Everest

Joint indo-nepal army team summits mount everest: 20 may 2013

A Joint Expedition of the Indian and Nepal Armies was flagged off from New Delhi by General Bikram Singh, Chief of the Army Staff, on 3rd April 2013 to summit the formidable peak. 20 mountaineers finally stood on the summit of Mount Everest during the early hours of 19th and 20th May 2013 and unfurled the flags of the two nations. 

This achievement came just nine days short of the Diamond Jubilee of the first ascent Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. The two teams began their final push for the summit at around 7 PM on 18th and 19th May 2013 from Camp IV, also known as the South Col, and took about 12 hours to reach the summit. 

This expedition has a special significance, as it has not only summited the highest peak, but also made a contribution towards cleaning it. More than a ton of non-biodegradable waste left on the mountain by generations of climbers has been brought down, making the mountain somewhat cleaner. 

Five Indian Army personnel will also participate in the “Everest Marathon 2013” from GOREKSHEP (17,000 feet) to NAMCHE BAZAAR(11300 Feet) on 29/ 30 May 2013. This is the highest marathon in the world in which participants will cover a distance of 42 KM.

See the little red dots along the ridge line? That's them. Makes me wonder how they got this photo. Helicopters can't go this high. Airplanes yes, but who's going to fly that close? Or hold a telephoto lens that still? I suppose with it's easier with digital cameras, but still, getting this shot was a bit of a trick. Pretty cool. Don't think I've ever heard of any natives climbing the mountain, except as porters for Westerners, which is really kind of dumb, isn't it? From Military Photos dot net