By Leif Whittaker It’s snowing. It’s cold. It’s 5:30 a.m., and I’m wondering if our attempt on the Lhotse Face will be postponed. Fresh powder—3–4 inches have accumulated overnight—means a significant avalanche danger

By Leif Whittaker The goal of our second acclimatization session on the mountain is to spend almost a week above 20,000 feet and to breathe the thin air at Camp III on the blue-ice slopes of the Lhotse Face. Before III though comes I and II.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen some amazing video and photos documenting Leif Whittaker and Dave Hahn’s ascent up Everest. Credit that to Serac Films’ Michael Brown,

On May 1, 1963, Jim Whittaker became the first American to stand on the summit of Mt. Everest. Forty-seven years later, his youngest son, Leif, is following in his father’s footsteps. Growing up as the child of a climbing legend has inspired Leif’s passion for climbing

By Leif Whittaker It’s been over a month since I said goodbye to the comforts of home and embarked on this expedition and, to be honest, I’m starting to miss some things. Staying focused on the mountain is important