Entries from Expedition Dispatches

Hello there!

Sunshine all day long today. We needed that.

We started the morning walking through a valley of female yaks (called naks) and their babies. The cutest little things.

We took it nice and slow, making our way to the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and crossing over into Thukla for a tea break.

The highlight came after the climb up to Thukla Pass: the climbers’ memorial, draped in prayer flags and tributes to those lost in the mountains. We took our time there. It’s a special place and the weather and views were nearly perfect.

On the way up the hill I heard “Lookin’ good, Pancake!” and then “Feelin’ good, Cajun!” I’ll let you all guess which team members have acquired those trail names. The point is — the camaraderie is high. Whether it’s trolling each other by putting rocks in (or on) backpacks, taking ridiculous selfies on phones left unattended, or hollering words of encouragement as we waltz along the trail — we’re having the best time and laughing nonstop, even if it means spending the next 30 seconds after catching our breath.

Lobuche — the mountain — made her first real impression last night, framed perfectly in our teahouse window. After the climber’s memorial, we could even see the steep rocky route to high camp. A little intimidating but we’re stoked.

Everyone arrived to Lobuche, the village (confusing, we know), in good form. We were greeted with french fries, RaRa soup, and a long afternoon of rest.

Tonight we sleep at 16,200 feet. And by sleep I mean toss, turn, wake up for some deep breaths — but honestly? Good enough counts up here.

All is well.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the team

Tashi Delek!

The ordering of everyday life has officially been left behind. We’re in our new routine now, wake up, pack duffels, breakfast, dance break, hit the trail.

Nobody blinked when apple pie appeared on the breakfast table alongside eggs in various configurations. Mostly because last night we realized how good it was and decided why not also have it for breakfast. This is just how life works now. We are different people here — pie for breakfast kind of people.

We woke to clear skies and fresh snow on the ground. A few more inches had fallen overnight. It’s the rhythm of this trip: crisp, exquisite mornings that feel like a gift, then clouds and snow rolling in by afternoon. We’ll take it.

Today’s stretch through Pangboche to Pheriche is many people’s favorite of the whole trek, and it’s easy to see why. Ama Dablam dominated the skyline for most of the day, impossibly photogenic from every angle. Higher up, the jet stream tore visibly off the summits of Everest and Lhotse — a reminder that those peaks operate in a different atmosphere entirely.

We’re sleeping at 14,000 feet tonight, and the mountains still tower above us. The scale simply does not compute.

We also shared the trail with yaks today. Train after train of them, loaded with gear bound for Base Camp, completely unbothered by us and entirely uninterested in moving over. They are majestic and slightly chaotic and have the most curious and intimidating eyes. Love them.

We’re all cozied up for two nights in Pheriche. The snow has predictably arrived and we’re currently in a cloud where we can’t see 3 feet in front of us. But it’s not a problem because the stove is on in the dining room and we’re about to play approximately one million rounds of “22,” our favorite card game at the moment. Dinner and sleep await.

—  RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the team

Some days on the trail just go right. Today was one of those days.

We left Namche this morning under blue skies which felt like such a plot twist from yesterday’s weather. Fresh snow coated everything — the mani stones, the prayer flags, the rhododendron forests — and the whole valley looked like someone had hit reset. It was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful days I’ve had in the Khumbu.

The trail wound up through snow-loaded trees, where every branch is bowed just a little too low and you’re basically walking through a tunnel of white. We stopped for tea but mostly just to stare up at all the great peaks.

At one point the sun pushed through a thin veil of clouds and threw a perfect halo around itself above the holy mountain, Thamserku.

We descended to the river and then began a big climb after lunch to Tengboche — one of the most sacred and ancient monasteries in the Khumbu. We were lucky enough to receive a blessing inside. White katas draped around our necks and sundis from a lama. It’s a hard thing to describe, standing in that space with this group, on this journey. Let’s just say nobody was in a hurry to leave.

Tonight we’re sleeping at a tea house called Rivendell, which feels on point for where we are in this adventure.

The Khumbu keeps delivering.

—  RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the team

We woke up this morning fully intending to move. Bags were packed, boots were on, breakfast was happening. And then we looked at the sky, looked at each other, and made the call: one more day in Namche.

The morning had given us just enough to keep us guessing — clouds rolling in and out, the peaks beyond Namche appearing and disappearing like they couldn’t quite commit. By afternoon, the snow settled in for real, steady and cold, and it became clear the weather had already made this decision for us.

Here’s the thing about an extra acclimatization day that’s easy to forget in the moment: it’s not a setback. It’s one of the best things that could have happened to us. At altitude, your body is doing serious background work — building red blood cells, adjusting to thinner air, recalibrating systems that have worked perfectly at sea level your whole life. That process doesn’t care about your itinerary. It runs on its own clock, and what it needs most is time.

So today we gave it time. Some of us explored a Sherpa museum, some walked to a monastery at the top of town, we ate a lot, drank more tea than any of us thought possible, and checked out all the bakeries in town.

Tonight we’re making it a proper snow day game night — salad bowl, cards, and Farkle around the table. Somewhere out there the route to Tengboche is getting a fresh coat of white. We’ll be ready for it tomorrow.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel

A jam-packed rest day in Namche. (Classic.)

Namche is such a sparkling little town, and with a hike to the Everest View Hotel on the menu, most of us were in. The forecast was calling for rain and snow, but we woke up to mostly blue skies — so we loaded our daypacks and headed uphill before the clouds could change their minds.

They sure tried. By the time we crested the top of Namche, they were already building again, and I’ll admit I started mentally composing a very sad “no mountain views today” dispatch. But plot twist — the clouds blew through, and suddenly there they all were: Ama Dablam, Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Cholatse, and more, taking turns peeking out between the grey. We stood there completely awestruck and took approximately one thousand photos.

By the time we reached the hotel itself, the curtain was drawing back closed. Perfect timing —nothing left to do but sit down for tea and hot chocolate.

The hike down came with bonuses: our first yak sightings of the trip, roaming the hillside like they owned it (they do), and a stop at Sagarmatha Next, the recycling hub for this whole region. What they’ve done with the trash up here — turning it into legitimate art — is genuinely impressive.

Back in Namche, lunch at Eat Smart was a near-unanimous barbecue chicken sandwich situation. The afternoon went in several directions at once: shopping, massages, and — yes — the salon, where more than one team member got a hair wash and blow dry. We are absolutely roughing it out here.

It’s snowing now, with some thunder and lightning thrown in for funsies. Tomorrow’s forecast is looking like more of the same, so we’re crossing fingers for a clear enough window to make our move to Tengboche. Whatever the mountains give us, we’ll adapt — that’s kind of the whole job.

Rested, ready, and still a little giddy about those views.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the team

Hello from Namche Bazaar!

Today we made our way up from Phakding, following the Dudh Koshi River and crossing a series of suspension bridges — including the iconic Hillary Bridge. High, swaying, and for one teammate, an instant rollercoaster moment. Hands up and everything.

From there, the trail turned upward. The climb into Namche is steady and steep — the kind that reminds you to settle into your breath and just keep moving. We shared the trail with zopkio and mule trains along the way. Shared is a loose term. You learn quickly who has the right of way out here.

We stopped for lunch and swapped favorite moments from the trip so far — including last night’s newly invented card game (Sploot, a masterpiece) and the simple joy of these trails and bridges.

We pulled into Namche this afternoon, greeted by colorful buildings, rolling clouds, and the satisfying feeling of a solid day in the mountains. The team is strong and stoked, and we’re looking forward to a couple nights here acclimatizing.

— RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the team

P.S. Good luck to Ben on his hockey tournament! Forecheck, backcheck.

Hello from Phakding — a little village hugging the Dudh Koshi river at 8,700 feet and our first stop on the trek.

We made it to the trail.

But not before being genuinely humbled on the helicopter ride from Kathmandu to Lukla. The mountains don’t ease you in — they just appear, enormous and right. there.

The humbling continued when our pilot Priya mentioned, casually, that in Nepal they don’t consider anything below 7,000 meters a real mountain. We nodded along like we knew that. Then we looked at each other, because by that definition, basically none of us have ever climbed a mountain.

Good to know where we stand.

