Puja Ceremony Archives

Ama Dablam 2022

Primed for First Rotation!

Members of our team during todays puja. Photo: Terray Sylvester

The team has arrived in base camp and is all set to begin their first rotation tomorrow! Over the course of the last few days, the team’s spent their time relaxing, doing trainings, sorting gear, acclimatizing, and taking part in a puja ceremony. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in from base camp with todays dispatch:

Hey! This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Ama Dablam (6812m/22,349ft) expedition team – today is Friday, October 28th.

We arrived in base camp (4600m/15,100ft) a couple of nights ago, had a nice trek up here and base camp’s just been a great place to move into, relax, enjoy – the team’s doing well! We did some training, some gear sorting after we got here, and an acclimatization hike. Today, we did our puja ceremony!

Our plan is to head up to Camp 1 (5791m/19,000ft) for a couple of nights, starting tomorrow on our first rotation. It’ll be good to get up higher, acclimatize and check out some of the climbing route from Camp 1 to Camp 2 (5980m/19,619ft). We’ll be back down in a few days!

Everyone’s doing well! We’ll check in soon. Thanks!

Acclimatizing above base camp! Photo: Terray Sylvester

Our climber, Rich, reviewing technical skills. Photo: Terray Sylvester

Our climber, Rock, near Ama Dablam base camp! Photo: Terray Sylvester

Our climber, Stephane, receiving a blessing for long life during today’s puja! Photo: Terray Sylvester

Puja ceremony in base camp! 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:

October 28, 2022/0 Comments/by Garrett

Manaslu 2022.08.31

Puja Ceremony at Manaslu Base Camp

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

Ngodup Lama leading todays puja. 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

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

September 9, 2022/0 Comments/by Garrett

Manaslu 2022.08.31

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

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

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:

September 8, 2022/0 Comments/by Garrett

K2 2022

Puja Ceremony and Preparation

Members of our Sherpa team making offerings during our puja ceremony today (📸: @terray_s)

Today, the team had their Puja ceremony in base camp (4968m/16,300ft) and continues to rest up before they make their way back up the mountain. Here’s expedition lead, Garrett Madison, with today’s dispatch from K2 base camp:

Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 Expedition.

Today is July 7th and today we had our Puja ceremony in base camp. After lunch, the weather cleared up and our Sherpa team, our Pakistani team, and all of our climbers gathered around our Puja shrine. We had a wonderful ceremony asking the mountain for safe passage. Afterwards, we had a little dance party, celebration, then had a nice dinner and just finished a movie!

So, everyone’s doing well in base camp. We’re resting lots, eating, and just taking it easy – waiting for some of this bad weather to pass and looking forward to good weather on the way!

All is well here on K2.

Our Pakistani staff and members of our Sherpa team providing the music for the post-puja dancing today (📸: @terray_s)

Climber, Krisli, receiving a blessing from Dorje Gyaljen Sherpa at today’s puja (📸: @terray_s)

Our climber, Nelly, sporting a tsampa (roasted barley flour) “mustache” during today’s puja. The mustache is a blessing to guarantee that the recipient lives to old age (📸: @terray_s)

Dorje Gyaljen Sherpa leading today’s puja. Dorje is a very strong Himalayan climber and member of our Sherpa team, he’s also trained as a Buddhist lama (📸: @terray_s)

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:

July 7, 2022/0 Comments/by Garrett

Everest 2022

Rest Day and Birthday Cake at Base Camp

Celebrating climber Roi Negri's birthday at Everest base camp

Our Everest team enjoyed a rest day at Everest base camp today – it also came with cake! Here’s guide Terray Sylvester with today’s audio expedition dispatch:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the 2022 Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition! It’s April 18th.

Today was a rest day and people were free to catch up on laundry, take showers, go for walks around base camp and a bit farther afield. It was beautiful weather, yet again.

In the evening we had a dinner of cheesy potatoes, teriakyi BBQ chicken, fresh veggies and for dessert a birthday cake for our climber, Roi Negri. Then we watched the “The Big Lebowski.”

So, all is well here and we will be in touch.

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:

April 18, 2022/0 Comments/by Garrett

Everest 2022

Puja Ceremony at EBC

Today, the Everest team wrapped up their technical skills training and enjoyed their traditional Puja Ceremony at base camp. Here’s guide Terray Sylvester with today’s audio expedition dispatch:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the 2022 Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition! It’s April 17th.

