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As comfortable as we were in Namche Bazaar, it was time to go higher. We got our customary 8 AM start climbing up and out of town. Initially the trail was quite steep, but then it leveled off as we began following the Bhote Koshi River. We travelled in a thick pine forest with only occasional views of the great peaks surrounding us. Following the pattern of the past few days, clouds began moving in by mid-morning. A few hours walking brought us to Thamo, where we stopped for tea. Another hour got us to a dramatic cable bridge crossing of the violent river. We pulled into 12,500ft Thame, a garden-like village of neat yak pens and potato fields at 1 PM. It turns out we are lodged in Apa Sherpa’s tea house… and his home (before Utah). Apa was the Everest record holder for many years, having climbed the mountain 21 times and he is a hero to many of us still. The clouds closed in after our lunch and made it easy to nap away the afternoon (since staring up at the mountains was no longer an option). It is a little colder as we gain altitude, but the dining/sitting room is plenty comfortable with a fire.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Patience is the name of the game now. The rest and acclimation we get here will make us strong up high!
Ants-in-our-pants-o-meter: 7.8.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
On The Map
Posted by: Pete Van Deventer, Seth Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
James and Pete…Different kind of summit…Did prez ask to meet the famous mountaineers - you and crew ?...Enjoy the sights…Best Waltero
Posted by: Walter on 9/6/2013 at 5:27 am
Janet & Peter, Random says 4 hooves up for the summit tomorrow! Resting and relaxing at home, Gretchen says “I could have done the 1st 17 miles with you!” We are hoping the weather will be perfect and that you have a great climb to the top. Cheers!!!
Pat & Jeanne
Posted by: Pat & Jeanne on 9/5/2013 at 9:23 pm
Peter Whittaker from Vinson Massif
Posted by: Adam Knoff, Dustin Wittmier
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Ecuador
The last few mornings we have had would not by most standards be considered relaxing or “vacation” worthy in most people’s worlds. Although we were able to “sleep in” on Wednesday morning, there is something about being at 16,000 feet surrounded by coughing, restless climbers which is simply not conducive to quality rest. Thursday evening we were up at 11:30 pm, so this morning is a welcomed relief from those high altitude toss and turners.
With 9,000' feeling like sea level and our second 500 year old hacienda feeling like the royal Hilton, this morning was a gift for the mind, body and soul. I must confess that in our last hacienda, Dustin was convinced a ghost had visited our room floating above him making his whole body tingle, which is a legit claim considering the place’s history, but with equal haunting tales following us to our current hacienda, we slept too hard to notice if calling the ghost busters was reasonable.
After a thoroughly caffeinated breakfast we packed the van and headed south towards Chimborazo. The bus first landed us in the bustling town of Ambato where we shopped and enjoyed watching Jonny try to expand his stomach with an intimidating 20” burrito. He opted to not complete his task in the name of comfort for the remaining bus ride which ultimately brought us to my favorite hacienda called, Abraspungo, located in Riobamba, a short hour drive from Chimborazo. Here we were greeted with a lovely hot tottie and a host who speaks perfect English. Dustin and I can steer the ship with our first grade Espanol, but I would consider it equal to loosening the handle bars of a mountain bike and sendings down a hard single track. We crash a lot!
Once moved in we continued our skills training the appropriate way, with shorts, beer and a perfectly manicured lawn. Dinner followed and was superb! All in all, this is how a rest day should feel, which is good because tomorrow we start our hardest and final mountain of this wild adventure. Chimborazo is the farthest point from the center of the earth and sometimes feels like it has no end. We need to be strong, determined and ready to rock if the summit is going to be found. We will touch base from High Camp tomorrow.
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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
Good luck!!! Way to go to get to high camp!
Wish I was there!
Kim K.
Posted by: Kim k on 7/20/2019 at 1:14 pm
WOO HOOO! That’s incredible! Thank you Elias!
Posted by: Laura Bryson on 7/20/2019 at 11:34 am
Love the updates. I can’t wait to see more pictures.
Sounds like the weather is holding up nicely. I’m looking forward
to more posts
Posted by: Katie Brown-Steinke on 8/7/2014 at 3:03 pm
Happy and Safe Trails! Looking forward to watching your progress. Blessings and Best Wishes, Love, Grandpa/Carl and Babooshka/Cindy
Posted by: Carl and Cindy on 8/7/2014 at 1:36 pm
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