July 2021 Kilimanjaro Climb and Safari Kick-off!

Climbers Barranco camp to Karanga Kilimanjaro

Our initial 2021 Kilimanjaro expedition and safari kicks-off in one week with the team members arriving to Tanzania on Monday!  Expedition leader, Mara Larson, and the team of climbers are excited to return to Tanzania and reach the Roof of Africa!  Follow their progress with our daily dispatches and real-time map updates:  https://madisonmountaineering.com/maps/kilimanjaro-2021-07.

Our expeditions to Kilimanjaro are truly an experience of a lifetime in journeying to Tanzania and undertaking one of the Seven Summits. Climbers experience first-hand the five ecosystems and game parks that Kilimanjaro towers over as we climb the mountain slopes on our way to the summit. For those in good shape who can trek a few hours per day, Kilimanjaro is an accessible mountaineering objective. Although Kilimanjaro is considered a non-technical climb, roughly 1/3 of the visitors do not reach the summit. While some circumstances are out of the climbers’ and guides’ control, a lot of this has to do with the expertise of the climbing company one chooses. Our guides are among the finest in the world, through our expertise and adherence to safety, we have a 100% success rate on Kilimanjaro over the last seven years.

By the way, it’s not too early to start making your plans to join us on Kilimanjaro or any of our other expeditions in the 2021 season!  Contact our office for details.

Approaching the summit of Kilimanjaro

Approaching the summit of Kilimanjaro

If climbing Kilimanjaro is in your future, please contact our office, we would love to have you climb with us!

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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

/0 Comments/by

Puja at K2 Base Camp

We got a very garbled sat phone message from Garrett at K2 base camp today – audio below.  Garrett later added the following via inReach text messaging:

We had our puja ceremony today, it was a wonderful way to begin our climbing.

We will head up to ABC on our 1st rotation tomorrow and plan to climb to Camps 1 & 2, spending 2 nights in each camp. The weather looks good and everyone is doing well. Our Sherpas are also heading up to work on fixing the route.

The cell tower in Concordia is down so the Internet hasn’t been working the last couple days.

We’re excited to get up on the mountain and become familiar with the route and hopefully have some nice views!

(photo:  Madison Mountaineering K2 archives)

If climbing K2 or Broad Peak is in your future, please contact our office, we would love to have you climb with us!

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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

/0 Comments/by

Happy 4th of July from K2 Base Camp!

Happy American Independence Day (4th of July) from K2 base camp!

Our K2 and Broad Peak team sends their happy 4th of July from K2 base camp.  Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, checks in:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition team.  Today is July 4th.  Happy American Indepdence Day – 4th of July – to all you Americans out there!

We arrived at K2 base camp yesterday and today just had a nice rest day settling in and finishing building our camp.  We took showers, had a nice breakfast, lunch and actually got some good Internet connection with the cell tower down at Concordia.

Our plan is to take a few more rest days here, do our Puja ceremony, and get ready for our first rotation up to Camps I and II.  Everybody’s doing well here, we’re just so happy and grateful that things worked out for us to come to Pakistan and go on this expedition.  We got to base camp in record time and things are going great.

All’s well here at base camp.  We’ll check in soon.

If climbing K2 or Broad Peak is in your future, please contact our office, we would love to have you climb with us!

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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

/0 Comments/by

K2 Base Camp!

Conan admiring the view of K2 from Broad Peak base camp

The 2021 K2 and Broad Peak expedition arrived at base camp today and Madison Mountaineering guide, Rob Smith, provides a recap of the final days of trekking to reach base camp:

Hi folks, this is Rob checking in for the 2021 Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition.

So yesterday we left Goro 2 camp on the Baltoro Glacier pretty early and made our way up to the head of the glacier, got our first views of K2, which was really exciting, and then we passed the Godwin-Austen Glacier, saw Broad Peak, Gasherbrum IV, and made our way all the way to Broad Peak base camp.  So, a long day yesterday, but well worth it!

Today we had a short hike it beautiful weather from Broad Peak base camp up to K2 base camp and that’s where we are tonight, which is really exciting to be here so soon, the 3rd of July.

Everyone’s feeling well and really excited for the upcoming expedition and we’ll check in again soon.  Thanks for listening!

If climbing K2 or Broad Peak is in your future, please contact our office, we would love to have you climb with us!

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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

/0 Comments/by

K2 Trekking Continues to Goro 2 Camp

Hiking up the Baltoro Glacier between Urdukas and Goro 2

The K2 base camp trek continues.  Today the team reached Goro 2 camp on the Baltoro Glacier and has their sights set on Concordia tomorrow where hopefully the skies will clear and provide the first views of K2.  Expedition leader Garrett Madison provides today’s expedition dispatch and some of the first photos of the trek via our Iridium GO! global connection device:

Hello!  This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2/Broad Peak expedition team.

Today we trekked from Urdukas camp (4034m/13,235ft) to Goro 2 camp (4285m/14,058ft) on the Baltoro Glacier.  It was a rainy day; it started raining last night and cleared up a little bit during the day today.  It was cool and cloudy, which was actually really nice for trekking – not too hot.

We got into Goro 2 camp here and just had a nice dinner.  We can see some of the surrounding peaks: Masherbrum, G4 and we’re looking forward to trekking up through Concordia (4570m/14,993ft) tomorrow.  Hopefully, it will clear and we’ll get a nice view of K2.

Everyone’s doing well here.  The team’s excited to be working our way up the glacier towards base camp and hoping for some good weather!

2021 K2/Broad Peak team in Skardu

2021 K2/Broad Peak team in Skardu

Crossing a stream while trekking from Paiju to Urdukas

Crossing a stream while trekking from Paiju to Urdukas

If climbing K2 or Broad Peak is in your future, please contact our office, we would love to have you climb with us!

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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

/0 Comments/by

Urdukas Camp (4034m/13,235ft)

Nameless Tower (Trango group) as seen from the trail to K2 base camp

Day two of trekking to K2 base camp is completed and expedition leader Garrett Madison provides the day’s expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett callling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition team.

Today is June 30th and today we trekked from Paiju camp up to Urdukas camp on the Baltoro Glacier.  We had a wonderful day!  It was hot and we did find one glacier pond to jump in and cool off late morning.  Had lunch in Khoburtse and then made our way up to Urdukas camp here by the afternoon.

Great views today of the Trango Towers, Nameless Tower, … so many beautiful peaks here, just very spectacular!  Very special to be here.  We had a wonderful dinner of fresh chicken with rice and curry and fresh tomato cabbage onion salad.

Tomorrow our plan is to leave at 7:00 AM and head up to Goro 2 camp (4285m/14,058ft) out in the middle of the Baltoro Glacier.

Everyone’s doing well here, we’ve been having great weather so far – its a little bit hot until the clouds form in the afternoon.  But we’ve all doing well.  Looking forward to another great day trekking tomorrow on our way up to K2 base camp.

(photo:  The Nameless Tower from the Madison Mountaineering archives)

If climbing K2 or Broad Peak is in your future, please contact our office, we would love to have you climb with us!

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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

/0 Comments/by

First day of trekking to Paiju camp (3400m/11,155ft)

The first day of trekking is done and the team is now at Paiju camp along the Braldu River on their way to K2 base camp.  Expedition leader Garrett Madison checks in via satellite phone from their shady camp:

Hello!  This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition.

Today is Tuesday, June 29th and we had a great day trekking from Jhola camp to Paiju camp today along the Braldu River.  We had lunch, made it to camp, relaxed in the shade, and then had a nice dinner, watched the sun go down with the light changing on all the surrounding peaks.  Now we are just getting settled in for bed.

Everyone’s doing well and we’re excited to be on our way to K2 base camp.  We’ll probably arrive there in four or five days.  We are enjoying the trek, the scenery, and the good company with all of our Pakistani and sherpa friends.

We’ll check in soon.  Thanks!

(photo:  Madison Mountaineering archives)

If climbing K2 or Broad Peak is in your future, please contact our office, we would love to have you climb with us!

