Dispatches

Everest 2016

2016 Everest summit bid has commenced!

Just minutes ago our climbers departed Camp 4 at 7,950m (26,085ft) and began their 2016 Everest summit bid. The team spent the night at the South Col after battling heavy winds on the ascent yesterday. Now well rested having been on oxygen all day, they are ready to begin their push to the top of the world. We will be up all night monitoring the team’s progress throughout the ascent.

Yesterday we had very unusual weather here at Everest Base Camp, snowfall with heavy winds accompanied by a thunderstorm. Our wifi network was knocked offline until early this morning. Tonight the conditions are looking great for our team with low winds and no precipitation on the forecast. We are very excited here and I will update this dispatch tomorrow morning.

To the top!

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May 18, 2016/0 Comments/by Andrew

Everest 2016

Everest Team safely tucked in at the South Col

The Everest climbing team is safely tucked in for the night at the South Col (Camp 4)! Listen to Garrett’s sat phone audio dispatch:

Hey, this is Garrett Madison calling in from the Everest climbing team. Today is Tuesday, May 17th at 9:30PM and we are tucked in here at the South Col. We moved up from Camp 3 to Camp 4 today. The weather forecast did not play out the way it was supposed to. It was supposed to be a nice, sunny day. But uh, it turned into a very blustery day with high winds and some precipitation in the form of snow coming down. Our plan is to rest tomorrow. Hopefully the weather improves and we can make a summit attempt on the evening of the 18th and hopefully get up to the top the morning of the 19th. So, everyone is doing well. We are all tucked in here at the South Col trying to stay warm and enjoying being here at 26,000 feet. All is well and we’ll check in again soon. Thanks!

May 17, 2016/0 Comments/by Kurt

Everest 2016

Team at Camp 3

Garrett called in via sat phone from Everest Camp 3 on the Lhoste face (7230m/23,720ft) to report:

Hey this is Garrett calling in for the Everest team. Today is May 16th, it’s 5:00PM and we are up at Camp 3! Everyone’s doing great and we are tucked in here getting ready to have dinner and go to bed. Tomorrow we are going to head up to Camp 4 on the South Col. We are on schedule for a summit of May 18th. The weather is looking good. And hopefully Lhotse May 19th! So we are just keeping an eye on the weather and moving up the mountain slowly here. Everyone is doing well and we’ll check in soon.

May 16, 2016/0 Comments/by Kurt

Everest 2016

Climbers prepare for 5am departure toward Camp 3

Early tomorrow morning our climbing team will have the much anticipated departure toward Camp 3 at 7,200m (23,625ft). After spending a few days at Camp 2 waiting for the weather to materialize we are all very excited here for our team’s movement up the mountain. The team is in good health and spirits with bags packed and ready to go. Weather forecasts are looking positive for our summit date of May 18 or 19, seems to be changing between the two days as we receive new weather data. The 18th has higher humidity with lower winds while the 19th has lower humidity but slightly higher winds at 20-30 kilometer’s per hour. Tomorrow our team will reach Camp 3 and spend the night on oxygen.

Happy Birthday to Fred, our virtual reality camera man and guide! He enjoyed a mountain birthday up high at Camp 2 today.

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Beautiful image taken of our climbers!

May 15, 2016/0 Comments/by Andrew

Everest 2016

Team waiting at Camp 2 as weather window approaches

Today our climbing team patiently continued to hold at Camp 2 on Everest as our weather window approaches. After analyzing the weather forecasts from our friend Michael Fagin, it is looking very positive for a summit date between May 18-19 on Everest. We will soon make the ascent to Camp 3 and put ourselves in position for this summit window. The team is doing very well and we have been sending food and supplies up the mountain from base camp. Ankur continues to win at Scrabble from what I’ve heard. In the afternoon the team has been going on short hikes to stay active.

Here at base camp the weather has been beautiful and sunny throughout the day. The Sherpa team and I have been enjoying the TV series Game of Thrones in the evenings and are caught up on Season 6. We are all very excited as our climbers will soon continue up the mountain.

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Shout-out to the icefall doctor’s shown here passing our climbers. This skilled Sherpa team have been fixing the ropes and ladders all season long, keeping our climbers safe.

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May 14, 2016/0 Comments/by Andrew

Everest 2016

Climbing team is waiting for high winds to settle

Today our team spent another day at Camp 2 on Everest waiting for the high winds to settle closer to the summit. Garrett Madison and team are patiently waiting for the weather window to allow a safe ascent for all members. Currently we are focused in on the 18 or 19th as a possible summit window. Which would mean that our team would be moving up the mountain in the next couple days. If the winds do not settle our team will come back down to base camp and we will wait for the next weather window to arrive. We are working very hard to put our team in the best position possible for a successful summit and have our fingers crossed that that day will soon arrive.

