KATHMANDU: A team of trained mountain guides have set up Camp II of Mt Everest on the Tibetan side as Jimmy Chin and his crew returned to the world’s highest peak from the northern side with Jim Morrison to continue the NatGeo project.

According to T3 sources at the base camp, IFMGA guides Pemba Gelje Sherpa, Pemba Wongchu Sherpa, Yukta Gurung and Pemba Sherpa along with four more Tibetan guides set up Camp II last week and they are now at the base camp. “The team returned to the base camp and is now waiting for fair weather to further proceed with the rope fixing above Camp II,” the sources said.

Renowned American ski mountaineer Jim Morrison will attempt a ski descent from Everest’s summit in tribute to Hilaree Nelson, who died during a similar attempt on Manaslu in 2022. The project is now logistically managed by Alpenglow Expeditions. “Adrian Ballinger, the owner of the Alpenglow Expeditions, is coordinating to make the project successful,” sources added.

Chin is set to film the ski descent under the million-dollar project funded by the National Geographic Society and The North Face. Last year’s mission was foiled after guides including Yukta Gurung suffered an accident near Camp II.

This year, the project employed eight guides and 10 other support staff at the base camp, according to sources. Nepali team had left for Tibet for the ambitious expedition on August 25.