Today we wrapped up our technical training on the ice pinnacles right below base camp here on the Khumbu Glacier. And then, in the afternoon, we had our pre-climb Puja. Today is an auspicious day for that in the Tibetan calendar. And so it was a great ceremony with blessings for everybody and lots of dancing afterward. That ceremony is just intended to ask permission to climb the mountain and ensure safe passage up and down for all of us.

The team is in good spirits – everyone is doing really well with their training.

Tomorrow we’ll likely have a rest day as we prepare for our move up to Camp 1 (6050m/19,849ft) for our first acclimatization rotation, which will probably happen sometime in the next few days.

So, we’ll be in touch!

Puja Ceremony at Everest Base Camp

Sirdar Aang Phurba putting barley flour on climber Cameron Kenny’s face to ensure a long life

Puja celebration

The whole 2022 climbing team after the puja

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:

April 17, 2022/0 Comments/by Garrett

Everest 2019.09

Puja at EBC

After reaching Everest Base Camp yesterday, the team held their Puja ceremony today in which a Buddist Lama led the team in prayers for safe passage on the mountain. Garrett Madison, expedition leader, has this update:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering / Mountain Hardwear Everest Expedition. Today is September 16th. We arrived at base camp yesterday on the 15th, settled in last night, and had a good night.

Today we did our Puja ceremony with the whole Sherpa team, all of the climbers, and trekkers! It was a really good Puja ceremony; we had a Buddist Lama from Pingboche come up the valley and we had good weather for nearly all of our Puja ceremony. So, it was a great day, great ceremony!

Tomorrow we are going to start climbing, work on the route through the icefall. And also say goodbye to our trekking team who are going to head back down towards Lukla and Kathmandu. All’s well here at Everest Base Camp.

We’ll check-in soon. Thanks!

Puja! (📸: Aang Phurba Sherpa)

Climbing team after the Puja ceremony (📸: Aang Phurba Sherpa)

Garrett and Anag Phurba at the Puja (📸: Aang Phurba Sherpa)

The team after the Puja ceremony (📸: Aang Phurba Sherpa)

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:

https://madisonmountaineering.com/maps/everest-2019-autumn

September 16, 2019/0 Comments/by Garrett

Everest 2017

Joyful Puja ceremony filled with laughter and dancing

The high Buddhist monk journeyed to Mount Everest base camp this afternoon and blessed our team with a joyful Puja ceremony. Our climbing and Sherpa team gathered together as one to give thanks to Sagarmatha and present gifts for safe passage. The lama was graceful and presented each climber with a blessing. After the ceremony concluded our friends on the Gurkha team (Nepal and UK) came down to our camp and joined in the festivities. Winds have finally settled down and we were all able to relax outside together and enjoy the cultural Nepalese experience.

In the afternoon, a few members of our team went out into the Khumbu icefall for additional training on the ice. We are all settling down for the night now and about to enjoy another of Antony Dubber’s amazing meals, I do believe that we are all gaining weight up here with his extraordinary high altitude culinary skills. After supper we typically partake in watching a film in our the movie theater, tonight we watched Top Gun.

Tomorrow we will not be climbing or training in the icefall in remembrance of the 2014 icefall tragedy. Our team will rest and prepare equipment for the first rotation in the days to come. The stoke is high and we are all ready to move up the mountain. To higher places!

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Joyful Puja ceremony

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Joyful Puja ceremony

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Joyful Puja ceremony

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Joyful Puja ceremony

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Joyful Puja ceremony

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Joyful Puja ceremony

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Joyful Puja ceremony

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Joyful Puja ceremony

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Joyful Puja ceremony

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Joyful Puja ceremony

April 17, 2017/0 Comments/by Andrew

Everest 2016

Lama comes to Everest Base Camp for Puja Ceremony!

Today we said goodbye to the trekkers and prepared for the Puja Ceremony. A Lama came into our base camp and was assisted by sherpa to bless our team and equipment for safe passage to the top of Mt. Everest. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the ceremony! Through the afternoon the weather slowly shifted to clouds and then to snow. In base camp we received a couple inches of snow and the temperature dropped considerably. Good thing we are well equipped! The weather report is calling for snow over the next few days and the possibility of sun in the morning hours. At dinner we celebrated Nick’s Birthday with a large cake and we all sang happy birthday together!

Tomorrow we will continue to sort our gear and prepare the communication equipment. Our team will conduct training in the icefall to prepare for the first rotation up to Camp 1. The team is doing very well and we are all in good health. Onward and upward!

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