Canister Stoves on Mt Everest

I was given three MSR X-GK's that had been used on Everest during a documentary. I gave two away to some other stovies. mtsteve in Anderson, CA who works for a certain climbing harness/gear maker in that area passed them on to me. Due to injuries suffered over the years in mt climbing, he can't do a whole lot of camping/bping anymore.
Duane

Which canister stoves do Everest climbers use? The MSR Reactor?

Do they use them at high camps also, or only down as Base Camp?

As we all know, butane canister stoves don't work so good at low temperatures, but they all start working better and better as they go to higher and higher elevations.

I monitored an Everest expedition from Base Camp, and they used butane canister stoves high on the West Ridge. Why? They worked OK at the high camps. They tend to be simpler to operate, and up there you have insufficient brain power due to hypoxia. They tend to be more compact, and tent floor space is at a premium up there. Nobody is trying to do any fancy cooking, so anything that will boil the water will be good. The boiling point of water is depressed, so it only has to get the water temperature to about 160-170F to get boiling.

Base Camp cooking, on the other hand, is exactly the opposite. Generally there is lots of cooking going on, so white gas and kerosene stoves are popular because of the cheaper fuel, plus the fact that the fuel has to be carried a long distance at a premium transportation cost.

–B.G.–