All Ama Dablam expedition dispatches

Ama Dablam – Expedition Recap

Team celebration dinner in Kathmandu

With all of the team safely back in Kathmandu, our 2020 Ama Dablam expedition is concluding.  Thank you for following along.  The following team members successfully and safely obtained the summit of Ama Dablam (6812m / 22,349ft) on November 11, 2020, at approximately 11:30 AM NPT (local time):

# Name Country
1 Mr. Garrett Madison USA
2 Mr. Mohammed Al-Thani Qatar
3 Ms. Jennifer Drummond USA
4 Mr. Ted Hesser USA
5 Mr. Chase Merriam USA
6 Mr. Elia Saikaly Canada
7 Mr. Aang Phurba Sherpa Nepal
8 Mr. Siddhi Bahadur Tamang Nepal
9 Mr. Mingmar Sherpa Nepal
10 Mr. Ming Dorchi Sherpa Nepal
11 Mr. Pasdawa Sherpa Nepal
12 Mr. Pasang Dawa Sherpa Nepal
13 Mr. Pasang Kaji Sherpa Nepal

Here is expedition leader, Garrett Madison, with the expedition recap:

Hello, this is Garrett Madison calling in for the Ama Dablam team expedition.

We are all back in Kathmandu now at the Hotel Yak & Yeti.  We summited Ama Dablam together on November 11th.  We had a beautiful, clear, perfect day upon the summit.  Some of us went all the way down to base camp, others stayed in Camp 2 that night, and the following day we all descended to base camp, had a celebration lunch, and then helicoptered back to Kathmandu!

We just had our team celebration dinner and some members are heading off tonight back home and others will be here for a few days.  It’s been a wonderful, successful, and safe expedition here in Nepal.  We’re very happy that we got to come and experience the wonderful people with warm hearts.

We are looking forward to returning to Nepal next spring for Mount Everest!

Camp 2 on Ama Dablam

Camp 2 on Ama Dablam (📷: @tedhesser)

Summit push below the Dablam

Summit push below the Dablam

Nearing the Ama Dablam summit

Nearing the Ama Dablam summit

Jenn D. topping out on Ama Dablam

Topping out on Ama Dablam (📷: @aang_phurba_mountaineer)

Chase M. on the summit of Ama Dablam with Everest and Lhotse in the background

Chase M. on the summit of Ama Dablam with Everest and Lhotse in the background

Ama Dablam Summit

Ama Dablam Summit (📷: @aang_phurba_mountaineer)

Celebration on Ama Dablam summit

Celebration on Ama Dablam summit (📷: @aang_phurba_mountaineer)

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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Ama Dablam Summit!

Ama Dablam summit track in Google Earth

Congratulations to the entire Madison Mountaineering 2020 Ama Dablam (6812m) team and crew!  100% summit success!!  Details and photos to follow.  Meanwhile, enjoy this coverage of the summit effort from The Himalayan Times.  Most of the team is safely resting at Camp 2, while others have safely descended all the way down to base camp.

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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Summit Push – Camp 2

Jenn D and Garrett touching Ama Dablam Camp 2

The Ama Dablam team have once again completed the crux of the route, The Yellow Tower, while making the move to Camp 2 (6000m) on their summit push.  Tonight is the night!  Within the next few hours, they will start the climb to the summit.  Godspeed team!  Here’s today’s audio dispatch courtesy of team member, Moe Al Thani from his Instagram feed @moealthani:

This is Moe Al Thani calling you from Camp 2, Ama Dablam.  I can see the summit, it’s so close I can touch it.  We arrived here like within three hours since we left Camp 1 after the tough hike up to Camp 2.  We are feeling really good!

The sherpa team just fixed the fixed lines all the way up to the summit.  So now we have the go-ahead to go this evening for our summit push.  We will leave around 1 AM for an 8-9 hour summit push to the summit.  [Arabic]  Keep us in your prayers and will talk to you soon.

