THE OXYGEN DELUSION

MORE THAN ONE CLIMBER HAS QUIPPED THAT THE MODERN 8000m CLIMBING INDUSTRY IS SIMPLY A WAY OF GETTING AS MANY RENTED OXYGEN SETS UP AND DOWN A MOUNTAIN AS POSSIBLE

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EVERY SEASON CLIMBERS SUMMIT 8000m PEAKS WITHOUT USING SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN. THEY’RE FAR FROM THE MAJORITY, BUT A SMALL SCENE OF CLIMBERS UNDERSTAND IT’S NOT ONLY POSSIBLE – AND IN SOME PLACES LIKE THE PAKISTAN SIDE OF K2 & BROAD PEAK – IT WAS NORMAL UNTIL ONLY 7-8 YEARS AGO.

THIS IS NOT A RANT AGAINST THE USE OF SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN, IT IS THE OPPOSITE – THIS IS A RANT FOR EQUAL INCLUSION OF ALL FORMS OF HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING, EACH IN THE PLACES BEST SUITED TO THEM WITHOUT ENCROACHING ON THE PLACES BEST SUITED TO ONE FORM OR ANOTHER. AT FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS WE DON’T DISPARAGE AGAINST CLIMBERS WHO CHOOSE TO USE SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN – WE THINK THOUGH THE CLIMBING OF 8000m PEAKS WITHOUT IT IS UNDER-REPRESENTED (AND BY DEFAULT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY THAT GOES WITH IT) TO THE DETRIMENT OF WHAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PURSUIT BETTER REGARDED BY IT’S LEADING EDGE, NOT IT’S COMMERCIAL BASE. SO THIS ARTICLE IS AN ATTEMPT TO REPRESENT THE CASE FOR WITHOUT.

WITH SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN THERE COMES AN INDUSTRY. IT MAKES 8000m ASCENTS POSSIBLE TO MOST PEOPLE WHO ATTEMPT THEM AND IF NOT FOR IT MUCH OF WHAT 8000m CLIMBING CONSISTS OF WOULD NOT EXIST. TAKE AWAY IT’S USE AND A FAIR BIT OF WHAT’S OUT ON THE BALTORO, KHUMBU etc EACH SEASON WOULDN’T BE. FROM THE CLIMBERS TO THE STAFF TO THE PORTERS TO THE ROUTES INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE SCHEDULES TO THE ECONOMICS, SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN IS WHAT FLOATS 99% OF IT. EVEN FOR THE HANDFUL OF CLIMBERS ATTEMPTING WITHOUT BOTTLED OXYGEN, THEY ARE TODAY INSIDE A GREATER SCENARIO THAT IS SET BY IT’S USE. WE KNOW BECAUSE WE’VE BEEN PRESENT AS K2 WENT FROM AN ‘O-LESS’ PEAK WHERE NO ONE USED IT, TO JUST ANOTHER ‘O-USING’ PEAK WHERE EFFECTIVELY EVERYONE DID AND EVERYTHING CHANGED AROUND IT FROM THE PEOPLE TO THE LOGISTICS TO THE TIMELINES AND THE CAMPS. EVERYTHING. WE HAVE NO INTENTIONS ABOUT CHANGING ANY OF THAT.

SANS SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN THESE PLACES WOULD BE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT – TO AN EXTENT THEY WOULD BE LIKE THE NORTH SIDE OF THE KARAKORAM, WHERE NO INDUSTRY CAN EXIST BECAUSE MANY OF THE NECESSARY BUILDING BLOCKS DON’T EXIST THERE, SIGNIFICANTLY THE ‘OXYGEN INDUSTRY’. NOW ABOUT THAT, WE DO HAVE INTENTIONS.

WE REPRESENT SEVERAL THINGS AT FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS – THE AUTHENTIC EXPEDITION EXPERIENCE, SUSTAINING A UNIQUE WILDERNESS AREA, SUSTAINING THE UNIQUE CULTURES WHERE WE GO, SUPPLYING OUR TEAMS AT FAIR PRICES, RUNNING THINGS AT THE SMALLEST BUREACRACY POSSIBLE – AND ABOVE ALL, HIGH STANDARDS OF ALPINISM. AND COLLECTIVELY SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN JUST DOESN’T FIT INTO THAT.

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THE CLIMBER

CONTRARY TO COMMON BELIEF, CLIMBING ABOVE 7500m WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN IS NOT SOLELY THE DOMAIN OF SUPER-CLIMBERS LIKE SIMONE MORO, VOYTEK KURTYKA OR BARRY BLANCHARD. WHILST IT DOES REQUIRE A GOOD DEGREE OF CONDITION – THERE’S NO MASKING LACK OF FITNESS WITH THE VARIOUS METHODS THE OXYGEN-INDUSTRY USES – IT’S A CONDITION ATTAINABLE THROUGH TRAINING BY ANY COMMITTED CLIMBER WHO ACCLIMATES EFFECTIVELY AND UNDERSTANDS THE WAY IT WORKS.

WE THINK THAT MANY CLIMBERS ACTUALLY DO FIT THIS PROFILE, PROBABLY MORE THAN THEY THEMSELVES REALIZE, BUT END UP USING OXYGEN SIMPLY BECAUSE THE INDUSTRY BOOKING MOST TRIPS IS NOT REALLY SET UP OTHERWISE.