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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

/0 Comments/by

2021 K2 / Broad Peak Expedition Underway!

Skardu Valley view from hotel

Our 2021 K2 / Broad Peak expedition is underway and the team has arrived in the town of Skardu, Pakistan.  Here’s expedition leader, Garrett Madison, with the initial dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition team!  Today’s June 27th and we are in Skardu, Pakistan.  We flew from Islamabad this morning.  Had a beautiful flight – smooth and great views of mountains on both sides of the aircraft.

Landed in Skardu and we’ve been organizing equipment and getting all packed up for our journey by jeep tomorrow to Jhola camp (3151m/10,338ft).  The road has been improved since the last time we were here two years ago.  So instead of driving only to Askole, we should be able to drive further to Jhola camp, which is normally the first camp on the trek to base camp.

So, we are looking forward to an early breakfast tomorrow, starting the jeep drive by 07:00 AM.  Hopefully it will be good weather and we get to Jhola camp by the evening time, can set up camp, and start trekking the next day.

We’re happy to be here, our sherpa team is here, our Pakistani team is here, and all of our other climbers from America, Britain, and the Ukraine are all here.  We are excited to be in Pakistan and begin our expedition!

Departing Islamabad for Skardu

Departing Islamabad for Skardu (📸: @chase.merriam)

Nanga Parbat

Nanga Parbat (📸: @chase.merriam)

If climbing K2 or Broad Peak is in your future, please contact our office, we would love to have you climb with us!

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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

/0 Comments/by

Everest 2021, it’s a wrap!

Everest 2021 Team

Definitely a challenging season on the world’s highest peak, but in the end Sagarmatha smiled and opened her arms, welcoming us to journey to her highest point. Our @madisonmtng team had magnificent summit days on May 11th and 23rd, with a total of 17 foreign climbers and 23 Nepal Sherpas reaching the top, of which 5 foreign climbers went on to summit Lhotse with 6 Sherpas. Among our team was Arthur Muir, now the oldest American to reach the top of the world and Kristin Harila who reached the top of Everest at sunrise and the top of Lhotse later that day at sunset.

Despite the pandemic, the harsh weather, and other challenges which forced many teams to cancel mid-late season, our team pulled together and remained focused on our mission, accomplishing what we came here to do, and everyone (foreign climbers & Sherpas) made it off the mountain safely.

We are very grateful to our clients who believed in and trusted us, our guide and Sherpa staff who went above and beyond, and the mountain for giving us the opportunity to test ourselves and admire the view from the top for a few fleeting moments. We look forward to returning to Everest in the spring of 2022, Namaste 🙏!

Everest 2021

Everest 2021

/1 Comment/by

Post Climb Relaxing at EBC

Art Muir with climbing sherpa Pasang Bhote on the summit of Everest

Here’s expedition leader Garrett Madison with today’s dispatch from Mount Everest base camp:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest and Lhotse team.  We are in Everest Base Camp.

We had a nice, restful day here in base camp – cloudy and snowy all day.  We were going to head out today but no helicopter flights and we decided to delay one day, so we are planning to head out tomorrow.  Some folks are going to be trekking down the valley over three days to Lukla and others are hoping to helicopter out if the weather clears.  But the Cyclone Yaas out of the Bay of Bengal has created some very inclement weather here in Nepal in the Himalaya, so there might not be many helicopter flights coming soon.

Anyhow, we’re having a great time here, we’re savoring our summit success, and the fact that we all made it down safely and just enjoying our time together here as a team.  It’s been a wonderful two months here together in Nepal on the expedition, trekking, climbing, suffering together (haha), and we’re just enjoy our last day together here before we all head out.

So, we’re doing well and looking forward to another good night of rest in base camp.

(photo:  Madison Mountaineering team member Art Muir, at 75 years young, the oldest American to summit Everest along with climbing sherpa Pasang Bhote on the summit of Mount Everest!)

If climbing Mount Everest is in your future, please contact our office, we would love to have you climb with us!

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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

/0 Comments/by