Climbing Everest with a Mountain on My Back: The Sherpa's Story

Mount Everest - the world's highest mountain.

Every year hundreds of climbers, both professional and amateur,

successfully reach the top.

At any one time in the climbing season

there are over 1,000 people making the attempt.

Behind virtually every endeavour lies the support

and expertise of the Sherpas - the unsung heroes of the mountain.

They guide, carry the equipment, prepare the routes

and rescue climbers who get into difficulty,

every day risking their own lives so that others can claim the glory.

Without them, only the hardiest and most skilled mountaineers

would succeed.

This is their story.

Kathmandu, Nepal.

Its chaotic streets couldn't be more different to the tranquil

Sherpa villages high in the mountains.

It is the home of Ngima, who hopes to give his children a better future

in this overcrowded city.

Phurba comes from a remote forest village in the Makalu region.

Lukla, the hub of Himalayan tourism, is the home of Ngima Tenji.

Gelu Sherpa is less typical.

He spends the peak climbing season in the Himalayas,

but seeks work in Austria and Germany during the summer

and winter months.

It's spring, 2011.

The four Sherpas have been hired by Theo Fritsche,

an extreme climber from Austria,

and Jochen Hemmleb, an alpine historian from Germany,

to take part in an international expedition up Everest.

To prepare for the ascent of Everest, the team sets out through

the villages of Nepal's Solukhumbu District.

Everything must be carried on foot.

Phurba, Ngima Tenji, Ngima and Gelu

are not the only Nepalese who are needed.

A whole team of guides and porters, over a dozen strong,

carry the heavy equipment required

for the expedition's ascent of Everest.

And it's been this way since the very first attempts

to climb the mountain.

In 1922, the first ever expedition to make a full-scale attempt

to climb Everest was made by the British, among them George Mallory.

Of the 160 men who made up the team, only 13 were British.

Mallory was caught in an avalanche on the North Col.

Seven of his Sherpas were killed - the first ever recorded deaths

on Mount Everest.

Two years later, the team tried again.

This time with Mallory was Oxford student Andrew Irvine.

On June 6th, Mallory and Irvine set off with five Sherpas.

The Sherpas all returned safely, but Mallory and Irvine vanished.

Whether they reached the top 29 years before Hillary

and Norgay has been the subject of heated debate ever since.

To try and establish the pair's fate,

in 1999 an international expedition set out to locate their bodies.

Among them was Jochen Hemmleb.

On the very first day, a mummified body was found on a steep slope.

It had to be Irvine or Mallory.

A clothes tag brought certainty.

"This is George Mallory."

-Really?

-George Mallory.

-Oh, my God!

-See that? George Mallory.

-Oh, my God.

The search continued, but the team were unable to locate Irvine's body.

In 2010, another expedition launched the search for Andrew Irvine.

It was led by Theo Fritsche, a highly-experienced mountaineer

who has climbed 5 of the 14 8,000-metre peaks,

and once again, alpine historian Jochen Hemmleb.

TRANSLATOR: Many believe that Mallory and Irvine were unable to overcome

the most difficult part of their route,

the so-called Second Step, a 40-metre face at 8,600 metres.

However, our expedition member, Theo Fritsche, climbed that passage solo,

without rope, in 2001.

He thinks that this must have also been possible

for Mallory and Irvine.

Fritsche wanted to establish whether Mallory and Irvine

could have reached the summit with only the equipment

that was available at the time.

TRANSLATOR: In 2001, I approached Everest in simple clothing,

with just an emergency down jacket in my pack and no additional oxygen.

I wanted to climb the mountain with fair means.

From what I know today, Mallory or Irvine, at least one of them,

may have been on the summit

The 2010 expedition failed due to bad weather.

Now, just one year later, Theo Fritsche and Jochen Hemmleb

are taking another shot.

And it is for this reason that they have hired Phurba,

Ngima Tenji, Ngima and Gelu.

The four Sherpas will search for Irvine's body near Everest's peak.

