Everest 2024: Interview with Garrett Madison on his "Aconcagua Ambush" and the 2024 Everest Season

We are getting closer to #Everest2024, and there are some new rules Nepal is proposing. In this interview with Garrett Maddison, founder of Madison Mountaineering, we meet Garrett and how he started his company.
We also discuss his recent “Aconcagua Ambush,” where he and his client summited the highest peak in South America, spending only one night on the mountain and using an experimental oxygen system that has promised other high peaks.
Also, his thoughts on Nepal’s plan to require all climbers to use WAG bags to remove solid human waste from Everest high camps, the use of helicopters on Everest, and a limit on luxuries at base camp.
www.alanarnett...
You can follow Maddison on their website, Facebook, and IG.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

[@SumSouuthernSugar]

A new year already :-O. Nice to see you again.

[@AlanArnetteClimbs]

Thanks!

[@Mila_Brearey]

Great interview, Alan. It is finally starting to feel like climbing season 2024 is close. I can't wait. Btw ... who did your model of Everest and is it relatively accurate? Thank you.

[@AlanArnetteClimbs]

Thanks! What model do you mean?

[@leraabercrombie2765]

Alan, is it a piece of Khumbu iceberg in your glass that you are sipping? :))) Great interview as always.

[@AlanArnetteClimbs]

lol. I wish!! Maybe we can export ice cubes and share the Khumbu experience!!

[@pegahghavami8062]

Mount Rainier also supports blue bags. Great system 👏 i wish they would keep everything simple and not have fancy food and tents.

[@AlanArnetteClimbs]

And Denali, Aconcagua and more. Yes, mountaineering needs to be simple with a connection to nature not a 5 Star cruise ship.

[@JenniferMiles-h9b]

High-end, luxury camps should be owned and operated by Nepali- Sherpa communities. -- in the true spirit of the multi-polar world -- fairness, justice,equity.

[@AlanArnetteClimbs]

So excluding non Nepali operators is in the spirit of “fairness, justice equity?” Sound single-polar , not multi to me. Don’t get what you are saying but thanks for the comment.

[@JenniferMiles-h9b]

Not all operators, just the very expensive, luxury operators. That high profit margin should go directly to Sherpa communities -- not to would be colonial master classes. You should be able to see the sensibility of this, Alan. I'm not talking about operators like Mountain Madness -- notice he is not going for the over-the-top, luxury camps.

[@CM-oo3tv]

LOL “colonial master class” Are you stuck in the 1700’s? Nobody cares for your woke crap; why can’t you liberals just live and let live and stop imposing your disjointed mentally inept world view on others

[@jeremymeikle4729]

I know this sounds crazy. But I would love to hear more detail. About bathroom use. How do you shit high up. Butt freeze? Wiping. I know it’s weird but I always wonder

[@AlanArnetteClimbs]

The basics are the same as home except, you have to be 1) mindful of the wind, and 2) a bit of a Houdini since you need to squat to poop into a plastic bag you hold with one hand while using with the other for balance. Most people carry wet wipes for the clean-up and it goes into the plastic bag for LNT adherence. As for frozen parts, speed is your friend. Also, there is zero privacy but reasonable people won't stare! If all of this is too much, some people clog their systems up with Imodium saving the best for when they get back to a proper toilet, or at least not a steep slope in the middle of a hurricane! Hope this helps.

[@jeremymeikle4729]

@@AlanArnetteClimbs man. Fantastic description. Thank you. Again. Weird but I watch so many of these and always wonder.

[@JenniferMiles-h9b]

Why would Antarctica be leave no trace?? Groundwater contamination would affect WHOM exactly ???

[@AlanArnetteClimbs]

Antarctica is a fragile environment that is part of earth’s complex ecosystem. You’re correct that’s there is no direct damage to humans because no one lives there permanently but the global impact on sea level and light absorption is huge if damaged. We saw this with ozone and changed to fix it. Look up the Antarctic Treaty where 12 countries agreed to protect it. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Treaty_System