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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Summit Push – Camp 1

Team member Moe Al Thani on Ama Dablam

First day of the summit push, the Ama Dablam team made the move from base camp to Camp 1.  Courtesy of his Instagram feed, team member @moealthani provides the recap of the day in this expedition dispatch:

Hi guys!  This is Moe Al Thani calling you from Camp 1 (5800m).  It’s freezing cold, I’m wearing my big down jacket, enjoying the most beautiful sunset in the world.  Behind me is Ama Dablam, it’s so close I can almost touch it but at the same time it seem so far.

Just want to let you all know that we’re doing amazing, we’re doing great!  The oxygen and the air is thin, but we’re all strong over here.  So, we are looking forward our move to Camp 2 tomorrow and we’ll keep you posted!

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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The Summit Push is On!

Heading around the puja to begin the summit push

The summit push is on!  Garrett and the Ama Dablam team just left base camp moments ago heading for Camp 1.  You can follow their progress on this real-time map:  https://madisonmountaineering.com/maps/ama-dablam-2020/.  Here’s Garrett’s message as they were leaving base camp this morning:

Well, it’s November 9th and we are off this morning on our Summit Rotation for Ama Dablam!

We just had breakfast, packed up, and walked around the puja – doing one last ceremony as we head off here up towards Camp 1.  It’ll be a six hour, seven hour hike today to Camp 1.  And then the plan is Camp 2 tomorrow night and then wake up around midnight and go for the summit!

So hopefully, we’ll be back down here in a few day’s time.  All’s well here and we’re looking forward to gettin’ up on the mountain!

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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Resting done, Summit-push next!

Ready for the Ama Dablam summit bid

For the Ama Dablam team, the resting is done, and the summit-push is next!  Here’s expedition leader Garrett Madison, with today’s expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett Madison calling in for the Ama Dablam team expedition.

We’re here at Ama Dablam base camp, the second rest day here on November 8th.  The weather is looking good.  We’re planning to head up tomorrow, November 9th, to Camp 1 (5791m) and then the following day to Camp 2 (5944m), then we will go for the summit (6812m)!  The weather’s looking good, route conditions are solid, and we’re excited to begin our summit rotation.

We’re all doing good here and looking forward to getting up on the mountain.  We’ll check in soon.  Thanks!

 

@hopperschoppers departing Ama Dablam base camp (🎥: @chase.merriam)

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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Back at Base Camp

Rapping down from Ama Dablam Camp 2

The Ama Dablam team is back at base camp after successfully completing their first acclimatization rotation.  With the comforts of base camp, including Internet, everyone has been busy with the important work of updating their Instagram accounts with amazing photos – check out @garrettmadison1, @moealthani, @boldbravebeautifullife, @chase.merriam, @tedhesser, and @eliasaikaly.

Today, team member Ted Hesser provides a detailed recap of the rotation:

This is Ted Hesser calling in from the Ama Dablam team.  We are back, safe and sound, at Base Camp after an eventful couple of days up at Camp 1 and Camp 2 on our first acclimitization rotation.

We hiked up a few days ago with heavy packs and burning lungs and got to a beautiful Camp 1 in time for sunset – beautiful clouds and golden rays and Himalayan peaks surrounding in all directions.  We ran out of breath, just like I’m running out of breath right now trying to read this to you [laugh], but we woke up the next day and continued onwards to Camp 2 where we tested ourselves against the first technical cruxes of the route and I believe the actual crux of the route on The Yellow Tower – which is, about, an 80 foot, maybe a full rope pitch, of technical climbing at about 19,000 – 20,000 feet.

So very difficult on the body and on the lungs – very cold.  But the whole team successfully made it up there.  We were greeted with more beautiful views and a view of the rest of the route, which looks daunting, to say the least.  A fair amount of elevation and technical terrian awaits us after Camp 2.  But we turned around, came back to Camp 1, spent the night, rested up, and then came on back down to base camp today.

