Tag Archive for: Himalaya

Pheriche to Lobuche

Trekking to Lobuche

Everest guide Terray Sylvester calls in from the Nepal village of Lobuche with a recap of the day’s trek:

Hello, this is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering 2021 Everest expedition.  It’s Saturday, April 10th.  Today we walked from Pheriche to Lobuche.  So we’re at a new higher altitude, we’re at almost exactly 5000m.  We had great weather for the walk today.  We stopped for lunch at Dughla and then we climbed up the moraine at the foot of the path of the Khumbu glacier and had some really great views as we passed Lobuche Peak and came into the village of Lobche.

We relaxed in the bakery here in Lobuche, which was open – more cappuccinos and baked goods.  Then we watched the alpinglow on the flanks of Nuptse and enjoyed dinner.  We’re just heading to bed now.

Tomorrow we’ll move on up to Gorakshep and we will enjoy a sunset climb up to Kala Patthar.  So all is well and we’ll be in touch!

The views along the trek from Pheriche to Lobuche

The views along the trek from Pheriche to Lobuche

Trekking to Lobuche

Trekking to Lobuche

Trekking to Lobuche

Trekking to Lobuche

Trekking to Lobuche

Trekking to Lobuche

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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Acclimatizing above Pheriche to Prayer Flag Point

Today’s hike to Prayer Flag Point above Dingboche, with views of Ama Dablam and other peaks

Madison Mountaineering guide Terray Sylvester has today’s expedition dispatch recapping a beautiful day acclimating above Pheriche:

Hello!  This is Terray Sylvester calling in for the Madison Mountaineering 2021 Mount Everest expedition.  It’s April 9th.

Today the team enjoyed an acclimatization hike to Prayer Flag Point in beatiful weather above Pheriche and Dingboche.  We had excellent views of Ama Dablam, Makalu in the distance, and the ridgeline that leads up to Lhotse.  Then we descend down to Dingboche where we enjoyed coffee and delicious pastries in a bakery.  Then we turned down to Pheriche for lunch.

The team attended a medical talk on altitude illness and other mountain concerns here at the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) clinic.  And then enjoyed lunch and rested until dinner.  Tomorrow we’ll move on up to Lobuche and we’ll enjoy our first views of Khumbu glacier – so we’re looking forward to that.

So far we have had just beatiful weather – light snow storms in the evening, but beatiful sunny days.  We hope for more of the same tomorrow.  We’ll be in touch!

Today’s hike to Prayer Flag Point above Dingboche, with views of Ama Dablam and other peaks

Today’s hike to Prayer Flag Point above Dingboche, with views of Ama Dablam and other peaks

Today’s hike to Prayer Flag Point above Dingboche, with views of Ama Dablam and other peaks

Today’s hike to Prayer Flag Point above Dingboche, with views of Ama Dablam and other peaks

Today’s hike to Prayer Flag Point above Dingboche, with views of Ama Dablam and other peaks

Today’s hike to Prayer Flag Point above Dingboche, with views of Ama Dablam and other peaks

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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Deboche to Pheriche

View from our lodge in Pheriche

Expedition leader Garrett Madison provides today’s recap of the trek from Deboche to Pheriche, as the Everest team moves closer to Everest Base Camp:

Greetings from Pheriche! The team is comfortable and resting in the lodge after a great day walking from Deboche.

Our day began under clear skies greeting the team with our first clear views of Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam. Overnight rain exaggerated the floral smells of the Khumbu valley and the absence of the usual trekking groups made the walk feel like trip back in time. We made our way along the river to the village of Pengboche where we had tea and received our blessing from the Lama for a safe and successful climb.

Afterwards, we walked high above the river passing chortans and stupas to the village of Shomare where we drank tea and had lunch in the sun. Fueled up and feeling good for the final leg of the day, we rounded the corner to Pheriche beneath the imposing sentinels that are Taboche and Cholatse. We arrived at our lodge for the night just as the snow and grauple started to fall briefly before clearing again giving us some final dramatic views of the huge mountains.

For now we eat, rest and ready ourselves to acclimatize up high above Pheriche tomorrow. Goodnight!

View of Ama Dablam today

View of Ama Dablam today

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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Namche to Deboche

Trekking to Deboche

Departing Namche Bazaar, today the Everest team trekked to the village of Deboche, spending some time at the Tengboche Monastery along the way.  Madison Mountaineering guide Rob Smith provides the expedition dispatch of the day:

Hey, this is Rob Smith here from the Madison Mountaineering Everest 2021 expedition.  All’s going well.  What a great day today!  We left Namche this morning after a nice blessing by the lodge owner and we all got a khata each.

Climbing out of Namche we traversed along the hill before dropping down to the river at Phungi Thenga for lunch.  We then had a 600m/2,000ft climb up the side of Tengboche Hill.  We stopped at the Monastery, which was looking splendid in the afternoon light.  Tengboche was very quiet, so we felt very fortunate to have it to ourselves.  Some of us also visited the memorial for the 1963 American Expedition on Everest.  And then we strolled downhill through the rhododendron forest to Deboche, where we are settled into our cozy lodge sat around the wood-burning stove and all is good!

This is Rob, signing off.

Everest climbing team departing the Panorama Lodge in Namche

Everest climbing team departing the Panorama Lodge in Namche

Mark P receives a blessing and a khata at the Panorama Lodge in Namche

Mark P receives a blessing and a khata at the Panorama Lodge in Namche

Mani stones on the trek to Dobuche

Mani stones on the trek to Dobuche

Arriving at the Tengboche Monastery

Arriving at the Tengboche Monastery

The Tengboche Monastery

The Tengboche Monastery

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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Acclimating above Namche

Above Namche Bazaar

Resting and acclimatization in and around Namche Bazaar, the Everest team hiked up to the Hotel Everest View.  Here’s expedition leader Garrett Madison‘s recap of the day:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition team.  Today is April 6th and we had a nice rest day in Namche.

We trekked up to the Everest View Hotel and had a good view up the valley of Ama Dablam and Everest, but it was a little bit hazy because of the smoke from forest fires here in Nepal at the moment.  We came back to our lodge, the Panorama Lodge & Restaurant, in Namche, had a nice lunch, and then explored the town of Namche in the afternoon.

We just had a good dinner and now we’re off to bed.  Our plan is to head out tomorrow and trek up the valley to Deboche.

All’s well here in the Khumbu Valley of Nepal.  We’ll check in soon!

Acclimatization hike from Namche to the Everest View Hotel

Acclimatization hike from Namche to the Everest View Hotel

Hanging out at the Everest View Hotel

Hanging out at the Everest View Hotel

Acclimatization hike from Namche to the Everest View Hotel

Acclimatization hike from Namche to the Everest View Hotel

Acclimatization hike from Namche to the Everest View Hotel

Acclimatization hike from Namche to the Everest View Hotel

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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Phakding to Namche Bazaar

Happy Madison Mountaineering trekkers

Today the base camp trekking team and the Everest climb team trekked along the Dudh Koshi and up the big hill to the capital village of the Khumbu, Namche Bazaar.  Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, provides the details of the day’s trek:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest expedition team and trek.  Today we trekked from Phakding up to Namche.

It was a beautiful day, with some nice views crossing suspension bridges over the river gorge and of some snow-capped peaks.  We had a nice lunch in Jorsalle en route.

We arrived at Namche this afternoon, checked into our rooms, and walked around town a bit.  We just finished a nice dinner here, and we’re looking forward to a good night’s rest.

Tomorrow we are excited for an acclimatization hike and a rest here in Namche!

All’s well in Nepal and we’ll check in soon.

Thamserku rising high above the river Dudh Koshi

Thamserku rising high above the river Dudh Koshi

Garrett and Art M trekking to Namche

Garrett and Art M trekking to Namche

Kristin B crossing the Dudh Koshi before the big hill up to Namche

Kristin B crossing the Dudh Koshi before the big hill up to Namche

Trekking up to Namche Bazaar

Trekking up to Namche Bazaar

Kristin H enjoying the trek

Kristin H enjoying the trek

Arriving Namche Bazaar on a beautiful afternoon in Nepal

Arriving Namche Bazaar on a beautiful afternoon in Nepal

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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The Trek to Base Camp Begins!

Mani stones along the trek from Lukla to Phakding

The team has left Kathmandu, and the trek to Mount Everest base camp is officially underway!  Here’s expedition leader, Garrett Madison, with today’s dispatch from the mountain village of Lukla, Nepal:

Hello!  This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition team.  Today is April 4th, and we flew from Kathmandu up to Lukla to begin our trek – the first day up the Khumbu Valley.

Yesterday we went sightseeing around Kathmandu. We visited three sites:  Pashupatinath, Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath), and Boudhanath. We genuinely enjoyed Kathmandu and finished the day with a nice team dinner.  This morning we got up early, went to the airport, and got on our flights to Lukla.

So, we’re all up here in Lukla enjoying a nice day – it’s a little hazy from the forest fire smoke down below, but not too bad.  We are just really happy to be here and looking forward to getting the trek underway, enjoying some fresh air, some good view, and a little exercise.

So, all’s well from the Khumbu Valley in Nepal!  We’ll check in soon.

Kathmandu city tour - Baudhanath

Kathmandu city tour – Baudhanath

Monkey Temple - Kathmandu

Monkey Temple – Kathmandu

Kathmandu city tour

Kathmandu city tour

Enjoying one of the Lukla tea houses

Enjoying one of the Lukla tea houses

Amazing views trekking from Lukla to Phakding!

Amazing views trekking from Lukla to Phakding!

The village of Phakding along the Dudh Koshi

The village of Phakding along the Dudh Koshi

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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Welcome to Everest 2021!

The Everest summit ridge on May 23rd

Welcome to Everest 2021! Our annual spring Mount Everest expedition begins in just 30 days. Our strong team of international climbers will gather at the Hotel Yak and Yeti, our Kathmandu home-base and the launching point of countless Mount Everest expeditions over the years. Here in Seattle, we are now gathering expedition equipment, food and supplies, making logistical arrangements with our Nepal support staff, and ensuring that all of our climbing team members and trekkers have everything ready to go. Busy times at Madison Mountaineering HQ! We are looking forward to our continued best-in-class rate of success and safety on Everest. Leaders in setting the fixed ropes, we have put the first team on top in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

We are excited by the upcoming season and hope that you will all follow along with our expedition dispatches as the team makes their way to base camp and then up the mountain!

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

– Instagram:

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Virtual Everest 2020 – Support the Sherpas

Climbers on the Lhotse face

Normally, at this time, our Everest climbing team would have just finished two nights at Namche Bazaar and trekked on to the village of Deboche where they would be spending the evening with our friends at the Rivendell Lodge and looking forward to six more days on the trail towards Everest Base Camp.

But as you know, this terrible COVID-19 pandemic has changed just about everything for all of us.  Our thoughts are with everyone impacted from the dire to the inconvenienced.  Included in that are all of our Nepal staff, including Sherpa and other mountain workers who depend on the spring climbing season for such a large percentage of their annual income.  Income that is used to support their families, buy food, pay school costs, maintain their homes, and more.  This year’s loss of income will be a considerable hardship for many of them.

While Madison Mountaineering will be doing what we can to lessen the loss, we need your help!  Please consider making a generous donation to the GoFundMe campaign we have established to assist our impacted Nepal staff.  All proceeds will be distributed directly to them.

Also, friend of Madison Mountaineering, Alan Arnette, who for many years has been providing excellent daily coverage of the Everest climbing season (and other climbing expeditions year-round) has this year created a wonderfully entertaining fictional day-by-day ‘coverage’ – Virtual Everest 2020 – that we hope you will follow and enjoy!

We will get through this together and be climbing again soon!

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Nepal announces all expeditions cancelled for Spring 2020

Climber on Mount Everest

Late last week amid all of the rapidly evolving global cancelations and shutdowns to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the government of Nepal officially announced the cancellation of all Spring expeditions along with additional changes to their tourist visa requirements.

While we are saddened that all of the hard work and preparations of our team members, our guides, Sherpa, and staff won’t allow us to enjoy the challenge and beauty of Himalayas this spring, we applaud and respect Nepal’s decision.  The health and wellbeing of all of us global citizens is top priority.

The mountain will always be there — let’s go climb Everest next season together!

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