Entries from Expedition Dispatches
The day started pretty early for Lam Babu and the Sherpa squad. They were putting on crampons at 4 AM and getting busy with the Khumbu Icefall as daylight came on. The five men were passing Camp One by around 6:30 and carrying their loads on up toward Camp 2 (Advanced Basecamp or ABC). The rest of us were just getting up and enjoying a calm morning at EBC, happy that the storm of the past couple of days seems to have fled. Great day for another hike, as it turned out. We went for a slightly farther goal today, if not exactly higher. Kalapathar is around 18,300 ft and we'd beaten that the other day on Pumori Camp One, but for KP we needed to descend farther, pretty much to the village of Gorak Shep. So the overall altitude gain, including having to climb all the way back up to Basecamp afterward, was greater. Exactly what the doctor ordered... more exercise at altitude, more great views. Kalapathar is actually not a mountain summit in its own right. It is more properly about as high as you can reasonably go in trail shoes on the start of one of Pumori's insanely steep ridges. But it is perfectly positioned to gain views of Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse, not to mention Pumori. And it is popular. We were in the mainstream of trekker and climber and porter traffic again, and things are definitely getting busy now. Just walking through Basecamp takes us a good twenty minutes and we are only going through about two thirds of camp (since we live in the upper third). But it turned out to be a wonderful day and we even had the top of Kalapathar to ourselves -for a few minutes, at least.
We were able to keep in communication with the Sherpa team and were pleased to hear that they were all back down to base by about noon. A monumental effort, all safely accomplished. So now, although we don't have tents up yet at either place (no sense putting them up any earlier than necessary, the wind would just take them down) we have Camps One and Two established.
The team is working steadily up toward the goal of safely taking on the Icefall. The route to Camp One is steep, technically difficult, dangerous and at high altitude... So if it seems like we are going out of our way to be ready for that first time through... We are.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
Posted by: Brent Okita, JJ Justman
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,000'
Update 5:27 p.m.: What a day! What a day! The team made it high up on the mountain and we finished the training with a Muir Peak rappel. After a full day it's time to relax, unwind and tell some stories!
8:33 a.m.: We made the summit!! Of Muir Peak. Yesterday the weather cleared and the team got out to play in the snow. While practicing cramponing we made the top of Muir Peak just above 10,000 feet. It is always a beautiful view looking down on the Mount Rainier glaciers below.
Today we have another beautiful day to continue our expedition skills training. While we go through crevasse rescue, Brent and Katie are going to check out the conditions higher on the mountain. If all is good we will venture up the mountain later this afternoon.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
Congrats! I can’t tell whos-who in the picture but I sure am hoping two of those people are Troy and Carl!
Posted by: Dean Lundblad on 4/11/2013 at 10:46 pm
Seth here at Everest Basecamp. It seems like the weather has fallen into a pattern of windy one day, calm the next. Yesterday we had high winds and a few inches of snow. Today when we awoke it was calm and sunny. We took to the glacier in the morning to practice crossing ladders in preparation for heading through the Khumbu Icefall. Crossing a ladder is definitely not the hardest thing we'll do on this trip but mentally it can be challenging to stand over a 100+ foot deep crevasse. That's why we practice down low before entering the Icefall.
The practice session went well and now that we're comfortable with the component of tackling the Icefall, it shouldn't be more than a few days before we head up to Camp 1.
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall
Yeah team!!!
Posted by: Mary Peer on 4/11/2013 at 2:34 pm
The storm that seemed to be coming in yesterday afternoon got here. The morning wasn't actually all that bad. Just a bit breezy and overcast, but it was obvious that up high it was hitting a lot harder. For all of that, though, it didn't hold our team back. Lam Babu and the Sherpa team (Cherring, Kaji, Gyaljen, and Uberaj) were out in the dark, walking just after 4 AM bound for Camp One. The first carry went well and the boys established camp at close to 20,000 ft, reporting not much in the way of difficulties with the Khumbu Icefall (in truth though, our guys rarely report much in the way of difficulties).
