Entries from Expedition Dispatches
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Today marks our fifth full day back at Base Camp since coming down from our third rotation on the mountain. The days have managed to slip by surprisingly quickly, filled with big meals, visits from friends, time spent reading, playing cards, throwing horseshoes, and most of all - resting. Tuck organized the 2011 Everest Base Camp Horseshoes Tournament a few days ago and filled our small camp with dozens of people from various teams bent on vying for the coveted crown. Besides a few errant throws - we lost a cooking pot to a high flying shoe and somehow managed to tangle a horseshoe in the prayer flags strung overhead - it was a really enjoyable afternoon.
Yesterday Dave, Sara, and I spent the morning exploring the lower reaches of the Khumbu Glacier surrounding Base Camp, making our way through the tongues of rock moraine and among the fins of vertical ice that jut up from the glacier. But the overarching focus of these days has been on resting, and it has been paying off. Dave, Sara, and I are all feeling the gains from our leisurely days down here. The solid nights of sleep have calmed any minor altitude coughs and strength is seeping back into the legs. Our Sherpa team descended a few days ago as well and the whole team is now down at Base Camp, enjoying the rest and preparing for the final push.
Every morning over the past few days we pull up the latest forecast and discuss the options for our summit bid. This season's weather has been unsettled to say the least and that trend has continued into the summit season. Several teams have made summit attempts over the past few days and the occasional eruption of cheering and clanging pots and oxygen bottles can be heard coming from camps as they celebrate the radio call from their climbers standing on the summit. But the summit season so far has been far from smooth and dozens of climbers have faced real challenges up there, battling high winds and cold temperatures in their attempts. While the temperatures and the snowfall are factors, our big concern is the wind. The jet stream is still playing around this part of the Himalayas, occasionally drawing close to Everest and then receding again, and causing nothing but confusion for the forecast models. The 60+mph winds reported yesterday are a sure indication the jets proximity. And so we are sitting down here, reading over the forecast every morning, hoping that these small snippets of good weather that lay scattered over the upcoming days materialize into a substantial window for us to feel confident to head up on our summit bid.
Thus begins the waiting game, a trial in its own right. To sit in Base Camp after so many weeks of hard work, feeling ready and prepared for the summit bid, but stalling over the unstable weather conditions, is a huge mental challenge. On occasion a helicopter lands in Base Camp, picking up climbers returning from the summit - both those who made it successfully and those who did not but battled the cold and wind nonetheless - and whisks them back to Kathmandu in dozens of minutes. It's easy to let the mind wander to all of the luxuries and comforts that await the passengers when they disembark, but not a very helpful exercise. Nevertheless, the focus around camp remains, the days of rest are paying off, and our excitement is building for the upcoming climb. A great number of unknowns lie ahead of us, but we are feeling ready. Tomorrow we will wake up, print out the forecast, sit down in the morning sun to look over what the forecast models predict for wind speeds, temperatures, and precipitation amounts. Hopefully that window we know is coming begins to materialize.
RMI Guide Linden Mallory
Hi this is the Alaskan Mountaineering Seminar checking in for the day. This morning after we got an early start and breakfast we headed up the South East Fork of the Kahiltna Glacier. After three hours of challenging technical climbing we were rewarded with a chance to stand on top of Radio Control Tower under blue skies and perfect condition. After our time on the summit we came back to our base camp and spent some time working on building snow anchors. The weather has turned to a cloudy outlook with a little bit of snow. Everyone is tucked in for the night resting for our training day tomorrow. Take care and send your thoughts to keep us warm on the Kahiltna.
RMI Guide Eric Frank checks in after the team's climb of Radio Tower Peak.
Dad, hope you are having a really awesome time. We are doing great here. Hope your knee is holding up well.
Love you - Raos in Denver.
Posted by: RAO FAMILY on 5/15/2011 at 7:47 pm
We had a great sunny day today and we took advantage of it by carrying a cache of gear to approximately 16,700' on the West Buttress proper, just below a prominent rock called Washburn's Thumb.
In order to get there we climbed up the head wall on the north side of camp and ascended approximately 800' of steep, 50 degree ice with the help of fixed ropes and mechanical ascenders. The views were phenomenal. And everyone did very well with their first experience on the fixed ropes.
We were out for eight hours today (ascending, descending, digging a hole for our cache, and relaxing up high on the ridge), and everyone is a little tuckered out from the long day and high altitude. That's to be expected, though. We'll take at least a full rest day to recover. Now we're in position to wait for a good weather window to move to high camp and go for the summit. It looks like the next few days will be pretty windy up high, so we'll be in a holding pattern until the weather improves. In the meantime we will be resting, eating, and mentally preparing for the strenuous climbing ahead of us.
Also, I spoke with RMI Guide Billy Nugent via radio tonight. Apparently they are having technical difficulties and are unable to send email dispatches (their sat phone still works for communication though). They are camped at 9600' and doing well. They plan to move to to Camp 3 (11,200') tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
Kenny, God speed and wish you well to the summitt. take care.
Your brother brian, jeannie, matt, and tasha
Posted by: brian young on 5/16/2011 at 2:06 pm
Hi Jeff! Glad to hear things are going well and you are feeling great. Stay focused and I can’t wait to see you. I miss and love you lots! Good news the Bulls beat the heat tonight 103-82, you would have loved it!
-Erica
Posted by: Erica on 5/15/2011 at 7:31 pm
Hey, this is the Alaska Seminar checking in from the Kahiltna Base Camp. Today we went out on the Kahiltna Glacier and did a nice glacier tour for a few hours. Went around the beautiful Mt. Francis and also did some knot training, sled rigging and lots of fun stuff here. Beautiful weather on the Kahiltna and tomorrow looks to be the same. Wish us luck with good weather.
RMI Guide Jason Thompson
I hope you’re enjoying the Seminar menu and not running low on charcoal!
Posted by: Joe on 5/15/2011 at 9:54 am
We broke out of base camp bright and early enjoying bluebird perfection walking up the Kahiltna today. Wasn't too hot nor too cold and virtually windless. Six hours of walking brought us to base camp at 7,800' at the base of Ski Hill. The team is strong, moving well, and having a great time thus far. After chowing down on a great beef stew dinner, we shut down camp and crawled into our tents just as the sun went behind the mountains and the chill set in. Time for some well-earned rest after hauling up big loads. We'll check in again tomorrow from our next stop along the way.
RMI Guides Billy Nugent, Solveig Garhart and the rest of the crew
Solveig and Team,
Have a great Climb!!! and enjoy the spectacular views of the region. Love Mom and Dad
Posted by: Garhart on 5/16/2011 at 6:47 am
Enjoy the beauty. We are looking forward to hearing all about it and seeing the pictures. Stay safe.
Posted by: Shirl on 5/16/2011 at 4:53 am
Today is another gorgeous day here at Everest Base Camp. There isn't a cloud in the sky, and with a little breeze the usual heat of the day is masked. This morning, Dave, Linden, and I took a walk down the medial moraine - the strip of rock that runs down the middle of the Khumbu glacier, and arrived back to camp just in time for lunch.
I hadn't been on the lower part of the Khumbu glacier since we started our rotations up the mountain, and although Dave pointed out to me at that time how the glacier would be different in about a month or so, I couldn't have imagined a more drastic change. The once frozen ice ponds are becoming lakes of glacier water, and rivers of melted ice are rushing down valley. Rocks are perched on ice pinnacles that haven't melted due to the shade the rock provides, and water runs down 10-15ft icicles that hang off the still frozen part of the glacier.
Although I've climbed and hiked on multiple glaciers before, I've never lived on one for this long. Over the years I've heard so much about how quickly glaciers move and change, and have definitely seen slight changes while being on them, but have never seen with my own eyes how quickly they move and to what an extent they can change in just a months time.
On a different note, down here in Base Camp teams are now hustling with preparations for summit bids. With the route now fixed up high people have been summiting everyday. Yesterday, Tshering and Uberaj both carried to the South Col to help prepare us for our summit bid. Tshering is now safely down at Base Camp and Uberaj stayed up higher on the mountain and is holding down the fort at Camp Two.
Over the last few days I've been trying to rest as much as possible. I've made significant progress on my English and Science projects, but besides that and a few walks here and there, I've been sleeping, eating and drinking as much as I can. As Dave always tells me, "rest with a purpose," and I've been trying to get myself in as good shape as I can be to prepare myself forour own summit bid.
Time is running short here at Base Camp. Virtually everyone will be gone from here in the next 3 weeks as we all try to fit our summit bids in before the monsoons hit in June. So, while we rest, it's weird to think that everyone here (about 350 people) will all move out shortly.
Thanks for following along on our adventure!
Sara
SAYYY!! sry this is a late response to this but im soo glad i read this cause its nice to read and hear about the journey from your perspective!!! Your almost there keep up the good work! Couldnt be more proud we miss you back here CRAZYYYY AMOUNTS!!!! love & hugs, <3 kmy
Posted by: katherine on 5/16/2011 at 6:55 pm
Sara, great update especially describing how the glaciers move and change. What an adventure! Love it that you’re eating, sleeping and drinking as much as you can! I spent the last few days with Billy, Katie, and Morgan and we are all so rooting for you. Be safe - sending much love. P. S. We did go to YogurtLand.
Posted by: Grandma on 5/15/2011 at 11:38 am
The weather was splitter today at Camp 4; cloudless skies, warm temps, and no wind. We took a rest day today and prepared for our carry of food and fuel for high camp, which will hopefully happen tomorrow. The weather forecast looks promising.
In addition to resting, we took a fifteen minute walk over to The Edge of the World, a spectacular veiwpoint that is situated at the far south side of Genet Basin. From here we could see nearly straight down 6,000' to our first camp of the trip, some nine days ago. The team is acclimating well to the altitude, and everyone's spirits are high.
Thanks for checking in on our trip; we'll keep you up to date with our progress.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
You guys deserve the rest. Can’t wait to see the pictures.
Posted by: Thomas Jorda on 5/14/2011 at 2:47 pm
We are rooting for you Jeff! Good luck and think of your MA at the summit! Love, M & D
Posted by: Amb.Fay Hartog Levin on 5/14/2011 at 12:38 pm
This is the RMI seminar, the Alaska seminar checking in. We awoke to another cloudless morning in Talkeetna. After eating breakfast at the Road House, we flew into base camp and were quickly boot packing a trail to our camp. After two hours of setting up camp, several helicopters passed through the southeast fork in the valley of the Kahiltna Glacier. As we continue to set up our camp and move in, the weather could not have been better. We spent a lot of time outside of our tents taking in the beautiful scenery. Everyone's doing great and excited to be here up on the Kahiltna Glacier up in Alaska. We'll check in tomorrow and hopefully have some good weather, more training. Take care.
RMI Guide Jason Thompson
Jason Thompson checks in from Kahiltna Base Camp
On The Map
Hi McKinley, Now you know how you got your name! Keep a smile on your face. Love, Dad
Posted by: Max on 5/13/2011 at 6:26 pm
Everyone did well on our first night sleeping above 14,000'. We spent the bulk of the day working around camp, building snow walls for protection from the wind, and digging out our kitchen. We also hiked back down to retrieve our cache at 13,600'.
Tomorrow we will rest and prepare for taking a cache of food and fuel to high camp. The weather forecast is calling for warmer temperatures, and we're all looking forward to that.
RMI Guide Mike Walter
On The Map
Dave hurry back to work, I am having them future all my packages…Waiting for your return. Be safe.
Posted by: Stacee Holmes on 5/13/2011 at 9:12 pm
I am happy to hear clear skies. Enjoy the beauty and be safe. Love you Drew.
Posted by: Shirl on 5/13/2011 at 7:34 pm
Greetings from beautiful Kahiltna Base Camp! Despite breezy conditions this morning the guys at K2 Aviation were able to get us on the glacier later this morning. We spent the rest of the afternoon setting up a simple camp and getting everything ready to head out on the route early tomorrow morning. The views on the flight in were spectacular as always but this time especially so because there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The team has been hanging out and soaking in the immensity of our new environs. We'll check in tomorrow from our next camp around 7,800' or so.
Ciao for now,
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
On The Map
Good Luck to the Team. We can see that you are having Great Weather! Enjoy.
Posted by: Kathleen Esposito on 5/14/2011 at 10:11 am
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Linden, there is a crew of us that you took up Rainier last summer that has been following your blog. We all wish we were with you now. Glad to hear that you are having fun and resting for the summit.
Posted by: Smith Cooley on 5/16/2011 at 4:31 pm
Bill, that’s a cool picture of you getting ready to throw the horseshoe. Watch out for the prayer flags and cooking pots. Thanks, Linden, for the description of the waiting game and life in Base Camp. So glad it’s all paying off. We’re praying for a good weather window for the team and a safe journey. Much love.
Posted by: Mom on 5/15/2011 at 11:47 am
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