Tag Archive for: Himalayas

Acclimatizing in Camp 1

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering Manaslu expedition team had a productive day in Camp 1! We started our day by taking an acclimatization hike further up the route, allowing our climbers to get familiar with the climbing still to come, all while building the red blood cells that help us to climb higher and higher on the mountain. Tomorrow, our team will descend back down to our base camp where we’ll rest and get ready for the next rotation! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Camp 1 on Manaslu:

Today we rested in Camp 1 (5700m/18,700ft). In the morning we went for an acclimatization foray into the icefall that separates Camp 1 from Camp 2 (6400m/21,000ft), then returned to our tents for a lunch of cheese and bacon quesadillas. With unexpectedly heavy snow in the forecast, we plan to descend to base camp (4859m/15,944ft) tomorrow to rest for our next rotation.

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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Acclimatization rotation underway on Manaslu!

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering Manaslu expedition team has started their first rotation on the mountain, where they’ll continue their acclimatization efforts and familiarize themselves with the route along the way! While climbing up from base camp to Camp 1, the team had excellent weather and climbing conditions, making for another wonderful day in the Himalaya. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Camp 1 on Manaslu:

Hello from Camp 1 (5700m/18,700ft)! Today we woke to a dusting of fresh snow on the cliffs above base camp (4859m/15,944ft) and the upper mountain. It felt a bit like fall had arrived. After breakfast, we climbed to Camp 1 in almost perfect conditions: no precipitation but a light overcast to moderate the heat. We’ve had dinner now, and we’re settling in for the first night of our acclimatization rotation. We’ll 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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Puja Day

Our climbers at our pre-climb Puja today. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering Manaslu expedition team held their Puja ceremony today, which is a crucial piece to many of our expeditions in the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges. The Puja is a sacred ceremony where we make offerings and ask the mountain for safe passage before beginning any climbing. It was another great day in the mountains, the team is in good spirits, and ready to start their first rotation on Manaslu, the world’s eighth-highest peak! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the Himalayas:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Manaslu (8156m/26,759ft) expedition – today is September 10th.

Today we had our pre-climb Puja! A Lama came up from Sama village and we had a nice ceremony asking the mountain for safe passage while we climb. Then, in the afternoon after lunch, we prepared for our first rotation on the mountain. Tomorrow, if all goes as planned we will move up to Camp 1 (5700m/18,700ft) with the goal of spending about four nights on the mountain before returning to base camp (4859m/15,944ft). That will be a crucial step as we acclimatize for our eventual summit push.

Right now, it’s beautiful in base camp! We’ve got a clear view down the valley over the cloud-tops looking toward Chamar (7165m/23,507ft) and [Chachung?] peaks in the distance, it’s just really nice here. So, all is well and we will be in touch from higher on the mountain!

Members of our Sherpa team during the Puja. From left, Tenzi, Temba and Ming Dorchi. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Members of our Sherpa team during the Puja. From left, Tenzi, Temba and Ming Dorchi. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Temba stringing prayer flags over our base camp. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Temba stringing prayer flags over our base camp. (Photo by 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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Technical training on the Manaslu Glacier

Ming Dorchi, a member of our Sherpa team, working with our climber, Sara. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering Manaslu expedition team took to the ice again today for more technical training as they prepare for their first rotation on the mountain. The team has enjoyed great weather so far in base camp, which has offered clear views of the route ahead and the valley we climbed up from just a few days ago. With our Puja ceremony planned for tomorrow, the team is in good spirits and looking forward to what’s still to come! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the Himalayas:

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

Today we woke up to another beautiful, sunny morning here in base camp (4859m/15,944ft)! So, we walked back up to ‘crampon point’ at the edge of the Manaslu Glacier and spent the morning practicing technical skills on the ice cliffs there. Then we came back down to base camp for lunch and we’ve been relaxing since then! While we were training, we had fantastic views of the upper mountain and the route up to Camp 1 (5700m/18,700ft), Camp 2 (6400m/21,000ft), and on higher on the mountain.

Tomorrow, we are looking forward to our Puja which is the ceremony we hold at the beginning of every expedition to ask the mountain for safe passage while we’re climbing. September 10th is an auspicious day for that according to the Tibetan Buddhist calendar. So, we’ll have a Lama come to camp and hopefully, we have a great ceremony. That’s always a nice way for the team to come together before we start our first acclimatization rotation on the mountain!

So, we will be in touch tomorrow!

Temba, a member of our Sherpa team, hiking to the team’s training location above base camp. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Temba, a member of our Sherpa team, hiking to the team’s training location above base camp. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Practicing technical skills on the Manaslu Glacier! (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Practicing technical skills on the Manaslu Glacier! (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Practicing technical skills on the Manaslu Glacier! (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Practicing technical skills on the Manaslu Glacier! (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Excellent views from the trail above base camp. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Excellent views from the trail above base camp. (Photo by 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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Training Day

The team taking a break while practicing technical skills! (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering Manaslu expedition team spent the day training on the glacier that sits above their base camp! These days are integral to our expeditions and ensure that the team is feeling sharp and ready to go when it comes time to climb. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the Himalaya:

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

Today we woke up to sunny skies! So we had a nice breakfast, then walked up to ‘crampon point’ at the edge of the glacier above base camp (4859m/15,944ft) and spent the morning practicing fixed-line climbing and descending techniques there on the ice. Then we came back, had a nice lunch, and we’ve been relaxing this afternoon. We’re about to have dinner, and then watch a movie and head to bed.

Today was a nice day! We had really clear views of the entire upper mountain and great views down into the valley. So, all is well here in Nepal! We’ll be in touch tomorrow.

Great views of Manaslu from our base camp today! (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Great views of Manaslu from our base camp today! (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our climber, Sara, practicing ascending fixed lines. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our climber, Sara, practicing ascending fixed lines. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Ascending fixed lines. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Ascending fixed lines. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our climber, Jimmy, practicing technical skills. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our climber, Jimmy, practicing technical skills. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Descending to base camp after a successful training session. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Descending to base camp after a successful training session. (Photo by 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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First full day in Base Camp!

A sunny morning in Manaslu Base Camp! (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Today the team continued getting to know their new home at the foot of Manaslu! The day started off with a nice breakfast and views of the mountain peeking through the clouds. After fueling up for the day, the team came together to put the finishing touches on their base camp and then had some fun brushing up on technical skills that will be used throughout the climb. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the Himalaya:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Manaslu (8156m/26,759ft) expedition – today is September 7th.

Today we woke up to clearing skies! It was nice to have some sunshine for our first morning here in base camp (4859m/15,944ft). We had a nice breakfast of pancakes with real maple syrup, bacon, and eggs, and some nice fresh yogurt. Our kitchen staff here at these camps high up in the Himalayas do a great job of making really good yogurt. We had some fresh apples to go along with that.

We spent the morning buffing out our base camp! We set up our Mountain Hardwear Space Station Dome. That will be a nice space for our climbers to relax during the expedition! In the afternoon, we dialed in our climbing equipment and reviewed some technical skills before having a nice dinner and watching another movie.

Tomorrow we plan to do an acclimatization hike up toward ‘crampon point’ at the edge of the ice! So, we’ll be in touch tomorrow. All is well here in Nepal!

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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Out of the valley and into the alpine

The team celebrating with a welcome cake after arriving in base camp!

The team climbed out of the lower valley and into the alpine, finding their way to Manaslu Base Camp after acclimatizing for the last few days. Nice views of familiar sights revealed themselves below as we climbed up the trail. Now in base camp, the fun begins and we start to prepare for the climbing to come! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the Manaslu Base Camp:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Manaslu (8156m/26,759ft) expedition – today is September 6th.

Today we left Sama Village at about 8:00 AM and arrived in base camp (4859m/15,944ft) about four and a half hours later. We had nice weather for most of the hike with good views down the valley past the Manaslu Glacier and Birendra Lake toward Sama. A little bit of rain as we got into base camp. We had a nice lunch and then we moved into our tents and got settled in base camp. And now we’re just about to sit down for dinner and then we’ll watch a movie afterward in our base camp cinema.

The weather right now is very nice! We can see up to Camp 3 (6800m/22,310ft) and up toward the summit, and we’re getting patches of blue sky through the clouds.

So, all is well here in Nepal and we will be in touch tomorrow!

Our climber, Sara, en route to base camp. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our climber, Sara, en route to base camp. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our climber, Jimmy, en route to base camp. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our climber, Jimmy, en route to base camp. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our climber, Chie, approaching base camp with Siddhi, a member of our Sherpa team. Birendra Lake, Sama Village, and the Manaslu Glacier can be seen in the background. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our climber, Chie, approaching base camp with Siddhi, a member of our Sherpa team. Birendra Lake, Sama Village, and the Manaslu Glacier can be seen in the background. (Photo by 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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Hello from Manaslu Base Camp!

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering Manaslu expedition team has arrived in base camp! Upon reaching their temporary home, clouds in the sky parted ways and revealed the summit high above – the team’s first sight of the summit on the trip so far. Expedition leader Terray Sylvester checks in with this exciting dispatch from base camp:

Hello from Manaslu Base Camp (4859m/15,944ft)! Today we hiked here from Sama Village with excellent views of the lower Manaslu Glacier and the Nubri Valley far below us. In the afternoon, the summit (8156m/26,759ft) emerged from the clouds as we settled into camp. We just wrapped up dinner and our first movie of the expedition: Back to the Future. We’ll 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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Tomorrow to Base Camp!

The team acclimatizing on the trail to base camp! (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering Manaslu expedition team is prepared to make the move up to base camp tomorrow! After several days of acclimatizing in the lower valleys, the team is in good spirits and ready to continue on. Today’s hike presented awesome views at every turn in the trail and new sights are sure to reveal themselves as we move higher into the alpine tomorrow. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the Himalaya:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Manaslu (8156m/26,759ft) expedition – today is September 5th.

Today we went on our final acclimatization hike before moving up to Manaslu Base Camp (4859m/15,944ft). We hiked halfway up the trail to base camp with great views of waterfalls and Birendra Lake below us, as well as Samdo Peak (5177m/16,984ft) behind us. Then we came back down to Sama Village for lunch.

We’re resting this afternoon, packing, taking showers, and tomorrow morning we’ll wake up early and move up to base camp! We’ll be in touch tomorrow.

The magical trails of the Nubri Valley, below Manaslu! (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The magical trails of the Nubri Valley, below Manaslu! (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Great views of Birendra Lake far below the route to Manaslu Base Camp! (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Great views of Birendra Lake far below the route to Manaslu Base Camp! (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Climbers, Sara and Jimmy hiking today. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Climbers, Sara and Jimmy hiking today. (Photo by 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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Touring the Punggen Valley

Punggen Gompa, the oldest monastery in the Manaslu area.

Today the Madison Mountaineering Manaslu expedition team continued their acclimatization efforts in the areas surrounding Sama Village. The day started with clear and sunny skies, revealing spectacular views of the valleys and mountains surrounding the small village. Energized by the sun and with ever-growing excitement for the journey ahead, the team set off and toured the Punggen Valley and paid a visit to the Punggen Gompa, the oldest monastery in the area. Upon starting their journey home for the day, the team was invited for a visit into the home of one of the Buddhist nuns where they shared tea and cheese, a welcome surprise, and end to another great day in the Himalayas! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Nepal:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Manaslu (8156m/26,759ft) expedition – today is September 4th.

Today we took a really nice acclimatization hike up into the Punggen Valley, which is not far from Sama Village where we’re staying. The hike leads up along the torrent that comes out of the Punggen Glacier, and then through really beautiful pastureland where yaks and horses are grazing, and then up to the Punggen Gompa which is the oldest monastery in the Manaslu area.

As we were walking back from the monastery, one of the Buddhist nuns who lives in that whole monastery complex invited (us) into her house and treated us to butter tea, which is a very traditional drink here in the mountains of Nepal as well as fresh yak milk and yak cheese – actually those came from a nak, it was nak milk and nak cheese. A nak, N-A-K, is the female version of a yak, all yaks are male.

Then we walked back down to Sama Village. So, all in all it was a really pleasant day! Tomorrow we’re looking forward to another acclimatization hike up towards base camp (4859m/15,944ft). We’ll be in touch tomorrow!

A sunny morning in Sama Village!

A sunny morning in Sama Village!

The team at the entrance to the Punggen Valley.

The team at the entrance to the Punggen Valley.

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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