Courtesy of Outsideonline.com (click for larger view). It appears that the route through the Khumbu Icefall this year is closer to the middle/orange line in this picture (as opposed to the red line, which was the route for many years).

Above is a view from Outside Magazine (www.outsideonline.com) of this year’s approximate route through the Khumbu Icefall (up to Camp I – there are 4 total camps above base camp), which also helps put the icefall in perspective, with appropriate scale, relative to the rest of the mountain (using Google Earth).  Also, please see this article regarding the route itself (the picture in the article itself is worth clicking the link).  Some big ice cliffs to overcome this year (4 ladders tied together should make for some good fun).

We depart Monday, so this will be the last post until we’re actually in Nepal and working our way up the Khumbu Valley toward base camp.  In the meantime, click this link for a great article penned for National Geographic by my young, but very accomplished, climbing partner, Matt Moniz, recapping our expedition last year.