Tag Archive for: Himalaya

Puja Ceremony at Manaslu Base Camp

Our climbing team, post-puja.

This morning the team was greeted with sunshine upon emerging from their tents, which they followed with a puja ceremony. The team came together to take part in this spiritual ceremony to ask the mountain for safe passage in their journey ahead, which is happening in the coming days! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester, checks in from Manaslu base camp:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the 2022 Madison Mountaineering Manaslu (8156m/26,759ft) expedition – it’s September 9th.

Today, when we woke up the sun was shining so we started the day early with our pre-climb puja; that’s a way of asking the mountain permission for safe passage and it’s also a great way for the whole team to come together before a climb.

Now that that’s done, our sherpa team and our climbers will start moving up the mountain. We’ve spent the rest of the day getting our gear together for our sherpa team who will do a carry to Camp 1 (5700m, 18,700ft) tomorrow, then hopefully our climbers will start going to Camp 1 soon after that.

So now we’re just relaxing until dinner! We’re planning to watch National Treasure 2, the Nicholas Cage movie, after dinner.

All is well! We’ll be in touch tomorrow.

Preparing for the puja in our base camp. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Preparing for the puja in our base camp. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Ngodup Lama leading todays puja. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Ngodup Lama leading todays puja. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Our team's climbing gear soaking up the blessings. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Our team’s climbing gear soaking up the blessings. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Sirdar and guide, Aang Phurba Sherpa making an offering. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Sirdar and guide, Aang Phurba Sherpa making an offering. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Lakpa Sherpa receiving a tsampa mustache, a blessing for a long and healthy life. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Lakpa Sherpa receiving a tsampa mustache, a blessing for a long and healthy life. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Today's puja. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Today’s puja. 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:

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Full Day at Manaslu Base Camp!

The Madison Mountaineering Manaslu Base Camp, high above the clouds. Photo: Terray Sylvester

The team had a great day today complete with technical skills training, beautiful weather, good food and a movie! Tomorrow, their preparation will continue with a puja ceremony. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester, checks in from Manaslu base camp:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the 2022 Madison Mountaineering Manaslu (8156m/26,759ft) expedition – today is September 8th.

Today we woke up and had a great breakfast of french toast, bacon and fried eggs. Then, we hiked a little ways up above camp (4859m/15,944ft) to a good spot on the Manaslu Glacier to review technical skills. We worked on fixed line ascending and descending techniques, rappelling, and footwork.

The we returned to base camp, had lunch and have been relaxing since then. We’re just about to start dinner and then looking forward to a movie afterward.

So today was a great day; beautiful weather, sunny skies and we’re looking forward to our puja day tomorrow. All is well here! We’ll be in touch.

Mount Manaslu. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Mount Manaslu. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Our climber, Nancy, hiking below Camp 1 with sirdar and guide Aang Phurba Sherpa. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Our climber, Nancy, hiking below Camp 1 with sirdar and guide Aang Phurba Sherpa. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Good times and sunshine while reviewing technical skills! Photo: Terray Sylvester

Good times and sunshine while reviewing technical skills! 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:

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Settling into Manaslu Base Camp

Photo from Madison Mountaineering archive. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Today, the Madison Mountaineering Manaslu expedition team continued to settle into their base camp and prepare for the days ahead! Inspiring views of Manaslu continue to keep spirits high, going into skills training on the glacier tomorrow. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester, checks in via Garmin inReach Mini from Manaslu base camp:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the 2022 [inaudible] – today is September 7th.

Today we took a rest day in camp (4859m/15,944ft); we did some laundry, finished getting moved into our tents, took some nice walks around camp with some views of Manaslu (8156m/26,759ft) starting to emerge above us [inaudible]. We watched the classic [inaudible] national treasure.

We’re just going to bed now and looking forward to some skills training on the glacier near camp tomorrow.

[Inaudible].

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:

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Hello, Manaslu Base Camp!

Climbing towards base camp with Manaslu towering above. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Today, the Madison Mountaineering Manaslu expedition team continued their journey on up to base camp, ascending to 4859m/15,944ft! After setting up camp, they enjoyed lunch, the new views presented from their temporary home, and were just about to sit down for dinner. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester, checks in via Garmin inReach Mini with this brief update:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the 2022 [inaudible] – September 6th.

Today we had great weather for our [inaudible] camp. We left Samagaun (3530m/11,581ft) [inaudible] for most the hike and then [inaudible].

The team is doing well! We moved into our tents, had a nice lunch and we’re just about to sit down for dinner.

All is well here and we will be in touch tomorrow!

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:

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Everest 2021, it’s a wrap!

Everest 2021 Team

Definitely a challenging season on the world’s highest peak, but in the end Sagarmatha smiled and opened her arms, welcoming us to journey to her highest point. Our @madisonmtng team had magnificent summit days on May 11th and 23rd, with a total of 17 foreign climbers and 23 Nepal Sherpas reaching the top, of which 5 foreign climbers went on to summit Lhotse with 6 Sherpas. Among our team was Arthur Muir, now the oldest American to reach the top of the world and Kristin Harila who reached the top of Everest at sunrise and the top of Lhotse later that day at sunset.

Despite the pandemic, the harsh weather, and other challenges which forced many teams to cancel mid-late season, our team pulled together and remained focused on our mission, accomplishing what we came here to do, and everyone (foreign climbers & Sherpas) made it off the mountain safely.

We are very grateful to our clients who believed in and trusted us, our guide and Sherpa staff who went above and beyond, and the mountain for giving us the opportunity to test ourselves and admire the view from the top for a few fleeting moments. We look forward to returning to Everest in the spring of 2022, Namaste 🙏!

Everest 2021

Everest 2021

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Post Climb Relaxing at EBC

Art Muir with climbing sherpa Pasang Bhote on the summit of Everest

Here’s expedition leader Garrett Madison with today’s dispatch from Mount Everest base camp:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest and Lhotse team.  We are in Everest Base Camp.

We had a nice, restful day here in base camp – cloudy and snowy all day.  We were going to head out today but no helicopter flights and we decided to delay one day, so we are planning to head out tomorrow.  Some folks are going to be trekking down the valley over three days to Lukla and others are hoping to helicopter out if the weather clears.  But the Cyclone Yaas out of the Bay of Bengal has created some very inclement weather here in Nepal in the Himalaya, so there might not be many helicopter flights coming soon.

Anyhow, we’re having a great time here, we’re savoring our summit success, and the fact that we all made it down safely and just enjoying our time together here as a team.  It’s been a wonderful two months here together in Nepal on the expedition, trekking, climbing, suffering together (haha), and we’re just enjoy our last day together here before we all head out.

So, we’re doing well and looking forward to another good night of rest in base camp.

(photo:  Madison Mountaineering team member Art Muir, at 75 years young, the oldest American to summit Everest along with climbing sherpa Pasang Bhote on the summit of Mount Everest!)

If climbing Mount Everest 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:

– 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:

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

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Summit Photos and Team Celebration!

The team toasting the summit success at Everest Base Camp. Cheers!

Riding high on the team success, Garrett and the team call in from Everest base camp:

Hey!  This is Garrett and the team here at Everest Base Camp.  We just finished our team celebration dinner.  We all got down safe to base camp through the Khumbu Icefall today.

What a WONDERFUL group of people!  I’m so happy everyone’s down safe.  We had a great time up there in a safe and successful climb!  [big team cheer]

Best team ever!

Art Muir, now the oldest American at 75 years-young to summit Mount Everest, in the background:  “Kurt, we could not have done it without all your help!”

Well, thank you Art.  I’m just in awe of your amazing accomplishment.  Wow!  Just wow!  From the home office in Seattle, hats off to all the team members, guides, and climbing sherpa, staff, and porters that really make the whole expedition possible.  We are so proud of all of you!

From Everest’s SE ridge on summit day

Andrew H and Garrett on the summit of Everest

Andrew H and Garrett on the summit of Everest

Kristin B and climbing sherpa Mingmar at the top of the world

Kristin B and climbing sherpa Mingmar at the top of the world

Kevin W enjoying a Coke with Phurba Rita Sherpa upon arriving in base camp

Kevin W enjoying a Coke with Phurba Rita Sherpa upon arriving in base camp

If climbing Mount Everest 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:

– 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:

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

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Team Safely Down to Camp II

Everest Camp 2

Our Everest team is safely down to Camp II and expedition leader Garrett Madison provides the recap of the descent from the South Col via sat phone:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest and Lhotse expedition.  Today is May 24th.  It’s 8:07 PM and we are all safely down in Camp II.

