Summit Murder Mystery Series

Apa Sherpa has done it again! Apa Sherpa has beat his own Guiness Book of World Record and has summited Mount Everest for the 21st time. This time Apa Sherpa was accompanied by Dawa Steven Sherpa and the Eco Everest Expedition. The expedition team reached the summit on May 11th and is working towards bringing recognition to the clean-up attempts of Mount Everest. Climbers who pursue the summit of Mount Everest are plagued by trash strewn campsites. For the past four years the Eco Everest Expeditions have worked to create a cleaner Everest. Since the organization's foundation in 2008, climbers on Eco Everest Expeditions have brought down over 26,000 pounds of trash left behind by past climbers.

At the end of April, eight Malaysians began an attempt to climb the tallest mountain in the world, Mount Everest. They hope to raise money for cancer patients in need of funds for their medical treatments. The expedition is being led by Dr. Arunan Sevaraj. Climbers expect the expedition to end around May 12th. All proceeds of the climb will go to the National Cancer Council (Makna) and will help to ease the burden of the patients in need. The climbing crew calls themselves "The Rainbow" and has a vast amount of climbing experience. Their experience includes Mount Kinabalu, Mount Nuang, Mount Jerai, Cameron Highlands and Mount Datuk. Currently there are 1,219 cancer patients in need of funding. Since the establishment of Manka in 1995, 17,407 cancer patients have been helped at 86 different hospitals nationwide.

Dawa Steven Sherpa, managing director of Asian Trekking Nepal, and Apa Sherpa, world record holder of 20 ascents of Mount Everest, have prepared for another summit of Mount Everest. Together the Sherpa will lead the Eco Everest Expedition 2011. The expedition began in late April. The Eco Everest Expedition has conducted successful expeditions beginning in 2008, 2009 and 2010. On the 2011 expedition, there will be 23 climbers. The team is large, but Dawa Steven Sherpa has had experience in leading teams of this size previously. Eco Everest Expedition has been organized to create international awareness about the impact of climate change in the Himalayas. It also shows the effects on mountain communities that live at the base of the mountains. On the expedition, climbers will use alternative energy solutions such as solar energy for cooking, lighting and water purification. The expedition will also focus on cleaning Mount Everest. Since its foundation in 2008, Eco Everest Expediti...

Irion Books LLC is joining up with K2 Adventures Foundation for the Summer in the City Fashion Show on May 14th, 2011. It is an effort to help change the lives of underprivileged and disabled children in Phoenix and around the world. The fashion show is a fund raising event for Hacienda Healthcare of Phoenix, Arizona and the Mwereni Integrated School for the Blind in Tanzania, Africa. Taking place at the Montelucia Resort at 4949 E. Lincoln Dr in Phoenix, Arizona. Irion Books is acting as a sponsor to the event. Charles Irion founder and author of Irion Books also serves on the planning committee for the Summer in the City Fashion Show. Hacienda Healthcare provides specialized services for medically fragile and chronically ill infants, children and young adults in Arizona. Contributions to the K2 Adventures Foundations have provided technology enhancements and will provide children the opportunity to attend camps. Mwereni Integrated School for the Blind is located in Moshi, Tanz...

The U.S. military has always excelled at training soldiers for combat, but they've had a tougher time helping them adjust to peace after their service has been completed. After being involved in an accident that left him blind, army veteran Steve Baskis directed his efforts to summiting Mount Lobuche. While serving in Baghdad, Baskis' armored vehicle received a blast from a homemade explosive. It was a metal tube stuffed with explosive material and capped with a concave copper disk. Shrapnel sliced through the car's passenger side door and into Sergeant Victor Cota. Some of the shrapnel went through Cota and into Baskis. Cota did not survive the incident and perished on site. Baskis awoke a week later in a veteran's hospital without his sight. Although the pain was great, Baskis was determined to make the most of his life. Since the incident Baskis has learned to navigate in his now dark world. He has ran in the Chicago Marathon, finished a half Ironman triathlo...

Recently, over 90 teams took part in Guernsey's annual fundraiser, Everest Challenge. The challenge is for climbers to climb about 30,000 feet, the height of Mount Everest, on the climbing wall at Le Murier School. According the organizer of the Everest Challenge, Gary Dovey, the event raised a large amount of money. Currently the total stands at 15,150 euro, but more funding is coming in. The money raised will help to fund scholarships for off-island trips for the Le Murier climbing school pupils. In previous years, the students have used the money raised has served to send the students on trips to Herm, Jersey, Wales and France. The Everest Challenge also teaches the students perseverance and teamwork gained through the responsibility of the challenge.