THE NON-USING CLIMBERS WE HAVE MET AND BEEN OURSELVES DIFFER FROM USING CLIMBERS IN ONE VERY OBVIOUS WAY; THEIR CONFIDENCE ON THE MOUNTAIN. WHERE THIS IS DISTINCT FROM THE KURTYKA ARCHETYPE IS WHERE THEY APPLY THEIR CONFIDENCE TO UNKNOWN AND POTENTIALLY VOLATILE TERRAIN, THE MAJORITY OF 8000m CLIMBERS NEED TO APPLY IT TO VERY WELL KNOWN ROUTES WITH VERY WELL KNOWN AND ESTABLISHED ELEMENTS. THIS IS THE CONFIDENCE TO ACCLIMATE WELL, TO EMPLOY THEIR OWN STRATEGY, TO TRUST THEIR JUDGEMENT AND ABOVE ALL ELSE – TO NOT SIGN OFF ON RENTING OXYGEN HARDWARE IN THE FIRST PLACE. ALL OF WHICH ARE IMMENENTLY TRAINABLE TO THE POINT OF BEING ACQUIRED NO OTHER WAY.

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THE RISKS

SINCE 1970 WE HAVE KNOWN THAT CLIMBING HIGH WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN IS NOT THE DEATH WISH IT ONCE WAS, EITHER IMMEDIATELY OR LONG TERM. ONCE THE OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF 8000m CLIMBING RISKS IS VIEWED AS A WHOLE TO REALIZE MANY RISKS ARE EITHER NOT ASSOCIATED PRIMARILY WITH OXYGEN USE, NOT RESOLVED BY OXYGEN USE AND/OR NOT ASSOCIATED OR RESOLVED BY NON-USE EITHER, HOW OXYGEN USE FITS INTO A CLIMBERS RISK PROFILE BECOMES CLEARER. IN A NUTSHELL; HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING HAS RISKS HOWEVER YOU DO IT, SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN ADDRESSES SOME BUT ALSO RAISES OTHERS TO THE POINT IT PRETTY MUCH EVENS OUT. ADJUSTED FOR NUMBERS, DEATHS ON 8000m MOUNTAINS IS EFFECTIVELY THE SAME WHETHER YOU USE IT OR NOT, ONLY EXPRESSED IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

THE RISKS OF NOT USING SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN ARE THAT A CLIMBER WILL GET DELAYED ABOVE ABOUT 7500m IN CONDITIONS (THEIR OWN OR ENVIRONMENTALLY) THAT CAN HURT OR EVEN KILL THEM. OXYGEN UPTAKE RELATES TO HYPOTHERMIA, FROSTBITE, CEREBRAL & PULMONARY EDEMA etc WHICH CAN BE EXACERBATED (BUT NOT ERADICATED) WHEN SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN IS NOT PRESENT. THESE RISKS ARE EXACERBATED FURTHER WITH POOR, MISUNDERSTOOD OR CAVALIER STRATEGIES INCLUDING A NON-USING CLIMBER NEDING UP IN A USING STRATEGY THINKING IT MAY BE SAFER. ASSOCIATED RISKS WITH NON-USING IS THAT THE CLIMBER SIMPLY SPENDS MORE TIME ON THE MOUNTAIN BOTH ACCLIMATING & MOVING SLOWER AND THEREFORE IN THE HIGH RISK ZONE, THOUGH THE DOUBLE EDGE TO THIS IS THEY HAVE A GREATER DEGREE OF ACCLIMATION FROM DOING SO THUS ALLAYING SOME OF THE RISK OVERALL.

THE RISKS WITH USING SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN CENTER AROUND THE LIMITATIONS AND/OR FAILURE OF EQUIPMENT AT AN ALTITUDE THE USER IS NOT ACTUALLY ACCLIMATED FOR. ALMOST TO THE DEGREE OF SCUBA GEAR, BEYOND A POINT THE CLIMBER IS ALMOST TOTALLY RELIANT ON THE FUNCTIONS AND CAPACITY OF THE O SET SO THE ENTIRE LOGISTICS OF AN O-USING ASCENT IS BUILT AROUND IT WITH A LOT OF MOVING PARTS AND A MARGIN BUILT IN. THE O-USER NEEDS TO KEEP TO A SPECIFIED TIMELINE THAT WORKS MOST OF THE TIME BUT CAN BE CATASTROPHIC WHEN IT DOESN’T BECAUSE UNLIKE THE RISKS WITH NON-USING THEY CAN BE FAST ONSET. THE USING CLIMBER ALSO CARRIES MUCH MORE WEIGHT – AT LEAST DOUBLE AND POTENTIALLY TRIPLE WHICH THEY HAVE NO OPTION TO SHED. THE USUAL WAY TO ADDRESS THIS IS TO TRANSFER SOME OF THAT WEIGHT TO ANOTHER HUMAN – A SHERPA OR HAP – WHICH THEN INCREASES THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE ENVIRONMENT WHICH ITSELF INCREASES SOME RISKS LIKE FALLING DEBRIS, TIME WAITING GETTING COLD, KNOCK-ON EFFECTS OF EQUIPMENT FAILURE, NOT ALL OF WHICH AFFECT THE NON-USER.

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THE TIME

USING SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN IS FASTER THAN NOT USING IT – BUT NOT AS MUCH AS IS OFTEN THOUGHT, POTENTIALLY ONLY BY HOURS. OF COURSE NOTHING CAN BEAT USING ULTRA-HIGH FLOW OXYGEN FROM CAMP 2, HELICOPTER APPROACHES & PRE-ESTABLISHED CAMP SITES, BUT ASIDE FROM THOSE MINORITY TRIPS, COMPARISONS BETWEEN REGULAR TRIPS WORKS OUT SURPRISINGLY SMALL WITH NON-USING TRIPS STILL FITTING INTO THE SAME OVERALL TRIP SCHEDULE AS USING. THE DIFFERENCE IS IN HOW THAT TIME IS SPENT.

KNOWING THAT THE CLIMBER NEED ONLY GET TO +/-7000m WHERE THEY WILL DON THEIR O SET MEANS THAT THE USING CLIMBER HAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT TIMELINE ON THE MOUNTAIN TO THE NON-USER WHO MUSY ACTUALLY ACCLIMATE TO THAT THEN BUILD A WINDOW OF CONDITION FROM IT IN WHICH TO SUMMIT, AND THAT USES TIME IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

THE TIMELINE OF THE USING CLIMBER IS AS MUCH ABOUT STOCKING A SUPPLY OF BOTTLES READY FOR USE AS IT IS ABOUT METABOLIC ADAPTION, THE GOAL BEING TO CO-ORDINATE BOTH SO A SEAMLESS PUSH TO THE SUMMIT CAN BE MADE THAT IS SAFE FROM BEING WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN ABOVE THE POINT THEY ARE PHYSIOLOGICALLY ADAPTED TO NOR HAVE A WINDOW FOR. THE NON-USING CLIMBER, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAS A TIMELINE THAT REVOLVES AROUND OPTIMALLY ACCLIMATING AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE IN THE GIVEN TIME, WHICH INCLUDES TIME SPENT FULLY EMBEDDING THEIR HIGHEST ADAPTION, THEN RESTING TO THE RIGHT DEGREE WHERE A RETURN TO THE HIGH POINT WITH MINIMAL LOSS OF ADAPTION CAN TAKE PLACE SO THEY CAN PUSH ABOVE IT BEFORE THEIR METABOLISM IS OVERWHELMED, RETURNING TO AN ACCEPTABLE ALTITUDE BEFORE THINGS GET TOO ROUGH.

A MAJOR DIFFERENCE IS THAT USING SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN TAKES OUT MUCH OF THE VARIATION IN INDIVIDUALS METABOLISMS AS THEY BECOME MECHANICALLY RELIANT ASAP, MAKING IT A FAR BETTER BUSINESS MODEL TO RUN TRIPS AROUND. WHERE THE SCHEDULING FOR NON-USING CLIMBERS IS VERY ORGANIC, THAT FOR USERS IS MUCH MORE PREDICTABLE.

ACTUALLY ON THE MOVE, NON-USERS HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING ABLE TO WAIT IN CAMPS MUCH LONGER SO LONG AS THEIR CONDITION HOLDS AS THEY ARE NOT SUBJECT TO A SUPPLY RUNNING OUT, WHILST USERS HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING ABLE TO MOVE FASTER WHEN IT’S TIME TO (AND OF COURSE VARIATIONS EXIST COMBINING THE TWO ie USING SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN ONLY TO REST etc). BALANCED OUT THEY COME OUT ABOUT EQUAL, WHAT MARKS THE DIFFERENCE IS THE STRATEGY USED AROUND THEM WITH USERS RELIANT ON THE SUPPLY LOGISTICS TO A GREATER DEGREE, SOMETHING THAT CAN GET STRAINED WHEN WEATHER HAS AN ADVERSE EFFECT.

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THE ECONOMICS

NOT USING SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN IS FAR CHEAPER. THE COSTS OF OXYGEN USE GO WELL BEYOND SIMPLY RENTING THE SET AND EXTEND INTO STAFFING, THEIR OXYGEN USE, TRANSPORT OF THE STUFF AND HARDWARE COSTS. WE RAN THE NUMBERS AND ON A STANDARD 8000m TRIP USING OXYGEN IT’S BETWEEN 1/5 AND 1/3 DEPENDING HOW YOU CALCULATE ie TO INCLUDE THE RESOURCES GOING TO THE STAFF THAT ARE THERE ONLY TO MOVE IT AROUND.

EVEN AT IT’S LEAST EXTENT OXYGEN IS A MAJOR CHUNK OF THE EQUATION AS AN ECONOMIC FORCE AND CAN ONLY REALLY WORK WITH THE COMMERCIAL CLIMBING INDUSTRY AROUND IT HAVING THE SUPPLY CHAIN FROM SOURCE TO SUMMIT (THERE’S ANOTHER WAY TO USE THE TERM), WHICH INCLUDES WAGES AND INFRASTRUCTURE AS BEING PRESSURIZED MAKES IT NOT WITHOUT REGULATIONS TO HANDLE.

