Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Hello Everyone
It's incredibly beautiful, peaceful, and the mountains are grandiose. We've been very comfortable hiking each day in the sunny weather, then bundling up in our warm sleeping bags each night as the temperature drops.
Once we've arrived at our new village for the night we check in to our rooms and take a small nap/break. We then often meet around 5pm for a little tea, popcorn, and card playing.
Dinner is often around 7 pm and the menu is pretty much the same at every tea house with plenty of soups, simple pasta, potatoes, and typical Nepalese Dal Bat.
After dinner we relax and have a brief review of the day ahead and then it's off to bed.
A few of us also hiked up Kala Patar to get a better view of Everest.
Spirits are high as we push closer to Everest Base Camp and if the weather cooperates, we should arrive tomorrow.
That's all for now -
RMI Guide Casey Grom
On The Map
Posted by: Christina Dale
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest BC Trek and Lobuche
Elevation: 13,950'
We are finally using some of our warmer layers as we pull in to 14,000' here in Pheriche. The day went super smoothly with the team feeling strong, eating well, and chatting along the trail. We made a morning tea stop in Pangboche to visit the oldest Monastery in the valley and see the yeti skull and hand. We can't wait to have a live yeti spotting hopefully high on the glaciers of Lobuche Peak.
RMI Guide Christina Dale
It wouldn’t be a climb without one of Michael’s “calendar” shots! Loving the updates!
Posted by: Katie F. on 3/24/2019 at 7:07 pm
All is well here on the trek!
Today we left Pheriche and hiked further up valley to Lobuche. We slowly made our way along the winding path that we share with other trekkers, porters heavily laden with loads bound for Base camp, and yaks who aren't as keen to share the trail. We made good time and enjoyed the astounding views before reaching camp for the night.
In the afternoon we took a short walk to an overlook of the Khumbu glacier where we could just make out Everest Base Camp far in the distance.
Everyone is currently relaxing in our tea house enjoying the warmth of the fire. There's been lots of cribbage and plenty of good conversation with our team and other trekkers on the same journey as us.
RMI Guide Casey Grom
On The Map
Friday, March, 22,2018
Hello everyone,
All is well here in the beautiful Khumbu Valley. Today was a scheduled rest/acclimatization day, so we did just that. After breakfast we made a long slow climb up the big hill that’s just behind our tea house. We climbed just up over 16,000ft to help our bodies adjust to the upcoming altitude of Everest Base Camp. The team did great and throughly enjoyed the amazing views in nearly all directions. We could see Cho Oyu the 6th highest and Makalu in the far off distance which is the worlds 7th highest mountain, as well as countless other huge mountains. It’s very surreal to be higher than anyplace in the continental US and be surrounded by so many big mountains.
We spent the remainder of the afternoon relaxing at the tea house chatting with other trekkers and recovering from our day’s outing.
Some of the team took showers again and the rest of us rewarmed ourselves by the big wood stove that burns dried Yak dung, just as the Sherpa people have done for centuries. We are a little ways above tree line and firewood is scarce, but Yak dung is plentiful.
RMI Guide Casey Grom
Posted by: Christina Dale
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest BC Trek and Lobuche
Elevation: 12,200'
"This coffee makes me so happy!" Said our favorite Canadian climber as she sipped a freshly brewed cappuccino under the shadow of Ama Dablam. Our team is getting giddy with the views of Everest, Lotse, Kantega, and many more 8000 meter peaks all day. As we trek along the trail one step closer to these monsters mountains we can't help but smile.
Now we are up at 12,200 feet in Deboche and everyone is still feeling strong. I've been so impressed with our team and how well everyone takes care of themselves by eating well, drinking water, and pressure breathing. We even laugh a lot!
Tomorrow another big step up to Pheriche.
RMI Guide Christina Dale
To Michael and Bruce: Enjoying and sharing some of your photos with the hash group. Dr. Vahab liked your photo with the dog Michael
Posted by: Joyce Freedman on 3/24/2019 at 5:33 am
Posted by: Christina Dale
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest BC Trek and Lobuche
A unique walk took us off the beaten path to Thamo Monastery where we listened to the nuns chant, ring bells, and blow long horns. They brought us a taste of their traditional Tibetan tea which is super salty and hard to drink more than a sip of, but we were honored guests.
Our group is so strong and doing great with the altitude and hiking. Everyone is full of energy and incredibly positive about the journeys ahead. Our local team of Sherpa are so kind and great culture and climbing guides. They have all climbed Everest, and two of them 7 times each. They love trekking as well as climbing and sharing their home valley with us. We feel lucky to get to know them and learn about their lives here the in the Khumbu. Thank you Nima, Lakpa, Lakpa, and Kami!
Tomorrow will bring a long day on the trail up to another Monastery and higher elevation. The team is doing so well that we know it will go smoothly.
RMI Guide Christina Dale
Namaste Everyone
The team woke to beautifully clear skies again and views of Everest right out our dining room window. We’ve settled into our daily routine of getting up and packing our duffel bags before meeting in the dining room for breakfast and plenty of Starbucks coffee thanks to RMI sending it with us. After breakfast we step outside to get a better sense of the temperature before adjusting our layers for the hike. Once on the trail we do our best to maintain a steady pace, with stops every hour or so to stay hydrated and take in the views. There’s plenty of other hikers and yak trains headed in both directions to negotiate as well.
Today we hiked for a little over 5 hours including breaks and a light lunch to get to our next tea house in Pheriche, which sits at about 14,000'.
Everyone did great and enjoyed the stunning views of Ama Dablam, one of the most iconic peaks along the route to Base Camp.
RMI Guide Casey Grom & the crew
On The Map
Hi Eileen,
Pictures look amazing. We’re so proud of you. Can’t wait to hear all about your adventure. Keep Climbing!! we love you - Mary and Charlotte
Posted by: mary Segesta on 3/21/2019 at 8:20 pm
Posted by: Christina Dale
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest BC Trek and Lobuche
Elevation: 11,300'
We are currently sitting in Namche Bazaar high in the Khumbu sipping on milk tea at the Nirvana Home Lodge. Happy to be here after a good day of crossing high bouncing suspension bridges and climbing up the Namche hill to arrive here at 11,200 feet. Everyone in the team is doing so well and climbing strong. Halfway up our hill climb for the day, the clouds parted and we got a view of Everest way up valley. Namche was the primary trading village for hundreds of years between the salt traders of Tibet and the spice traders from India. Now Namche is still a major hub for goods and people coming and going.
Tomorrow well take a rest day with a nice morning hike to stretch the legs and the afternoon to appreciate this town. Our lodge sits high on the edge of town with the best view of all the goings on. When the clouds clear the giant peak, Thamserku, towers above everything just out our windows.
Now off to eat some momos!
RMI Guide Christina Dale
It was another beautiful day here in the Khumbu Valley, and we had some nice views of Everest. Just above Namche you can see Everest far off in the distance, still about 20-30 miles away. You can also see the fourth highest mountain, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam, which is one of the Himalayan's most beautiful.
We hiked for about six hours today up and down, dropping all the way down to a river, which is a stunning turquoise, then climbed slowing up the hill before the famous Tengboche Monastery.
Traditionally we have gotten a blessing from a famous lama in Pangboche, but sadly that lama has moved on to a higher calling. So today we were able to request a private Puja with another lama at Tengboche and each received a blessing. The Puja is a Buddhist ceremony where the lama chants a Buddhist prayer and gives us a blessing to protect us from harm.
We've settled in to a nice and warm tea house called Rivendale that's full of trekkers from all over the world. Cribbage and good conversations have rounded out the evening and now it's time for a little rest.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and the newly blessed crew
Dereesa, great pictures of the trek. Looks like everyone is having a great time! Suzanne
Posted by: Suzanne Diers on 3/20/2019 at 9:30 am
Posted by: Christina Dale
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Everest BC Trek and Lobuche
The morning started with a 4:30 am departure to a chaotic airport where the security guards found a pocket knife in a pocket and just shrugged. When we got on the plattus porter plane the pilot used his sleeve to wipe the condensation from the windshield so he could see right before takeoff. We also learned halfway through the flight that there was one seat belt not connected to anything. But despite our laughter around the security, pilot, and plane, we had the smoothest flight and landing ever.
The team cannot stop smiling as we walk through gardens of bok choy, carrots,and onions. We pass large carve rocks called mani walls that read "o mani padme om" meaning the jewel in the lotus flower. We make way for donkeys and zopkeos (a yak and cow breed). We cross the Dhud Kosi river meaning "milk river" because it flows from the glaciers on Everest making it white. The sunshine and a glimpse of high snow capped peaks around us, kind of the perfect day on the trail.
RMI Guide Christina Dale
Hi Team - Phew! Glad to hear the flight went smoothly! I was a little nervous when Bruce and Michael told me about the airport, and my curious self started down the deep and dark hole of the internet. Looking forward to tomorrow’s update!
Posted by: Katie F. on 3/20/2019 at 9:48 am
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Dereesa, What an experience you must be having, it looks like a a trip you will never forget! Wonderful pictures! Take care, see you soon! Suzanne
Posted by: Suzanne Diers on 3/27/2019 at 10:44 pm
Hey! I met Casey last year in Pheriche at the tea lodge we were lunching at in Pheriche. He was leading an expedition and we were trekking to EBC. It was so nice to meet him and the other folks on his expedition.
I’ll be back to the Solo Khumbu region again next year in 2020 to trek the Gokyo Lakes route. It’s off to Macchu Picchu this spring for me.
Good Luck on your Everest summit Casey! Happy Climbing:)
Cheers.
Jamie
Posted by: Ms. Jamie A. Groth on 3/26/2019 at 1:22 pm
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