Not willing to be totally sedentary while the Sherpas were setting such a fine example, the rest of us set off on a hike to Pumori Camp One. We figure that camp sits at about 18,600 ft, so it is perfect for getting in a workout and getting a little time up high without exposing ourselves to hazard. We even got some great views of the black pyramid-top of Mount Everest fighting it out with monster storm clouds. The West Ridge was taking on its ten millionth storm, splitting wind and clouds with its jagged rock prow. As we got a bit higher, scrambling our way up a rocky trail, we were treated to views of both the North Col (23,000 ft in Tibet) and the South Col (26,000 ft in Nepal). We were able to see all the mountains we'd trekked through to get to Everest, and closer to home it was humbling to look at the giant hanging glaciers of Pumori and Nuptse, up close and personal. We didn't spend too long at Camp One, before dropping back down and joining the trekker traffic again on the main trail to Basecamp. We were well motivated by Chef Kumar's lunch scheduled for 1:30 PM. As we got in the tent for lunch, it began snowing outside and so we mostly just huddled up and slept, read and played games for the afternoon. Such is expedition life at the moment. We are getting stronger each day now... We hope.
Several days ago a tragedy occurred as one of the "Icefall Doctors" suffered a crevasse fall and died close to Camp One on Everest. We were very much aware of this sad circumstance at the time, but chose not to break such news on the blog. Obviously it wasn't our news to break and we didn't want to get ahead of word reaching family and loved ones through proper channels. But it is time to acknowledge the loss of one devoted climber and of the selflessness of our own Sherpa team, who played a key role in the rescue effort. Chherring Dorje flew by helicopter to the scene and managed the retrieval while Lam Babu conducted things from the heli-pad at Everest Basecamp. Although there was a sad outcome, I was extremely proud that our partners were able to offer help to the Icefall Docs, whom we admire very much. This small team of about a half dozen men are hired by the National Park to establish and maintain the route through the Khumbu Icefall. It is physically demanding and dangerous work. The docs do an incredible job each year, and the same men come out year after year. They never boast or seek recognition... They aren't rewarded by being able to tag the summit and run up their "count" on the mountain, and they are paid modestly. Mingma was from the village of Dingboche and leaves a wife and several daughters. Of course many of us will try to help out with donations... Mingma was working on our behalf... but there is no getting around the reality: this dangerous work has once again taken the ultimate toll.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
Thank you for sharing your updates. Sorry about your loss. You do such a great job at giving credit where credit is due. Such a humbling experience for all involved. It is great to hear about your progress and sad to hear about the loss. Prayers and well wishes to your team and all who are climbing. Be safe.
Rachael. ABQ Uptown #985 NM/CO/AZ
Posted by: Rachael C. Lujan on 4/11/2013 at 9:19 am
Here’s an inspirational quote for Dan Johnson and his team
- your friend Jake
“To those who have struggled with them, the mountains reveal beauties that they will not disclose to those who make no effort. That is the reward the mountains give to effort. And it is because they have so much to give and give it so lavishly to those who will wrestle with them that men love the mountains and go back to them again and again. The mountains reserve their choice gifts for those who stand upon their summits”
Sir Francis Younghusband
Posted by: Jake Luft on 4/11/2013 at 9:06 am
Posted by: Brent Okita, JJ Justman
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
Elevation: 10,000'
With 80 mph winds and a blinding snowstorm at Camp Muir, it is a perfect day to conduct training inside. Our bunkhouse serves a cozy atmosphere in the storm allowing us to learn essential expedition skills. If we were in tents all we would be doing is hanging on!
Our team is in great spirits and we are waiting out the storm until we venture outside. In the meantime, we're going to continue to sip coffee, lecture and do some rope work.
Stay tuned!
RMI Guide JJ Justman
Posted by: Brent Okita, JJ Justman
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
The day begins with blue skies and cold temperatures. We are up and at 'em, with the stoves firing and the team sorting out the most important thing we will do today...breakfast!
Our plan is to move up to Camp Muir at 10,000 feet. Will we make it? Stay tuned.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
JJ…Think that scene will hold until I get there for the 5 day climb in June :)...Enjoy…Godspeed…Waltero (Aconcagua Jan 12)
Posted by: waltero glover on 4/10/2013 at 6:18 am
Now that is the way to ascend to Muir! This picture makes me wish I was up there and not at work this week!! Have a great climb!
Posted by: Larry Schultz on 4/9/2013 at 10:01 pm
This morning, feeling rested, refreshed and blessed by our Puja... We set out for a "hike" in the lower reaches of the Khumbu Icefall. Each of us felt excited to finally be geared up and clawing our way over minor ice obstacles, not to mention stepping over crevasses once again. Seems like we've been on a lot of pretty trails lately, but today it was good to be climbing, even if for just a warm up. We went up about an hour, the consensus was that we'd reached close to 18,000 ft, but we stopped just before the "popcorn" section of the Icefall where the risk ramps up a bit. Back down to camp we came, stopping off for a cyber break, of course, in a safe place where we were finding the all-important 3G signal out of Gorak Shep for our smartphones.
Lunch was perfect as usual, but the afternoon weather had us mostly hiding in tents, reading and napping. We can hear big wind above and the sky is now fully clouded and turbulent.
Best regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Mark, the market is responding well to your climb. It might even surpass you. May both entities, animate and inanimate continue their upward trend !
PS We watch the pictures carefully. You are eating better than we are.
Posted by: Sally Stein on 4/10/2013 at 8:19 am
Posted by: Brent Okita, JJ Justman
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mount Rainier
We are in Mount Rainier National Park and on the mountain! The weather has been finicky this past week with a good accumulation of snow. So much snow that we were worried that the park wouldn't have the road to Paradise open.
At 11 AM the park opened the gates and we made it up. With all the fresh snow it was slow going but the team trudged on and we are busy making camp...Denali style! We are definitely having the true feel of what the mountains can dish out. It's currently snowing hard and we are working fast on the kitchen and dining tent.
I need a hot drink!
RMI Guide JJ Justman
Glad to hear that they opened the gates. Hope you guys are having a great time. I can’t wait to read more about your week. Have a great time Denali Style!
Posted by: Richelle Pullis on 4/9/2013 at 5:40 am
Good to hear you two are back on the mountain! I was up there 2 weeks ago, 1st one in the parking lot and on the route! Broke the trail in 3-4 ft. of fresh powder up to Panaroma point! That was alot of work but fun! But we made it to Muir and it was a awesome day! Hope to see you out there this year! Have a great week!
Posted by: Larry Schultz on 4/8/2013 at 9:58 pm
This day had auspicious written all over it. Our Sirdar Lam Babu consulted the Tibetan calendar and made a few calls. This was the day for our Puja ceremony. A lama was brought up from Pangboche and our Puja alter was made ready. Today was the day for the entire team to get together for a Buddhist ceremony asking the gods to look favorably on our expedition. The Pangboche lama was actually pretty busy as several other teams were similarly in need of blessing. The drums started beating and the cymbals started clashing for ours just after lunch on another big blue sky day. A number of Sherpas from neighboring teams joined us in our celebration. There were chants and prayers and various offerings of juniper smoke, food and drink. There were a number of things tossed into the sky and onto each other, principally rice and tsampa (barley flour) and a little chiang -a lightly fermented homemade rice wine with bits of orange. The climax of the ceremony begins with the Puja mast going up with strings of brightly colored prayer flags going out in all directions from it. Finally we all stand and toast each other, shake hands and ask each other to be careful on this climbing trip.
The birds certainly enjoy the day as a whole flock of black Himalayan Chuffs (a little smaller than a crow) descend to get the spare offerings. We also enjoyed watching smaller sparrow and finch types joining in the festivities.
Most retired to the tents for a post puja nap for the remainder of the afternoon. Tomorrow we will put the spikes on and go for a walk on the glacier. Slowly but surely, out bodies are catching up to this altitude and soon we'll be ready for some hard climbing.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
On The Map
James, I look forward to your triumphant summit. The mountain will let you know if she is ready. I know you are. I wish I could be there to support you as you have supported and encouraged me on climbs in the past. Cheers my friend !!!
Posted by: Ray Brown on 4/9/2013 at 7:30 am
Hello Everyone.
We were foot soldiers today, we marched our way into Lukla in great style. The last hour is all up hill,a nice pump to finish the day. Doctor Scholl's was our best friend. A bit of overcast kept the temperature just right for this lowland trek, 10,000 ft. After about three weeks in this land of giant mountains, for some, it's time to hit the beach. I could call this one heck of a fishing trip. We all received a license, no poachers, played by the rules. We casted our lines, used every trick in the book. Caught some big ones and a trophy for a few. We all leave with more experience and respect for this type of event in our lives. The Dudh river, a constant companion on the hike out,loads of blooming rhododendron a nice farewell. Always a pleasure to work with High Altitude Dreams our local outfitter. The team from the states way to go! Hope to have another chance to play with you all in my office soon.
Thank you all out in cyber land for following this trip, get out while you can. I will start working my way back to the Big E and blog ya later.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
On The Map
BIG congrats to you all!
Posted by: Caril on 4/8/2013 at 7:04 am
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Following your journey is a thrill. I am truly inspired . All the best. KEEP CLIMBING !!!!!!!!!!!
Harry
Posted by: Harry Ratliff on 4/15/2013 at 10:33 am
WOW…majestic from my vantage point, can’t imagine how powerful for all of you. Continued safe travels and success!!!
Posted by: Randy Lipton on 4/13/2013 at 10:26 am
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