NOT BEING PART OF THE OXYGEN-USING CLIMBING INDUSTRY WE WON’T COMMENT ON THE TRIP COST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE WHO USE IT AND THOSE WHO DON’T, SUFFICE TO SAY THAT WITHOUT THAT INDUSTRY USING SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN ON THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 AND THE CHINESE KARAKORAM IS NOT AN EASY THING TO ARRANGE (AND DEFINITELY NOT AS SIMPLE AS BRINGING SOME UP FROM THE NORTH SIDE OF EVEREST AS WE HAVE BEEN ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES).

SO WHY THEN DO K2 NORTH SIDE TRIPS STILL COST THE SAME DESPITE NOT HAVING OXYGEN? BECAUSE THE ECONOMICS & LOGISTICS THAT PUT OXYGEN ON A MOUNTAIN ALSO SCALE DOWN COSTS IN OTHER THINGS LIKE SUPPLY LINES, NAMELY WHAT WE DON’T SPEND ON OXYGEN WE SPEND ON HIGHER WAGES, VASTLY BETTER TRANSPORT AND MORE EFFICIENT SUPPLY LOGISTICS.

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THE ERGONOMICS

CLIMBING AT THE HIGHEST ALTITUDES IS GOING TO BE HARD ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN ONLY SWAPS ONE SET OF PROBLEMS FOR SOMETHING ELSE, THOUGH MANY DON’T REALIZE IT. YES, MOVING IS EASIER, BUT THEN IT’S CONFINED WITHIN SPECIFIC PARAMETERS AND SUBJECT TO LIMITATIONS SUCH AS FLOW RATES, THE WEIGHT OF THE O SET AND THE AVAILABILITY OF SUPPLY THAT ALL DEGRADE THE ADVANTAGES.

FOR THE NON-USER, THE FREEDOM TO MOVE AT AN ORGANIC PACE IS ALWAYS A REVELATION WHEN THEY COME FROM BACKGROUNDS USING IT. SO LONG AS THE CLIMBERS CONDITION ALLOWS FOR IT THEY ARE SEVERAL KGS LIGHTER, HAVE EASIER RANGE OF MOVEMENT, HAVE LESS MOVING PIECES TO MAINTAIN AND ARE LESS RELIANT ON THE MOVEMENTS OF OTHERS.

WHILST TRUE THAT O USERS HAVE BETTER SLEEP UP HIGH, THE NON-USER BY BEING BETTER ACCLIMATED OVERALL HAS BETTER SLEEP LOWER DOWN, WITH THE ARGUMENT RAGING FOR YEARS OVER WHICH HAS MORE ADVANTAGE, WITH OVER THE COURSE OF THE ‘MOUNTAIN’ PHASE OF A TRIP THE NON-USER OFTEN HAVING MORE QUALITY SLEEP ACCUMULATIVELY AS THEY HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER BASE OF ADAPTION THAN THE CLIMBER WITH ONLY MINIMAL ACCLIMATION. WEIGHED AGAINST THE RELATIVELY FEW NIGHTS ACTUALLY SPENT AT EXTREMELY HIGH ALTITUDE (2-3) AND WHERE SLEEP IS NOT EXACTLY GREAT EVEN WITH THE BEST SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN SUPPLY, THE NON-USER WITHIN A SMART ‘NO O’ STRATEGY CAN PERFORM WELL, ALBEIT PROBABLY SLOWER, UP HIGH.

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THE STRATEGY

WE’VE MENTIONED ‘STRATEGY’ CONTINUOUSLY IN THIS ARTICLE SO IT DESERVES A THOROUGH EXPLANATION.

COMMERCIAL OXYGEN-USING 8000m TRIPS USE A BLUEPRINTED STRATEGY WITH LITTLE VARIATION ACROSS THE BOARD. NOT COUNTING HIGH TECH ‘FLASH’ TRIPS THAT BASE ON ACCELLERATED APPROACHES, ULTRA-HIGH FLOW O SETS & SUPER-STAFFED ASCENTS WHICH WE COVER HERE, MOST 8000m ASCENTS USE A STRATEGY THAT WILL GET MOST CLIMBERS UP & BACK UNTIL THE VARIABLES OF WEATHER, INDIVIDUAL ABILITY & RANDOMNESS GET IN THE MIX. AT IT’S MOST BASIC THIS INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY CONSISTS OF STOCKING CAMPS WITH A SUPPLY OF OXYGEN THEN GETTING THE CLIMBER UP IT, USING STAFF ON A MORE EFFICIENT DIET OF OXYGEN AS THE MECHANISM THAT PREVENTS IT BEING A NET SUM ENDEAVOUR. THE INDIVIDUAL O-USING CLIMBER’S STRATEGY IS ONE OF ADAPTING TO ALTITUDE GAIN ONLY TO THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN START USING SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN, SOMETHING BASED ON THE TIMELINE AND SUPPLY LOGISTICS THAT PRIORITIZES STOCKING FROM HIGHER TO LOWER AND IS BEING REFINED AS O SETS GET EVER LIGHTER AND FLOW RATES CHANGE IN A COMPLEX INTERPLAY OF FACTORS THAT MAKES MIND-BOGGLING CONVERSATIONS AFTER TOO MUCH COFFEE (WHERE ALL CLIMBING STARTS REALLY).

PARALLEL TO THE CLIMBING, THE USING CLIMBERS STRATEGY INVOLVES RESTING RELATIVE TO THEIR DEGREE OF ALTITUDE ADAPTION – NOT ENOUGH AND THEY MISS THEIR OPTIMAL CONDITION, TOO MUCH AND THEIR ALREADY THIN ACCLIMATION DEGRADES.

THIS IS A FAIRLY BINARY STRATEGY THAT HAS THE LARGE MITIGATING FACTOR OF SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN TO MOP UP SOME DEGREES OF INEFFICIENCY AND MISHAPS AND THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES FOR HOW WELL IT WORKS, WITH THESE DAYS EVEN MAJOR WEATHER EVENTS THAT ONCE STOPPED ENTIRE SEASONS BEING OVER COME.

THE NON-USING CLIMBERS STRATEGY HAS SEVERAL MORE MOVING PARTS, WITH EACH PART HAVING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE GRAVITY, AND DESPITE DECADES OF GOING ON STILL HAS ENOUGH SUBLTIES TO MAKE IT AS MUCH AN ART AS A SCIENCE. FOR ALL THAT WE CARRY ON ABOUT OXYGENLESS CLIMBING WE DON’T PRETEND TO DEFINITIVELY KNOW AS NEITHER DO THOSE AT THE VERY TOP OF THE GAME. INDEED THE BEST HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBERS MAY BE THE WORST PEOPLE TO JUDGE O-LESS PERFORMANCE BY, DUE TO BEING SELF-SELECTED PROBABLY WITH OTHER TRAITS INCLUDING THINGS LIKE SPONSORSHIP AND LIFESTYLE THAT HAVE NO METABOLIC REFERENCE BUT SIMPLY ALLOW THEM MORE TIME IN THE ENVIRONMENT. POINT BEING; THE NON-USING CLIMBER’S STRATEGY LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT TO THAT OF THE USER AND DOESN’T JUST SIMPLY OVERLAY IT.

BECAUSE THE NON-USER AIMS TO EMBED THEIR METABOLIC ADAPTION TO THE HIGHEST ALTITUDE THEY CAN BY SPENDING SIGNIFICANT TIME THERE, THEY FOLLOW A MUCH MORE INCREMENTAL ASCENT PATTERN THAN THE USER WHO IS ONLY REQUIRED TO HAVE MINIMAL ADAPTION. THIS RESULTS IN MORE TIME ACTUALLY ON THE MOUNTAIN – ABOUT 50% MORE – WHICH HAS IT’S RISKS BUT FOR MANY IS THE REALLY THE ATTRACTION, NOTING MANY OF THOSE DAYS ARE ACCLIMATION DAYS AND NOT CLIMBING. PART OF THE DIFFERENCE CAN BE DESCRIBED AS ‘USERS DO MOST OF THEIR RESTING AT BASECAMP, NON-USERS DO MOST OF THEIRS UP HIGH’.

THE NON-USING STRATEGY IS BASED ENTIRELY AROUND NORMALIZING AT A GIVEN ALTITUDE TO THE DEGREE WHERE THE CLIMBER HAS ENOUGH OF AN ‘ACCLIMATION ENVELOPE’ FOR A SUMMIT PUSH, WHICH IS THE RESULT OF A MIX OF GAINING AND DROPPING ALTITUDES BASED ON ‘FEEL’ AND THE BODY ADAPTING DURING SLEEP WHEN RED BLOOD CELL COUNT IS INCREASED TO COPE WITH THE STRESSES IMPOSED DURING WAKING, OF WHICH THERE’S DOZENS OF STRATEGIES.

ON A ROUTE LIKE THE NORTH RIDGE OF K2, OUR O-LESS STRATEGIES PLAY OUT WELL WITH THE CONSISTENT STEEPNESS OF THE ROUTE – THINGS ARE MUCH EASIER TO ACTUALIZE WHEN THERE’S AN EVEN LINE RUNNING THROUGH IT. BY IT’S VERY NATURE THE NORTH RIDGE OF K2 IS AN IDEAL O-LESS ROUTE, BEING SLOW BECAUSE OF IT GRADIENT AND TECHNICAL LEVEL, BEING STRAIGHTFORWARD AS A SINGLE DIRECT RIDGE FROM GLACIER TO SUMMIT ALMOST, HAVING NO MEANDERING LOWER SECTIONS WITH LITTLE ALTITUDE GAIN FOR EFFORT, OR LONG LOW ANGLE SUMMIT RIDGES THAT PROLONG THINGS RIGHT AT THE HIGHEST POINT. THE RIDGE’S ARETE MAKES FOR RELATIVELY GOOD CAMP OPTIONS, AND THE DISTANCE DISTANCE BETWEEN SUGHET JANGAL, BASECAMP AND ADVANCED BASECAMP, THOUGH RELATIVELY LONG, ARE WELL WITHIN BASE ACCLIMATION SO AS TO BE MANAGEABLE. PUT ANOTHER WAY; TO USE OXYGEN ON K2’S NORTH RIDGE WOULD BE ABOUT AS HARD AS NOT USING WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE ISSUES WITH GETTING IT TO BASECAMP (NO LEGION OF PORTERS), GETTING IT STOCKED UP THE ROUTE (NO EASILY STOCKED LARGE CAMPS, STEEP ENOUGH TO MAKE CARRYING IT VERY HARD) AND BEING FAST TO DESCENT NEGATING SOME OF THE CONTINGENCY THAT OXYGEN IS NEEDED IN A TRIP TO ADDRESS.

IF EVER THERE WAS AN 8000m ROUTE IDEAL FOR O-LESS CLIMBING, K2 NORTH RIDGE IS IT.

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THE OXYGEN INDUSTRY

MORE THAN ONE CLIMBER HAS QUIPPED THAT THE MODERN 8000m CLIMBING INDUSTRY IS SIMPLY A WAY OF GETTING AS MANY RENTED OXYGEN SETS UP AND DOWN A MOUNTAIN AS POSSIBLE. NOW THIS IS A PRETTY CYNICAL VIEW, BUT IT DOES EXPOSE THE INDUSTRY BEHIND THE CLIMBING IN WAYS SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE CONSIDERED; A VISCIOUS CIRCLE, SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN IS A PRODUCT OF COMMERCIAL CLIMBING AND COMMERCIAL CLIMBING IS A PRODUCT OF SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN.

AT THE VERY CORE OF THE 8000m SCENE ARE THE COMPANIES THAT PRODUCE SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN SETS FOR CLIMBING, JUST AS THERE ARE ALSO COMPANIES THAT PRODUCE THE BOOTS, DOWN SUITS, TENTS & EVERYTHING ELSE. THESE COMPANIES HAVE AN INTEREST IN SEEING THEIR PRODUCTS SOLD & RENTED AND WORK HARD TO MAKE THEIR PRODUCTS MORE EFFICIENT, LIGHTER, EASIER TO USE AND SAFER. AND NOT JUST FOR THE CLIMBER THERE TO SUMMIT THE PEAK OF THEIR CHOICE, BUT FOR THE NETWORK OF PORTERS, HAPS, SHERPAS & EMPLOYEES THAT SPEND THEIR TIME DEALING WITH IT AS WELL. WITHOUT OXYGEN SETS ON A MOUNTAIN ALL ELSE GRINDS TO A HALT FAST AGAINST A TIMELINE WITH A RELATIVELY SMALL WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY RELATIVE TO THE OVERALL – MISS THOSE 4 & 5 DAY SUMMIT WINDOWS EACH SEASON BECAUSE OF MECHANICAL OR LOGISTICS ISSUES AND PEOPLE GET UPSET.

LIKE ANY OTHER INDUSTRY, JOBS AND HEIRACHIES ARE BUILT AROUND THE USE OF OXYGEN, WITH IT EITHER DIRECTLY OR SECONDARILY AFFECTING PEOPLES LIVELIHOODS. REMOVE THE BOTTLED OXYGEN AND A LOT OF PEOPLE LOSE THEIR SECURITY IN WHAT IS ALREADY AN EXPLOITIVE, SEASONAL, STRATIFIED AND CORRUPT INDUSTRY.

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THE DEPENDANCY

A CERTAIN BEHAVIOUR COMES WITH USING SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN THAT IS STARTLINGLY OBVIOUS THE MOMENT YOU EXPERIENCE IT’S ABSENCE. IT’S EASY TO MAKE ALLUSIONS TO SUBSTANCE DEPENDANCY WITH THIS, BUT AT THE CORE OF IT THINGS ARE AMAZINGLY SIMILAR, WITH ‘THE OXYGEN EFFECT’ BEING A KNOWN THING THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO SOME OF THE MOST UNSAVOURY EVENTS IN 8000m CLIMBING WHETHER INTENTIONAL OR NOT.

LIKE ANYTHING THAT IS RELIED UPON, SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN TAKES ON A CHANGING VALUE BOTH THE MORE IT IS DEPENDED ON AND THE HARDER IT IS TO GET. AT BASECAMP O SETS HAVE A CASUAL CURIOSITY ASSOCIATED WITH THEM AND A BASICALLY UTILITARIAN ROLE THAT HAS COMPANY COMPETITION AROUND IT SOME POLITICS, BUT NO ONE GETS TOO STRESSED AS THERE’S PLENTY ABOUT AND THE NEED ISN’T THERE – YET. AS THEY GET CARRIED HIGHER, THEIR VALUE CHANGES TO THAT OF THEIR WEIGHT – 7 BOTTLES OR 8? 3 FOR THE SUMMIT DAY OR 2? THE EQUATION BEGINS WITH ACADEMICS AND WHEN THE EFFECTS OF ALTITUDE HIT FAST BECOME ABOUT THE WHEELING AND DEALING OF WHO CAN CARRY WHAT AND PROTECTING THE STASH. IN A SCENE WHERE REPUTATIONS BUILD SEASON AFTER SEASON, RUMOURS & DRAMAS ABOUND AND LIFE OR DEATH REALLY IS IN THE MIX, IT’S NO SURPRISE TO FIND BOTTLED OXYGEN AT THE CENTRE OF IT LIKE SPICE IS IN DUNE.

AS THE SUMMIT WEATHER WINDOW CLOSES IN ALL TALK IS THAT OF OXYGEN AT EVERY LEVEL, IT HAVING BEEN THE CONSTANT COMMON ELEMENT FOR THE WEEKS LEADING UP. EVERYTHING GOING ON IS IN RELATION TO THE O SUPPLY; THE WEATHER, THE HAPS & SHERPAS, HEART RATES & PACK SPACE, TENT SPACE & COMPANIONS, IT’S ALL IN REFERENCE TO THE OXYGEN EVERYONE IS REALIZING THAT WITHOUT CHAOS ENSUES.

WEIRDLY ENOUGH – AND WHAT SETS IT APART FROM DRUGS – IS THAT THE MOMENT THE SUMMIT BID IS OVER NO ONE MENTIONS THE STUFF AGAIN. THE BOTTLES GET KICKED DOWN THE ROUTE TO BE LOST, LEFT TO CORRODE ON THE MORRAINE, A SMALL PERCENTAGE MAKE IT TO BASECAMP TO BE HELI’D AWAY IN CARGO NETS, A FRACTION OF WHAT GETS USED, BUT ALSO A LOT MORE THAN WHAT GET’S MENTIONED IN THE RETELLING OF THE ADVENTURE. ALL OF THIS IS JUST THE FABRIC OF THE TRIP AND DOEN’T REALLY GET NOTICED FOR THE DRAMA IT HAS, NORMALIZING AS A BASIC FACT OF LIFE RIGHT FROM THE START. IT’S WORTH NOTING THAT EVER SINCE THE FIRST ATTEMPT ON EVEREST USING THE STUFF IT’S BEEN THIS WAY, WITH THE SAME EARLY CRITICISMS OF THE DEPENDANCY WE SEE TODAY.

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED 8000m TRIPS WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN PRESENT, ALL THE TALK OF BOTTLES AND FLOW RATES IS REPLACED WITH TALK OF PERFORMANCE, ‘STRENGTH’ AS THE BY WORD FOR HOW A CLIMBER FEELS, AND INCREMENTS OF ALTITUDE AT A MICRO-LEVEL O USERS WILL BE IMPRESSED BY. O LESS TRIPS ARE BASED ON ADAPTION TO THE MOUNTAIN, NOT TO THE OXYGEN.

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THE ETHICS

CLIMBING WITH OR WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTARY ARE TWO DIFFERENT PURSUITS AS DIFFERENT AS CYCLING IS FROM RIDING A MOTORBIKE SIMPLY BECAUSE ONE RELIES ON METABOLIC PERFORMANCE AND ONE RELIES ON A MECHANISM TO REPLACE THAT PERFORMANCE. JUST AS IT’S UNETHICAL TO APPLY THE PERFORMANCE OF A BICYCLE TO A MOTORBIKE AND VICE VERSA, IT’S THE SAME TO EQUATE O-LESS CLIMBING TO HAVING USED IT. ONE IS NOT BETTER THAN THE OTHER, BUT ONE DOES REQUIRE A HIGHER LEVEL OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE THAT PUTS IT INTO A CATEGORY WHERE COMMITMENT & EXECUTION HAS HIGHER STAKES. PUT ANOTHER WAY – O-LESS CLIMBING DOESN’T HAVE THE LEVELLING EFFECT THAT USING OXYGEN DOES, IT’S ATTRIBUTES ARE THE RESULT OF A HIGHER DEGREE OF PREPARATION AND APPLICATION ON THE MOUNTAIN.

IT MAKES LITTLE SENSE TO THROW THE O DEBATE INTO THE MODERN INDUSTRIAL SCENE WHERE IT’S ALMOST COMPLETELY USED, THE ENTIRE PROCESS IS BASED AROUND IT AND IT’S ALREADY BEEN SHOWN TO CARRY NO GRAVITY. BUT IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO THROW IT INTO THE ALTERNATIVE 8000m SCENE WHERE O-LESS STILL IS AN INDICATOR OF STYLE, CAPABILITY AND ATTITUDE, BECAUSE IN THIS CASE ETHICS ARE WHAT KEEP THE LOGISTICS, AUTHORITIES, ENVIRONMENT AND TEAMWORK CLEAN IN A SPORT WHERE THOSE THINGS ARE THE VERY CORE OF THE PURSUIT ITSELF AND ONCE BREACHED CAN’T BE RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL STATE.

ETHICS IN THIS CASE ISN’T A MATTER OF CALLING ONE STYLE OF CLIMBING BETTER THAN ANOTHER, IT’S ABOUT PRESERVING THE SOUL OF THE SPORT WHICH IS MADE UP OF SEVERAL PARTS INCLUDING THE NATURE OF THE ROUTE AND THE NATURE OF THE LOCATION.

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IN REFERENCE TO K2’S NORTH SIDE

AS WE CLARIFIED AT THE START, THIS IS ALL ABOUT EACH STYLE OF CLIMBING TO IT’S OWN DICTATED ONLY BY THE STYLE THAT SUITS ANY PARTICULAR PLACE. THE ONLY ETHIC BEING FOISTED HERE IS TO NOT DISTURB SOMETHING GOOD GOING ON SOMEWHERE WITH THE INTRUSIONS OF INDUSTRY. WE POSIT THAT THE NORTH SIDE OF THE KARAKORAM, WITH IT’S REMAINING WILDERNESS, IT’S SENSITIVE CULTURES, IT’S HISTORY OF EXPLORATORY CLIMBING AND THE REMOTE AND STEEP NATURE OF IT’S TOPOGRAPHY IS SOMEWHERE TO BE PROTECTED AS A PLACE OF UNINDUSTRIALIZED CLIMBING AND THAT INCLUDES OXYGEN.

IN NEPAL AND PAKISTAN MOST OF THE POPULAR PEAKS SIT AROUND VALLEY ROUTES THAT EXISTED BEFORE COMMERCIAL CLIMBING SHOWED UP, WHERE IT’S THE MILITARY STUFF ON THE LINE OF CONTROL, THE TRADE ROUTES INTO TIBET OR THE VILLAGES AROUND KANCHENJUNGA OR ANNAPURNA. BUT NOT THE NORTH SIDE OF THE KARAKORAM, THAT AT MOST HAS EVER SEEN OCCASIONAL USE AS PASTURE FOR NOMADS WITH EVEN THE MIGHT OF THE CHINESE MILITARY STAYING AWAY. FOR THE NORTH SIDE OF THE KARAKORAM TO BE SUITABLE FOR THE USE OF SUPPLEMENTARY OXYGEN WOULD REQUIRE CHANGES TO SUPPLY, CHANGES TO THE LOGISTICS OF PORTAGE, CHANGES TO THE WAYS CAMPS INCLUDING BASECAMP ITSELF ARE STOCKED, CHANGES TO THE ROUTE, CHANGES TO THE WASTE MANAGEMENT AND ECOLOGICAL IMPACT AND AS IMAGINED, BIG CHANGES TO THE ECONOMICS.

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A WORD ON PRE-ACCLIMATION

WE AND OTHERS COVER THIS EXTENSIVELY ELSEWHERE BUT IT MAKES SENSE TO BRIEFLY MENTION IT HERE.

SO CALLED ‘OXYGEN MASKS’ THAT REDUCE OXYGEN UPTAKE DON’T HAVE ANY IMPACT AS A TRAINING TOOL FOR HIGH ALTITUDE ADAPTION AS THEY NEITHER WORK ON THE SAME METABOLIC SYSTEM NOR ARE USED FOR ENOUGH TIME TO HAVE AN EFFECT.

NORMOBARIC CHAMBERS THAT REDUCE AIR PRESSURE WORK ON SIMILAR METABOLIC SYSTEMS AND SEEM TO SHOW A LIMITED ADAPTION TO MIDDLE ALTITUDES CONSISTENT WITH THE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT IN THEM RELATIVE TO THE TIME SPENT OUT OF THEM, MAKING THEM USEFUL FOR THE APPROACH WHICH THEN HAS KNOCK ON EFFECTS FOR THE REST OF A TRIP, ESPECIALLY A TRIP WITH OTHER ELEMENTS GEARED TOWARDS CAPITALIZING ON THAT.

TRADITIONAL ACCLIMATION ON AN EASIER OBJECTIVE THAN THE PRIMARY ONE STILL SHOWS THE GREATEST RESULTS SIMPLY BECAUSE IT’S BASED ON 100% KNOWN CAPACITY FELT BY THE CLIMBER WHO CAN KNOW EXACTLY HOW THEY PERFORM AT AN ACTUAL ALTITUDE. AN ADVANTAGE OF THIS METHOD IS THE OFTEN MINIMAL TRANSITION TIME BETWEEN THERE AND THEIR MAIN OBJECTIVE, BUT A DOWNSIDE IS THAT TO GAIN THIS ALTITUDE RISKS MUST BE TAKEN, KCALS MUST BE SPENT AND THE RIGOURS OF MOUNTAIN LIVING HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE GAINS.

FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITION’S UNIQUE PRE-ACCLIMATION PROGRAM COMBINES ELEMENTS OF THE TWO METHODS SHOWN TO WORK TO PRODUCE A DEGREE OF AUTHENTIC ACCLIMATION UNSEEN AND UNIQUE TO THE AREAS WE WORK IN. BY MANAGING ALTITUDE GAIN TO THE METER IN A PART OF TIBET WHERE WE CAN DRIVE AND STAY IN COMFORTABLE HOTELS, WE HAVE 100% OF OUR TIME AT OUR CHOSEN ALTITUDES WITH MINIMAL ENERGY EXPENDITURE TO COMPROMISE IT. THIS METHOD COMBINES THE UNINVASIVENESS OF THE NORMOBARIC CHAMBERS BUT WITH COMPLETE ALTITUDE EXPOSURE FROM ACTUAL HIGH ALTITUDE LOCATIONS. THIS PROCESS LETS US BOTH STRESS THE ADAPTIVE STRESSORS AND EMBED THE ADAPTIONS DURING REST IN ANY COMBINATION, DOWN TO A MICRO-SPECIFIC DEGREE.