We spent our first full morning here in Kathmandu in the Yak & Yeti’s gardens, enjoying rare clear skies here in Kathmandu while discussing the final trip details, logistics, and equipment review. By midday our bags were sorted, our climbing gear and trekking gear separated and repacked in preparation for the mountains.
After finishing we plunged ourselves into Kathmandu’s maze of streets to visit some of the city’s most famous destinations. First visiting the Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest Buddhist Temples in Kathmandu and the starting place for any pilgrimage taken by Nepali’s practicing Tibetan Buddhism. The sprawling stupa is alive with devotees circumnavigating its base, softly chanting while spinning the hundreds of prayer wheels lining the stupa walls.
We next ventured to the hills to the east of Kathmandu’s center where Sawayambu sits, known as the Monkey Temple for the hundreds of monkeys that call the stupa home. Today the afternoon heat kept the monkeys in the shade, the younger ones choosing to wrestle and swim in the small fountain near the stupa’s base. From the Money Temple the clear skies afforded us amazingly clear views across the city. From above Kathmandu’s complicated web of streets takes on an amazingly orderly look, the faint sound of horns being the only indication of the chaos below.
At last we dove into the very heart of Kathmandu’s center, Durbar Square – literally the Palace Square that has been the center of Kathmandu for centuries. There, ancient Hindu temples crowd the streets, each with it’s own story and significance in the city’s heritage. Milling throughout are vendors of fruits and vegetables along with those hawking souvenirs to the tourist. It is a wildly busy and exciting place yet remarkably intimate given it’s cultural and historical prominence for Kathmandu and all of Nepal.
After a full day of packing and taking in the sites we returned to the hotel as the sun sank lower in the hills. We head to Kathmandu’s domestic airport tomorrow for an early morning flight out of Kathmandu and into the Khumbu.
- RMI Guide Linden Mallory
After a week of technical alpine mountaineering training on the upper slopes of Mt. Rainier the Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz team reached the Summit! The team climbed through the Kautz Ice Chute, a well-known, and classic route on the mountain. The team spent time on the summit and are now descending on the Disappointment Cleaver route and will pass through Camp Muir on their way down.
It sounded like rain drumming off the tent at a consistent staccato all night, into this morning. The problem was that there was frost in the tent and the temp was below zero. So was it rain? Nope. Graupel. Lots of graupel. As well as snow. And wind to move it. We had planned to rest anyways and that was perfect for today. We had a big bagel and smoked salmon brunch, then tucked back into tents to stay warm and dry.
The snow is anywhere from ankle to well over knee deep through camp. The wind have started to subside some this afternoon, but our world is still really white, with snow filtering down from the sky.
We'll do dinner and some warm tea and crawl into our sleeping bags to see what tomorrow brings.
Hoping the storm passes and you have your days to move up and continue on safely. Keep the spirits up and enjoy every moment! Looking forward to the updates and we love you! - Katie & Sean
Posted by: Katie Baskin on 5/29/2021 at 8:07 am
Thank you for the opportunity to learn about graupel!! What crazy weather you have had. I am throwing all my weight behind good weather thoughts for you and your expeditions all.
The Five Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guide Adam Knoff reached the summit of Mt. Rainier yesterday afternoon in cold and windy conditions. The team descended back to Camp Muir for the night. The Four Day Summit Climb led by RMI Guide Brent Okita reached the summit this morning and reports blue skies on top with a cap beginning to form. Both teams will be back in Ashford later today.
Hello from Quito, Ecuador. The Expedition Skills Seminar - Ecuador has arrived in full, all bags included and is settling in nicely. Today the group had a busy itinerary starting with a top notch breakfast which of course is the day's most important meal. Once fully caffeinated we spent a pleasant hour doing personal introductions and breaking down the week's objectives. After our team's bonding exercises of trust falls and human pyramids in the hotel lobby we put our well being in the hands of our tour operator and ventured into the heart of Quito where traffic can rival the adventurous nature of mountain climbing. We visited many historic sites including the Presidential Palace, Independence Plaza and multiple churches centuries older than the United States itself. This concluded our history lesson, next was science. From the old town of Quito we drove 45 minutes north to the "Mitad del Mundo" translated to the middle of the world. Don't get this confused with middle earth, we saw no hobbits or elves. What we did experience were the wild supernatural effects of being directly on equator. Although no one earned their diploma for balancing an egg on a nail, we did see it happen. Other party tricks include failing a DWI balance test walking the actual line and watching the coriolis effect spin water in opposite directions five feet into each hemisphere. After the tour we rested, regrouped and went out for a well deserved team dinner. Everyone is in good health and excited to begin acclimatizing.
RMI Guides Adam Knoff and Casey Grom
Our team is spending the night at Basecamp tonight, as the weather has been un-flyable all day today. We were fortunate enough to have perfect weather for our summit day, and this little weather glitch is now merely an annoyance. We are all looking forward to some simple amenities like hot showers, cold beer, real beds, running water, and the opportunity to talk with loved ones on the telephone. But we know that these will come shortly and we're already accustomed to being patient with the weather; the important thing to remember is that we had a safe and successful trip on Denali, and the weather worked out for us when we needed it to. This little waiting period in Basecamp is just a reminder that the mountain is still in charge and we need to play by its rules.