Today we woke up at Camp IV on the South Col about 6:00 AM, had breakfast, started packing, and made our way down from the South Col, over the Geneva Spur, down the Lhotse Face, over the Yellow Band, and onwards down over the [garbled] at Camp III, down the Western Cwm into Camp II.  We’re all safely back in Camp II.

We’re tired – it was a big effort getting down today.  But, everybody’s doing okay here in Camp II.

Our plan is to get up tomorrow at 4:00 AM and head out by 5:00 AM to make our way down through the Khumbu Icefall to base camp.  So we’re not out of the woods yet, but we’re down to Camp II, we’re doing well, and we’re just so fortunate and so happy that we had a beautiful summit day yesterday on Everest.  Nine clients, four guides, and over twenty sherpas were all able to make the summit on what was probably the nicest summit day I’ve ever had – beautiful conditions up there.  And some of our climbers were also able to make Lhotse.  So very fortunate that everyone had good climbing and is down safe.

One more day to go here through the Western Cwm and the Khumbu Icefall to be back at base camp.  We are looking forward to making our way towards Kathmandu and back home.

All’s well here in Camp II and we’ll check in soon!

(photo:  Madison Mountaineering archives)

If climbing Mount Everest 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:

– 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:

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

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Best. Summit. Day. Ever!

The Everest summit ridge on May 23rd

Via sat phone from Camp IV on the South Col of Mount Everest, expedition leader and now 11-time summiter of Mount Everest, Garrett Madison provides the happy news:

Hello!  This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest and Lhotse expedition.  Today is May 23rd, it’s 7:30 PM in Nepal.  We are at Camp IV on Mount Everest’s South Col.

We had an amazing day.  We left around midnight on the 23rd and summited Mount Everest this morning.  It was a beautiful day!  It was clear, calm, and probably the nicest summit day I’ve had on Everest out of my 11 summits!

Our team of nine clients, four American western guides, and over 20 Nepal sherpas all made it to the top of Everest and back down safe.  So, we had a wonderful day!  It was beautiful – amazing views as far as the eye could see and we spent a long time at the summit.

Tonight, we have some climbers heading out for Lhotse.  In fact, one of our climbers, Kristin Harila, actually already summited Lhotse.  From Everest to Lhotse today in record time!  She is on her way down from the Lhotse summit now.

Big congrats to Kristin and to all the members of our team for making it up to the top of Everest today and back down to Camp IV safely.

We aren’t out of the woods yet; we have to get down to Camp II tomorrow.  We are going to wake up, pack, and be safe on the way down the Lhotse Face to Camp II.  But, we’re very happy that the weather forecast from Marc De Keyser worked out and we got a beautiful day here on the summit of Everest.  It couldn’t have been better!  We are very fortunate and are looking forward to a safe descent.

(photo:  Madison Mountaineering archives)

If climbing Mount Everest 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:

– 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:

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

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Everest Summits!

Close up of Everest and Lhotse from Gokyo Ri

Our Everest base camp staff is in touch with the climbing team and is reporting the following May 23rd Everest summits (all times NPT):

  • 06:30 – Kristin H. / Aang Phurba Sherpa / Dawa Bhote
  • 08:30 – Kevin W. / Sid Pattison / Terray Sylvester / Phurba Ridar Bhote / Chhiring Bhote / Mingma Sherpa / Kul Bahadur Thapa Magar
  • 08:50 – Art M. / Pasang Bhote / Dawa Bhote
  • 09:15 – Cokie B. / Ronan M. / Mingma Dorjee Sherpa / Sange Sherpa / Pemba Sherpa / Lhakpa Bhote / Dawa Gyalgen Sherpa
  • 10:10 – Andrew H. / Kristin B. / Ben V. / Mark P. / Krisli M. / Rob Smith / Garrett Madison / Siddi Bahadur Tamang / Dawa Nupu Sherpa / Kam Dorjee Sherpa / Free Chhombi Sherpa / Diwas Sherpa / Tenzing Sherpa / Dorjee Sherpa

Total of 14 members and guides and 22 sherpa.

Congratulations to all the climbers and our entire 2021 Madison Mountaineering Everest staff!  Well done.  Wishing everyone a safe descent.

Official news to follow.

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