The history of the Sherpa people on the south-side of the Himalayas

goes back some 500 years.

The literal meaning of Sherpa is the "people from the east".

A nomadic people, four different groups migrated from the highlands

of Tibet into today's Nepal,

where they settled at the foot of these 7,000 and 8,000-metre mountains.

The precise reason for the Sherpas' migration is unclear

but according to oral tradition,

they set out in search of the mythical Shangri-la.

The vast majority of the Sherpas practise Tibetan Buddhism.

To reach enlightenment, some choose to become monks

and enter monasteries,

where they take vows to refrain from worldly pleasures.

Twice a day, the conch-horn calls the monks of Nepal's famous

Tengboche Monastery to puja, an act of devotion in which

offerings are made to Buddha, and religious texts chanted.

Young boys enter the monastic community at the age of five or six.

They will live a life of abstinence and austerity

and spend many hours in meditation.

Eventually, these novices hope for spiritual illumination - or nirvana.

The Sherpa word for Everest if "Chomolungma" -

goddess mother of the world.

So many choose to live high in the mountains above 3,000 metres,

as close to the seat of the gods as possible.

And for them, hard work in the fields is their perpetual

high-altitude training.

Sherpas breath more efficiently at high altitude.

Their pulmonary blood pressure rises less than that of other climbers.

Scientific studies have found that Sherpas have at least ten genes

specifically adapted to high-altitude living.

MEN CONVERSE IN NEPALI

At 4,000 metres, the reduced air pressure provides 40% less oxygen

than at sea level.

This can lead to an accumulation of fluid in the lungs,

which results in high-altitude sickness and death.

But the Sherpas' genetic structure reduces these effects

at high altitudes.

This makes them invaluable for any attempt on Everest.

Nevertheless, the Sherpas, along with the rest of the team,

must spend several weeks acclimatizing themselves.

So they set off on a trek for Island Peak - a gentler climb

much favoured by less experienced mountaineers.

At nearly 6,200 metres, it is the perfect preparation

for the climb up Everest.

Phurba's nickname among his peers is Turbo.

He's always among the first on the mountain

and has an impressive record.

TRANSLATOR: I've reached the summit of Everest three times,

as well as from five or six more ascents.

I've also stood on Annapurna four times, on the Baruntse, the Makalu

and on many peaks along the Indian and Pakistani border, and on Manaslu.

A few days later and the acclimatization is almost complete.

Yeah, baby!

Theo.

As they reach Renjo Pass at 5,300 metres,

they get their first glimpse of Mount Everest itself.

Now the Sherpas will come into their own.

-TRANSLATOR:

-One aspect is the Sherpas' sheer hardiness.

We have already seen what great achievers they are - how able

they are to push to great heights in a short time.

We westerners require much longer recovery periods.

The Sherpas are pre-adapted for our mission because

they have the ability to exploit brief windows of fair weather.

On every journey into the mountains,

the Sherpas tie prayer flags along the route.

The flags are to seek divine blessing, spread compassion

and bring good luck to the expedition.

Tenzing Norgay compared Everest to a mother hen.

For Sherpas, climbing Everest has nothing to do with personal glory.

It's more an expression of their religious beliefs.

To reach the summit of the mountain is merely a way to draw closer

to the five Buddhas represented by the prayer flags.

In Buddhism, the path to enlightenment requires

complete compassion and selflessness.

For a Sherpa, this translates to guiding others safely

up the mountain and back again,

regardless of the danger to themselves.

Of the more than 200 people who have died climbing Everest,

a third have been Sherpas.

The main Everest climbing season lasts for just a few weeks

in the spring, just before the monsoon season.

From June to August, daily rain turns the hills lush and green,

but makes climbing impossible.

So, for much of the year, Sherpas live a relatively normal life.

For some, this is a life that has remained unchanged for generations.

As the spring season ends,

Phurba goes home, together with his friend Yberraz,

anxious to see his family before his next job begins.

Both men have families in a tiny village in the Makalu region,

a conservation area to the east of Mount Everest.

But getting there is a four-day walk, and it's only for the first

few kilometres that the pair can hope to hitch a ride.

Abruptly, the more comfortable leg of Phurba and Yberraz's journey

comes to an end.

Now they must continue their journey on foot.

Yberraz is growing weary after the long walk.

So Phurba stops at a farmhouse on the edge of the road

to buy refreshments - a cucumber.

THEY CONVERSE IN NEPALI

Refreshed, they can continue their journey homeward.

Hour after hour, Phurba and Yberraz continue their journey

up the foothills of the mountain.

It's Saturday - market day in Khandbari.

Once a week, local farmers and travelling merchants

come here to sell their goods.

Rice flakes, various types of vegetable and potatoes

are all on offer.

Even piglets in handy baskets.

Phurba is looking for a gift for his little boy.

It's the last big market on his way home,

but it's still two days from his village.

That evening, the two men head off to a local bar.

THEY CONVERSE IN NEPALI

The hostelry serves Tongba, a local beer.

It's made by fermenting millet,

which is left to stand for six months.

Boiling water is added and the mixture drunk through a straw

until all the alcohol has gone.

Next morning, they continue.

Higher up now, the land changes.

The soil is too poor for rice, so the farmers grow corn and sorghum -

a type of grass grown for its edible grain.

Sorghum is one of the staple sources of nutrition,

and is used to make bread.

But it has another use - from it, they brew the Tongba that Phurba

so enjoyed the night before.

It's the monsoon season.

Almost every day, the sky darkens around noon.

If it doesn't rain, it gets foggy.

Mothers take advantage of the shade.

In the summer, temperatures can reach 30 degrees,

so as the sun goes in, they bring out their babies.

By now, Phurba and Yberraz are only a day's walk away from home.

In the heavy rain, they meet men from their village.

MEN CONVERSE ANIMATEDLY IN NEPALI

The villagers bring bad news.

The heavy rains on the mountains have caused the river,

which Phurba and Yberraz must cross to get home, to flood.

It's now impassable.

But Phurba cannot wait. His next job will not allow for it.

Now he won't be able to see his wife and children

for another three to four months.

So instead, Phurba decides to visit his uncle,

who lives on this side of the river.

But to get there, he has to cross one of the last few patches

of mountain forest.

Illegal smuggling of timber to India is endemic,

and as a result, Nepal's forests are declining rapidly.

Even so, the remaining forest has its own brand of dangers...

even for a Sherpa.

It's full of leeches, waiting for a blood donor.

In no time at all, Phurba's legs are covered with leeches.

So, with a fern frond, he tries to stop the bleeding

then quickly moves on.

Finally, on the third day, Phurba reaches his uncle's house.

MEN EXCHANGE GREETINGS IN NEPALI

Time to say goodbye to Yberraz, who will wait by the river

until the waters recede.

Yberraz must carry his heavy basket alone now.

Up in the mountains, it's the only way to transport goods.

Even the sick have to be carried.

MAN SPEAKS IN NEPALI

In the tiny kitchen, Phurba's cousin is preparing lunch.

While she bakes chapati, a flatbread,

Phurba recounts his experiences up the mountains.

Unable to get home to his family, he has little choice

but to leave his things, especially the money he has earned

as a guide, with his uncle until his wife can come and get them.

His cousin prepares the traditional dish of dal bhat,

rice served with lentil soup and a vegetable curry.

It's the staple diet of the Nepalese

and, in its many variations, eaten twice a day.

THEY CONVERSE IN NEPALI

As part of their final preparations and acclimatization

for the ascent of Everest,

the expedition first climbs Island Peak,

so named in 1951 by the British mountaineer Eric Shipton.

Although the peak is at 6,000 metres it's a relatively easy climb,

and a popular destination for trekkers,

as well as an acclimatization exercise for more serious climbers.

The ascent of Island Peak

is basically just a hike up to High Camp,

followed by a more difficult climb from there to the peak.

It's little more than a walk in the park for a Sherpa like Ngima Tenji.

Everest presents a much tougher challenge.

But as with all Sherpas, his client's safety is paramount,

regardless of any risk to himself.

-TRANSLATOR:

-I've been working in the expedition business

for eight years now.

Since 2004, I have climbed Mount Everest six times

from the Tibetan side, and twice from the south.

On Shishapangma, I was twice.

In our work, it's important to not just get our clients to the top

but also safely back down.

I hope we can do that again this time.

All attempts on the southern route up Everest start in Kathmandu,

and from there fly to Lukla.

The airport is arguably the world's most dangerous.

At the north end of the runway are mountains,

and at the other end a 600-metre drop into the valleys below.

The pilot gets only one chance. Going around again is not an option.

It is a busy airport. Not just tourists,

but everything that's needed in the mountains is flown in.

During the peak seasons, in spring and autumn,

more than 30 planes a day use the runway.

Construction of the airport was initiated by none other

than Sir Edmund Hillary.

But inevitably, it was the Sherpas who built it - by hand.

Just south of Lukla is Ngima Tenji's home.

But with few roads, it's a two-day journey on foot.

Lukla is the gateway to Everest.

Porters crowd the streets, eager for the custom

of its endless stream of tourists.

Here, modern tourism comes face to face with the harsh realities

of life as a Sherpa.

In the absence of roads and trucks,

building materials are procured by hand.

But as a well-established mountain guide,

Ngima Tenji is wealthy enough to avoid such back-breaking work.

Few Sherpas are so lucky.

They make their living by supplying stones for road and house building.

Ngima Tenji continues his journey homeward.

No roads, steep valley floors. Life is hard here.

Young calves or yaks cannot be left outside to graze

as they do in more gentle terrain, and it's usually the women who fetch

fresh forage for the young animals.

In Solukhumbu, as in Phurba's home in Makalu,

every square foot of soil is used to grow food.

Here, it is potatoes and cabbage,

practically the only crops that survive at this altitude.

Around noon, clouds build on the flanks of the Himalayas.

Even near the end of the monsoon season, it rains almost every day.

Although the Sherpas now have modern thermal clothing,

still their most important piece of equipment is the humble umbrella.

In July, the average rainfall is 280 centimetres,

twice as much as Britain's wettest ever June on record.

Whether climbing mountains or at home in their villages,

the Sherpa people have learned to live with extreme weather.

Late afternoon, and Ngima Tenji finally arrives home.

It's still pouring with rain.

To greet their father,

his two children have stayed home from school.

NGIMA SPEAKS IN NEPALI

It's the first time they've seen him for months.

Despite his relative wealth as a guide, nevertheless Ngima

is still building this small home with his own bare hands.

Once inside, the children wait impatiently

to see what Daddy has brought them.

Like children the world over, they love sweets,

but today they have a gift of much greater value.

Next day, the new red umbrellas are carried to school.

It's a long journey, especially for ones so young.

The children have to walk downhill for two hours.

But the way home takes half an hour longer,

making their daily commute a four-and-a-half hour round trip.

Ngima Tenji's little farm lies at 2,900 metres.

The only crops that grow well in the small garden behind his house

are potatoes and cabbage.

During the few months Ngima Tenji spends at home,

he helps his wife, Futi.

The rest of the time,

she looks after the family and the fields on her own.

With no shops a Westerner would recognise,

the family has to store their year's supply of potatoes.

Ngima can only hope they will last through the winter.

But life is not always unremittingly hard work.

While Futi looks after the children and prepares dinner,

Ngima Tenji takes the opportunity to visit nearby Pangom Monastery.

But today is not a day of meditation and prayer, but one of celebration,

a curious blend of ancient tradition and modern, Western culture.

THEY SING IN OWN LANGUAGE

First the Sherpani perform their traditional dance,

then it's time to get right up-to-date.

MICROPHONE POPS AND ECHOES

TRADITIONAL TUNE PLAYS

A mobile phone serves as a jukebox.

