Lukla! Back to where we started after another long day hiking. We left Namche about an hour later than planned to get in some last minute shopping, I'm sure everyone can guess who prompted that decision.....
Lucky enough to have another beautiful day for hiking, we were happy to spend all day on the trail again (but actually)! Making our way down what we lovingly dubbed the 'Namche Hill' on the way up, we encountered way more yaks and porters than last week...due to the Saturday market tomorrow, that some of us are sad to be missing!
What goes down must come up....after a quick stop in Phakding for some lunch, we started back up our final hill to Lukla. Although the lower altitude certainly helped, after so much downhill the past few days I've got to say it was tough switching gears again! About two-thirds of the way up to Lukla, Lakpa's two adorable kids came and met us on the trail - what a wonderful surprise! Lakpa and his family then hosted us at their house for some tea once everyone caught their breath, which was another great surprise.
After showers and some dinner, we said many many thanks and gave many hugs to our wonderful porters and Sherpas (see picture!). Our trip certainly wouldn't have been the same without their hard work, and I know that their smiling faces put me in a good mood each and every day. We were so lucky to have them!
Everyone will be happy to know that a dance party just got started in Lukla! Hello and I love you to all my friends and family (Daddy, Dana, Haley, Scott & Bandit - Mommy is up on the dance floor. Uh oh!). --Allie
RMI Guide Casey Grom
So glad to see the team smiling and dancing in Lukla. Did Missy bring her birthday presents and use them at the dance party? Retail sales in Namche were at an all time high with members of team waki there. Cannot wait to hear all the gory details.
Posted by: Kathryn LeBey on 4/6/2013 at 5:20 am
Looks like the party was a lot of fun. I’m glad you had a chance to unwind and let loose. All of you, have safe journeys home!
Mark Tucker here, calling from Chukung. My third attempt coming outside here. The satellites have not been too nice to me tonight. Ch-ch-chilly. So we had an unbelievable day. Just everything was going at us. We gave a great shot going for the summit. We were a little bit shy. But we had an awesome time! That mountain is incredible. And we're all down safe and sound. A lot of our staff is going to go to the right and we are going left, headed to Namche tomorrow. It is cold out tonight. Everybody's happy and we're doing well. We'll check in again.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Mark and Team- Congrats on a good climb!! Summits are & aren’t everything!! Thanks for the good push! Mark thank you for a wonderful time for Liesl and Pete!!
Love & Blessings to You ALL- M & G (Remember YMNTBP!!!!)
Back in Internet range today. We spent the last two days in Lobuche at a little over 16,000 ft. We had an easy day yesterday, taking a short but scenic walk along the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and touring the Italian research pyramid a few minutes from Lobuche. Today we are moving to Everest Base Camp. It is a stunningly beautiful day as we sit at our halfway point in Gorak Shep.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Mark Tucker here at high camp of Island Peak. Hands are freezing but the rest of me is pretty good. We are situated a couple hundred feet below 18,000 feet. We got a bit to go but we're in good shape. Have the tents up. Actually have a small kitchen tent where our Nepali staff is making us some fresh momos. He has a rolling pin out, had the flour going, cooking up the vegetables. We're roughing it but its still reasonably comfortable. Having aghast. We've got peaks above, ice, rock every where. Ocean below, giant peaks peaking out of the clouds, and yes, a bit chilly. I'm sure we're going to be in for it tonight when it comes to the cold but lots of layers and keep moving should do the trick. So we're planning to start looking at the weather at 1 am, hopefully moving by 2ish and route sounds like it's in pretty good shape. So if things go right, we're going to get on top of this thing and make a call to y'all. We're going to error on the side of smart and conservative, not push too hard, but give it a gosh darn good effort.. So we're looking forward to it, all fired up and can't wait to report in again.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
RMI Guide Mark Tucker calls in from Island Peak High Camp.
Hello everyone back home. All is well here in the Khumbu!
After so much time together bonding the team has decided to stick together and finish this trek the same way we started, together. Island Peak will have to wait till next time!
We left Pheriche and hiked downhill passing what seemed like a endless line of trekkers, climbers, porters, and yaks loaded with gear for Everest. It was a beautiful but long day, and we have arrived in Namche after eight hours on our feet. Clear weather allowed us more amazing views and the chance for one more view of Everest before descending down to camp. The warm thicker air feels great and the team has just finished a nice dinner at our tea house "Camp De Base".
Tonight we are having the world championship of cribbage!
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
Ditto the comments above! Especially Sasha’s “enjoy the descent!” Really, enjoy it all- we were amazed at how different the landscape was on our way back to Lukla.
Congratulations on fighting the fight and making it to EBC! We look forward to hearing the stories…
Be safe!
xo
Dana Marie
Posted by: Dana Marie Buchanan on 4/5/2013 at 8:55 am
Elsie,
Hope you are well…can’t wait to hear the stories when you are home…sounds like an amazing trip.
