First day of the summit push, the Ama Dablam team made the move from base camp to Camp 1. Courtesy of his Instagram feed, team member @moealthani provides the recap of the day in this expedition dispatch:
Hi guys! This is Moe Al Thani calling you from Camp 1 (5800m). It’s freezing cold, I’m wearing my big down jacket, enjoying the most beautiful sunset in the world. Behind me is Ama Dablam, it’s so close I can almost touch it but at the same time it seem so far.
Just want to let you all know that we’re doing amazing, we’re doing great! The oxygen and the air is thin, but we’re all strong over here. So, we are looking forward our move to Camp 2 tomorrow and we’ll keep you posted!
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 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 Aconcagua team today moved up to Nido de Cóndores our Camp 2 at 5585m/18,325ft. Here’s Garrett’s dispatch:
Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Aconcagua climb. Today we climbed up to Camp 2 – Nido de Cóndores on Aconcagua on the normal route. Everybody did great! We got up to camp, set up our tents, relaxed a little bit, and then had a nice dinner. Now we are getting ready to go to bed. The weather’s pretty good up here – not too windy, sunny. We are hoping for a good day tomorrow to do a carry to Camp 3 if weather permits, otherwise we’ll probably take a rest day at Camp 2. Thanks for following along. We’ll check-in soon!
Camp 2 on Aconcagua
The view from Aconcagua Camp 2
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:
Team member Sid Pattison provides today’s expedition dispatch as the team moves up to Camp 1 on Aconcagua:
Well the team made it up to Camp 1 (5052m/16,575ft) in good style today. We are up here, we got to reap the benefits of food and water we brought up the other day. Now, after dinner the team is sitting around watching a lovely sunset under clear skies in the shadow of an alpenglow summit of Aconcagua. We shall rest well tonight! This is Sid Pattison signing off!
Aconcagua Camp 1 (5052m/16,575ft)
Sunset from Aconcagua Camp 1 (5052m/16,575ft)
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/2020/03/PHOTO-2020-02-01-15-55-34.jpg12001600Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2020-02-01 23:57:182020-03-03 19:34:02The move up to Camp 1
Our Aconcagua team made a carry of gear up to Camp 1 and returned to base camp today. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, provides this dispatch:
Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Aconcagua expedition. We had a great day doing a carry up to Camp 1 on Aconcagua today. It was sunny in the morning, clear, cold and we got up to Camp 1 – it was a little windy – cached our gear, our food, equipment, and personal items that we are going to retrieve when we move up to Camp 1 in a couple of days time.
Beautiful evening here in base camp, the stars are out, we had a wonderful dinner. We’re just relaxing, getting ready for bedtime and looking forward to a rest day tomorrow.
All’s well here on Aconcagua. Check-in soon.
Plaza de Mulas base camp
Carrying loads to camp 1 from base camp
Garrett & Sid in base camp with the peak behind
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:
On a snowy day at Everest Base Camp, expedition leader, Garrett Madison, has this daily report:
Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Autumn Everest Expedition. Today is September 28th and we had a rest day in base camp as it snowed outside all day and fairly cloudy.
We were very happy to see our friend Kilian Jornet and his friend Carlos come into our camp for a few hours this afternoon and have lunch with us. Kilian’s just back from Namche and planning on heading up in a few days, weather pending.
We heard a big boom today in the icefall, it might have been the serac that we’ve been waiting to break loose and fall down. We won’t know until we get a good view when the weather clears up in a day or two.
But, we’re doing great here in base camp. Everyone’s doing well and just enjoying being here at Everest Base Camp.
[photo above: One week ago at our Camp 1 looking up at Lhotse (📸: Kilian Jornet)]
Recent photo of the serac approximately 1 kilometer above the central portion of the Khumbu Icefall (📸: Andrezj Bargiel)
In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow the team as they trek to Everest Base Camp and then make their attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain on:
https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019.09.28-Kilian-Jornet-One-week-ago-at-our-Camp-1-looking-up-at-Lhotse.jpg12001600Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2019-09-28 14:45:242020-01-29 11:25:40Snowy Day at Everest Base Camp
Garrett called in with an audio dispatch this morning from K2 Camp 1:
Hi! This is Garrett calling for the K2 expedition. Today is July 18th. We are up at Camp 1. We had a good climb up here yesterday; it was nice and cool and then in the afternoon some snow showers moved and it was cloudy and a bit blustery. But everyone had a good night and today it’s cleared up, so we are moving to Camp 2! Everyone’s doing well and the Sun’s out so we are looking forward to a nice day! We will check in again once we get to Camp 2. Bye.
https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpg00Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2018-07-17 19:54:002018-07-17 20:35:19K2 team on the move to Camp 2
Today our whole team of climbers & guides climbed up the first part of the Abruzzi ridge on K2 reaching Camp 1. We are all here safe and doing well. The climb took us around 7 hours from base camp, and around 5 hours for those of us who elected to spend the night at Advanced Base Camp last night. Our plan is to rest here tomorrow, make a short acclimatization climb partway to Camp 2, and then sleep again at Camp 1. The weather is nice, a little windy but great views of the surrounding peaks.
Unfortunately, today we witnessed a climber from another team (Canadian) falling down the mountain. The cause of the accident is unclear, however from reports of Sherpas who were nearby it may have been an old fixed rope that broke as the climber was descending below Camp 2. Our team’s thoughts and prayers are with the climber and his family.
https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/20150713-acclimatization-0371-scaled.jpg17092560Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2018-07-07 05:04:212018-07-07 10:11:50K2 team at Camp 1 on Abruzzi ridge
aconcagua
