The Madison MountaineeringManaslu expedition team has arrived in Camp 1, marking the start of their summit rotation! The team’s hard work was on display today, as they moved strongly and efficiently up to their first camp. With good weather tomorrow, the team plans to continue on up to Camp 2! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Camp 1:
Hello from Camp 1 (5700m/18,700ft). With our ascent here from Base Camp (4859m/15,944ft) after lunch today, our summit push is underway! The team moved very efficiently on the way here. Now we’re watching the evening sun on the mountains around us and settling in for dinner. We’ll be in touch tomorrow!
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The Madison MountaineeringCho Oyu expedition team is about to begin their first rotation on the world’s sixth-highest peak! The team has spent the last few days settling into their base camp, reviewing technical skills, packing for their rotation up to Camp 2, and taking part in a Puja ceremony! The Puja ceremony is a crucial piece to all of our 8,000-meter expeditions, asking the mountain for safe passage before going up. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Tibet:
Hello! This is Garrett calling in for the Madison MountaineeringCho Oyu (8188m/26,864ft) expedition here in Tibet on the sixth-highest mountain in the world in China! Today is September 21st.
We had our Puja ceremony yesterday, it went very well asking the mountain for safe passage. A Tibetan monk came up and officiated the ceremony with us! Tomorrow we’re planning to head up on our first rotation to acclimatize on Cho Oyu up to Camps 1 and 2. It’s been a little snowy the last few days, but hopefully, we’ll get a break in the weather. The team’s doing great! We’re really excited to be here. There’s just a handful of teams and a few climbers each here on the mountain, so pretty small compared to some of the other peaks we’ve been on this year. But, all is going well here!
We’re thinking of our team on Manaslu (8156m/26,759ft) in Nepal, the eighth-highest peak in the world. They’re starting their summit rotation tomorrow heading up to Camp 1, hopefully summiting around September 25th or 26th. So, fingers crossed and they’ll be in our prayers!
All is well here and we’ll check in soon!
Madison Mountaineering Cho Oyu base camp!
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https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/PHOTO-2024-09-21-04-07-14-1.jpg12001600Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2024-09-21 11:08:162024-09-21 16:49:02First rotation on Cho Oyu coming up!
The Madison MountaineeringManaslu expedition team is ready to go! Acclimatization is done, their final preparations are complete, and the team plans to depart on their summit rotation soon. The team is excited and ready to start their climbing! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Manaslu base camp:
Today we passed another pleasant day here in base camp (4859m/15,944ft). Today was a rest day, we also worked on our final preparation for our summit push! We sorted out food for our upper camps and worked through our packing list, made sure that all of our devices are charged, and all the other little items that we need to do before we head back up the mountain.
The weather was great today! Another beautiful sunny morning and then a few rain showers this evening. We’re just about to sit down to dinner and then have another restful night here in base camp! All is well and we’ll be in touch tomorrow.
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:
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https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/PHOTO-2024-09-20-04-31-08.jpg10681600Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2024-09-20 11:29:552024-09-20 15:18:59Primed and ready for the summit push!
The Madison MountaineeringManaslu expedition team spent the day reviewing their oxygen systems and down suits, which they’ll use on their summit push! Today was somewhat of a rest day, albeit a productive day nonetheless as the skills reviewed are important to be familiar with as we climb above 8,000 meters. With this review behind us, the team is now one step closer to heading off on their summit push! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Manaslu base camp:
Today we’re taking a rest day here in base camp (4859m/15,944ft) since at this point we have completed our acclimatization on the upper mountain. This morning has been very beautiful – blue skies and warm temps. We’ve been walking around base camp in sandals! Yesterday evening was also really nice. We watched the full moon rise over Saula Himal (6235m/20,456ft), it’s the mountain range just across the Nubri valley from us to the east.
We also have ticked off a couple of important tasks this morning! We started the day by going over our oxygen systems to make sure our climbers are totally familiar with masks, regulators, and cylinders we’ll be using during our summit push. We had what we call a down suit party where everyone puts on their down suits and we make sure they’re adjusted properly and everyone’s familiar with all the features so that we’re good to go once we start climbing in the colder temps above Camp 2 (6400m/21,000ft), above Camp 3 (6800m/22,310ft).
So, it’s been a productive day here! We’re about to sit down to dinner and then we’ll watch a movie, and we’ll be in touch tomorrow! All is well here in Nepal.
Our climber, Chie, practicing with our oxygen system.
Our climber, James, practicing with our oxygen system.
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:
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.“
https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/PHOTO-2024-09-19-05-11-56.jpg16001200Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2024-09-19 12:11:232024-09-19 15:04:32Getting ready to go up!
The Madison MountaineeringManaslu expedition team has made their way back to base camp after finishing up their final acclimatization rotation before making their summit push! The team had great weather overall on the mountain, with great views of the route, the mountain above, and the far-off peaks and valleys surrounding them. The team is feeling great and looks forward to a few days enjoying the comforts of their base camp before getting back on the mountain and going for the summit! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the Himalayas:
Today we woke up early in Camp 2 (6400m/21,000ft) and descended back to base camp (4859m/15,944ft). We arrived just before lunch, had a good meal, and then everyone spent the afternoon taking showers, starting on some laundry, and getting settled back in our cozy box tents here in base camp.
With that, we’ve wrapped up our acclimatization before our summit push. At this point, we’ve spent three nights in Camp 1 (5700m/18,700ft) and two nights in Camp 2. It seems like the whole team is doing really well! Everyone was feeling good higher on the mountain, feeling strong. So, I’m looking forward to a good summit push!
We’ll probably spend three to four days here in base camp and then hopefully start up toward the summit! But, it all depends on the weather and conditions on the mountain.
This last rotation was a lot of fun, in large part because we had such great weather! Yesterday afternoon and today we had really clear skies, which meant we could see out into the hills of Tibet and far down the Nubri valley, which is surrounded by glaciated peaks out toward the Ganesh range, and then even out toward Shishapangma (8027m/26,335ft), far in the distance.
So, all is well here! We’re just about to have dinner and watch a movie. It’ll probably be another Indiana Jones film, and then we’ll go to bed! We’ll be in touch tomorrow.
The team descending back to base camp at the end of a successful acclimatization rotation. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)
Our climbers, Chie and Sara, in their tent at Camp 1. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)
Approaching Camp 1. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)
Climbing through the icefall below Camp 2. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)
Sara with Siddhi Tamung, a member of our Sherpa team, during the rotation. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)
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:
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https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/PHOTO-2024-09-18-05-12-15.jpg13642048Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2024-09-18 12:12:492024-09-18 15:18:51Acclimatization is complete!
The Madison MountaineeringCho Oyu expedition team has made it to advanced base camp on Cho Oyu, which will serve as their base camp for the duration of the expedition while they move up and down between there and the summit. The expedition has gone seamlessly so far and the team is looking forward to what lies ahead on the world’s sixth-highest peak! Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Tibet:
Our team arrived in advanced base camp (5700m/18,700ft) yesterday, which is our base camp for the season, 18,600 feet – about 5-7 meters, 5,700 meters. We’re doing great! We’re just settling into our base camp, getting everything set up the way we would like it to be for the season, and looking forward to doing some more acclimatization hikes and some training before we head up for our first rotation on the route up to the higher camps.
It’s been beautiful weather here in Tibet! It’s been clear and cold, so great views and it’s great to be up high in the mountains. We’re really excited that everything has been going well on schedule. We’re here in the Himalayas just having a great time! We’ll check in soon.
Advanced Base Camp on a clear and starry night!
Our base camp dining tent.
The team during an acclimatization hike earlier in the expedition.
The team during an acclimatization hike earlier in the expedition.
Taking in the scenery during a hike high in Tibet!
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:
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.“
https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/PHOTO-2024-09-17-21-44-55-1.jpg9601280Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2024-09-18 03:54:142024-09-18 14:44:40Arrived in Advanced Base Camp on Cho Oyu!
