Tag Archive for: Camp 1

First Rotation – Camp 1

A view of Ama Dablam Camp 1 from BC

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:

– 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:

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

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Nido de Cóndores – Camp 2 (5585m/18,325ft.)

Camp 2 on Aconcagua

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

Camp 2 on Aconcagua

The view from Aconcagua Camp 2

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:

– 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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The move up to Camp 1

Evening at Aconcagua Camp 1 (5052m/16,575ft)aconcagua

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)

Aconcagua Camp 1 (5052m/16,575ft)

Sunset from 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:

– 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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Carry to Camp 1

Aconcagua catching the evening light

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

Plaza de Mulas base camp

Carrying loads to camp 1 from base camp

Carrying loads to camp 1 from base camp

Garrett & Sid in base camp with the peak behind

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:

– 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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Snowy Day at Everest Base Camp

One week ago at our Camp 1 looking up at Lhotse (📸: Kilian Jornet)

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)

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:

– 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:

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

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K2 team on the move to Camp 2

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.

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K2 team at Camp 1 on Abruzzi ridge

1st rotation on K2

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.

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Day 29 : Second Rotation Started !

Today we departed Mount Everest base camp at 4 AM and climbed up through the Khumbu Icefall in the pre dawn hours when the ice is solid. Then we had the pleasure of a beautiful sunrise as we ascended up through the Icefall to Camp 1. After reaching Camp 1 we continued up through the Western CWM (valley) to Camp 2, our Advanced Base Camp. It was a long day of climbing, but we are happy to finally have arrived in our Advanced Base Camp on Mount Everest and now looking forward to a rest day tomorrow! Everyone is doing well here on Mount Everest!

Today our Sherpas carried 10 loads of ropes and hardware from Camp 2, our Advanced Base Camp, to the South Col high camp (Camp 4) on Mount Everest.  This load carry is approximately 4,500 ft. (1380m) from Camp 2 to Camp 4, and very strenuous day, which involves climbing the steep ice of the Lhotse Face, crossing the rock formation known as the Yellow Band, and then up and over the secondary rock formation known as the Geneva Spur, a ridge line which separates the upper Lhotse Face.  Our Sherpas are planning to carry another 10 loads of essential equipment tomorrow, to complete the positioning of gear necessary for the rope fixing project to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

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Day 21 : At Camp 2!

Arrived At Camp 2

First Rotation : Arrived At Camp 2

Our team has arrived at Camp 2 on Mount Everest! Today we climbed from our Camp 1 up through the Western CWM and arrived at Camp 2 in the early afternoon. We are settling in now and excited to be in our “ABC” or Advanced Base Camp! Everyone is doing well!

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Day 20: At Camp1!

Arrived At Camp 1

Today we woke up at 19,400 ft. in the Western CWM at our Camp 1, enjoyed a nice breakfast, and then went on a short hike partway up to Camp 2. We are now back in Camp 1 resting and preparing to spend the night here.

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