Tag Archive for: Sagarmatha Next

Rest day in Namche Bazaar!

The team at the Everest View Hotel with Ama Dablam and Everest peaking out from the clouds behind.

The Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition team spent the day acclimatizing around Namche Bazaar. After fueling up with breakfast, we took to the trails that lead up and out of Namche, towards the Everest View Hotel which offers excellent views of Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and more! Not to mention, a great spot to rest and enjoy tea and snacks on our active rest day. After descending back down to the team hotel, climbers rested, visited local cafes and got ready to continue on up the valley tomorrow. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from the Himalaya:

Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest (8848m/29,032ft) team.

Today we had a great day! We hiked up from Namche (3440m/11,290ft) to the Everest View Hotel. We had wonderful views of Mount Everest, Lhotse (8516m/27,940ft), Ama Dablam (6812m/22,349ft), and the other surrounding peaks. It was great to hike up and check out Sagarmatha Next; the waste, recycling, and art facility. