2026 Everest expedition dispatches
Today, the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition took their first steps into the Khumbu Icefall. With clear skies and solid trainings under their belt, the team moved efficiently through the lower section of the route. It was a good taste of the climbing to come in the next few days when they’ll shoulder their packs and climb to Camp 1 (and beyond) as part of another acclimatization rotation. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this update after a fun day in the Himalayas:
Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest (8848m/29,032ft) expedition.
Today, we had a training climb up through the Khumbu Icefall, partway to get familiar with the route. It was great! We had perfect weather, and nice views all around. It was really fun climbing up the steep sections, around seracs, crevasses, and back down the fixed ropes to our base camp (5364m/17,598ft)!
So all’s well. We are going to take a rest day tomorrow and plan to head up the following day to Camp 1 (6050m/19,849ft), start our first rotation! Everyone’s doing great and we’ll check in soon.
Climbing up the lower section of the route with Everest looming high above.
First steps into the icefall.
Climbers navigating the Khumbu Icefall with blue skies overhead.
Back for dinner!
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:
The Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition team has been busy in base camp, as well as higher on the mountain. While the climbing team continues their technical trainings and acclimatization efforts, the Sherpa team has been hard at work up in Camp 2 preparing our camps staged higher up the route. Our climbing team plans to follow the Sherpa teams path soon so that they can continue to adapt their bodies to the higher altitudes and familiarize themselves with the route. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Everest Base Camp:
Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest (8848m/29,032ft) expedition team.
We are in Everest Base Camp (5364m/17,598ft) and the team is doing well. We’ve been training the last few days, going on acclimatization hikes, and enjoying the comforts of base camp here: great meals, hot showers, movies, a lot of good times, good camaraderie here in base camp.
Our Sherpa team, meanwhile, has been hard at work. They’ve been up to Camp 2 twice in the last three days carrying loads, working to get our Camp 2 (6500m/21,325ft) set up. We’ve had 28 of our Nepal Sherpa staff up there each time.
We’re looking forward to starting our first rotation here in a few days time, getting our team up there to acclimatize to gain some familiarity with the climbing route and to see the upper mountain!
So, all is well here at Everest Base Camp. We’re definitely psyched the season is progressing well and we’ll check in soon! Thank you.
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:
The Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition team has been hard at work in Everest Base Camp! Following the first rotation on Lobuche East, the team welcomed our express climbers, continued their technical trainings and acclimatization efforts, and took part in the Puja Ceremony where we ask the mountain for safe passage. Meanwhile, our Sherpa team loaded up and left for Camp 2 where they’ll start to establish our higher camps. It won’t be too long before we start the move up for our next rotation! Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Mount Everest:
Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest (8848m/29,032ft) expedition.
We’ve had a great couple days training here in base camp (5364m/17,598ft) practicing ascending fixed-lines, traversing, arm repelling, descending. (We’ve) enjoyed some great weather here, some really good technical training, which also helps us with our acclimatization.
Our Sherpa team went up to Camp 2 (6500m/21,325ft) today and established our campsite there, and is building Camp 2 in preparation for us to move up in a weeks time, approximately. So, everything’s going smoothly here!
We’re glad the Khumbu Icefall is open, and the route is clear, navigable, and seems very safe. So everything is going full steam ahead here on Mount Everest!
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:
The Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition teams have been keeping busy all over the Khumbu Valley! Over the weekend, our main team successfully summited Lobuche Peak, which is where we hold our first acclimatization rotation. Meanwhile, the Everest Express team flew from Kathmandu to Pheriche and are working their way up towards Everest Base Camp. Not too far away as the crow flies, we also had successful summits on Island Peak! Wherever the teams were at, we enjoyed excellent weather and had lots of fun in such a special place. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from the Himalaya:
Hey! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest (8848m/29,032ft) expedition team.
Our main team returned back to Everest Base Camp (5364m/17,598ft) after climbing Lobuche Peak (6119m/20,075ft) with great conditions and great views up top – a nice way to continue working on skill development, and getting some acclimatization and training in!
Our Island Peak (6189m/20,305ft) team just summited Island Peak. Congrats to Sandra and CR!
Myself and three of our express climbers are now in Lobuche (4940m/16,210ft) heading to Everest Base Camp! So we’ll all be together in Everest Base Camp tomorrow.
The weather’s been great; blue skies, clear views. We’re just patiently keeping an eye on the Khumbu Icefall route, that currently has an impasse, watching and waiting, as the ice fall doctor team continues to try to find a safe way up through the difficult section.
