Dispatches
Our team has arrived at Camp 2 on Mount Everest! Today we climbed from our Camp 1 up through the Western CWM and arrived at Camp 2 in the early afternoon. We are settling in now and excited to be in our “ABC” or Advanced Base Camp! Everyone is doing well!
Our expert team of Nepal Climbing Sherpas are very skilled technical climbers and their job is to ‘fix’ the lines from Camp 2 all the way up the mountain to the summit of Everest. They have been working very hard since beginning their work fixing ropes above Camp 2 on April 19th, and have now succeeded in fixing lines from the base of the Lhotse face all the way up to Camp 3. They have installed 2 lines, an ‘up’ line and a ‘down’ line for climbers. Camp 3 is now ‘open’ for climbers wishing to climb the fixed ropes up to Camp 3 to acclimatize, to secure a camp place, or to carry loads of supplies to Camp 3. Our expert Sherpa team will rest and then continue working on the next stage to fix the ropes up towards the Yellow Band, Geneva Spur, and to the South Col known as Camp 4 on Mount Everest. We hope for good weather!
Today we woke up at 19,400 ft. in the Western CWM at our Camp 1, enjoyed a nice breakfast, and then went on a short hike partway up to Camp 2. We are now back in Camp 1 resting and preparing to spend the night here.
We have begun our First Rotation! Today our climbers and guides departed Everest base camp at 3 AM . They will climbed up through the Khumbu Icefall to Camp 1, arriving in the morning. Our plan is to rest for the remainder of the day at Camp 1 and then spend the night here. Our plan for tomorrow is to go for an acclimatization hike up the Western CWM (valley) tomorrow and then spend another night in Camp 1. All is well here on Camp1.
Video Recap:
Video recap (Day 1-12) of Madison Mountaineering journey to Everest base camp! Please enjoy the short video given below of our team trekking to Everest base camp.
Video Recap Till EBC
Puja Day:
Yesterday was our Puja ceremony in base camp. Our whole team of climbers and Sherpas took part with a Buddhist lama. They ask permission for the mountain to grant us safe passage. After the blessing was complete and our Puja ceremony finished, we commenced with some dancing and traditional Sherpa / Nepali music. Then, our whole team walked down to the helicopter pad in base camp to reconstruct the helipad. Our team of climbers & Sherpas, 40 men in total, worked for 2 hours to carry rocks and gravel to the helipad .They level the surface in preparation for the helicopter flights to transport the loads of equipment for the rope fixing project . i.e (ropes, carabiners, ice screws, etc.) from base camp to Camp 2 on Mount Everest.
Today at 6 AM we awoke to a cloudy sky in base camp. But, soon after the clouds burned off and the weather was suitable for flying. We transported all of the equipment for the rope fixing project (750 kg) from our base camp to the helipad . Until then waited for the AS 350 B3E helicopter to arrive. By 8:30 AM the helicopter arrived and the first load went up to Camp 2 where our climbing Sherpas had been waiting anxiously for the helicopter to land. And, unload the equipment.
They had arrived earlier in the day and already scouted a suitable landing zone for the helicopter . They were communicating with us in base camp by VHF radio regarding the weather conditions at Camp 2 . Additionally, the expected arrival time of the first helicopter load. In total 7 flights were made from the base camp helipad with equipment for the rope fixing project. This will be deposited in our Camp 2 where our Sherpas will collect the equipment. Afterwards, they will begin rope fixing up the Lhotse face towards Camp 3 on April 19th. As, Tomorrow April 18th is a ‘black day’ in memory of the 2014 Khumbu Icefall tragedy that took the lives of 16 Sherpas.
Icefall Training, and Rope Fixing Update
Our team of climbers is currently training in the lower Khumbu Icefall today practicing ascending vertical fixed ropes, rappelling, and crossing ladders. They are training for the preparation for our climb to Camp 1. The weather is nice and we are excited that everything is on track so far for Everest 2018!
Settled into EBC :
Today is our 4th day in Everest base camp, we are now settled here for this 2018 expedition. We have been training for the Khumbu Icefall by practicing various climbing techniques such as ascending fixed ropes, rappelling, and crossing ladders. We will continue training the next few days before we make our first ‘rotation’ to Camps 1 & 2. Tomorrow is our Puja ceremony. All is well here in base camp.
Resting In Dinning Room
Base Camp Arrival :
Yesterday our team arrived in Mount Everest base camp! It was nice to finally arrive at our home for the season. After, over a week of trekking through the beautiful Khumbu valley we are here now. We were greeted by our Nepal Sherpa staff and then had a relaxing afternoon moving into our personal tents. Today we said good bye to our trekkers and Island peak climbers as they left us to head onto their next destination. We had a leisurely morning and took much needed hot showers. Then, went on a walkabout around the small city of Everest base camp. The weather has been great today and we are enjoying the spectacular views of Mount Everest, Mount Lhotse, and Mount Nuptse from our camp. Everyone is well and we are happy to be settled into our home for the next 5 – 6 weeks.
View of Mount Everest From Kalapatthar
View of Mount Everest :
Today we trekked from Lobuche to Gorak Shep and then hiked up Kala Patthar (18,160 ft. /5550m) and had excellent views of Mount Everest, Mount Lhotse, and Mount Nuptse. We are about to go to bed after another great day, everyone is doing well and very excited to reach Everest base camp tomorrow!
We left Lobuche, and heading towards Gorak Shep as we make our way closer to Everest. Yesterday we had a light snow in the evening so today its blue sky with the sun reflecting off the new snow. Everyone is doing well and we are excited to climb Kala Pattar this afternoon! Tomorrow we plan to reach Everest base camp.