The Yeti has long been an object of folklore. Known to some as the Abominable Snowman the Yeti is thought to inhabit the Himalayan mountains in Nepal, India. In the video below, the indigenous people in the surrounding area also call the mysterious, ape-like creature Meh-The, which translates to "man bear". Sightings of the Yeti have been recorded since climbers have begun tackling the formidable Mount Everest. Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to summit Mount Everest, found a large footprint in the snow and believed it belonged to a yeti. Still, there remains much doubt in the scientific community, due to the lack of conclusive evidence. Until Mount Everest and the Himalayas are completely understood, mankind will never know the truth about the Yeti.

In today's world people are incredibly interconnected wirelessly. Through the capabilities of WiFi anyone around has the opportunity to check email, upload video clips and pictures or chat on web based arenas such as Skype. Over the past year, eight 3G base stations were installed by Ncell and began operating on Mount Everest. As with anything, there are pros and cons to Mount Everest being internet accessible. Having internet on Mount Everest will save lives. Climbers will have better access to weather higher or lower on the mountain. Lost climbers will be able to more easily signal for help. The search crews will be able to find the lost climbers more accurately and faster. People interested in Mount Everest will be able to see it in real time, without actually climbing it. Knowledge and safety procedures will greatly increase with the ability to access the internet on Mount Everest. Unfortunately, this will also take some of the mystique away from this mountain. Mount Ev...

Walt Disney World celebrates Mount Everest with its passholders on March 5th, 2011. Thrill seekers will be able to recognize the fifth birthday of the Expedition Everest ride at Walt Disney World. Expedition Everest riders will be sent forwards and backwards before they encounter a Yeti! Pre-registered passholders will have the chance to experience Expedition Everest from 6 to 9 pm on Saturday, March 5 at Disney's Animal Kingdom. The theme park is actually scheduled to close at 6 pm that day, meaning this is a special after hours event. Interested patrons have been able to sign up beginning February 8th at disneyworld.com/passholder. To be able to sign up you must be registered on the site and have your passholder ID.

Arctic explorer, Eric Larsen, who has spent the past 15 years traveling the globe to some of the most remote places on Earth, spoke with Wisconsin students about his world record expedition and the effects of global warming. Larsen completed an expedition to both the North and South Poles and Mount Everest in 333 days. His mission was titled "Save the Poles" and he worked to bring attention to global warming. To the Superior middle school students Larsen gave the advice: "I often say just begin with one step and I think that's a way to solve not only problems on expeditions but other things in life, as well as the issue of climate change. That seems like a big problem that you almost don't want to do anything because you think what could I possibly do, and I think it's important to at least take that first step." For now, Larsen plans to continue his efforts in climate change, but hasn't ruled out another expedition in the future.

Early in November more than 2000 tourists were stranded at Lukla Airport in Nepal due to bad weather canceling flights. Lukla is the starting point for trips to Mount Everest. The Lukla Airport is also known as the Tenzing-Hillary Airport, after the first men to summit Mount Everest. The Civil Aviation Ministry of Nepal announced flights were canceled all over the region, leaving over 3000 tourists stranded in the region due to bad weather. The ministry is working with the army of Nepal to rescue all stranded tourists. The ministry plans to bring all tourists from Lukla to Jiri with the help of helicopters and sky vans. After Jiri the tourists will be transported to Kathmandu by bus. At Kathmandu they will be able to take flights home. Stranded tourists are not the only problem caused by the flight cancellations. Planes are the only way to provide food in the region. The inability for planes to fly has created a food shortage for many parts of Nepal. The Trekking Agents Associ...

The Seven Summits challenge has been tackled by countless climbers but only 275 have actually completed the task. This challenge includes summiting the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. Currently, there are two different Seven Summit lists. Both include Mount Everest, Mount Elbrus, Mount Kilimanjaro, Vinson Massif, Mount McKinley and Aconcagua. One list includes Mount Kosciuszko, while the other instead includes Mount Puncak Jaya, also known as Carstensz Pyramid. Thirty percent of the climbers who have completed the Seven Summits, have reached the eighth peak as well. Over the years, several records have been placed by those who have completed this monumentous task, below are a few of the current records. First: Richard Bass in 1985 Last: Sonia Carlos in 2010 Oldest: Ramon Blanco at 70 years old Youngest: Johnny Collinson at 17 years old Fastest: AC Sherpa in only 42 days First Female: Tabei Junko of Japan First Married Couple: Phil and Susan Ershler First Perso...

Technology has officially reached new heights! Mount Everest, the highest point on earth, has received internet connection. Climbers can surf the web, send a Tweet and make phone calls from the summit of Mt Everest. Until now, climbers were forced to carry heavy and expensive satellite equipment to transmit information and images from base camp. On the climb, mountaineers carry hand held VHF radios to talk with base camp, though an expedition might also carry a satellite phone to contact sponsors and family. Because of NCell, this is no longer needed. Climbers now have access to wireless internet and telecoms at the peak. This will greatly increase the safety for climbers on Everest. Distress calls from the death zone will be heard and answered more quickly due to this new technology. Satellite phones are infamous for poor reception at the top of Everest; the opportunity of internet on Everest has now solved this problem. Interactivity between climbers and the outside world has n...

