19 April 2022
Geography academic returns to Everest on Rolex and National Geographic expedition
Tom Matthews, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Geography, is leading the expedition team.
The expedition team set out on 25 March, led by Tom Matthews and fellow National Geographic Explorer, Baker Perry.
The team also includes climbing guides Peter Athans and Dawa Yangzum Sherpa, Nepali climate scientist Arbindra Khadka, and elite climbing Sherpa led by Tenzing Gyalzen Sherpa.
The team will collect data that is invaluable to the study of climate change and key to understanding one of the most complex environments in the world. The data will be collected via weather stations placed along the mountain.
The expedition builds upon the record-breaking 2019 National Geographic and Rolex expedition, which was also led by Matthews and Perry, where the team installed the highest automatic weather stations on land.
This weather station collects data on the Sub-tropical Jet Stream, as only Mount Everest and a few of the surrounding mountains are tall enough to collect data on the belt of strong upper-level winds.
The team arrived at Base Camp on 14 April. You can follow Tom Matthews’ research and expedition insights through his Twitter: @TkrMatthews86
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Senior Lecturer in Environmental Geography