The Madison MountaineeringManaslu expedition team checked in from Camp 3 today after finding a bit of cell service at over 22,000 feet! Good weather throughout this rotation has allowed the team to move between base camp and Camp 3, where they reached their high point on the expedition so far. They’ve returned to Camp 2 for one last night of acclimatization and sleep before they plan to return to base camp tomorrow, where they’ll begin to get ready for their summit push! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the Himalayas:
We are currently just a few meters below Camp 3 (6800m/22,310ft) and we happen to have a bit of cell service, so I thought I’d send in a dispatch from here. Everything’s been going really well on this rotation! We spent a night at Camp 1 (5700m/18,700ft), and then we bumped up to Camp 2 (6400m/21,000ft). We’ll spend one more night at Camp 2 after we touch Camp 3, and then we’ll head back down to base camp (4859m/15,944ft) tomorrow, the 18th. The weather’s been really good! We had perfectly clear skies for a lot of yesterday as we climbed up to Camp 2 and we woke up to a beautiful, clear morning today as well.
So, all is well here in Nepal and we will be in touch!
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:
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.“
https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/PHOTO-2022-09-22-03-10-25.jpg8001200Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2024-09-17 05:00:192024-09-17 14:19:14Checking in from Camp 3!
The Madison MountaineeringManaslu expedition team reached Camp 2 today in good form and near-perfect conditions on the mountain! We plan to continue up tomorrow towards Camp 3 with hopes of more good weather in the forecast. The intermittent views of the peaks surrounding continue to inspire the team and spirits are staying high! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Camp 2:
Hello from Camp 2 (6270m/20,550ft)! Today we enjoyed a fun climb here from Camp 1 (5700m/18,700ft) in almost perfect weather: no precipitation and a light overcast to moderate the heat. Now we’ve moved into our camp here at 6,270m / 20,550′ and we’re relaxing until dinner, with occasional views of the upper mountain above us, plus Manaslu North (7157m/22,946ft), Larkya Peak (6249m/20,501ft), Naike Peak (6211m/20,377ft), and Samdo Peak (5177m/16,985ft). Tomorrow we’re looking forward to an acclimatization hike toward Camp 3 (6800m/22,310ft) on Manaslu’s North Col.
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:
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.“
The Madison MountaineeringManaslu expedition team is back on the mountain! The climb to Camp 1 marks the start of their second rotation on the world’s eighth-highest peak and the team is feeling strong with the acclimatization they gained from their first few days in Camp 1, just a short time ago. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Camp 1:
Hello from Camp 1 (5700m/18,700ft)! This morning we climbed back to our tent platforms here at 5700m under sunny skies. There was a layer of clouds below extending down the Nubri Valley — a beautiful sight as we made our way up the Manaslu Glacier. In the words of our climber, James, the team is ‘highly motivated,’ feeling the benefits of the extra red blood cells we gained on our previous rotation, and glad to settle back into Camp 1 in great weather. We’ll be in touch tomorrow!
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:
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.“
The Madison MountaineeringManaslu expedition team took a well-deserved rest day today following their first rotation on the mountain! The team won’t be getting too comfortable as they plan to move back up the mountain soon to continue their acclimatization efforts. Nutritious meals, showers, and a movie are welcome comforts at nearly 16,000 feet above sea level. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the Himalayas:
Hi! This is Terray calling in from Manaslu (8156m/26,759ft) base camp (4859m/15,944ft) – today is September 14th.
Today we had a rest day here in BC. It was a really nice day! We dried out our things, got some showers, had some nice meals, and we’re just about to have dinner and then watch a movie. Tomorrow, we plan to move back up to Camp 1 (5700m/18,700ft) to start another rotation. We’ll spend one night at Camp 1 and then likely head on up to Camp 2 (6400m/21,000ft) for one or two nights. After that, we’ll return to base camp and we should be in good shape at that point for our eventual summit push!
So, all is well here in base camp! Today was really a nice day and we’ll be in touch tomorrow.
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:
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.“
https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/PHOTO-2022-09-08-04-06-02.jpg8381200Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2024-09-14 10:44:422024-09-15 19:16:16Rest Day on Manaslu!