First, the children perform a dance...

APPLAUSE

..then everyone joins in.

It is a rare break from Ngima Tenji's otherwise harsh life,

alternating between farming his smallholding

and guiding climbers up the mountains.

The expedition has reached north base camp in Tibet.

This is the first stage of the northern route up Mount Everest,

and the one taken by Irvine and Mallory.

Vehicle access is possible here, unlike south base camp.

Supplies are brought in by truck,

then transferred to yaks for the onward journey up the mountain.

The third Sherpa, Ngima,

supervises the loading of the yaks for the next leg of the climb.

It will take them to the base of the North Col at 6,400 metres.

THEY CHATTER IN OWN LANGUAGE

Tact and savvy are needed in these negotiations.

Every time they weigh the loads,

the Tibetan aides come up with different results.

Finally, all the pieces have been weighed,

and all differences cleared up.

Now, the yaks can be loaded for the ascent to the ABC,

the Advanced Base Camp.

As always, the Sherpas will look after their clients well

during the ascent.

A complete kitchen, including gas bottles and food for a month,

is loaded, and the yak caravan sets off.

Past the seracs, impressive ice formations,

they climb from 5,300 to 6,400 metres.

YAKS' BELLS TINKLE

Once there, the Sherpas will set up a camp

where the expedition members will stay for around a month,

depending on weather conditions.

They will set up the tents, cook and wash-up for their clients.

It's not just on the mountain that Sherpas provide critical support.

To survive in such extreme conditions,

months of preparation are needed.

So, between expeditions,

Ngima and a colleague carry out equipment maintenance.

Cooking gear and ropes are checked.

The most critical equipment is the oxygen masks.

If one of them should fail,

in the worst case, it could result in the death of a client.

A Sherpa's reputation is crucial.

TRANSLATION: When tourists climb Mount Everest, we accompany them.

They come as clients, but they soon turn into friends we care for.

We make sure the path is safe.

We look after the tents, the food,

and, most importantly, the oxygen bottles.

When clients don't make it to the peak, we bring them back safely.

They often come again, in the hope of a successful second try.

Word gets around. When more clients come, we have a secure income.

Ngima's home is Kathmandu.

Its famous Thamel district,

just a handful of streets covering about a square kilometre

in a sprawling city of over 50 square kilometres,

is a magnet for tourists.

Over 2,500 business are crammed into this area...

..and it's not just trekking gear that attracts the visitors.

The shops sell everything a tourist could wish for...

..from souvenirs to carpets, pashminas to woollen goods,

and, not least, thangka.

These intricate religious paintings depict Buddhist deities

and are used both as teaching aids and as the centre of rituals

which, through meditation, can bring a devotee

further down the path to enlightenment.

Nothing better illustrates the deeply spiritual nature of the Nepalese people

in an otherwise chaotic and commercialised city.

When the summer morning sun casts a golden glow over the city,

it is the temples that are the first to come to life.

The Swayambhunath, or Monkey Temple,

is a paragon of peaceful co-existence

of the major religions in Kathmandu.

Both Buddhists and Hindus come here to honour their gods.

Ngima's return home is timely.

His wife, Dolma, is pregnant, and the new baby is due any day now.

So, he prepares breakfast for their little son.

It's an easy task compared to cooking half-way up a mountain.

Traditional tsampa is served,

fried barley flour with salted butter tea.

THEY CHAT IN OWN LANGUAGE

After breakfast, it's time for Ngima's son to go to school.

Unlike Ngima Tenji's children,

he doesn't have to walk for four-and-a-half hours,

but, in many ways, his journey is just as dangerous.

The roads in Kathmandu are full of hazards.

In the morning and evening rush hours,

the city's cross-roads are a nightmare.

Getting around Kathmandu is no easy task either.

Apart from riding a motorbike,

the fastest way to get around the city is the tempo.

These three-wheeled vehicles are found across Asia.

Their exhausts choke entire cities.

