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Time of India
23-05-2025
- Time of India
British soldiers climb Mount Everest in 5 days, create history
Four former British special forces soldiers have climbed Mount Everest in just under five days, setting a new record for the fastest ascent without traditional acclimatisation in the Himalayas. The team, which included UK veterans minister Alastair Carns, used a combination of high-tech training methods and controversial xenon gas therapy to prepare their bodies for the extreme altitude. Typically, climbers spend up to two months gradually adjusting to low oxygen levels on the mountain. Their swift summit has sparked both praise for innovation and concern over safety and fairness in high-altitude mountaineering. What made this climb to Mount Everest so unique? Most climbers follow a slow and steady route to the Everest summit, moving between various camps to allow their bodies to adapt to the thin air. This team, however, skipped the usual six to eight weeks of on-mountain acclimatisation. Instead, they underwent a three-month pre-acclimatisation programme using special tents that simulated high-altitude conditions. These "hypoxic tents" reduce oxygen levels to mimic the atmosphere found at extreme elevations, training the body to cope with lower oxygen. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo The role of xenon gas What set this expedition apart was their use of xenon gas. Administered in a clinic in Germany two weeks before their climb, the gas is claimed to help the body produce more red blood cells, which are essential for carrying oxygen. Supporters say it may reduce the risk of altitude sickness. However, experts remain divided. The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation has warned that there is no strong scientific evidence backing its effectiveness and has raised concerns about safety. The record-breaking journey The team began their ascent from Everest base camp on 16 May and reached the summit early on 21 May, taking four days and 18 hours in total. Accompanied by five Sherpa guides and a cameraman, they used supplemental oxygen during the climb, a standard practice on Everest. Their rapid push to the top was made possible by their intensive preparation and favourable weather conditions. Reactions from the mountaineering world While the speed of the ascent has been applauded by some for its efficiency and low environmental impact, others in the mountaineering community are sceptical. Critics argue that such short expeditions risk encouraging dangerous shortcuts and undermine the traditional methods that have kept climbers safe. Some have even called for regulations to be updated to address the growing use of unconventional acclimatisation techniques. Concerns over tourism and fairness Expedition organisers in Nepal worry that if more climbers adopt these fast-track methods, it could shorten the duration of future expeditions and reduce income for local businesses and guides. There is also concern about the ethical implications of using performance-enhancing methods in a sport where physical and mental endurance are key to success. Nepal's tourism department has stated it was unaware of the team's methods and will now review the situation. Why did they do it? According to expedition organiser Lukas Furtenbach, a shorter climb reduces the climbers' exposure to the dangers of high altitude and has a smaller environmental impact. He believes such techniques could represent the future of high-altitude climbing. However, others argue that these shortcuts could compromise safety and the spirit of mountaineering. A new chapter or a dangerous trend? The British team's ascent is undeniably a milestone in the history of Everest expeditions. But as more climbers consider high-speed climbs using advanced technology, the debate continues over whether innovation is enhancing the sport or risking its integrity. For now, the climb has stirred global conversation about how far mountaineers should go in the pursuit of speed and success.
News18
23-05-2025
- Health
- News18
Xenon Helps Four British Men Scale Mount Everest. Why Has It Caused Controversy?
