Puja at EBC

The team after the Puja ceremony

After reaching Everest Base Camp yesterday, the team held their Puja ceremony today in which a Buddist Lama led the team in prayers for safe passage on the mountain.  Garrett Madison, expedition leader, has this update:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering / Mountain Hardwear Everest Expedition.  Today is September 16th.  We arrived at base camp yesterday on the 15th, settled in last night, and had a good night.

 

Today we did our Puja ceremony with the whole Sherpa team, all of the climbers, and trekkers!  It was a really good Puja ceremony; we had a Buddist Lama from Pingboche come up the valley and we had good weather for nearly all of our Puja ceremony.  So, it was a great day, great ceremony!

 

Tomorrow we are going to start climbing, work on the route through the icefall.  And also say goodbye to our trekking team who are going to head back down towards Lukla and Kathmandu.  All’s well here at Everest Base Camp.

 

We’ll check-in soon.  Thanks!

Puja!

Puja! (📸: Aang Phurba Sherpa)

Climbing team after the Puja ceremony

Climbing team after the Puja ceremony (📸: Aang Phurba Sherpa)

Garrett and Anag Phurba at the Puja

Garrett and Anag Phurba at the Puja (📸: Aang Phurba Sherpa)

The team after the Puja ceremony

The team after the Puja ceremony (📸: Aang Phurba Sherpa)

 

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the team as they trek to Everest Base Camp and then make their attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain 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

– Instagram:

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

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Everest Base Camp!

2019 Autumn Everest base camp

Today the team reached Everest Base Camp (5280m/17,323ft.) around 09:43 AM UTC (2:43 AM PDT or 3:28 PM Nepal local time)!

Communications are still being set up but expedition leader, Garrett Madison, was able to provide this brief update via our Garmin inReach Mini:

Just arrived in EBC…the crew is psyched to be here…although it’s a little wet and cloudy.  Hopefully clear skies tomorrow morning for our Puja ceremony.  Everyone is doing great.  The base camp set up is nice!

Today’s hike was about six hours from Lobuche (4932m/16,181ft.) including a nice lunch break at Gorak Shep (5264m/17,270ft.) before continuing on to Everest base camp (5280m/17,323ft.).  Stay tuned for more dispatches as the climbing team settles into their home for the next month and begins the climbing!

RainOn tracking map of trek from Lobuche to EBC

Tracking map of trek from Lobuche to EBC

2019 Autumn Everest base camp

Our autumn Everest base camp dining tent. Check out the sweet stonework in the foreground. (📸: Aang Phurba Sherpa)

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the team as they trek to Everest Base Camp and then make their attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain 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

– Instagram:

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

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Pheriche to Lobuche

Team in Pheriche

Today the Everest team moved up along the Khumbu Glacier to the village of Lobuche (4940m/16,207ft.), leaving just one more day of trekking to reach Everest Base Camp.  Here’s expedition leader, Garrett Madison‘s recap of the day:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Mountain Hardwear Mount Everest Expedition team.  Today is September 14.  We had a great day trekking from Pheriche up to Lobuche.  We stopped and had lunch in Thuklha and then stopped at the Everest Memorials and took in the gravity of the place.  And then made our way up to Lobuche where we settled in this afternoon, had a great dinner, also a birthday celebration for one of our team members, Sable, and we’re heading off to bed here shortly.

 

Tomorrow we’re looking forward to arriving in Everest Base Camp!  So, fingers crossed for good weather.  All’s well here on the trek to Everest Base Camp in the Khumbu Valley!

Trekker Sablle with Kilian Jornet on the trek

Sablle (who had a birthday today) with Kilian Jornet on the trek

Team in Pheriche

Team in Pheriche (📸: Francois Lebeau / Louder than 11)

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the team as they trek to Everest Base Camp and then make their attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain 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

– Instagram:

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

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Active Rest Day in Pheriche

Team on acclimatization hike above Pheriche

The team took an active rest day today in near the village of Pheriche.  Garrett Madison, expedition leader, gives the lowdown on the day’s activities:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering / Mountain Hardwear Autumn Everest Expedition.  Today is September 13th and we had a great acclimitization hike here in Pheriche (4280m/14,042ft.) in the Khumbu Valley.  We hiked up a nearby mountain ridge about 2,700 vertical feet (823m) and came back to Pheriche for a late lunch and a relaxing afternoon.

