Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Yesterday we got back to Base Camp from a climb up the Khumbu Ice fall to Camps 1 and 2. The Khumbu was everything it was made out to be. We had previously completed a series of climbs into the ice fall that had provided us with valuable experience. But tackling the ice fall in its entirety was a new ballgame.
We awoke at 4 am to eat breakfast and to prepare so that we could have a prompt 5 am start. We start this early for a variety of reasons, one of which is to have cold temperatures and a frozen solid ice fall. One of the biggest risks in the ice fall is an avalanche. An avalanche in the ice fall would not consist of soft snow, but solid ice (as hard and as brittle as stone). And since the ice fall is a constantly moving, dynamic glacier that is tumbling (in slow motion) down a 2500 foot cliff, this risk is ever present. So, the objective is to climb a solid ice "waterfall" - all of which starts at an altitude of 17500 feet.
The actual climbing is a non stop series of challenges - straight up 30 foot cliffs of ice (assisted by vertical ladders), 20 foot vertical descents in which you repel down "batman" style, 30 to 40 foot horizontal crevasses (which are up to hundreds of feet deep) in which you have to negotiate five eight-foot ladders roped together, etc.. If it wasn't so dangerous and you weren't scared out of your mind, it would actually be fun. The idea is to safely and quickly move through the ice fall in a business like manner, always clipping into safety ropes, and to move quickly. There are only two places that are safe enough for a rest stop. Every so often I would steal a glance at the massive glaciers overhanging us and then just keep moving.
Camp 1 sits at the top of the ice fall and at the end of the Western Cwm (at approx. 20,000 feet). We spent three nights at Camp I, and we were treated harshly at times by high winds, which I estimated (using the "guess method") of up to 70 mph. The winds were strong enough to break a tent pole in our tent (masterly repaired by Dave and Linden the next day). The winds slashed at the sides of the tent, creating a massive roar, which kept me up most of the night. There were times that night that I wondered what I was doing in Nepal at 20,000 feet in a tent in a wind storm. I am quite sure that Hawaii would have been a more pleasant place to be!
The hike up to Camp 2 is quite beautiful and gentle (in comparison to the hike up to Camp 1). It is literally a hike up the middle of glacier. The most similar climb that I can compare it to is the climb on Denali up to Camp 2 (at 11,000 feet). The climb is a gently ascending 3 to 4 hour climb through a beautiful valley surrounded by some of the tallest mountains in the world - almost vertical walls on all sides and at the end of the valley the Lhotse face and Mt. Everest - what a spectacular day! To me this is what climbing is all about - the beauty was endless.
Then, a trip back down from Camp 1 to Basecamp yesterday morning.
As we approached base camp we saw a HUGE banner hung across the entrance to our camp that said "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILL MCGAHAN - a day late!" Then, last night we had a birthday dinner that insisted of T-Bone steaks, chicken, French fries, cole slaw, all followed by a birthday cake (and included candles and a "B-" singing effort - ha!). The celebration was very appreciated and will be remembered forever.
So, for now our mission is to rest for three days. We will be heading back up to Camp 2 and hopefully Camp 3 by the end of the month, and the idea is to continue to acclimatize and to get stronger for each of the next series climbs as we go higher and higher.
Thank you all for following our blog and for your kind postings. A great portion of this challenge is mental - we are all going to have days that we physically feel bad, or are homesick, or just want to know what is going on in the NBA playoffs - and getting kind words of encouragement means a tremendous amount to keep us going.
So, thanks again
Five days ago we tried getting up through the Khumbu Icefall but instead dropped down to Basecamp again to wait a day. We weren't firing on all cylinders and it was clear that the jet stream was. The wind made a cardboard tearing sound as it scraped across the high peaks.
Four days ago we got up without a great deal of difficulty, reaching Camp I in about five hours from basecamp. The climbers we talked to told stories of big winds at Camps I and II doing all sorts of tent damage and rubbing a bunch of nerves raw. We hoped we'd missed the big wind event as we crawled into our tents for afternoon naps... but we could still hear it howling above and as the hours went by it got a little noisier right down in our own neighborhood. Spirits were high though as the four of us piled into one tent for dinner and climbing stories. That first night was not a good one for relaxing, as it turned out. We guessed that the tents were getting rocked by gusts in the 50 to 70 mph range throughout the night. Linden and I instinctively put our feet up against the tent walls to brace for the bigger blasts and we hoped that the extra careful anchoring job we'd done was working for Bill and Sara in their tent two feet away. The wind quit on us at four AM precisely and the alarm clock rang at five.
That first full day in the Western Cwm was meant to be mostly a rest day with an easy morning hike partway up the valley. That didn't seem restful at five, but Linden and I lit the stoves anyway and started melting ice, figuring a little coffee couldn't hurt the mood. We took our time and ate and drank for hours while gearing up and waiting for the sun to get a little closer to the valley floor. The sun has to work pretty hard at that in the Cwm as the walls rise to 25,000 ft ( not counting Everest and Lhotse) but by eight AM when we started walking in down coats, there was a hint of warmth in all the brightness. We strolled in our crampons up under the ridiculously steep Nuptse Wall and then crossed a series of easy crevasse bridges. We came to a crazy and crooked collection of six or seven ladders tied together, spanning a deep crevasse. There was a perfectly good detour trail which would avoid the high wire acrobatics at the cost of about twenty minutes and we happily went detouring. A bit farther up the valley and we came to the last crevasse... Our goal for the day. We took a short rest at this halfway point to Camp II and then reversed course, heading back for much-needed naps at Camp I.
That second night was blissfully quiet and calm and so when the alarm rang at five, once again, we were a bit more ready for action. We set out walking in the shadows at seven AM bound for Advanced Base Camp. Eventually, when we'd passed all the crevasses again, it got hot as the sun got bouncing off a billion tons of ice and snow, but we took a few rest breaks and kept on trudging to CII. When we reached the rocky moraine the angle steepened and things got tough, but my team was tough too. We strolled into the construction site where Lam Babu and Uberaz (our ABC cook) were working hard at the beginnings of a fine camp. It seemed a good occasion for myself, Linden and Sara to sing happy birthday to Bill and to shake his hand. We sat drinking tea for a few minutes and gazing up at the Lhotse Face. It was icy and intimidating, but the good news was that we could see great progress being made by the "fixing team" assigned to string rope and fashion anchors on the face. This was a team made up of strong Sherpas from a number of expeditions. Our team's contribution toward the effort, apart from money, had been Cherring, Kaji and Dawa carrying a few big loads of rope up from base to ABC.
At midday we began walking down valley again, keeping an eye out for a ladder-crossing black dog whose tracks we'd seen all day long. Early in the day, I'd spied him trotting through Camp I wagging his tail after completing the Icefall, but we didn't see anything but tracks up at ABC. We did meet plenty of friends out on the trail as we headed down for our Camp I with our mission for Rotation I largely accomplished. Our final night in the Cwm was quiet and a little snowy. It still was snowing lightly as we packed up in the morning and got set for a careful trip down through the Icefall. Down to comfy chairs and showers and the basecamp good life.
Mark Tucker was elated to see us again... In fact we all felt a little guilty leaving him alone with the kitchen staff for four days... But he seemed to have muddled through.
Best,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILL! Awesome way to spend your 35th birthday :) loving all the pics and stories. Miss you guys. Stay safe ok..ok.ok..ok okay…t
Posted by: Tara Minnax on 4/25/2011 at 3:49 pm
Happy Birthday Bill and have continued safe climbs. Sounds fantastic.
Lowndes
Posted by: Lowndes Harrison on 4/24/2011 at 7:50 pm
Posted by:
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest
The team woke up at 5am at Camp 1 with everyone feeling good. They need to start early today as the area they will be climbing in, the Western Cwm, will get very hot. With no wind, mile high walls surrounding you, intense solar radiation due to the lack of atmosphere above, you can be in the cooker.
It feels great for a while, but it sure can take a lot of energy from you. The goal will be to climb up to Camp 2 , have a snack, say hi to Lam Babu
and Yubarj ,our two men making the 21,000 ft + high outpost for the team. Then return back to Camp 1 for one more night before returning to Base Camp.
The Blueprint for a successful climb of this peak starts way before you get to the mountain. Training of course, experience....the more the better, then you need a Master Craftsman like our Dave Hahn out here in the field. Every action has a reaction and nobody knows that better than Dave. Right now the team is working on the foundation of this climb. Dave has the time line for this project always in sight. He looks at his plans and knows that if he fails to build to code things can fall apart. The inspector (Mount Everest) can show up on the job site at anytime and you better be ready.
Dave didn't stop at Home Depot to pick up some help, Linden and our team of Sherpa have all gone through a rigorous apprenticeship, and have been
studying under the watchful eye of a Journeyman Everest Guide. We will continue to support our crew with the best tools and equipment out there.
So both you and I can marvel at a job well done.
Till next time,
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Mt. Everest Base Camp Manager
Mark, Your updates are very insightful and amusing. Sounds as if you are great at your job and enjoy it. Malamo Pono… Susie
Posted by: Susie Ellison on 4/24/2011 at 9:12 am
Happy birthday uncle Bill! Is it hard going with out menchi’s for 1 month? Hope to see you soon!
Posted by: sophie on 4/24/2011 at 8:15 am
All is well upstairs. Word from above is that it was a bit windy last night, some of dream land not available due to tent noise. That nylon fabric does a great job protecting from the elements but even the slightest of breeze makes a pretty good noise. Equipped with ear plugs and a down bag around the ears is still no match if a good size blow is upon you.
The team climbed up toward Camp 2 this morning and is now back at Camp 1 resting and having lunch. Two of our Sherpa team have gone to Camp 2 and will stay for the next few days setting up that camp. Full speed ahead here at Mount Everest with all teams very active.
Till next time,
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Happy (actual) Birthday, Bill! Talk about reaching for the heights! Sending lots of good birthday wishes to you. Sara, I read one of the comments that said even on Mt. Everest, you look SO good! You really do. I know you’re working very hard and our thoughts and prayers are with you 24/7. Much love.
Posted by: Mom / Grandma on 4/23/2011 at 10:05 am
Hey team, keep up the great work!
Posted by: Stephani Krzysik on 4/22/2011 at 10:45 am
Our Climbing Team was up early again today with Camp 1 as the goal. It was still a little windy at Base Camp but not as much as yesterday so our climbing Sherpa headed out in front of the group again to set tents at Camp 1.
We have a nice spotting scope here at Base Camp that allows me to follow the teams progress for the majority of the climb to Camp 1. It can be a beautiful dance the way you climb in the Khumbu Ice fall or an ugly representation of how not to do it. If I were a judge on Dancing with the Stars our team would be moving into next weeks competition.
Dave and Sara were very fluid in there ascent working as the lead team with Linden and Bill right behind.
As Expedition Leader Dave Hahn sets the highest standard and expectation possible of his team this making this hazardous endeavor the safest possible.
Lots of challenges exist on this push to Camp 1 which we cannot eliminate, but moving with strong technique, knowing the smartest and safest places to take a break and when to push a bit harder and faster will get you to camp in reasonable shape. We want everyone arriving at Camp 1 feeling good and with enough reserve to help your body recover after such a work out.
We received a radio call just minutes ago informing us that the climbing team is minutes away from Camp 1. Nice work team!
Till next time
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Happy day before your BIRTHDAY, Bill, at the top of the world (almost). Stay safe and strong. Thinking of you and Sara and your guides and Sherpas all the time. Much love.
Posted by: Mom on 4/22/2011 at 8:08 am
So impressed! stay safe!
Posted by: Hannah Woodward on 4/22/2011 at 7:22 am
Early this morning two members of our Sherpa team left Everest Base Camp en route to Camp 1. The plan was for them to arrive before the climbers and set up tents for the group. The Jet Streams winds were camped above the mountain and word on the Base Camp "street" was that several tents from other teams had been destroyed at Camp 1 due to big winds. Our climbing team headed out of Base Camp but turned back before reaching Camp 1. The climbing Sherpa reached Camp 1 and secured our gear before descending back to Base Camp also. It is even windy here at Base Camp now.
The team is feeling well, resting and will try again tomorrow to reach Camp 1.
Let's see what happens.
Til next time,
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
It looks to my friends like I’m sitting at home in Marina del Rey, CA, but in reality I’m with you, heart and soul.
It’s my secret.
Stay safe and the best of luck to all of you!
Wolf
Posted by: wolf schmidt on 4/23/2011 at 9:17 am
Sara and Bill,
We continue to be amazed at what you two have accomplished. You all are in our thougths and prayers as you take on your next challenge. We’ll know not to take either of you on in a horseshoe match upon your return! Stay strong and enjoy your incredible journey. Larry, Virginia, Matthew and Andrew
Posted by: Virginia Shackelford on 4/21/2011 at 3:46 pm
Sara and I left for this adventure on March 23rd, which seems a long time ago. Since that time we have had many treks and climbs, but it seems that "the next climb" - whatever that is - is the "most important" climb, and the one that will be the hardest and the biggest test. Our climb tomorrow is no different - it is our "most important climb" so far.
Tomorrow we will be climbing from Everest Base Camp (at about 17,500 feet) up to Camp 1 (at nearly 20,000 feet) through the Khumbu Ice fall. The climb through the ice fall would be difficult at sea level, but the altitude makes it much more challenging. Dave Hahn and Linden Mallory (our guides) have spent weeks preparing Sara and me for the climb tomorrow. We have been "coached" on most everything - from what to eat before and during the climb, how to wear all our equipment, how to go across crevasses on ladders, how to use our crampons on vertical ice - I know that there is not a situation we will face that they have not prepared us for.
But I still worry. I hope that my months and months of preparation are enough. And I hope that we have good luck. But if we are strong (and fortunate) enough we should be arriving at the top of the ice fall for 3 nights by mid-day. Then, once we make camp we will spend one of the days climbing up towards Camp 2.
One of the reasons that I climb is that I get to spend time with Sara. And every time I climb with her I come away more and more impressed. She is such a confident young woman - so easy to share her thoughts and feelings, and so easy to laugh. It is great to hear her talk about her friends, her classes, and the sports teams she plays on. I like to hear about all the details about the social situations, but I really love to hear how she thinks about things. The only way I get to hear about these things is to spend time with her - she is like a ship passing in the night at home. I wouldn't even know to ask questions about the things we talk about on these trips. I will treasure the time I have spent with her forever, for I know in two years she is off to college. But I will always have in my memory the months we have spent climbing together.
Thank you for following our blog.
Bill M.
Is your guide any relation to George Mallory? Good luck in your adventure. Hope to see you back on the softball field soon.
Posted by: John Hubbard on 4/22/2011 at 7:50 am
i am reading this the day of your climb. my thoughts and prayers are with you today and always. what a great adventure to share….a true bond. love, aunt mary
Posted by: aunt mary on 4/20/2011 at 10:37 am
There were many bright spots to what was otherwise a very cold, snowy and windy week on Mt. Rainier. Our team met on Sunday for our six -day Expedition Seminar and our day of prep was well used as we got our gear all ready for a possible push to Camp Muir the next day. However, the weather on Monday was marginal for moving to Muir, so we got a great day of training on the mountain and camped at about 6,200’ below Panorama point.
Tuesday was blue bird and made for excellent hiking conditions to Camp Muir which the entire team reached in good shape. From there the weather conditions deteriorated and Wednesday saw temperatures reaching 2 degrees F with winds averaging 30-40 mph. But that did not keep us from training. Our team only ascended a few feet higher than Camp Muir at 10,188’, but we had a great experience and learned a ton, much of which came courtesy of Mother Nature. Friday the winds abated enough to allow us to descend back to Paradise, although it was still windy, snowy and a white out much of the time. But everybody did really well cramponing and snowshoeing down to Paradise.
We later celebrated the week and our time together sharing a burger and a cold one at our favorite local restaurant. From the comfort of the dining room I could take stock of the really bright spot of the week: sharing time with a remarkable group of individuals.
RMI Guide Brent Okita
Today was a big day for our climbing team... everyone was keyed up for an early-morning start and nervous about just what surprises the Khumbu Ice fall might hold for us. I'm sure I was responsible for a good deal of the nervousness, having tried mightily in this last week of training to pass on my own respect, fear and awe for the great tumbling and turbulent glacier we needed to sneak through. I'd portrayed this morning's mission as something of a final exam and a dress rehearsal, all rolled into one. Get up at the normal obscene hour we choose for taking on the Ice fall (we like the thing to be cold and frozen solid underfoot... Less chance for breaking crevasse bridges) then stick to a business-like schedule and pace in climbing safely up to the midpoint of the Ice fall... then come back down, just as safely, just as business-like.
Simple... But not really so simple. Necessary though, in my book, to see that we are strong enough, skilled enough, and acclimated enough to responsibly make the move to Camp One before we actually make the move to Camp One. Even experienced mountain climbers have very little in the way of similar passages in the course of their previous climbs. The track up through the Khumbu Ice fall is unique (thank God). We can't afford to have an exhausted climber in the upper reaches of the Ice fall, teetering and tottering across ladders and ice fins... and we absolutely don't want a climber to pull into the extreme height of Camp One at nearly 20,000 ft without adequate strength reserves, inviting possibly fatal altitude illness. So we needed a test... halfway up and down in good time and in good style.