Arctic explorer Eric Larsen has spent the past 15 years traveling across the globe to some of the most remote places on earth. Larsen is the first person to send a tweet from the North Pole on Earth Day. On his "Save the Poles" expedition Larsen traveled from the North Pole to the South Pole and summited Mount Everest along the way. Larsen's expedition was meant to bring attention to global warming. In the video below Larsen discusses his adventures and expedition with CNN.

Irion Books LLC is off to New York for the 31st Annual American Alpine Club Gala. The American Alpine Club (AAC) will be celebrating the Silver 25th Anniversary of Dick Bass completing the Seven Summits. Bass completed the Seven Summits on April 30, 1985. The adventure to him three years and three attempts on Everest. The Seven Summits include the highest points on all seven continents. The AAC is a community of climbers who have banded together to support the climbing and protect climbing places. Charles G. Irion will be celebrated as a new member of the American Alpine Club and as the co-author of the Summit Murder Mystery Series. The video below will also be presented at the gala.

Currently, the record for the most Mount Everest climbs is 20 and it is held by a Sherpa by the name of Apa. Apa completed his 20th climb on Mount Everest on an expedition called the Eco Everest Expedition of 2010. The expedition was in tribute to the world famous climber Edmund Hillary and as an environmental effort to help clean up the trash that has been abandoned along the mountain's trails. Apa collected 15,400 pounds of garbage while climbing to the summit of Mount Everest. The garbage was taken down the mountain by porters. At the summit Apa had originally planned to disperse the ashes of Hillary, the first climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Buddhist lamas warned that scattering the ashes would bring bad luck. Therefore, the ashes of Hillary will stay at a monastery near the base of Mount Everest. In an effort to show respect for Hillary, Apa prayed for him at the summit of Mount Everest. Apa first climbed the 29,035-foot mountain in 1989 and has repeated t...

An exciting expedition is taking place in the Everest Region and began on October 2nd! Soldiers to Summit: A Himalayan Experience consists of a team of 11 retired disabled U.S. soldiers, 10 Mount Everest climbers and two summits. These soldiers will struggle together to reach their objective of reaching both summits. The soldiers attempting to complete the expedition include: Steve Baskis, Chad Butrick, Ashley Crandall, Aaron Isaacson, Chad Jukes, Cody Miranda, Nicolette Maroulis, Justin Moore, Matt Nyman, Katherine Ragazzino and Dan Sidles. These men and women have served the United States military and have been given honorary discharged due to various ailments. Nicolette Maroulis spent three years in a wheel chair, but through multiple surgeries she has relearned to walk. Steve Baskis is blind and little motor skills in his left hand. Mount Lobuche and Mount Kala Pattar are in the Everest Region. The trail to the summit of Lobuche is steep and technically challenging as it is c...

Grab your copies of Murder on Everest and Murder on Elbrus, a sharpie and mark your calendar for September 18th from 5 to 6 in the evening! Ron and I will be hosting a book signing at El Chorro Restaurant at 5550 E. Lincoln Dr in Paradise Valley, Arizona. This is our first book signing together and we are excited for the success of the Summit Murder Mystery Series. We would love to see all of the Scott Devlon fans and murder mystery junkies. Bring your friends and family, we will have copies of both Murder on Everest and Murder on Elbrus for sale at the event. Clear you schedule now for Saturday September 18th from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and come meet and get your copies signed by the authors of Murder on Everest and Murder on Elbrus.

A father and son set a new record for climbers, being the first South Korean father and son team to summit Mount Everest. In the world they are the second father and son team to accomplish this goal. But their story goes beyond record setting; the two set off to summit Mount Everest in remembrance of their wife and mother, who had passed away four months before the summit. The father, Huh Young-ho, and son, Huh Jae-seok, summited Mount Everest to overcome their suffering for their wife and mother. Mount Everest was the first family trip the Huh family took. At the age of six, Huh Jae-seok, with his mother and sister, sent off Huh Young-ho to summit Mount Everest. Now, twenty years later, the father and son team completed the task and were able to celebrate the life of their loved one.

On May 15th, 2006, double amputee Mark Inglis reached the summit of Mt Everest. It was a remarkable achievement and Inglis was feted by the press and public alike. But only a few days later he was plunged into a storm of controversy when it was learned he and his team mates had passed an incapacitated climber, Englishman David Sharp, leaving him to a lonely death high in the Death Zone. The trials and tribulations Scott Devlon faced in Murder on Everest are very real to those who risk their lives to summit Mount Everest. While climbing, climbers come across the strewn bodies of their predecessors. As people die on the mountain, they fall and become part of the mountain. The snow covers the bodies and they conform to the side of the mountain. Many of these bodies can never be moved or carried down due to where they lay on the mountain. An even more difficult choice is when climbers come across a dying man and are forced to leave him behind. The choices are tough when climbers need ...