eye on us western Everest summit pushers moving slowly but steadily up toward the Summit Plateau of the Northeast Ridge of Mount Everest. Two discarded oxygen canisters lie in the snow beneath the Sherpas. Melungtse (7161 m; 23.494 ft) and Gaurisankar (7144 m; 23,438 ft), two prominent peaks forty-six kilometers (29 miles) and fifty-six kilometers (35 miles), respectively, to the west, in Rowaling Himal, are seen on the right-hand side of the photo – a bit difficult to distinguish from this view, since the latter is partly blocked by the former. The snowy peak that appears to be somewhat higher is Gaurisankar. Earth's curvature is clearly seen at the horizon.

Foto: Johan Frankelius; Canon EF 1:1.8, f=50mm/Fuji Provia 400F

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The summit of Mount Everest (8850 m; 29.035 ft) seen from the Northeast Ridge, in Tibet, on May 25, 2006.

It is 7.45 am (Nepali time) and the "peopled" summit is within reach. Only ten more minutes of the ascent remain before the photographer, too, tops out on the highest pinnacle on Earth. The steep upper Kangchung Face (East Face), center, plunges toward the Kangchung Glacier some 3.3 kilometers (2 miles) below. No one has yet climbed "East Face Direct", i.e. reached the top of Everest from the foot of Lowe´s Buttress (also known as the American Buttress) close to the Kangchung Glacier, in Tibet, at 5500 meters (18,045 ft), via the red prayer flag (centre, right). Is "EFD" perhaps unclimbable? The cornices behind the summit (center and left) belong to the Southeast Ridge, which forms the border between Nepal and Tibet (China), and those in the foreground and to the right to the North-east Ridge (in Tibet). The SE Ridge stretches to the South Col (world´s highest saddle/pass, not seen here), which separates Everest from Lhotse. The snow-capped summit is adorned with Buddhist prayer flags, half-buried in the snow, planted by summiteers from previous expeditions. In the far distance, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) to the south, is the mist-covered Terai, in Nepal (far left, above the last cornice). Summit occupants, among others, from L to R: Scott Woolums from Oregon, USA (red suit, grey hat), Fredrik Sträng from Sweden (purple-blue suit, red gaiters), Dawa Gelje Sherpa from Nepal (blue suit, red hood), and Chhewang Palden Sherpa (yellow oxygen mask).

Photo: Johan Frankelius; Canon EF 1:1.8, f=50mm/Fuji Provia 400

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Mountaineer Fredrik Sträng on the summit of Mount Everest, May 25, 2006.

It is almost 8 fm (Nepali time) and I have just topped out on the summit of Everest. The first thing I did was to take a photo of oxygen mask-ed Fredrik Sträng (front). On May 20, 2003, he became the first Swede to summit the eight-thousand-meter-plus peak Dhaulagiri in central Himalaya. The other people are (L to R) Dawa Gelje, ??, Mindu Chhiri Sherpa and Pasang Gomba (all from Project Himalaya). The snowy peak to the left, five kilometers/3 miles to the south-west, is Nuptse (7861 m/25,790 ft) – the twenty-eights highest mountain in the world. Nuptse West I (7784 m/25,538 ft) is the peak to the right of Nuptse, next to Dawa. Nuptse is the third peak of the Everest-Lhotse-Nuptse horseshoe, perhaps best seen from the summit of Cho Oyu (see b/w photo above) or Pumori.

Less than one percent of the Everest North Side climbers attempt to climb Everest without the aid of supplemental oxygen. Some of the guided expeditions start using it from Camp 1 at 7010 meters/23,000 feet, but no one in my team (PH) used it until we reached Camp 2 at 7600 meters/24,900 feet. It poses no problem to take off the oxygen mask on the summit. We all did it off and on, and, in fact, I could not tell the difference. Once one starts moving about, however, one certainly finds oneself panting for breath more easily without it. I reckon I would have needed two to three more hours from Camp 3 (8260 m/27,100 ft) to the summit had I chosen to climb without bottled oxygen.

Photo: Johan Frankelius; Canon EF 1:1.8, f=50mm/Fujichrome Provia 400F

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Johan Frankelius "Sittin` on Top of the World" at 8.10 am on May 25, 2006.

The Mississippi Sheiks was a loose-knit, friends-and-relations group that on record usually consisted simply of singer and guitarist Walter Jacobs and fiddler Lonnie Carter. In 1930 this duo recorded their own "Sittin`on Top of the World", which has been subsequently recorded by hundreds of artist, among them Bob Dylan in 1992. Now that I have lived this song, or more accurately lived the literal meaning of the title of this song, it would have been quite interesting to have shown this photo to the Sheiks and co. (despite whatever they might have been up to lately).