We’re all feeling pretty pooped, pretty tired.  We are going to try to treat ourselves to alot of rest and food and hydration in the next few days and hope for good weather and a successful climb a few days from now!

Alright, ending the dispatch…

Oh(!) and Garrett says that we had the famous Chicken Sizzler dish tonight, which I almost forgot about [laugh].  But it was really good, it was on fire, the tent may have almost burned down [laugh], no I’m just joking – the tent’s fine.  But dinner was great, there was hot showers when we got back down, which was really lovely, and warm tea and all the accoutrements of base camp!

Okay, over and out!  Bye!

 

Elia receives his Chicken Sizzler dinner (🎥: @eliasaikaly)

Climbing between Ama Dablam C1 and C2

Climbing between Ama Dablam C1 and C2 (📷: @tedhesser)

The beauty of climbing Ama Dablam

The beauty of climbing Ama Dablam (📷: @tedhesser)

Garrett Madison climbing around Ama Dablam Camp 1 and Camp 2

Garrett Madison climbing around Ama Dablam Camp 1 and Camp 2 (📷: @tedhesser)

Jenn D and Garrett touching Ama Dablam Camp 2

Jenn D and Garrett touching Ama Dablam Camp 2 (📷: @tedhesser)

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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First Rotation – Touched Camp 2

Moe on Ama

The Ama Dablam team touched their high point so far by climbing to Camp 2 (5980m) today before returning to Camp 1 for the night.  Just before reaching Camp 2, they enjoyed some of the route’s best climbing by tackling the technical crux:  Ama Dablam’s Yellow Tower.  Tomorrow they will descend to base camp and rest up for their summit bid.  Team member Moe Al Thani returns with today’s dispatch, again courtesy of his Instagram feed: @moealthani:

This is Moe Al Thani from Camp 1.  We are back at Camp 1 after climbing to Camp 2.  It was harder than I expected.

Climbing the Yellow Tower was whatever people say and even more.  It’s really difficult, rock climbing at 6,000m with no oxygen.  However, we made it!  Now we’re back at Camp 1 and acclimatized better.

So tomorrow morning we’re going to head back down to base camp where we will enjoy internet, shower, food, and a good place to sleep.  Now that’s Heaven to me!  That’s it.  I’m really tired, we had a very long day.

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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First Rotation – Camp 1

A view of Ama Dablam Camp 1 from BC

Today the Ama Dablam team moved up the mountain on their first acclimatization rotation.  They will spend two nights at Camp 1 (5800m).  Here is team member Moe Al Thani with today’s dispatch, courtesy of his Instagram feed: @moealthani:

Hey!  This is Moe Al Thani calling you from Camp 1.

It was a very, very long day – over 7 hours and we gained altitude of over 1000m.  It’s been a long day and we’re a bit tired.  But we have high spirits and that’s what’s important.  We’re going to get a bit of rest and we have a beautiful view of the mountain.  We are going to spend the night here.

Tomorrow we are going to head to Camp 2 (5980m) and then back to Camp 1 for the night.  I’ll keep you all posted with whatever happens and we’ll see you all soon.

Good night!

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

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Acclimatization Continues

Tibetan Prayer flags fluttering here at Ama Dablam base camp

The acclimatization continued around base camp today.  Tomorrow the team will head up on the first rotation.  Team member Chase M. provides a recap of the day in this expedition dispatch from Ama Dablam base camp:

Hello there!  This is Chase Merriam from the Madison Mountaineering Ama Dablam expedition.  I’ll be giving you all a brief update on how the trip has been going so far.

So today, we had a short acclimatization hike with some fun scrambling up to about 5000m.  And after that, we were organizing our equipment for tomorrow’s climb to Camp 1.  The climb tomorrow should be pretty gradual in between 6 to 8 hours long.  The whole team is feeling really good and are ready to see the upper mountain in person.

Thanks for listening!

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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