Last Updated: The group, all former British special forces members, became the first climbers to use xenon gas to scale the world's highest mountain. Climbing Mount Everest has always been seen as a test of endurance, patience and physical strength. But four British climbers recently made headlines for achieving the feat in just a few days using a gas that is not commonly associated with mountaineering. The group, all former British special forces members, became the first climbers to use xenon gas to scale the world's highest mountain. The climbers included Alastair Carns, a parliament member and minister for veterans at the Defense Ministry along with Garth Miller, Anthony Stazicker and Kev Godlington. Their expedition, organised by Austria-based Furtenbach Adventures, reached the 8,848-metre summit in less than five days after leaving London. While their achievement is notable, their use of xenon gas has stirred debate in the mountaineering community and triggered an official investigation in Nepal. What Is Xenon Gas? Xenon is a colourless and odourless gas that is over four and a half times heavier than air. It is found in tiny amounts in the Earth's atmosphere and is known for its use in medicine, especially as an anaesthetic. The gas is also used in many other areas. According to CK Supply, it's found in projector and cinema lamps, camera flashes, car headlights, CT scans, satellites, deep space missions, nuclear energy and metallurgy. Lukas Furtenbach, head of Furtenbach Adventures, told Reuters, 'Xenon improves acclimatisation and protects the body from altitude sickness and the effects from the hypoxic environment." How Did The Climbers Use It? The four British climbers inhaled xenon gas in Germany before beginning their expedition. They also trained at home using special tents that mimic high-altitude conditions. This pre-acclimatisation helped them avoid spending weeks on Everest adjusting to the low oxygen levels which is typically required. During their actual climb, they still used supplemental oxygen like most mountaineers. Furtenbach said the shorter expedition also helped reduce waste on the mountain. 'Less garbage, less resources, less human waste in this sensitive environment," he told Reuters. Why Is The Use of Xenon Drawing Attention? Nepal has started an investigation into the use of xenon gas by four British army veterans who recently climbed Mount Everest, according to The Kathmandu Post. In a statement, Nepal's Department of Tourism said it had taken note of the media reports about the climbers' achievement. 'We are currently engaging with the expedition team leaders, members, and the associated agencies to gather detailed information and conduct a thorough study and analysis of this matter," it said. What Are Experts Saying? Peter Hackett, a mountaineering physician, told The Washington Post that xenon can temporarily increase erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone that stimulates red blood cell production. 'It did not increase red blood cells and it did not increase their exercise performance" in a study conducted on athletes, he said. Dr Andrew Peacock, an altitude medicine expert at the University of Glasgow, also shared a similar view with BBC, saying, 'Increase in erythropoietin does nothing on its own. The question in this case is, does it really stimulate production of red blood cells in such a short period?" The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) also weighed in. 'According to current literature, there is no evidence that breathing in xenon improves performance in the mountains, and inappropriate use can be dangerous. Although a single inhalation of xenon can measurably increase the release of erythropoietin, this increase is not sustained over four weeks' use, nor is it associated with any changes in red blood cells. According to the literature, the effects on performance are unclear and probably non-existent," it said as quoted by BBC. Ethical Concerns The use of xenon isn't only raising health concerns, it has also started a debate about ethics and fairness in mountaineering. According to Reuters, American climber Adrian Ballinger called the method a 'stunt" and said, 'It's never seemed like the type of experience we want to provide." He added that using xenon makes the climb feel more like 'mountain tourism" than real mountaineering. Ballinger also told the Washington Post, 'It is a banned substance by all professional sporting organisations, and even though [mountain climbing] is not managed by a sporting organisation, it's always been a goal of climbers to follow best practices of not doping. All that combined makes it feel, I guess, pretty icky. People should be able to climb how they want to, but it isn't mountain climbing; it's mountain tourism." Damber Parajuli, president of the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal, told the BBC that shortcuts like this could damage the credibility of summit certificates and hurt the trekking industry. First Published:
BBC News
21-05-2025
- BBC News
Everest: British soldiers make history with new method
Four British former special forces soldiers have set a record by climbing Mount Everest in under five days without acclimatising on the mountain, as part of a high-speed expedition controversially aided by xenon team, which included a UK government minister, summited the world's highest peak early on was used to help them pre-acclimatise to low oxygen at high altitudes. Climbers usually spend between six to eight weeks on Everest before said the use of xenon had made such a fast ascent possible. But the science around using the gas remains disputed and many in the mountaineering industry have criticised it. Although this expedition is a record Everest ascent without acclimatising in the Himalayas, it's not the fastest Everest time. That record still belongs to Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa, who climbed from base camp to the summit in 10 hours and 56 minutes in 2003 – but he did this after acclimatising on the xenon-aided team, accompanied by five Sherpa guides and a