マウンテンハードウェアさんのインスタグラム写真 - (マウンテンハードウェアInstagram)「If you were following along last year, you may remember @mhweverest2019, when a group of six employees trekked to Everest Base Camp, meeting up with company president Joe Vernachio, @garrettmadison1 and @timemmett as they prepared for their chance to reach Earth’s highest summit. But, that expedition was called off… A giant serac, estimated to be at least 200 feet tall, loomed more than 2,000 feet over the Khumbu Icefall. Though it was impossible to know when it would fall, we knew it inevitably would. And when it did, it would destroy everything in its path. On April 18, 2014, our community lost 16 sherpa when another large serac fell—and it was smaller, in a similar location but lower down on the mountain. We anticipated that this new serac, due to its size and height, would do significantly more damage. So, with the lives of our climbers and sherpa team at stake, we ended our expedition and returned home. Two weeks ago: On a scouting flight through the Khumbu Icefall, @garrettmadison1 observed that the serac is no longer there. Instead, there is a large scar on the glacier where the serac made impact and debris slid down. You can see how it skipped over some very large crevasses on its way down and fanned out as it spread over a large portion of the route in the Icefall. Even though our trip was over a year ago, we are still one of the last groups to be in Everest Base Camp. We’re thankful no one was on the mountain when it collapsed, and we can all rest easy knowing that this time, no one was caught in its path. This is also good news for everyone moving through the Icefall on future climbs. Certainly, there will be other risks to assess, but having this one out of the way may create a smoother path through what is already considered one of the most dangerous stages of the South Col route of the mountain. Mountaineering is inherently dangerous, especially in our changing environment. This news is a small sigh of relief for our community. (Continued in the comments…)」12月23日 3時03分