Bill and Sara, Linden and myself certainly didn't catch any slack from Mother Nature in our attempts to relax during the night before our test. To begin with, there was a spectacular full moon rise over Everest's West Shoulder... The kind of thing that required a bunch of trips out into the night to observe so that one could be sure one wasn't missing anything. Once we'd given up on the moon, there were a series of thunderous ice avalanches off Pumori that required an occasional head stuck out the tent zipper in order to see the immense powder clouds billowing in the aforementioned moonlight. Around one or two AM there came a bizarre and violent lightning storm with endless peels of real thunder (as opposed to the avalanche facsimile) and this was followed by a concentrated downpour of snowflakes pelting the tents. I, for one, was thankful when my alarm finally rang at 4 AM, allowing me to give up on the sleep concept.
After such an eventful night, it was stunning to emerge from the tent to find a peaceful, clear and brilliantly lit up pre-dawn sky. We could already count a number of headlight beams swinging back and forth in the Ice fall. Our climbing team convened in the dining tent for a hurried attempt at jamming down calories and coffee (don't worry, 16 year-old Sara hasn't taken up the coffee habit... yet) and then we pulled on climbing harnesses and helmets. Mark Tucker got up to see us off and to follow our progress on his radio...At 5 o'clock we shouldered packs and shook Tuck's hand as we circled the Puja alter, breathing in a little juniper smoke -an offering to the Gods- on the way. Then we were clomping out of camp in our big expedition boots. A few minutes later we were at the base of the first Ice hummock and it was time for crampons. Then came the hard work, an hour or more of careful trudging toward the first ladders... nobody was "warmed up" and nobody was feeling spry, nobody was able to envision feeling better with the passage of a few hours filled with strenuous and dangerous uphill labor. But we smiled at each other and patted each other on the shoulders and we concentrated on good foot placements and steady breathing. When the angle steepened and the fixed rope began, we put the last week's practice and training to good use. A quick break at the first ladders gave a chance for a few more calories and a couple of minutes off our feet. By now we were mingling with a number of Sherpa teams as well as Westerners out doing variations on our own training program (Lam Babu and our own Sherpa team were taking a well-deserved rest today after having carried round-trip to ABC (at 21,300 ft) yesterday) After the rest we got into more challenging terrain in the "momo" section of the glacier... where the ice towers and jumbles strongly resemble a giant tilted plate of steamed momos... naturally. Safely through that and it was into the "popcorn" section with some steep and breathtaking climbing over glacial rubble that resembles... well, you know. Then came a section I dubbed the "football field" not because you could play a ball game there but because every ten yards brought a new crevasse line to be hopped. Some of the crevasses required a few careful steps on ladder rungs with fists full of fixed rope to get steady and balanced in the process. But then... after about 2.5 hours we were reaching our goal for the day... "The Dum", which I am told was the name that early climbing Sherpas applied to the gear dump they made in the area back when it was too complicated to get through the entire Icefall in a day... "dump" being far too long a word to utter in such an oxygen-starved place and "dum" being preferable. Whatever... the Dum is a safe place to sit and it is the halfway point of the Ice fall. Mission half-accomplished, we were happy and relieved... all were feeling good and strong having worked through the nerves, the jitters, and the plain old inevitable discomfort of getting to 18,900 ft. Another quick break in the cool morning breeze and then all we had to do was get back down safe. The test continued... no room for tired steps or fumbled carabiners jumping down through the footballs, the ladders, the popcorn and the momos. And we did it, marching back into camp by 10 AM in strong sunshine (a few hours ahead of the daily snowstorm) and with new found confidence in our ability to get through the rest of the Khumbu Icefall and up into the Western Cwm. A day of rest seems sensible first though.
Best,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Ok my heart sinks as I read these dispatches, only to recover when I get to the end and here all is well.we love and miss you’ll and can’t wait to talk to you when we return to the states next week. Xxxooo
Posted by: Lisa on 4/19/2011 at 4:33 am
Great piece, Dave. You may have a literary future. Stay strong, stay safe.
Posted by: Bill Horn on 4/18/2011 at 8:33 pm
Arriving back into Everest Base Camp yesterday afternoon after twelve days of absence was a homecoming of sorts for me - in days since I was last here with our Everest Base Camp Trek and Island Peak team the community here at Everest Base Camp has come alive with the buzz of climbing expeditions that are now settled in. The trails that pick their way between the piles moraine, ice ponds, and clusters of tents, quite faint a few weeks ago, are wearing in and strings upon strings of prayer flags now emanate from the camps, strung up during each expedition's puja ceremony. When I diverged off the main trail that passes through Base Camp and walked into RMI's Camp, I was warmly greeted by our Expedition Team; after several days of quietly walking back into Base Camp by myself I was thrilled to rejoin the Expedition and catch up with everyone . Sitting around our dining tent in the evening we raised our steaming cups of tea and hot drinks to finally having the whole team together and our climb underway.
Clear skies greeted us this morning for our rest day and as the sun crept slowly across the valley we brewed up a fresh pot of coffee and pulled the chairs out of the dining tent to sit and watch the morning light gradually awaken Base Camp. Several teams nearby held their pujas today and the slow sound of the lama's beating drum could be heard across Base Camp while we sat there. With no other objective than to relax and recover from the days of training and walking, we enjoyed a calm morning. The early breeze that blew through Base Camp when we first awoke soon died and the sun quickly warmed up camp. While the rest of us were more intrepid, Tuck was even brave enough to stroll around Camp in shorts for a few hours. With it so warm out it was a perfect opportunity for each of us to grab a wash. After several days of walking back up the dusty trails of the Khumbu, the hot water and steam that filled the shower tent felt wonderful. Very rarely does putting on fresh clothes feel so luxurious.
Despite our objective of rest, we still had a bit of business to attend to in preparing our gear for our upcoming days of climbing. In the afternoon we spent a few hours sorting our gear and preparing for our first rotation to Camp 1 that will take place soon. After packing our warm layers, down suits, and the small necessities we will need up there, Tuck opened up the Base Camp stores for us to go "shopping" for our meals and snacks that we will need during the rotation. Much like the aisles of a grocery store, but on a far smaller but still no less impressive scale given our setting, Tuck opened up the barrels and boxes of dried fruits, salamis, cheeses, granola bars, candy bars, cookies, crackers, trail mix, freeze dried meals, hot drinks, and soups that we have here. Grabbing a zip lock bag in lieu of a shopping basket, we picked our way through selecting the items that we want to eat during the rotation. Bill jumped for the Fig Newtons and a bag of Trader Joe's Banana Chips and I spied some smoked salmon, cheese, and crackers, also grabbing a couple of handfuls of the bite size candy bars that are my weakness when sitting around the tent. Before long we had all of our snacks and meals portioned out and packed up for the move.
With the afternoon clouds rolling in and the temperatures returning to their normal chilly level, Tuck retired the shorts for a puffy coat in time to host a couple of climbers to a few holes of glacier golf around camp and a round of horseshoes. The horseshoes game came down to a nail biter one point game but thanks to some last minute technique tips from Tuck I managed to hit the winning point, ensuring our victory but sadly disappointing our guests. Nothing a fresh brewed pot of coffee and some cookies couldn't smooth over before they were soon calling for a rematch.
We are about to sit down to our first Burrito Night of the trip, an occasion that Tuck was kind enough to wait for me to arrive here at Base Camp before serving. After close to three weeks of dining in teahouses my stomach is growling just thinking about the tortillas, fresh cheddar, and salsa. Since first working with our expedition cook Kumar in 2009, it has been a very fun experience to show him some of the western meals that we enjoy cooking and I have now given up making nachos at home as I cannot make them as remotely enjoyable as his.
Tomorrow we are getting up early for our first true foray into the Icefall, hoping to climb up to an area midway through known as the Football Field. In addition to giving us additional exposure to higher elevations above Base Camp and building our acclimatization, it is an important step for our team in putting our training and equipment into action in the lower stretches of the Icefall and preparing us for our move through it up to Camp 1 in a few days. We are feeling well rested after today and looking forward to tomorrow's climb.
RMI Guide Linden Mallory
I’ll be folowing your every step to the top. Good luck and sure steps.
Posted by: b lee mallory on 4/19/2011 at 7:40 am
Linden, good luck on the climb. We will be watching from our warm computers…
Posted by: John F. on 4/18/2011 at 5:14 am
.jpg)
Bill - Happy Birthday! Nice way to spend it. Would love to see you in Saratoga again this year (if the climbing schedule permits of course).
Dave
Posted by: David Schmidt on 4/29/2011 at 12:05 pm
HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY!!! how fun! just can hardly wait to read the posts every day! i am so grateful that all is going well. hugs and prayers and best thoughts coming your way! lynn crow
Posted by: Lynn Crow on 4/26/2011 at 9:19 am
View All Comments