Flashing on Everest: is it safe or sensible?

At a rough estimate, around 250 people reached the summit of Everest from the north side this year, climbing with a number of different operators. Of these operators, two seemed to get the lion’s share of the attention: Furtenbach Adventures and Alpenglow Expeditions.

Why? Firstly, slick marketing fronted by a pair of dynamic, media-savvy owners, Lukas Furtenbach and Adrian Ballinger. Secondly, both teams are pioneering a new approach to high-altitude mountaineering that involves shortening t...