Mark Tucker here calling from Island Peak Basecamp. Had a wonderful stay at the resort in Chukung. Great evening, kind fellowship with other climbers from around the world. The hike up here took about 3 hours, and did very well and greeted by a staff that we've had in place. They've been here for few days, great dining and kitchen area, wonderful food, tents already set up. What a lap of luxury we walked right into. We did a couple hikes today to keep the blood flowing. The team is doing very well. Planning tomorrow to finalize details, get some gear sorted, and then we're gonna ship up to High Camp and get ourselves ready for the summit push tomorrow in the late evening. So the deal is on, we're doing great, and we'll talk to you later.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
RMI Guide Mark Tucker calls in from Island Peak Basecamp.
The team left Basecamp today and descended all they way back to Pheriche at 14,000ft. We were excited to meet the Everest climbing team on their way up and wish them luck. Everyone is doing well and looking forward to the thicker air and warmer temps that lies below.
Well do our best to send some photos tomorrow.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
Mark Tucker here outside of our resort in Chukung. Rallying for our next wave of the program, the Island Peak climb. Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Nuptse. Wow! What a view. Let's call it Phase 1 is in the books and what a trip so far. The Island Peak team, we bid farewell to the trek group this morning, under yep, once again, beautiful blue skies. As a guide, you try your hardest to be the conduit between the mountain and the folks with a bit less experience usually. And it thrills me every time to see groups like these accept this new kind of challenge. Rainier Mountaineering does such a great job preparing its guides. They provide us with the training and support for the staff. The incredible institutional knowledge is passed down literally generations of professional guiding. It's just, it is the best there is out there and I'm so proud to be part of this great group of women and men. With that said, your training has led you to never take anything for granted, or let my guard down, in what can be in quite a hostile environment. There can be a surprise around any corner. And I just wanna send my congratulations to my trek team for a fantastic job they all did. Thanks for spending time with me out here in my office. And safe travels home to all you guys. And now, here come the climb team, and we are ready. Its [Island Peak] basecamp tomorrow, back into tent life. And I'm looking forward to it.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
We deserved a leisurely start to our rest/acclimatization day in Pheriche. So we dragged feet and drank coffee until 9 AM before heading outside. The morning weather could best be described as "splitter". As in, it was perfectly blue sky and ultra clear air. We were looking for light activity at altitude to enhance our acclimatization. Right out the back door of the lodge there happens to be a hill that is perfect for such activity. Up we went with a plan to be back by lunch. Immediately we had a view of Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world. That compensated us for the loss of Everest, which we can no longer see. Before long we were seeing the craggy summit of Makalu, fifth highest, and we'd regained a view of Lhotse (#4). We bumped into a number of other teams that we've come to know on our little trek circuit, each out for the views and the exercise. Those views only got more incredible as we worked our way up the giant stairmaster to about 16,500 ft above sea level... 2,500 feet above our lodge. We were being circled by eagles and cooled by breezes so we couldn't stay too long to enjoy the view... Lunch and an easy afternoon were calling. The team trooped to the nearby Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) clinic to receive a great lecture by one of the docs on altitude and common trekker illnesses but spent the rest of the day napping, gaming and chatting.
Tomorrow we hope to push on to Lobuche.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
The team safely arrived at Basecamp after a climb up Kala Patar. New altitude records for some! The Easter bunny must have come through camp because there were little chocolate eggs left around camp when we arrived (thanks Tucker). Most everyone is feeling better and enjoying the wonderful cooking of our BC cook Kumar. The team spent the day enjoying the views and a little exploring of the camp. Hot showers were had by all!
Tomorrow we'll make the trek back down to Pheriche and hopefully cross paths with RMI's Everest climbers.
RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew
Congrats to everyone on the team and esp. those
Team Waki members. Know you are glad to finally be there. Allie and MIssy- safe travels “down” - remember it is really not down! Elsie- may the force be with you as you power up Island Peak!
Posted by: Kathryn LeBey on 4/2/2013 at 5:14 pm
Congratulations on reaching Base Camp! I hope all of you are healthy and well. Weather still looks good. Enjoy the views, and be careful on the way down. Keith, everyone here is proud and in awe of you.
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So glad to see the team smiling and dancing in Lukla. Did Missy bring her birthday presents and use them at the dance party? Retail sales in Namche were at an all time high with members of team waki there. Cannot wait to hear all the gory details.
Posted by: Kathryn LeBey on 4/6/2013 at 5:20 am
Looks like the party was a lot of fun. I’m glad you had a chance to unwind and let loose. All of you, have safe journeys home!
Posted by: Yuki Loritz on 4/5/2013 at 10:18 pm
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