Getting on the trail this morning involved a lot of hurrying up to wait, then hurrying again — obscure checkpoints, duffels flying in every direction, the usual chaos of travel through the domestic terminal of the Kathmandu airport.

Eventually we were walking, on a trail made of stones, trending gently downhill, which felt like a dream.

We also got to meet our local guide team: Dawa Nuru, Nawang, and Melan — all born and raised in these mountains. They know this terrain the way most people know their own neighborhood.

The afternoon was spent at a bakery next to our teahouse, laughing and talking with no particular agenda.

It’s a good feeling. All of it.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the team

We had a full day in Kathmandu today.

After breakfast, we gathered in the garden for a team meeting — a little pocket of calm before the city fully woke up. We talked through the plan for the days ahead and shared what brought everyone here: a curiosity about the Himalaya and those who call them home, a desire to honor loved ones, a chance to step away from the everyday and even a little geology enthusiasm in the mix. Good people, good reasons.

The rest of the morning was dedicated to gear checks. Lots of gear checks. Layers sorted, boots inspected, stuff sacks ripped (iykyk… purely accidental). Not glamorous, but essential.

Then — Kathmandu.

If you’ve never visited this city, nothing quite prepares you for it. The traffic alone is a cultural experience. Crossing the street requires a mix of calm confidence, a light jog, and a willingness to trust the universe just a little. We did fine.

Our first stop was Boudhanath, one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world. We walked beneath prayer flags and wandered into a thangka painting school, where artists can spend years on a single piece. One painting we saw had taken over seven years and was valued at $1.6 million. We took that in, nodded, and collectively agreed we will not be bringing that one home.

Next up: Swayambhunath — the Monkey Temple — perched on a hilltop with sweeping views of the city. The vistas are incredible, but the monkeys absolutely stole the show. No filter, no personal space, full commitment to whatever they’re doing at any given moment. Honestly… goals.

We wrapped the afternoon with a stroll through the chaotic, colorful streets of Thamel — Kathmandu’s adventure-gear-meets-tourist-bazaar neighborhood — before heading to an early dinner.

Now we’re back at the hotel, packing and repacking for an early start. Tomorrow, weather permitting, we’ll fly to Lukla and officially begin the trek.

We’re ready to get moving.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel

Namaste, everyone!

We’re here. We actually made it.

If you’ve been following the news out of this region lately, you know those three words are doing a lot of heavy lifting. Getting to Kathmandu this season took rerouting, rebooking, and a particular brand of stubbornness that — good news — also happens to be useful when we head to 19,000 feet. Before a single boot has hit the trail, this team has already proven something about themselves.

And what a team it is. Nine strangers and one very lucky guide — no old friends, no familiar faces, just nine individuals who each made the same slightly audacious decision and ended up (most of us) in the same Kathmandu hotel lobby.

Six arrived in time for dinner — some fresh-faced and buzzing, others with the thousand-yard stare of someone who hasn’t slept horizontally in 40+ hours. (Maybe that was just me).

Three more are still in transit (they should be landing any minute!) and honestly, after the travel week we’ve all had, we’re just glad everyone is on their way.

Kathmandu greets you at full volume whether you’re ready or not and after the journey it took to get here, that felt about right.

There’s always a spark when a group like this first meets and realizes they’re all cut from the same weird, wonderful cloth. Tonight, there was plenty of it.

Nine strangers, not for long.

Tomorrow brings our team meeting, gear checks, and a proper introduction to this chaotic, beautiful city. Then we fly to Lukla — and the real adventure begins.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the team

At the beginning of the trip Anna asked what climb I loved most and why. Immediately I said, the people I am with. This trip was no different. Our team contained inspiring people. Whynde - humble, incredible listener,and supportive, Jesse - cool, calm, and thoughtful, Hannah - our social butterfly, always has good questions, and introspective, Anna - good energy, moral booster, and full of life, Maria - full of knowledge, kindness, and encouragement, Carlos and Allan - our logistics specialists, we couldn’t have done it without you, and lastly our lead guide Ben - el jefe, our fearless leader, keeping our team in good spirits, and making sure each of us were heard. I am grateful to spend this experience with each of you. Until next time, climb on!

RMI Climber Ethan Pickett