Media coverage

1. When will the daily updates be broadcast on CBC Newsworld?
The live daily updates with Byron Smith are complete. CBC Newsworld began airing the daily hits March 20, 2000, the same day Byron and the Everest 2000 team began their trek to Basecamp. The broadcasts were seen live on CBC Morning and repeated eight times throughout the day on Newsworld until the final broadcast May 24, 2000.

See all the daily videos in the Video Archive.

2. Is the CBC providing funds for this expedition?
CBC Newsworld is not paying one dime to Byron Smith or the Everest 2000 Expedition. We are providing the equipment he will need to make LIVE broadcasting possible. After the climb it will be used in a CBC News bureau either here in Canada or at a bureau overeseas. So there's no "added" expense.

Technical

1. Why is the video quality on the site so poor?
Unfortunately we can't do much about the grainy video. On TV it isn't much better!

The team is transmitting the video feed through a satellite phone which can transmit a signal at a maximum of 64 kb/sec (in actual transmission the team says it's lower than this). Unfortunately, with this raw source it doesn't matter how we encode it or how fast your connection/computer is.

We did hope to offering other videos on the site, that are recorded digitally in Nepal and sent to us seperately from the tv broadcast, but the ftp connection hasn't been good enough to do this and we've had to feed this video the same way, so it's the same quality.

2. Will you be using solar panels, wind powered generators or gas powered generators to recharge your Lithium Ion batteries?
The team will be using solar panels to "power" the battery bank that recharges the batteries. As well, we have gas powered generators available as backup.

3. How do I get the software programs I need to view the Everest 2000 website?
The video reports and interviews require the RealMedia player, which will be installed as a plug-in for your browser. From the RealMedia site you'll be given a choice of purchasing software or down-loading a free version. If you choose the free version you'll have to fill out an online form to identify your operating system (either a version of Windows or Macintosh OS), the class of your computer (Central Processing Unit -- CPU) and your connection to the internet (speed of modem, cable, or other connection). When you've filled out the form, hit "download" and follow the instructions on the file to install the plug-in on your system.

If you have any problems, look for links to "service support" or "FAQ" (frequently asked questions) at the bottom of the download pages.

The 3D models (such as Byron's logbook and the climbing knots), developed by Pixelyard Productions and Cycore Canada, require the Cult 3D plug-in, available from Cult3D.com. The software application will be installed as a free plug-in for your browser. There are three download options explained on the website. The plug-in is available for the Windows operating system.

The interactive games require the Shockwave Player, available from Macromedia.com. The player will be installed as a free plug-in for your browser. The three-step process is explained on the website. The player is available for Windows 95/98/NT and other operating systems.

The Everest 2000 website is best viewed on more recent browsers. The good part of having the most recent version of Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer is that you get a lot of features that allow you to see the most recent innovations (tables, Java, JavaScript etc.) which appear on many sites. The downside is that they take up more space on your computer.

This site has been designed to work with Netscape 3.0 and Internet Explorer 3.01, but you should probably have version 4 or higher. These can be downloaded from the company websites (Netscape or Microsoft).

On the Netscape site choose the appropriate operating system (either a version of Windows or Macintosh OS) and hit "download." Follow the instructions attached to the file.

On the Microsoft site you'll see two drop-down menus. One is used to select the program you wish to download (look for "Internet Explorer" in the list) and from the other select your operating system. The search engine may return several versions and updates of the browser you selected, just look for the simple browser title and the version (we suggest 4 or higher), then click on the title. Then follow the download instructions on the subsequent pages.

Other Climbs

1. What other Canadians are going to Mt. Everest this year?
We know of several other Canadians headed to Mt. Everest this year. Some are making summit attempts and some are going as part of the environmental clean-ups on the mountain or on cultural journeys to Nepal.

Here is a partial list, along with links to the websites featuring the various expeditions. We'll add more as we hear about them.

Web Links Everest Millenium (in French) Ben Webster's team Gabriel Filippi Everest Cleanup Jeff Warden Port Moody Venturers

André Lapérière, Bernard Mailhot,
Claude-André Nadon and François Loubert: team of four Quebecers approaching the summit from the North Face of Mt. Everest, without the support of Sherpas or supplemental oxygen.

Ben Webster, Benoit Robitaille,
Francois Bedard and Claude Berube: four-member team from Ontario and Quebec climbing the South Col route.

Gabriel Filippi: a Quebecer who lives in Iqaluit, Nunavut, climbing as part of an international team

Jamie Ross: from Vancouver, B.C., he's on the Inventa Everest 2000 Environmental Expedition, as research and education coordinator

Jeff Warden: from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He's climbing as part of an international group called EVEREST "2000" DEODHUNGA

Port Moody Venturers: a team of seven teens from Port Moody, B.C. is trekking to Mt. Everest Basecamp. They plan to help with the reforestation project north of Kathmandu and to deliver school supplies to schools in the Everest region.

2. With many other expeditions on the mountain, what do you do about the well known bottlenecks and traffic jams near the summit?
The same theory applies to climbing that applies to driving in rushhour! Be well organized and ready to leave at the optimum moment (eg. when the weather, snow etc. conditions are right). Move quickly and efficiently and try to get to potential problem sites before the bulk of the other climbers.

With the relatively small number of climbers heading for the summit on our team, this may be easier for us to accomplish than a larger group.

The team doesn't see this as a race to the top, but if they're prepared and ready to go before the bulk of the other climbers they will be able to set their own pace and not be governed by who's in front.

3. What other groups will be attempting to summit at the same time as yours?
Sending an expedition to Everest takes time, effort and planning. During the course of putting an expedition together, the separate groups may have no idea of who else is planning an expedition at the same time. No one can be certain of the number of expeditions, and where they're coming from, until the final permits have been issued and the money has been paid. This usually happens about a month before the usual climbing season on the mountain.

A good online source to keep track of the various expeditions for spring 2000 is EverestNews.com
The website, run out of the United States, tries its best to keep tabs on EVERY expedition, posting interviews, press releases and daily updates. For a list of links to many other expeditions on the mountain, see mnteverest.net.

4. What's Byron's take on Andrew Irvine and George Mallory? Were they able to reach Everest's Summit in 1924? Would the Everest 2000 Expedition consider a "search" for Andrew Irvine's body during their attempt?

More on Mallory Documentary: Lost on Everest Search for Mallory Mountain of Mystery Questions about Mallory/Irvine

There certainly has been a lot of interest and speculation about the fate of Mallory and Irvine's summit attempt. Unfortunately we don't expect to add any new information to the debate.

We are a relatively small expedition, with two climbers focusing their energies on reaching the summit, not searching for "missing" clues. However, Byron and the rest of the team will be acutely aware of the footsteps that they follow as they make their way up the mountain. The spirit of all previous Everest climbers will be ever present.

- Barbara Wade, expedition manager

More

1. What time is it in Nepal?
Nepal is on the other side of the world from Canada and is almost a half a day ahead of time. When you wake up in the morning, depending on where you are in the country, chances are it's early evening or late evening where Byron is.

Time in Nepal is 5.75 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). To find out exactly what time it is, check out Times Around the World.

As a quick reference (under Daylight Savings Time):

If it's 10 a.m. Monday in Halifax...
it's 10:30 a.m. in St. John's...
9 a.m. in Toronto...
8 a.m. in Winnipeg
7 a.m. in Calgary...
6 a.m. in Vancouver...
and 6:45 p.m. Monday in Nepal

2. The hundreds of expeditions to Everest have left behind a lot of mess. What is Everest 2000 doing with all the gear they pack in?
We are climbing clean, taking everything which we take to and on the mountain off it as well. It is very simply the same way I treat any country or culture, with respect. We will only leave our footprints. We have also budgeted to support extra cleaning of the mountain.

For questions about the Everest 2000 website or coverage by CBC Newsworld, contact: everest2000@cbc.ca

Frequently asked questions, will be posted here.