Acclimatizing in the Pamirs

The Madison Mountaineering Peak Lenin expedition team took an acclimatization hike today above their base camp. Despite some rainy weather to start the day, the team pushed on and were treated with sunny skies as they reached their high point for the day. The views opened up more so as they started their descent, all the way to base camp. With views of Peak Lenin hanging overhead, the team now prepares for their move to Camp 1, which is set to start tomorrow. Stay tuned! Expedition Leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Peak Lenin:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Peak Lenin (7134m/23,406ft) Expedition. Today is July 3.

This morning we had a nice breakfast here in base camp (3600m/11,800ft), and then we went for an acclimatization hike up to 4,000 meters on a ridge below the summit of Petrovsky Peak (4825m/15,830ft). Then we walked back down. The weather was a little bit rainy in the morning, some light sprinkles, but by the time we approached our high point on the ridge, the sun was coming out and we had beautiful views of the Alay Valley as we descended.

It’s been clear and sunny the rest of the day, and we’ve had great views of Peak Lenin and the 5,000-meter peaks near it; and then also views all the way across the Alay Valley to the Pamir-Alay Range, far to the north.

All in all, it was a really nice day! The team is doing really well, and we’re looking forward to moving up to Camp 1 tomorrow. We’ll be in touch then!

Our climbers, Fatima and Bruce, ascending Petrovsky Peak (photo by Terray Sylvester)

High on Petrovsky Peak (photo by Terray Sylvester)

Wildflowers along the way (photo by Terray Sylvester)

Views of Achyk-Tash, “onion valley,” base camp for Lenin Peak (photo by Terray Sylvester)

Descending to base camp with the Alai Valley in the distance (photo by Terray Sylvester)

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

• Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

• @MadisonMtng
• @GarrettMadison1
• @terray_s