All is well here at Everest Base Camp in Nepal! We’ll check in soon.
Technical training in Everest Base Camp
Technical training in Everest Base Camp
Technical training in Everest Base Camp
Excellent views while climbing Lobuche East!
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:
Welcome “home” to the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition team! We’ve arrived in Everest Base Camp and are getting ourselves familiar with our home for the next month or so. The team finally got to meet our Sherpa team, who’s been hard at work getting base camp setup. Everyone is in good spirits and excited to be here! Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Everest Base Camp:
Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest (8848m/29,032ft) expedition team.
We have reached Everest Base Camp (5364m/17,598ft)! Had a beautiful day trekking up from Lobuche village (4940m/16,210ft) with wonderful views of Everest and the surrounding peaks. It’s really nice to meet our Sherpa team and start to settle in. We’re gonna wake up tomorrow, see off our trekkers, and start dialing in our systems here and getting familiar with our home for the next month.
Everyone’s doing great! We’re excited to be here and we’ll check in soon.
Living the base camp life!
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:
The Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition team has reached their final stop on the way to Everest Base Camp! They enjoyed excellent conditions on the trails today with blue skies overhead, making way to perfect views of the surrounding Himalaya. Tomorrow, we’ll pack our bags one last time before trekking to base camp and settling into our temporary homes for the duration of the expedition. Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Lobuche village:
Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest (8848m/29,032ft) expedition team.
Today, we are up at Lobuche village (4940m/16,210ft). We had a great trek up from Pheriche (4371m/14,340ft) and stopped by at the Everest Memorials on our way.
The team is doing great! Beautiful sunny day today. Awesome views of all of the surrounding peaks! And we’re looking forward to arriving in our Everest Base Camp (5364m/17,598ft) tomorrow.
So, everything’s going well here and we’ll check in 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 our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions. Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“
– Instagram:
What a day! The Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition team continued their acclimatization efforts by doing a hike that climbs high above the Khumbu Valley, before descending back down for another night in Pheriche. The team was treated to awesome views of many of the peaks that line the valley below, and then had a well-deserved lunch at Cafe 4411; one of our favorite places to stop on the trek to Everest. Onwards and upwards again tomorrow! Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checked in with this dispatch from Pheriche:
Hey, this is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest (8848m/29,032ft) expedition!
Today, we went for an acclimatization hike out of Pheriche (4371m/14,340ft), climbed up to about 16,800 feet. We had some great views today! Beautiful views of the surrounding peaks: Makalu (8463m/27,766ft), Ama Dablam (6812m/22,349ft), Taboche (6495m/21,309ft), Cholatse (6440m/21,130ft), Cho Oyu (8,188m/26,864ft). We came back down for lunch in Dingboche (4410m/14,470ft) at Cafe 4411. And now we’re settling in for dinner here tonight in Pheriche.
So tomorrow, our plan is to head up to Lobuche village (4940m/16,210ft) for a night or two, and then on to base camp (5364m/17,598ft).
Everyone’s doing well! We are just having a wonderful time up here, beautiful days. Happy to be in the Khumbu Valley of Nepal!
Views during an acclimatization hike above Pheriche
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:
The Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition team took to the trails once again over the weekend to continue their trek towards Everest Base Camp! After fueling up for the day in Namche Bazaar, the trail climbs up and out of the village before making its way down to the river below, and climbing back up towards the Tengboche Monastery. The trail offers excellent views of Ama Dablam and other surrounding peaks, along with ample time share conversations, laughs, and smiles en route to the next stop. After a visit at the monastery and some tasty treats at a neighboring bakery, we continued on, excited for some good rest at the Rivendell Lodge. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from the Himalayas:
Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest (8848m/29,032ft) expedition.
Today, we trekked from Namche (3440m/11,290ft) over and across the river, up the big hill, to Tengboche Monastery (3867m/12,687ft). That was fun to visit! We went to a bakery nearby for some coffee and pastries, then dropped down into the rhododendron forest of Deboche (3820m/12,532ft) to one of our favorite lodges: the Rivendell!
Everyone’s doing great! It was a wonderful day, great views, sunshine, fresh air, good exercise, and we’re in really good spirits. So, looking forward to another great day in the Khumbu Valley, trekking uphill tomorrow.
Taking to the trail with Ama Dablam towering high above
After receiving a blessing from our friends at the Panorama Lodge
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: