Ama Dablam Archives

Ama Dablam 2022

Into the Himalayas!

Our team in Phakding. Photo: Terray Sylvester

The team had spectacular flying conditions today with views of the towering Himalayas before landing in Lukla! Upon their arrival, a few moments were spent in town before hitting the trail and heading to their next stop, Phakding. Expedition guide, Terray Sylvester checks in with todays dispatch:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ama Dablam (6812m/22,349ft) expedition – it’s October 21st.

Today we had excellent weather for our helicopter flights from Kathmandu (1400m/4,600ft) to Lukla (2860m/9,383ft). Our entire Ama Dablam team plus our Everest Base Camp trekkers touched down in Lukla at about 2,900 meters in, yeah, just beautiful weather with excellent views of the mountains to the north. We had a great view of Everest (8848m/29,032ft) and Lhotse (8516m/27,940ft) just before we touched down.

Then we hiked to Phakding (2610m/8,562ft). We’ve had a relaxing evening here with a walk up to the monastery above town. We just wrapped up dinner and we’re looking forward to a nice peaceful night, with the sound of the Dudh Koshi River below us.

We’ll be in touch tomorrow!

Inbound to Lukla. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Climbers Jocelyn, Serge, Stephane and Alix after touching down in Lukla! Photo: Terray Sylvester

Walking to Phakding. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Visiting the monastery above Phakding. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Ama Dablam climber, Stephane en route to the helicopter pad. Photo: 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:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

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.“

– Instagram:

October 21, 2022/0 Comments/by Garrett

Ama Dablam 2022

Ama Dablam Expedition Underway!

The 2022 Madison Mountaineering Ama Dablam expedition has officially begun! The team all arrived in Kathmandu today, excited for the journey ahead. After arriving at the Yak and Yeti hotel, our team held a gear check and orientation to go over details of the expedition. With good weather tomorrow, the team will fly to Lukla and continue on their way towards Ama Dablam. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, checks in from Kathmandu with todays dispatch:

Hello! This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ama Dablam (6812m/22,349ft) expedition 2022 – today is October 20th.

The team is all in Kathmandu (1400m/4,600ft)! We had our gear checks today, had an orientation, talked through logistics, the itinerary and just finished our team dinner! Everyone’s feeling good and pumped to fly up to the Khumbu Valley tomorrow to Lukla (2860m/9,383ft), and start our trek along the way to base camp. So fingers crossed for good flying weather tomorrow morning! Hopefully we’ll be in Lukla for breakfast and on our way.

We’ll check in soon!

Gear check at the Yak and Yeti hotel – the climbers classic!

Expedition leader, Garrett Madison and guide, Terray Sylvester picking up the Ama Dablam climbing permits!

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 our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions. Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

October 20, 2022/2 Comments/by Garrett

Everest 2022

Active rest day in Pheriche

Today our trekking and climbing teams took an active rest day in Pheriche (4280m/14,042ft). Madison Mountaineering guide Terray Sylvester provides a recap of the day:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition! It’s April 9th.

Today we hiked up above Pheriche (4280m/14,042ft) to about 5000m, about 16,500ft. It was a good active rest day and a good chance to get some acclimatization done. The whole principle with acclimating is to climb high and sleep low, so now we are back down in Pheriche.

On the way down, some of us stopped and enjoyed some hot chocolate and pastries in the bakery in Dingboche. So we are going to bed now and looking forward to hiking up to Lobuche (4940m/16,207ft) tomorrow.

We’ll be in touch!

Acclimatization hike above Pheriche

Happy Acclimatizers

Acclimatization hike above Pheriche

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:

April 9, 2022/0 Comments/by Garrett

Everest 2022

Deboche to Pheriche

Climber Becks Ferry receiving a blessing from Lama Ngawang Paljur in the Pangboche Monastery

Today our trekking and climbing teams trekked from Deboche (3820m/12,532ft) to the village of Pheriche (4280m/14,042ft). Madison Mountaineering guide Terray Sylvester provides a recap of the day.

Also, be sure to check out Alan Arnette’s recent interview with Garrett Madison from Namche Bazaar: https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2022/04/07/everest-2022-interview-with-garrett-madison-from-namche-bazaar/

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition! It’s April 8th.

Today we made our way from Deboche (3820m/12,532ft) to Pheriche (4280m/14,042ft). We’re here in Pheriche, about 14,000ft. It feels good to have gained some altitude and to be among the high peaks – Ama Dablam is towering right above us.

Along the way here we stopped at the monastery in Pangboche which is one of the oldest in the Khumbu Valley. While we were there we recieved a blessing from a high Lama. That’s a traditional stop for climbers bound to Mount Everest and other peaks nearby.

So all is well. We’ll have a rest day here in Pheriche tomorrow and we’ll be in touch!

