Arrival Quarantine in Kathmandu

picture of hotel and swimming pool

Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, and the Ama Dablam team have arrived in Kathmandu and have started their mandatory 7-day safety quarantine (in style) at the Hotel Yak & Yeti.  Adhering to the current Entry Protocol for Mountaineering Expeditions and Trekking in Nepal, all were required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken less than 72 hours before travel before boarding their planes and upon arrival in Kathmandu.  After 5 days in quarantine, they will all take another COVID-19 test and, with another negative result, will be able to finish the arrival quarantine after 7-days and start the Ama Dablam expedition.  Our Gokyo Ri / Lobuche / Island Peak team is also in arrival quarantine.  Here’s Garrett with the details from Kathmandu:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Ama Dablam climb expedition, as well as our private Gokyo trekking programs.

We made it to Kathmandu, Nepal!  It was smooth flying all the way from the U.S. to Nepal, had a couple of layovers along the way.  But very smooth flying.  Got into Nepal, no issues with our visas.  We had all of our documents in order and just made it to the hotel.

We’re all checked in at the Yak & Yeti hotel.  We are, actually, the only group here at the Yak & Yeti hotel – the Madison Mountaineering teams for Ama Dablam and the Gokyo treks.  We’ve got it all to ourselves!  Looking forward to a great day here tomorrow, breakfast, and some exercise here in the courtyard at the Yak & Yeti.

Everyone’s doing great and we are looking forward to enjoying our quarantine period here in Kathmandu!

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

– Instagram:

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Safely Returning to Nepal!

This week we kick off our safe return to Nepal for some Autumn trekking and climbing adventures.  The teams are now making their way to Nepal.  Ama Dablam expedition leader, Garrett Madison, checks in from LAX while en route to Kathmandu:

Hello, this is Garrett Madison calling in – kicking-off the Ama Dablam expedition along with our Gokyo trek private trips.  We are waiting to board here in Los Angeles to fly to Kathmandu.

We are following all of the safely protocols: masking up, wear the face shield.  (We are) really excited to be the first people, we know of, going back to Nepal! and taking pride in safely bringing much needed tourist revenue to the Nepalese people as well as the funds from our GoFundMe campaign to support our Sherpas.

So, we are very excited to heading over to Nepal, to see all of our friends there, and to head up to the Khumbu Valley and make our way up towards the high peaks that we love so much.

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 Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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Kilimanjaro Summit!

Climbers on the summit of Kilimanjaro

Summit day began at midnight, as the team awoke for a quick breakfast then left camp to begin the ascent. They dawned headlamps and climbed through the pre-dawn hours, reaching Stella Point (18,652’) just as the sun rose over the plains of Africa. In the dawn light, they climbed the remaining distance to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa at 19,341’. At the top, they savored our accomplishment and the incredible view then made their way down back to our high camp, where they had lunch, then continued down to the Mweka camp for the night.

Congratulations team!!  Well done.

Stats for Day 6:
Start: Kosovo Camp, 15,700’
Summit: Uhuru Peak, 19,341′
Finish: Mweka Camp, 10,204’
Distance: 8 miles

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

– Instagram:

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Kilimanjaro Day 5

Today the team climbed to high camp. They left Karanga camp and crossed the barren hillsides to reach Barafu camp, and continued on to the Kosovo camp, our special high camp that rarely sees any other climbers. This camp puts the team in a position above most other climbing parties so that the summit day is shorter and they can get out ahead of any potential crowds at the start. Before bed, the team talked through the summit day strategy, then went to bed early in preparation for an ‘alpine start’ tomorrow morning. Everyone’s hoping the weather will be good for summit day!

Stats for day 5:
Start: Karanga Camp, 13,335’
Finish: Kosovo Camp, 15,700’
Distance Traveled: 3.5 miles

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

– Instagram:

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Kilimanjaro Day 4

After breakfast, the team left camp and began the ascent of the Great Barranco wall! This scramble provided a great morning workout as they topped out at 14,500’ with spectacular views of the plains below! Then they descend to the Karanga river and hiked up a short distance to Karanga camp.

Stats for day 4
Start: Barranco Camp, 13,066’
Finish: Karanga Camp, 13,335’
Distance: 3 miles

Jumping for joy on Kilimanjaro!

Who’s happy to be climbing Kilimanjaro and has two thumbs?  This guy!

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

– Instagram:

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Kilimanjaro Day 3

Fist bump for reaching the Lava Tower on Kilimanjaro

Today the team left Shira Camp and traversed the mountain, working their way up to the base of “The Lava Tower” at approximately 14,800 ft. They made a quick ascent of the lava tower, a fun scramble up with great views from the top, then descended down to Barranco Camp. From camp, the team enjoyed a great view of the Great Barranco Wall, the challenge for tomorrow morning!

Stats for day 3
Start: Shira Camp, 12,355’
Finish: Barranco Camp, 13,066’
Distance Traveled: 6 miles

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

– Instagram:

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Kilimanjaro Day 2

Kilimanjaro Shira Camp

Today, from the Machame camp the team started hiking up the trail through the forest and gained elevation very quickly, as the landscape changed from the lush forest to moor lands with large Senecio trees dotting the hillsides. They gained the Shira Plateau and enjoyed a great view over the valley below. Each day upon arriving at camp in the afternoon the team celebrates by dancing and singing with the staff, learning the dance and songs of the Chagga tribe! The team is doing great and are having a wonderful time on Kilimanjaro!

Stats for day 2
Start: Machame Camp, 9,927’
Finish: Shira Camp, 12,355’
Distance Traveled: 5 miles

(photo: Madison Mountaineering archives)

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

– Instagram:

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Private Kilimanjaro Expedition Kicks-off!

Starting the Kilimanjaro climb at the Machame Gate

This morning the team traveled by Land Crusier from Arusha through forests and coffee fields to the Machame trailhead, where they checked in with the Park HQ and sorted loads for the local porters, the Chagga people. They hiked through the lush rain forest and finished the day at the Machame Camp. Everyone is doing well and had a great first day on the climb of Mount Kilimanjaro!

Stats for Climb day 1
Start: Machame Entrance, 5,718’
Finish: Machame Camp, 9,927’
Distance Traveled: 6 miles

Hiking up to Machame Camp on Kilimanjaro

Hiking up to Machame Camp on Kilimanjaro

Climbing into the moor lands on Kilimanjaro

Climbing into the moorlands on Kilimanjaro

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

– Instagram:

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Shuksan Summit!

Climbing the summit pyramid on Mt. Shuksan

A perfect Shuksan summit with weather and conditions providing a beautiful climb as reported by climb leader, Garrett Madison:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Mt. Shuksan climb in the North Cascades. We had a wonderful summit day today on Mt. Shuksan. Steve and I left our high camp about 4 AM and climbed up the Sulphide Glacier in the dark, watched the sunrise over the North Cascades and illuminate the summit pyramid as we approached the base of it.

We got up to the base of the summit pyramid and started climbing the rock. It was about four pitches of rock scrambling up to the summit. Great view from the top of Mt. Shuksan over Mt. Baker, Baker Lake, and the North Cascades. A little bit of smoke to the south which actually accentuated the ridgelines between all of the peaks.

So, a wonderful day! We made it back down and a very, very successful climb. All’s well! Heading back home from Mt. Shuksan.

Smoke accentuating the North Cascades ridgelines

Smoke accentuating the North Cascades ridgelines

Climber on the rock pyramid of Mt. Shuksan

Climbing the rock pyramid of Mt. Shuksan

Joyful climbers on the summit of Mt. Shuksan

Steve M. and Garrett Madison on the summit of Mt. Shuksan

Garrett Madison on the summit of Mt. Shuksan

Garrett Madison enjoying the view from the summit of Mt. Shuksan

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

– Instagram:

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High camp on Mt. Shuksan

Triumphant climber at Mt. Shuksan high camp

Under great conditions, expedition leader Garrett Madison calls in this audio dispatch from the slopes of Washington State’s Mount Shuksan:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Mt. Shuksan climb with Steve!  We are up here at high camp.  It is a beautiful day!  We just feel like we are spoiled rotten because the views are as-far-as-the-eye-can-see, there are no clouds, no smoke in the sky… Just a perfect evening temperature here as we have diner and get ready to go to bed early in preparation for an alpine start, pre-dawn start to our summit climb tomorrow.

Our plan is to climb the summit pyramid on Mt. Shuksan – some 5th class rock scrambling.  Then make our way all the way back down.

Having a good time up here, looking to the climb 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:

– 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

– Instagram:

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