Today the Everest team tagged Camp 3 on the Lhotse Face and returned to Camp 2 as part of the second rotation. Here’s expedition leader Garrett Madison with today’s expedition dispatch:
Hello! This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest and Lhotse expedition team. Today is Wednesday, May 4th.
We had a great day up here climbing to Camp 3 (7230m/23,720ft) and returning to Camp 2 (6500m/21,325ft)… [transmission drops]
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:
Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions. Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.“
The second rotation has kicked off with an excellent night of climbing up the Khumbu Icefall and a warming morning in the Western Cwm. Here’s expedition leader Garrett Madison with today’s expedition dispatch:
Hello! This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest and Lhotse expedition team. Today is May 2nd.
Today we woke up and had breakfast at 01:00am in base camp (5310m/17,421ft), left base camp at 02:00am, and climbed up the Khumbu Icefall. We had a beautiful night and early morning of climbing. There’s some fresh snow in the icefall which made it very nice. Once the sun came up we have some good views. Not many people in the icefall today, just a couple of other teams – some friends we recongized.
We got up to Camp 1 (6050m/19,849ft) around 08:00am and then we continued on up to Camp 2. Got up to Camp 2 (6500m/21,325ft) midday, had lunch, and just took an afternoon nap.
We just finished our dinner. Everyone’s up here doing great! We’re tired, it was a big, hard day – long day, hot at the end coming into Camp 2 but everyone did really well. We’re recovering well and looking forward to a nice rest day tomorrow. It’s snowing right now outside our tents. We’re tucked in and looking foward to a good night’s rest.
We’ll check in soon, thanks!
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:
Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions. Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.“
The first rotation is complete with our Everest team returning to base camp this afternoon! Everest guide Terray Sylvester has this recap of the first rotation and the plan for the next few days:
Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest and Lhotse expedition. It’s April 24nd.
We just returned to base camp this afternoon from our first acclimatization rotation higher on the mountain. We spent two nights in Camp 1 (6050m/19,849ft) and two nights in Camp 2 (6500m/21,325ft) before coming back down to base (5310m/17,421ft). We had beautiful weather throughout. We were among one of the only teams in Camp 1 and Camp 2, so it was really nice having the mountain a little bit to ourselves.
We’re just settling back-in in base camp, had dinner of pork chops and pumpkin pie. We’re gonna watch the latest James Bond film (“No Time to Die“).
Then we’ve got a few days of rest, showers, and relaxation in our future! We’ll be in touch!
Climber Carter Beck crossing a ladder in the icefall
Climbing out of the Khumbu Icefall into the Western Cwm
The team above Camp 2 on our active rest day
Descending through the Khumbu Icefall back to base camp
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:
Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions. Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.“
Today, our Everest team moved up from Camp 1 to Camp 2 in the Western Cwm. Expedition leader Garrett Madison called in via sat phone with today’s expedition dispatch:
Hello! This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest and Lhotse expedition 2022. Today is April 22nd.
Today our team climbed from Camp 1 (6050m/19,849ft) up to Camp 2 (6500m/21,325ft) on Mount Everest, our advanced base camp (ABC). We got here in the afternoon, settled in, had lunch, just finished up dinner, and heading to bed now. The weather’s been great. Everyone’s doing really well and we’re looking forward to a good day tomorrow when we will do another acclimatization hike up above Camp 2 here.
We’re happy to be here! There are not many other teams here – I think we’re the only team that’s up at Camp 2 at the moment. Some of the other teams will be on the way soon. But, it’s nice to be up here at 21,300ft (6492m) on Mount Everest!
We’ll check in soon. Thanks!
(photo from the 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:
Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions. Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.“
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:
https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020-11-13-Camp-2-on-Ama-Dablam-photo-Ted-Hesser.jpg1024819Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2021-11-07 10:45:222021-11-08 05:16:36Plan to head for the summit tonight!
Our Ama Dablam team is back in base camp after completing their 1st acclimatization rotation. Garrett Madison, expedition leader, calls in today’s update:
We had a couple of good nights, up on mountain in Camp 1 and we climbed up to Camp 2 yesterday – touched Camp 2. We had some great views up there, fun technical climbing, and good acclimatization – sleeping up at 19,000 ft. at Camp 1.
Today we camp back down to base camp, had a nice lunch, and then did our Puja ceremony with a Buddist Lama monk from Pangboche.
Everyone’s doing well here. We’re just resting and recovering from our time high up on the mountain and looking forward to a few rest days here in base camp.
