Bay Area man on Mt. Everest in touch with family

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- They used to say the jet age shrank the world. At a home in Santa Rosa, the internet has crunched it even further.

The family of Jon Reiter, a Sonoma County resident now at a Mt. Everest base camp, is hoping he makes an ascent even after last week's avalanche that killed at least 13 Sherpa guides.

"They're basically on strike," his wife Susan said.

Susan and her son Agustin communicate daily with Jon via his blog and via emails, or Skype when possible.

Sir Edmund Hillary never had such luxury.

This is Jon's second trip to Everest in two years. He hasn't made it, yet. Everest would finish his quest to climb the seven tallest peaks on seven continents.

His wife is worried, but she trusts her husband and knows what he needs to do to be happy.

"It's his mid-life crisis," she joked.

Jon has been gone since late March. Climbers have a five-day window to make their ascents. It's the only window throughout the year.