Climber Carter Beck spinning prayer wheels at the monastery

Trekking to Pheriche

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:

April 8, 2022/0 Comments/by Garrett

Ama Dablam 2021 - Private

Ama Dablam Summit!

Yesterday our private team on Ama Dablam reached the summit with a clear sky and calm winds. They had the whole mountain to themselves and savored the views from up on the summit of the surrounding peaks Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, and many others.

It’s been a pleasure to follow their smooth progress during the past 2 weeks, they had great route conditions and weather throughout the expedition. We are very proud of them all for their safe and successful climb of Ama Dablam! Way to go team!

For climbers interested in learning more about our private expeditions please contact our office.

December 8, 2021/0 Comments/by Kurt

Ama Dablam 2021

Madison Mountaineering 2021 Ama Dablam Summiteers List

We are pleased to announce the following team members successfully obtained the summit of Ama Dablam (6,812 m / 22,349 ft) on November 8, 2021:

#	Name	Country
1	Mr. Garrett Madison	USA
2	Mr. Jonathan Eakes	USA
3	Mr. Morgan Hawes	USA
4	Mr. Gautam Shine	USA
5	Mr. James “J.B.” Waterman	USA
6	Mr. Aang Phurba Sherpa	Nepal
7	Mr. Kam Dorjee Sherpa	Nepal
8	Mr. Siddhi Ghising	Nepal
9	Mr. Fur Lakpa Sherpa	Nepal
10	Mr. Tenzing Sherpa	Nepal

November 9, 2021/0 Comments/by Kurt

Ama Dablam 2021

Team Safely Back in Base Camp

2021 Madison Mountaineering team and friends on the summit of Ama Dablam

With 100% summit success, the team is back in base camp celebrating, and getting ready to head back to Kathmandu. Garrett provides the recap and a ton of awesome photos of their summit day:

Hello, this is Garrett caling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ama Dablam expedition team here in Nepal. Today’s November 9th and yesterday we reached the top of Ama Dablam.

Beautiful morning! We summited with 100% success, all four of our climbers plus myself and Aang Phurba and our Sherpa team made it to the top of Ama Dablam!

We got down safe and some of our members continued down to base camp and the rest of us were down today. We are looking forward to starting the trek out tomorrow to make our way back to Lukla and then Kathmandu.

We are feeling so fortunate and lucky that we had a beautiful summit day, great weather, and great route conditions up there and all of our team made the summit and made it down safely.

Summit day climbing on Ama Dablam

Climber J.B. and Garrett on the summit of Ama Dablam

Climber Jonathan E. on the summit of Ama Dablam

Good times on the Ama Dablam summit

Climber Jon E. with Garrett and Mount Everest in the background from the Ama Dablam summit

Last night in base camp with our team celebrating our successful Ama Dablam expedition!

Summit Ama Dablam and get some cake!

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 daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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

https://madisonmountaineering.com/maps/ama-dablam-2021/

November 9, 2021/0 Comments/by Garrett

Ama Dablam 2021

Ama Dablam Summit Success!

A quick inReach text message while on a break from Garrett:

Just back at camp 3 after the summit, everyone made it! 100% success for all climbers who went up from base camp. Now we will descend carefully.

Congratulations team! Be safe on the descent. More details 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 daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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

https://madisonmountaineering.com/maps/ama-dablam-2021/

November 8, 2021/1 Comment/by Garrett

Ama Dablam 2021

Plan to head for the summit tonight!

Our Ama Dablam team has set the plan to head for the summit tonight! Here expedition leader Garrett Madison with the team dispatch from 6000m at Camp 2:

Hello! This is Garrett calling in from Camp 2 on Ama Dablam. I’m in the tent here with Jon and J.B. Tonight is our summit night. Next door is Morgan and Shine and our Sherpa team is not far away. It’s November 7th at 5:30 P.M.

Our plan is to have some dinner, go to sleep, and wake up around midnight to set off for the summit. Hopefully we’ll have good weather and route conditions and get lucky.

We’re looking forward to a beautifull day up there. So, we’ll check in when we get back from our summit day tomorrow. All’s well here at Camp 2 on Ama Dablam!

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 daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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

https://madisonmountaineering.com/maps/ama-dablam-2021/

November 7, 2021/0 Comments/by Garrett

Ama Dablam 2021

The Summit Push is On!

The summit push is on and the team headed up from base camp to Camp 1 (5792m/19,000ft) today. Garrett Madison provides today’s expedition dispatch via a somewhat garbled and truncated sat phone call:

Hello, this is Garrett Madison calling in for the Ama Dablam expedition team. Today is November 6th and today we left base camp to begin our summit push. Our summit rotation day one means we climbed from base camp up to Camp 1 today, gained about 4,000 vertical feet, and the team did great today. Everyone – J.B., Morgan, Shine, and Jon – all did really well. Myself and Aang Phurba… [garbled] …team… [garbled] …Sherpas… [transmission dropped]