So, all’s well here at Ama Dablam base camp. We’ll check in soon.
Camp 1 and Ama Dablam
Climbing the Yellow Tower on Ama Dablam below Camp 2
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/2021/10/PHOTO-2021-10-31-06-50-11.jpg16001200Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2021-10-31 13:54:242021-10-31 18:52:36Team Back in Base Camp After 1st Rotation
The 1st acclimatization rotation on Ama Dablam continues with the team touching Camp 2 (5980m/19,619ft) and returning to Camp 1 (5791m/19,000ft) for the night. Team member J.B. Waterman provides today’s expedition dispatch:
This is J.B. Waterman on Madison Mountaineering’s Ama Dablam team.
Today was an epic training day – from Camp 1 at 19,000ft to Camp 2 at 20,000ft, across a serrated knife edge ridge, going up vertical walls of granite, to make it to Camp 2, and then turn around and go back.
We’re sleeping at Camp 1 tonight and then we’re gonna head back to base camp for a few days of rest and relaxation and recuperatation, so that we can go to the summit!
It was a great day. Now it’s time to recuperate!
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 K2 team is now in place at Camp 3 (7250m/23,800ft.) and setting their sights on a summit attempt in two days on the 28th. Here’s expedition leader Garrett Madison’s recap of the day’s climbing and the plan for what’s next:
Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition team. Today is July 26th and we are up at Camp 3.
It was a beautiful day climbing up from Camp 2, clear skys, not much wind, and not many people on the route actually. We were the only team moving up. So, we had a great day climbing the Black Pyramid and got into Camp 3 here, about 24,000 ft., this afternoon. We’re just taking it easy, resting.
Our Sherpa team, which was fixing lines today, was able to make it up The Shoulder through The Bottleneck, around the Traverse, and nearly up to The Bench on the way towards the final pitches to the summit. So that’s great news!
I think the Pioneer team is going for it tonight and we wish them the best of luck and good conditions.
Our plan is to rest here tomorrow and head up tomorrow evening. So our plan is to leave the evening of the 27th and hopefully get to the top on the morning of the 28th. Fingers crossed! I’m praying this great weather continues and these good conditions hold.
Everyone’s doing well here in Camp 3. Thanks for following!
Kenton and Rob on the way to K2 Camp 3
If climbing K2 or Broad Peak is in your future, please contact our office, we would love to have you climb with us!
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:
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.“
On their summit push, our K2 team climbed up from Camp 1 to Camp 2 (6700m/21,980ft.) today under beautiful weather and route conditions. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, provides today’s expedition dispatch from 6,700 meters:
Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition team. Today is July 25th and we are up at Camp 2.
Our whole team’s up here: all nine climbers and most of our sherpa team, except for five of our Nepal sherpas who are up at Camp 4 (7681m/25,200ft.) tonight. They climbed up from Camp 2 to Camp 4 today and tomorrow and the next day they are going to work on fixing lines above Camp 4 in anticipation of our arrival.
So, we had a beautiful day today, sunny skies, warm temps, almost too warm for us. But we got into Camp 2 around noon and have just been relaxing, enjoying the amazing views up here, and getting ready for some dinner and a good night’s rest. And then tomorrow, we’ll be off early on our way up to Camp 3 (7250m/23,800ft.).
All’s well here, the team’s doing excellent, and we’re excited that more good weather is on the way and we’re headed up the route! We’ll check-in soon, thanks!
If climbing K2 or Broad Peak is in your future, please contact our office, we would love to have you climb with us!
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:
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.“
Great video interview of Garrett Madison by the nexus of all high-altitude climbing news, Alan Arnette.
Garrett Madison, founder of Madison Mountaineering is one of the few people on the planet to have summited K2 twice. He’s hoping to get his third this 2021 summer. This is his sixth expedition to K2 making him the most experienced western operator to run regular trips to the Northern Terrorities of Pakistan.
With the new 4G Cell tower in Concordia, Garret took the hour walk from K2 Base Camp to Broad Peak Base Camp to talk with me over Zoom about his expedition. We discussed their rotations to Camp 1 and 2, the snow conditions on the mountain, what happens when he finds bodies on the mountain, and more. I think you’ll enjoy getting this first-hand information directly from Northern Pakistan.
https://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Garrett-Interview-2.jpg413734Garretthttps://madisonmountaineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/logomm-300x138.jpgGarrett2021-07-15 15:37:382021-07-15 15:52:03(Almost) Live from the Karakorum!