cameraman, reached the 8,849-metre (29,032-foot) summit early on Wednesday, and began their descent soon afterwards."They started on the afternoon of 16th May and summited on the morning of the 21st, taking four days and approximately 18 hours," expedition organiser Lukas Furtenbach told the BBC. The four former soldiers, who include veterans minister Alastair Carns, slept for six weeks in special tents before travelling to Nepal to help them acclimatise to decreased levels of oxygen at high then flew to Everest base camp from Kathmandu and started climbing straight away, Mr Furtenbach said. They used supplemental oxygen, like other climbers, during the usually spend weeks going up and down between base camp and higher camps before making the final push for the need to do that to get used to thinner oxygen levels at high mountain altitudes. Above 8,000m, known as the death zone, available oxygen is only a third of that present at sea the four British men in the team did none of that."The team made a three-month acclimatisation programme in simulated altitude before coming to Nepal," Mr Furtenbach simulated altitude was created in what is known as hypoxic tents from which oxygen is sucked out using a generator, bringing it to levels present at high mountain the climbers inhaled xenon gas at a clinic in Germany two weeks before the expedition, said Mr Furtenbach."It helps to protect the body from altitude sickness," he researchers say xenon increases production of a protein called erythropoietin that fights hypoxia, a condition that occurs when the body can't get enough say it does that by increasing the number of red blood cells that contain haemoglobin, which transports oxygen around the body, but this remains a disputed subject and many say further studies are required. Some in the mountaineering industry have cautioned against the use of xenon gas."According to current literature, there is no evidence that breathing in xenon improves performance in the mountains, and inappropriate use can be dangerous," the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation said in a statement in January."Acclimatisation to altitude is a complex process that affects the various organs/systems such as the brain, lungs, heart, kidneys and blood to different degrees, and is not fully understood."From a physiological point of view, a single, one-off drug cannot be the key to improved acclimatisation or increased performance."Adrian Ballinger, who heads another expedition team climbing Everest from the Chinese side to the north, also makes his clients undergo pre-acclimatisation training like using hypoxic tents to shorten time on the mountains. But he opposes using xenon gas."If you're promoting xenon as a performance enhancer, but you're not also willing to examine what that means for fairness and integrity in the mountains, it's a problem," he told the BBC."People are grasping at shortcuts instead of doing the real work of acclimatisation and training."But now that the British team have made their groundbreaking Everest ascent, expedition operators think, and some worry, that this method may be used by other climbers too."If that happens then it will certainly have a direct, negative impact on the tourism industry as the length of time mountaineers stay will come down significantly," said Damber Parajuli, president of the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal."Also, acclimatising on the mountains is the basic rule of mountaineering. If that is not done then authorities should not be giving them certificates certifying that they climbed the mountain."Nepal's tourism department officials said they were not aware the British team had reached the summit without acclimatisation on Everest."Now that we know about it, we will be discussing the issue and decide on our future course of action," Narayan Regmi, director general at Nepal's department of tourism told the why climb the highest peak at such speed?"A shorter expedition has a lower carbon footprint and less ecological impact," said Mr Furtenbach."And it is safer for climbers because they can climb the mountain in good health and they are exposed to high altitude risks and mountain hazards for shorter time compared to when they are acclimatising on the mountain."
Times
21-05-2025
- Times
British soldiers summit Everest using groundbreaking method
Four former British special forces soldiers have reached the summit of Mount Everest in six days, aided by xenon gas as part of a groundbreaking project. The climbers — Garth Miller, Alastair Carns, who is also the minister for veterans,Anthony Stazicker, and Kev Godlington — are part of a high-speed expedition led by the Austrian guiding company Furtenbach Adventures. They reached the summit (8,846.86m) just after 7am Nepali time on Wednesday, according to the expedition organiser. This expedition is the first commercial ascent to use xenon gas in pre-expedition treatments. The four climbers underwent treatment before leaving the UK — a method believed to accelerate red blood cell production and reducing the need for traditional weeks-long acclimatisation. • Veterans minister aims for record-breaking Everest climb
Times
21-05-2025
- Science
- Times
Xenon gas the secret to British team's high-speed Everest triumph
Four former British special forces soldiers have reached the summit of Mount Everest in six days, aided by xenon gas as part of a groundbreaking project. The climbers — Garth Miller, Alastair Carns, Anthony Stazicker, and Kev Godlington — are part of a high-speed expedition led by the Austrian guiding company Furtenbach Adventures. They reached the summit (8,846.86m) just after 7am Nepali time on Wednesday, according to the expedition organiser. This expedition is the first commercial ascent to use xenon gas in pre-expedition treatments. The four climbers underwent treatment before leaving the UK — a method believed to accelerate red blood cell production and reducing the need for traditional weeks-long acclimatisation. • Veterans minister aims for record-breaking Everest climb Typically, an Everest expedition spans nearly