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Photo of our VR capture team out exploring and shooting some 360 footage

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May 13, 2016/1 Comment/by Andrew

Everest 2016

Climbers prepare for upcoming ascent to Camp 3

Today our climbing team rested at camp 2 and will prepare for the upcoming ascent to Camp 3 in the days to come. The weather forecast is calling for increased winds higher on the mountain and our team is planning to hold at Camp 2 and wait for the conditions to settle. Currently we are expecting a summit date between May 17-20 based on current forecasts. The team is in good health and spirits and will enjoy the spectacular views around them. We sent up today a Scrabble game and a few card games to keep the team occupied as they wait for the weather to settle on the summit.

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Beautiful photo taken on the team’s climb to Camp 2!

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May 12, 2016/0 Comments/by Andrew

Everest 2016

Climbers hold at Camp 2 as Sherpa team summits

Today our climbing team enjoyed a rest day at Camp 2 on Everest and celebrated the great news that our collaborative Sherpa team successfully reached the summit of Everest today at 5:10pm our time. Lakpa Chiring Sherpa from Pangboche represented Madison Mountaineering and stood on top of the world earlier today. This was a group effort among a few other lead teams here this season and marks the first summit of the year from the south side. We are very happy that the ropes and fixed lines have been set and now our climbing team is awaiting the weather window to push for the summit. Right now the weather forecasts are calling for increased winds which could possibly push our anticipated summit date back a few days. Early tomorrow morning our Sherpa team will bring food and supplies up to Camp 2 as we wait for the weather to clear.

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Climbing Sherpa Team

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May 11, 2016/1 Comment/by Andrew

Everest 2016

Climbing team is safely resting at Camp 2

After a early alpine start this morning our entire team is now safely resting at Camp 2 on their summit rotation. Our team will plan to rest at Camp 2 for an additional day before making the ascent to Camp 3 on Everest. Weather reports are looking positive for our original summit date between May 14-16. Tomorrow morning we will receive a detailed weather report from Michael Fagin in Seattle which will provide our team with the forecasts needed to make the decision. Our Sherpa team higher on the mountain is securing the route and fixed lines to the summit and is on track for success. It has been snowing pretty consistently here at base camp in the afternoon’s with the sun shining earlier in the day. Communication systems are back up and running and we will check in tomorrow at the same time. Onward!

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May 10, 2016/1 Comment/by Andrew

Everest 2016

Team departs base camp with good weather and climbing ahead

Our season has progressed very well so far, our fingers are crossed for good weather and climbing conditions in the days ahead! At this point our climbers have completed 2 ‘rotations’ on Mount Everest, reaching Camp 3. Of our 10 climbers & 4 American mountain guides, 3 climbers have left the expedition in recent weeks due to medical / altitude complications, although everyone on the team is very strong and qualified, sometimes the mountain decides that it is not your season to climb to the summit.

Our plan is to climb up to Camp 2 on May 10^th and evaluate the weather forecast and the summit route fixing progress, and if all looks good then we will likely make a summit bid between May 14-16. Currently, our 7 climbers and 4 guides, along with most of our 18 climbing Sherpas will be in position to go for the summit should conditions allow, as well as our high altitude cameraman. Our plan is to climb together, as a team, so that we can choose the best day in the weather forecast for our summit bid as well as have all of our resources and manpower available to ensure a safe and successful summit attempt . This definitely sets our team apart from others in that we are the largest / strongest ‘stand alone’ guided team on the mountain that climbs together. While there are a few larger teams at base camp, they don’t climb together but rather have to stagger their climbers in separate summit attempts on different days to accommodate their large group size, thinning out resources / manpower and often not able to take advantage of the best weather for a summit day.

We are very proud of our climbing Sherpas who have contributed to the rope fixing effort high on Mount Everest, alongside a few other well equipped teams on the mountain. While there are about 20 teams on the mountain this year, it’s only a small few that are able to set the route. Our team of climbing Sherpas has been working hard carrying loads and fixing ropes up high on the mountain, they will be climbing with us over the next few days.

We hope Mount Everest (Chomolungma / Sagarmatha) will allow us to visit her summit and return safely. If, after arriving at Camp 2 and evaluating the weather forecast / summit fixing progress we do not feel we have an optimum chance for our summit attempt between May 14-16, then we will focus our efforts on the next weather window, most likely sometime around May 19-20.

-Garrett Madison

Early this morning our team departed base camp for Camp 2. They should be arriving shortly and will rest most of the afternoon. Yesterday we had a large snow storm that knocked our communication system offline. Things seem to be back to normal now and I will plan to post this evening at 10pm our time.

-Andrew

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Garrett ~ Expedition Leader

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