 

We just wrapped up a nice dinner and we’re getting ready to head off to bed.  Everyone’s doing well here.  We are starting to feel the altitude a little bit.  Our plan tomorrow is to trek up to the village of Lobuche (4940m/16,207ft.).  So fingers crossed for good weather.  It’s been a little cloudy and rainy but a few, brief interludes of sunlight.  We are having a great time here and are looking forward to another great day on the trail.

Talking through the plan for the day

Talking through the plan for the day (📸: Jess Talley / Louder Than 11)

Team on acclimatization hike above Pheriche

Team on acclimatization hike above Pheriche

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the team as they trek to Everest Base Camp and then make their attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain 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

– Instagram:

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

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Deboche to Pheriche

Everest!

Edging closer to Everest Base Camp, the team trekked from Deboche to Pheriche today.  Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, phoned-in this update of the day’s progress:

Helllo!  This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering / Mountain Hardwear Everest Expedition – Autumn Season in Nepal!  Today is September 12th and we had a great day trekking from the rhododendron forest in Deboche (the Rivendale Lodge), up to Pheriche.  We are staying at The Edelweiss Lodge.  We crossed some beautiful suspension bridges today, went through Pangboche, Shomare, and arrived at Pheriche this afternoon.

 

We had a wonderful dinner here in the Edelweiss Lodge and we are hoping for a clear day tomorrow for our acclimitization hike.  Hoping to get some nice views of the surrounding mountains.  Everyone’s doing great here in Pheriche at 14,000 feet (4255m) and we are looking forward to another beautiful day tomorrow!

Crossing a suspension bridge in the Khumbu valley

Crossing a suspension bridge in the Khumbu valley (📸: Jess Talley / Louder Than 11)

It’s lush and green in the Khumbu!

It’s lush and green in the Khumbu! (📸: Jess Talley / Louder Than 11)

Everest!

Everest! (📸: Jess Talley / Louder Than 11)

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the team as they trek to Everest Base Camp and then make their attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain on:

– Instagram:

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

– 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
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Namche to Deboche

Outside the Tengboche monastery

Here is expedition leader, Garrett Madison, with today’s report on the trekking progress towards Everest Base Camp:

Helllo, this is Garrett calling in for the Mountain Hardwear Mount Everest Expedition.  Today is September 11th we had a great trek today from Namche down the hillside and across the river, up to the Tengboche Monastery, and then down into the rhododendron forest to the village of Deboche.  We are staying in the Rivendale Lodge here in Deboche.

 

We just had a great dinner and folks are heading off to bed.  It’s raining hard outside – it’s feeling like a bit of the monsoon season.  But we are hoping for clear sky tomorrow and a nice view of Mount Everest and Ama Dablam.  All’s well here on the trek to Everest Base Camp.

Enjoying tea on the trek to Debuche

Enjoying tea on the trek to Debuche

Outside the Tengboche monastery

Outside the Tengboche monastery

Post dinner guitar session at the Rivendell lodge, Debuche

Post dinner guitar session at the Rivendell lodge, Debuche

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the team as they trek to Everest Base Camp and then make their attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain on:

– Instagram:

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

– 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
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Acclimatizing around Namche

Tim Emmett in Khumjung today, mani stones beside

Today the Everest team continued their acclimatizing around Namche and up to Khumjung.  Garrett Madison, expedition leader, provides a recap of the day:

Helllo, this is Garrett calling in for the Mountain Hardwear Mount Everest Expedition.  Today is September 10th and we had a great day trekking around Namche.  We went up to the Everest View Hotel and got a few glimpses of Everest and Lhotse.

 

Then we made our way over to the village of Khumjung and visited with some friends of ours, Renji Sherpa and his wife and son.  They made us some boilled potatoes.  We had some milk tea and then followed up by some Chhaang, or rice wine, which is really tasty.

 

Later we made our way back to Namche for lunch, had a restful afternoon, and a nice dinner here at the Panorama Lodge.  Now we are all off to bed and looking forward to a great day tomorrow.  Our plan is to head out around 8:30 in the morning, trek through Tengboche – visit the monastery there, and then down to the rhododendron forest of Deboche to the Rivendale Lodge.  So, looking forward to a great day tomorrow.  All’s well here in Namche!