We're optimistic that we will get to Talkeetna tomorrow and finish our expedition. Until then, we're all safe, comfortable, and happy. Hopefully our next dispatch will be from Talkeetna tomorrow.
Cheers,
RMI Guide Mike Walter
Hi everybody,
Congratulations to a job well done. I’m very happy for all of you and look forward to hearing all about it when I see you in person. Until then enjoy the triumphant feeling because you all very much deserve it.
PS Sorry this message is a little late, I got the news a little late
Posted by: Jim on 7/6/2012 at 7:22 pm
Glad you are down safe and sound. Can’t wait to hear all the details. Good luck getting off tomorrow.
Missy
Hello from Mexico City,
Tonight the team arrived, all with the same number of bags they left the states with and ready to go. We had a great intro dinner at a classic Centro Historico restaurant and retired to our rooms to get a good night's sleep before leaving the city tomorrow. Off to a good start down here and we'll check in from La Malinche tomorrow.
RMI Guide Jake Beren
The other guests in the teahouse joined us in singing Mark a Happy Birthday last night when Ang Nuru brought out the chocolate cake. Blowing out the candles, Mark served us all delicious slices of cake, a nice treat before we turned in for the evening.
This morning again broke calm and clear, the shadows keeping the temperatures brisk until the sun climbed high enough to peek over the mountains surrounding mountains and reach the valley floor. Leaving Pheriche, we climbed up the gentle valley bottom, passing dozens of yaks grazing among the stunted bushes. Several yak trains came streaming down the trail, the yaks unburdened by their loads left at Base Camp and eager to descend to the better pastures around Pheriche.
By late morning we finished the climb up to Thukla Pass where the trail climbs from the valley floor up the terminal morraine of the Khumbu Glacier - the giant pile of debris several thousand feet tall that was pushed forward by the Khumbu Glacier as it descended from the higher peaks above. The pass, not a true saddle but a shoulder we pass over that gives access to the shallow valley that runs along the side of the glacier, is also where dozens and dozens of chortens and memorials have been erected over the years for climbers, Sherpa and Western alike, who have lost their lives in the peaks above. Standing among the chortens and streaming prayer flags while gazing out at the surrounding peaks above is a sobering yet spectacular sight and we all took a moment to ourselves to sit there and appreciate it.
Continuing on from Thokla Pass we ascended a shallow valley that sits between the mountains to the west and the lateral morraine of the Khumbu Glacier - the debris pushed along by the sides of the Glacier. We reached our teahouse in Lobuche by early afternoon and withdrew from the chilly breeze and harsh sun of these altitudes, sitting in the dining room and gazing out at the peaks across the valley. Lobuche is quite rustic compared to the villages below, formerly a summer grazing area for yaks and now also home to a few teahouses for trekkers and climbers. At over 16,000' it is also very high and we spent the afternoon relaxing in the teahouse, sipping tea, reading, and giving our bodies time to adjust to the new elevations.
The team continues to do well, we are all having a great time and excited to be so close to Everest Base Camp. Tomorrow we will move to Gorak Shep, the final village before BC and if the weather is good make an afternoon climb to Kala Patar, an overlook at over 18,000' that give us views over BC and to Everest.
RMI Guide Linden Mallory
Another great day here (barely) south of the equator! We woke up this morning to slightly overcast skies that made me wonder if we were going to see anything at all today on our first acclimatization hike. Nevertheless, the team hopped a few taxis in front of the hotel and headed over to the Teleférico. A short gondola ride deposited us at an elevation just shy of 13,000'. Despite the cloud cover above we enjoyed clear and sweeping views of the metropolis below and even some occasional sun breaks came through to heat us up very quickly as we hiked along. After a little over three hours of hiking and a fun rock scramble we found ourselves standing on the summit of Rucu Pichincha! At an elevation above 15,000' many personal altitude records were broken today. We took some photos, hung out a bit hoping the cloud would dissipate for a split second (no luck), and began our sandy descent. After a mildly adventurous ride back to the hotel the gang has been chilling out while Katie and I did a little grocery shopping. Another team dinner tonight should commemorate our last evening in Quito before we head for the hills.
Talk tomorrow...
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
Hello everybody back home. This is Casey Grom checking in from the Ecuador's Expedition. I just wanted to check in to let everyone know that all's going well. We had a nice leisurely day today at Chilcabamba. Got up this morning, got things packed up and had about just over an hour drive up to the parking lot to the Cotopaxi Hut. We got out of the car little bit of cloud and took us about 40 minutes to hike up a nice easy trail to get up here to the hut. It sits at about, oh just shy of 16,000'...(transmission lost)
RMI Guide Casey Grom
RMI Guide Casey Grom checks in from Cotopaxi's Hut.
LOVE Following the blog! Its awesome that you are there, what an amazing adventure! Soak it up!
Posted by: Nicole McLaughlin on 3/26/2011 at 9:06 am
Saw your picture—Karen, you are not dressed for a mountain! More like sightseeing! MA
Posted by: Mary Ann & Howard Latimer on 3/23/2011 at 4:53 pm
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