For the Ama Dablam team, the resting is done, and the summit-push is next! Here’s expedition leader Garrett Madison, with today’s expedition dispatch:
Hello, this is Garrett Madison calling in for the Ama Dablam team expedition.
We’re here at Ama Dablam base camp, the second rest day here on November 8th. The weather is looking good. We’re planning to head up tomorrow, November 9th, to Camp 1 (5791m) and then the following day to Camp 2 (5944m), then we will go for the summit (6812m)! The weather’s looking good, route conditions are solid, and we’re excited to begin our summit rotation.
We’re all doing good here and looking forward to getting up on the mountain. We’ll check in soon. Thanks!
Today, team member Ted Hesser provides a detailed recap of the rotation:
This is Ted Hesser calling in from the Ama Dablam team. We are back, safe and sound, at Base Camp after an eventful couple of days up at Camp 1 and Camp 2 on our first acclimitization rotation.
We hiked up a few days ago with heavy packs and burning lungs and got to a beautiful Camp 1 in time for sunset – beautiful clouds and golden rays and Himalayan peaks surrounding in all directions. We ran out of breath, just like I’m running out of breath right now trying to read this to you [laugh], but we woke up the next day and continued onwards to Camp 2 where we tested ourselves against the first technical cruxes of the route and I believe the actual crux of the route on The Yellow Tower – which is, about, an 80 foot, maybe a full rope pitch, of technical climbing at about 19,000 – 20,000 feet.
So very difficult on the body and on the lungs – very cold. But the whole team successfully made it up there. We were greeted with more beautiful views and a view of the rest of the route, which looks daunting, to say the least. A fair amount of elevation and technical terrian awaits us after Camp 2. But we turned around, came back to Camp 1, spent the night, rested up, and then came on back down to base camp today.
We’re all feeling pretty pooped, pretty tired. We are going to try to treat ourselves to alot of rest and food and hydration in the next few days and hope for good weather and a successful climb a few days from now!
Alright, ending the dispatch…
Oh(!) and Garrett says that we had the famous Chicken Sizzler dish tonight, which I almost forgot about [laugh]. But it was really good, it was on fire, the tent may have almost burned down [laugh], no I’m just joking – the tent’s fine. But dinner was great, there was hot showers when we got back down, which was really lovely, and warm tea and all the accoutrements of base camp!
Okay, over and out! Bye!
Elia receives his Chicken Sizzler dinner (🎥: @eliasaikaly)
Climbing between Ama Dablam C1 and C2 (📷: @tedhesser)
The beauty of climbing Ama Dablam (📷: @tedhesser)
Garrett Madison climbing around Ama Dablam Camp 1 and Camp 2 (📷: @tedhesser)
Jenn D and Garrett touching Ama Dablam Camp 2 (📷: @tedhesser)
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:
https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020-11-06-Rapping-down-from-Ama-Dablam-Camp-2-photo-Ted-Hesser.jpg4931024Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2020-11-06 12:37:072020-11-06 20:22:40Back at Base Camp
The Ama Dablam team touched their high point so far by climbing to Camp 2 (5980m) today before returning to Camp 1 for the night. Just before reaching Camp 2, they enjoyed some of the route’s best climbing by tackling the technical crux: Ama Dablam’s Yellow Tower. Tomorrow they will descend to base camp and rest up for their summit bid. Team member Moe Al Thani returns with today’s dispatch, again courtesy of his Instagram feed: @moealthani:
This is Moe Al Thani from Camp 1. We are back at Camp 1 after climbing to Camp 2. It was harder than I expected.
Climbing the Yellow Tower was whatever people say and even more. It’s really difficult, rock climbing at 6,000m with no oxygen. However, we made it! Now we’re back at Camp 1 and acclimatized better.
So tomorrow morning we’re going to head back down to base camp where we will enjoy internet, shower, food, and a good place to sleep. Now that’s Heaven to me! That’s it. I’m really tired, we had a very long day.
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:
Today the Ama Dablam team moved up the mountain on their first acclimatization rotation. They will spend two nights at Camp 1 (5800m). Here is team member Moe Al Thani with today’s dispatch, courtesy of his Instagram feed: @moealthani:
Hey! This is Moe Al Thani calling you from Camp 1.
It was a very, very long day – over 7 hours and we gained altitude of over 1000m. It’s been a long day and we’re a bit tired. But we have high spirits and that’s what’s important. We’re going to get a bit of rest and we have a beautiful view of the mountain. We are going to spend the night here.
Tomorrow we are going to head to Camp 2 (5980m) and then back to Camp 1 for the night. I’ll keep you all posted with whatever happens and we’ll see you all soon.
Good night!
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:
The acclimatization continued around base camp today. Tomorrow the team will head up on the first rotation. Team member Chase M. provides a recap of the day in this expedition dispatch from Ama Dablam base camp:
So today, we had a short acclimatization hike with some fun scrambling up to about 5000m. And after that, we were organizing our equipment for tomorrow’s climb to Camp 1. The climb tomorrow should be pretty gradual in between 6 to 8 hours long. The whole team is feeling really good and are ready to see the upper mountain in person.
Thanks for listening!
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:
Today, team member Jenn D. provides the expedition dispatch with an overview of the training at Ama Dablam base camp:
Hello, this is Jenn calling in for Madison Mountaineering’s Ama Dablam expedition team. We had a great day today!
After breakfast, we gave our crampons, ice axes, and mountaineering boots to the sherpas to carry up to camp as they departed today to set up Camp 1 and start working on the fixed lines. We spent the morning working on technical skills, getting comfortable with the fixed lines ourselves, the ascenders, and rappelling. We got back to base camp, we ate lunch, and then everybody rested a bit. I washed my hair and stoled the generator for an hour because, apparently, hair blowdryers take up a lot of power. The crew kind of self-entertained until dinner, where we got another meal fit for royalty. The heater in the tent ran out of fuel, so we were quickly brought back to reality.
We are living in tents, peeing in a dirt hole in the ground, and sleeping with water bottles to stay warm. The team is doing great, ready for one more rest day, which is Garrett‘s birthday, before we head to Camp 1.
Blessed to be out here living in a mountain wonderland.
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:
https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020-11-01-Evening-on-Ama-Dablam-photo-Elia-S.jpg10661600Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2020-11-02 13:44:502020-11-02 18:01:16Training at Ama Dablam base camp
On their first full day in base camp, the Ama Dablam team had a very active rest day. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, brings us up to date with today’s dispatch:
Hello, this is Garrett calling in from Ama Dablam Base Camp!
We had our first full day here in Ama Dablam base camp, and we did our puja ceremony this morning. It went very well. We had a Lama come up from Pangboche and conduct the ceremony. After lunch, we went up on an acclimatization hike about 1,000 ft. above base camp. We had some great views of the surrounding peaks in the afternoon as the clouds rolled in, and then we came back down. We are just looking forward to dinner here tonight in camp.
Tomorrow we’re going to do a little bit of training and get ready to plan our first foray up the mountain. All well here at Ama Dablam base camp. It’s quiet, peaceful, beautiful, and we just feel so blessed, so lucky to have been able to come here to Nepal and go on this wonderful trek and climb.
Ama Dablam team after Puja
Jenn D and Garrett on last bridge before base camp (📷: @tedhesser)
Garrett Madison: The Man and the Mountain (📷: @tedhesser)
https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020-11-01-Puja-at-Ama-Dablam-base-camp.jpg12001600Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2020-11-01 11:09:022020-11-01 22:16:52Active Rest Day
Today the Ama Dablam team made the hike of the final hill to base camp. Garrett reports “all good here!” Tomorrow they will start dialing in the camp including getting communications set up. Hopefully, there will be some Wi-Fi so more photos can be shared.
The day’s hike from Pangboche to base camp was just about 3 hours and gained 700m of elevation. Now it’s time to climb! After a couple of acclimatization rotations up the mountain, they are targeting November 10 as a possible summit day. Stay tuned!
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:
Our team of climbers, cameramen and Argentina support staff after our climb and celebratory ‘asado’ (barbecue) in base camp. We had a wonderful expedition on Aconcagua, everyone is safely off the mountain, and now beginning the trek out from base camp. We are looking forward to arriving in Mendoza tonight and enjoying some warm weather!
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:
With all of the Aconcagua team safely down to base camp, expedition leader, Garrett Madison, provides today’s expedition dispatch:
Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Aconcagua team. We are all back down in Plaza de Mulas base camp – 14,000 ft. on the normal route of Aconcagua. We had a great time on our expedition.
Yesterday our team went for the summit and we don’t want to reveal what happened on our summit attempt because we want to save it for TV show which is forecoming. But we’re all back down safe and the weather’s great. It’s been a fantastic team, great expedition. Just a wonderful experence here on Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemispheres. Wonderful time in Argentina.
And our plan tomorrow is to trek out and head back to Mendoza. We’ll probaby get in late to Mendoza after an 18 mile trek out and 3 hour drive back to Mendoza. All’s well here on Aconcagua. We’ll check-in soon!
Sid Pattison, the barbecue chief!
Cacho, our Argentinian guide who leads our climbs exclusively and reached the summit of Aconcagua for his 50th time!
By the way, it’s not too early to start making your plans to join us on other expeditions in the 2020 season! Contact our office for details.
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:
https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-02-08-at-17.19.23.jpeg12001600Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2020-02-09 02:17:292020-03-03 21:16:38Team safely down to base camp