DRILL WHIRS

With scant regard for their own, or passers-by's safety,

in a garage on the edge of a street,

young workers melt metal scraps in a make-shift furnace

to produce fittings for a temple.

Hygiene doesn't feature too strongly either.

Next door, salted wild boar meat is for sale.

There's no limit to the pollution and noise.

Ngima is making one of his rare visits to the Thamel district.

It is here that he will find the greatest choice of pashminas,

traditional Kashmir shawls.

After his long months away, he is looking for a gift for his wife.

Mission accomplished,

in the afternoon, he leaves the hectic city behind him

and withdraws to the Pullahari Monastery.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city,

he seeks Buddha's blessing for the imminent birth of his child.

He lights butter lamps and incense sticks,

but he knows Buddha's blessing is not so easily attained.

It is only through good deeds, compassion and self-sacrifice

that his wish may be granted.

It is a principle all Sherpas bring to the task

of guiding on the mountains.

The expedition is preparing to leave Advance Base Camp.

To reach Camp IV,

they must climb the glacier to the foot of the North Col,

which is over 7,000 metres high.

MAN CHANTS

Before they set out, a lama recites prayers for protection,

wishing good to all men and averting harm to the expedition members.

Gelu was the last to join the team.

He is a highly-valued member,

because he also took part in the 2010 search expedition

for Irvine's body.

Figures made of ghee, butter lard,

are placed among the rocks, that bear an image of Buddha.

Then, the Sherpas hang prayer flags in all four wind directions.

A handful of tsampa completes the ceremony.

ALL SHOUT

This is a final supplication for protection.

When the tourist season is over,

not all Sherpas return to their homes.

Some seek employment opportunities abroad,

to better support their families.

Gelu is one of some 100 Sherpas who spend the summer in Austria.

For six years, he has worked in the Alps, near Salzburg,

in the kitchens of the Schmidt-Zabierow Lodge,

three or four times a week.

But perhaps it's not too far from his roots.

The lodge lies at 2,000 metres,

in the middle of a 10,000-kilometre walk

that extends all the way across Europe.

TRANSLATION: Sherpas like to work in the mountains, no doubt.

For many, that's their only choice.

And once a Sherpa has worked in the trekking business,

he never wants to work inside a building again.

Most Sherpas work as mountain guides until they are 55,

then they switch to office work,

which gives them more time for their families.

The point is to be happy with whatever you are doing.

-Hallo, Gelu!

-Gruss Dich, Gelu.

War es anstrengend? Oh!

Sehr heiss, sogar.

Heiss und schwer.

Danke schoen.

Alles im Keller.

Alles im Keller, danke schoen.

Gelu may be happiest outdoors and up in the mountains,

but working in the lodge's kitchens has its benefits.

-Machst du fertig?

-Ja.

-Danke.

Apart from the income it brings

during Everest's off-season for guiding,

the skills Gelu has learnt

stand him in good stead when it is time to return home.

In the tourist lodges at the foot of the Himalayas,

these new skills can be used to further supplement his income.

After years of practice, Gelu has become a good cook...

..and he has perfected his German.

Zwei mal Kotelett und salat...

But it is up in the high mountains that Gelu really feels happiest.

The team that will search for the body of Andrew Irvine

is snowed-in at the Advanced Base Camp at 6,400 metres.

Although the sun is out now,

there has been fresh snowfall every day,

preventing an ascent to the search area.

The climbers try to pass the time

by planning the next stage of the expedition.

Their thoughts centre around the question of which route Irvine might have chosen.

-TRANSLATION:

-Our search strategy is based on the fact

that Irvine's body has been seen once with certainty,

but possibly three times.

The most credible report, in my opinion,

is that of a Chinese climber, Xiu Jing, who, in 1960,

saw a body near the ridge, which can only have been Irvine's...

..since, at that time,

Mallory and Irvine were the only ones missing in that area.

Trying to put themselves in Irvine's shoes,

the climbers hope to work out

the route he was taking back down the mountain before he disappeared.

-TRANSLATION:

-I can well imagine that, in a state of exhaustion,

one could miss a correct turn and would then simply continue

in the hope of finding a rock crevice...

Some rock crevice to spend the night, or just to survive.

-TRANSLATION:

-I suggest we climb up the normal route to the ridge,

like we did last year, then follow the ridge downward,

and search close to the ridge line.

It's not just the snow that is holding back the team.

The summit of Everest is the dividing line

between China and Nepal.

Ascending via the southern route

requires a permit from only the Nepalese,

but Mallory and Irvine had taken the northern route.

This route passes through Chinese territory,

and a permit is required from their authorities.

For three weeks, the expedition is condemned to wait

until the Chinese authorities have prepared the route.

At long last, the wait ends, the weather clears,

and the Sherpas can start for the North Col at 7,100 metres.

Once there, they will set up camp

with everything they need for the search.

They have a steep climb ahead of them.

But in spite of the altitude, the Sherpas move incredibly fast.

Each of them carries 25 kilos.

Regardless of the thin air and an ascent of 700 metres,

they only take two hours.

On arrival on the North Col, there's no time to rest.

At this height, the weather can change instantly.

The Sherpas have to prepare the campsite without delay.

Around 7,000 metres,

the camp is in a zone where it can be hit by jet streams.

Although the sun is still shining,

the first gusts of wind are making their work difficult.

By nightfall, the wind has calmed down,

a welcome surprise.

In the Advanced Base Camp, everyone is busy.

While the Sherpas plan the next day's search,

the first climbers, ant-like, are already on their way to the summit.

The new morning brings bright weather,

but Charly Gabl, the Austrian meteorologist,

has warned the climbers of strong winds over the next few days.

But the Sherpas are not put off.

Along the ascent route to the two highest camps,

traffic is heavy.

Other climbers have taken advantage of the fine weather

and are already on the way back down.

Through his telescope,

Jochen Hemmleb watches the ascent of the search team to Camp VI

at 8,300 metres.

-TRANSLATION:

-The greatest challenge is the environment,

sleeping in a tent at 38, 40 degrees Centigrade below zero.

In Camp VI, even the melting of snow is a problem.

To get one litre of water, it takes one to one-and-a-half hours.

Putting on a pair of expedition shoes can take more than an hour,

and then you still have to strap on the crampons.

For most people, this is difficult to imagine.

Gelu, von Theo, bitte kommen.

Gelu, bitte kommen...

Theo is trying to contact Gelu.

But it soon becomes clear that the Sherpas have started a day too late.

Piercing gusts and the biting cold force them back into their tents.

Ich habe Dich leider nicht verstanden, bitte antworten.

Communication is all but impossible.

Again, the wind drives in the fog, covering the mountain...

..but the Sherpas refuse to give up hope.

Again and again, they discuss the search route.

It's very strong windy.

Wait until it's a little bit less,

and we try to go off at five.

Just in time, the wind does calm down.

The Sherpas set out for the search area at 8,500 metres.

It's already their second day in the death zone.

With only limited time left,

they search the rocky, icy slopes step by step.

Waere is moeglich,

dass sie alle vier zusammen den Grat absuchen wuerden,

bitte antworten.

Following Theo's advice, the four of them focus on the ridge.

It's steep here.

Oxygen masks and snow goggles limit visibility.

The four search for several hours,

then the storm starts up again and forces them back.

TRANSLATION: The search this year was better, more precise than last year.

We were like a family, and the team-work was really special.

We have not found Irvine, but we have gained experience.

One thing is clear, Irvine is not in this area.

The Sherpas have done their best.

But with so many rock crevices and snow drifts to conceal a body,

Mount Everest could hold its secret for ever.

The expedition over,

the four Sherpas fade quietly into the background.

After six months, Phurba can finally see his little boy again...

..Ngima Tenji completed his house...

..Ngima is now the proud father of a little daughter...

..and Gelu spent the winter with his wife and child in Germany.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd