From Outside Magazine, this is the Outside Podcast.

Every year during the month of May, we at Outside Magazine fix our eyes on Mount Everest.

Spring is the busiest time of year on the world's highest peak, as expedition teams gather

at base camp to launch their attempts on the summit.

For climbers, guides, and sharpas, an ascent of Everest is the culmination of intensive

planning and training that can take years, a chance to do something remarkable that requires

risking their lives.

For the journalist covering Everest, the quest to climb the world's tallest peak presents

an always fascinating series of stories.

Of physical feats, but even more profoundly of human drama.

Which is why Outside often has a reporter based close to the action.

I'm Ben Ares, Outside's Everest correspondent, coming to you from Camindu, Nepal.

Ben is a filmmaker and freelance writer who has been based in Nepal for a number of years.

We wanted to connect with him before we get into today's story, to get a broad picture

of the climbing season in the region, as well as an understanding of the dangers that

teams face on Everest and other high altitude peaks.

Camindu is a noisy place, so I'll do my best to answer the questions outside of background

noise.

The season really kicks off in mid-April when people arrive in Nepal and begin their

trek up to base camp and their initial acclimatization rotations.

The season continues based on whether through May, and by the first of June, pretty much

everybody has wrapped up their attempts as that's when the monsoon pattern tends to

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