Garrett, Tim Emmett, Kancha Sherpa (last surviving member of 1953 Everest expedition), Zac Bookman

Garrett, Tim Emmett, Kancha Sherpa (last surviving member of 1953 Everest expedition), Zac Bookman

Above Namche

Above Namche

Above Namche

The team in Khumjung

Tim Emmett in Khumjung today, mani stones beside

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the team as they trek to Everest Base Camp and then make their attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain on:

– Instagram:

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

– 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

 

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Namche Rest Day

First View of Everest

Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, provides a recap of today’s rest day at Namche:

Hello!  This is Garrett calling in for the Mountain Hardwear Mount Everest Expediton autumn season.  Today we had a rest day in Namche and went for a hike up to the Mount Everest museum above town and had great views of Mount Everest, Mount Lhotse, and Ama Dablam.  Beautiful day!

 

Then we came back down to the Panorama Lodge for lunch and shortly thereafter the rest of our crew arrived by helicopter!  So we went over to the helipad and greeted them.  We then spent the afternoon together drinking coffee, enjoying Namche, and we just finished a nice dinner.

 

It’s great to be all together here and we are looking forward to a good acclimization hike tomorrow up to the Everest View Hotel.  All’s well here in Namche.

Statue of Tenzing Norgay above Namche

Statue of Tenzing Norgay above Namche

First View of Everest

First View of Everest (on the left)

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the team as they trek to Everest Base Camp and then make their attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain on:

– Instagram:

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

– 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
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Phakding to Namche Bazaar

Leaving Phakding for Namche

Trekking day 2:  Phakding to Namche Bazaar – Distance: 9.56km – Elev Gain/Loss: 1430m/-624m

Today the trekking team hiked up the hill to the village of Nachme Bazaar where they will spend a couple of days acclimatizing.  Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, made this expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Mountain Hardwear Autumn Everest expedition.  Today is September 8th and today we made our way from the village of Phakding up to village of Namche Bazaar.  It was a beautiful trek up the river gorge with lush green hillsides and raging rivers coming down that we crossed over on suspended bridges.

 

It was a warm day, it was hot, but we enjoyed it and got up to Namche about 3:30 this afternoon.  We are settled into the Panorama Lodge, our favorite place to stay here in Namche.  We’ve been staying here for 10 years now – at least once if not twice a year.  We are looking forward to a good night’s rest.

 

Tomorrow we are going to be here and go for an acclimatization hike and a few more members of our team will be joining us tomorrow.  So, looking forward to having the whole team together!  We will check in soon.  Thanks!

Cool Morning Waterfall Shower

Cool Morning Waterfall Shower

A warm welcome to the Panorama Lodge in Namche

A warm welcome to the Panorama Lodge in Namche

Gorged rivers from the monsoon rains

The rivers are gorged from the monsoon rains

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the team as they trek to Everest Base Camp and then make their attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain on:

– Instagram:

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

– 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
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Kathmandu to Lukla to Phakding

Trekking day 1:  Lukla to Phakding – Distance: 8.30 km – Elev Gain/Loss: 394m/-639m

Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, provides the recap of today’s exciting flight to the trailhead mountain village of Lukla and the first day of trekking towards Everest Base Camp:

Hello!  This is Garrett calling in for the Mountain Hardwear Everest expedition and base camp trek.  Today is September 8th.  We were very lucky this morning to have an early flight at 6:00 AM out of Kathmandu and landed in Lukla.  But not after a fun, unplanned stop in the small village of Phaplu on the way.  The clouds rolled in and the Lukla airport was closed en route on our flight so the pilot diverted and landed at a small airstrip on the way.  Then when the clouds parted our pilot took off and landed us in Lukla.

 

From Lukla we made our way up the start of the Khumbu Valley.  It’s amazingly green here right now!  It’s been raining so much at the end of the monsoon season.  Everything is just incredibly green and vibrant.  A lot of growth here – the vegetation, the trees, the forest…  So, we’ve got it really good here!  We are at Phakding in the Sunrise lodge.  We just finished a good dinner and are heading off to bed.

 

Tomorrow we are going to head up to Namche.  Everybody’s feeling great.  It’s surprisingly quite here in the Khumbu.  We have the lodge all to ourselves and we didn’t see many people on the trail today because it’s not quite the trekking season which starts up in October.  We are feeling great and looking forward to a great day trekking up to Namche tomorrow.

(photo:  Lukla airport from the Madison Mountaineering Everest archives)

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the team as they trek to Everest Base Camp and then make their attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain on:

– Instagram:

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

– 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
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