Behind me, 20 kilometers/12 miles to the southeast, rises the 5th highest peak in the world, Makalu (8467 m; 27,779 ft). Makalu II (7678 m; 25,190 ft) is the horn NNW of Makalu and is separated from the latter by the col Malalu La (7427 m; 24,367 ft). Below Makalu II (blocking the view of the lower west face of the peak) is Chago (6893 m; 22,615 ft) and its southern spur. Left of Makalu II, 19 kilometers (12 miles) to the east-southeast are Chomo-Lonzo Central (7540 m; 24,738 ft) and just below C-L C, Chomo-Lonzo NW (7199 m; 23,619ft). In the distance, to the left, 120 kilometers (75 miles) to the east-southeast, looms the 3rd highest mountain in the world, Kangchenjunga (8586 m; 28,169 ft). Jannu, world's 32nd highest peak (7710 m; 25,295 ft), is seen to the right of and some 8 kilometers (5 miles) to the southwest of Kangchenjunga. To the right and SE of Jannu stretches the Kabru range, which forms the southern spur of the Kangchenjunga massif. It is part of the Singalila ridge that forms the border between India (Sikkim) and Nepal. The range includes (from L to R) Talung (7344 m; 24,094 ft), Kabru (7338 m; 24,075 ft), and Rathong (6678 m; 21,909 ft). Prayer flags inscribed with mantra (one yellow, two blue, one green, one red and one white) have been placed on the summit (bottom left). The oxygen mask is suspended from my neck, behind the photo of my father. Oxygen hose leads into Mammut Extreme 45L rucksack (which contains a large Poisk oxygen bottle). Summit climb mate Fredrik Sträng took this photo with my camera.

Photo: Fredrik Sträng; Canon EF 1:1.8, f=50mm/Fuji Velvia 100

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Looking south into Nepal from the summit of Mount Everest at around 8.20 am on May 25, 2006.

The Southeast Ridge and the Everest South Side trail leading up to the summit is seen in the foreground, including one (tiny) climber on a cornice just below the Hillary Step (8763 m; 28,750 ft) about 200 meters (656 ft) away. Lhotse (8501 m; 27,890 ft), the forth highest mountain in the world, with its couloir leading up to the summit, towers to the left, 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) to the SSE.

Behind Lhotse, 24 kilometers (15 miles) away, is Chamlang (7319 m; 24,012 ft), Hunku Valley (center), and, 23 kilometers (14 miles) to the south, Peak 41 (6623 m; 21,729 ft), a rather peaked mountain to the right of Honku Valley. In the distance, 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) to the south of Peak 41 rises Naulekh (6363 m; 20,876 ft). The snow covered and rather flat peak to the right and 32 kilometers (20 miles) to the SSE is Mera (6461 m; 21,198 ft), the highest so-called trekking peak in the Everest region.

Photo: Johan Frankelius; Canon EF 1:1.8, f=50mm/Fuji Velvia 100

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Looking west from the desolate summit of Mount Everest at 8.40 am on May 25, 2006.

I – the only being on the summit at the moment – am standing at the east end of the one meter (3.3 ft) wide summit photographing the deserted summit (front), Khangri West (left) and Khangri East (right) Glaciers 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) away (center), in Nepal, and Melungtse (7161 m; 23.494 ft) and Gaurisankar (7144 m; 23,438 ft) 46 kilometers (29 miles) and 56 kilometers (35 miles), respectively, to the west in Rowaling Himal (snowy peaks near the curving horizon, center – a bit difficult to distinguish from this view, since the latter is partly blocked by the former). Part of the NE face of Nuptse is seen to the left. South Col (7960 m; 26,115 ft) used to be considered the highest refuse dump on earth, but as seen on this photo, world´s highest dump has moved to the very top of Everest itself (i.e. three abandoned oxygen cylinders). Isn´t it ironic that arguably the most coveted spot on earth happens to be a refuse dump? I was to leave (quite reluctantly) the evacuated summit of Everest only one minute after this photo was taken, after having spent a total of fifty minutes there.

Photo: Johan Frankelius; Canon EF 1:1.8, f=50mm/Fuji Velvia 100

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Everest North Face seen from East Rongbuk Glacier, in Tibet, 8 kilometers/5 miles to the north of the Everest summit, near the lower part of Changtse Glacier (c 6000 m; 19,685 ft), at noon on May 1, 2006.

Right: summit of Everest (8850 m; 29,035 ft); to the right of the summit: West Ridge; to the left of the summit: Northeast Ridge; far left (below knob, 8568 m; 28,110 ft): First Step (8501–8534 m; 27,890–27,999 ft); left: Second Step (8577–8605 m; 28,140–28,232 ft); middle: Third Step (8690–8720 m; 28,510–28,610 ft); and to the right of center, below the NE Ridge: Great Couloir (also known as Norton Couloir). High northwesternly winds blow on the Northeast Ridge.

Photo: Johan Frankelius; Canon EF 1:5.6, f=400mm/Fuji Velvia 100

© 2008 Johan Frankelius

All the above photos taken by Johan Frankelius unless otherwise specified.Y: "Panorama from Cho Oyu: Mount Everest in outline" and Z: "Panorama from Cho Oyu: Mount Everest, place names" by Johan Frankelius. Words by Johan Frankelius.

Lyrics (excerpt) by Jim Steinman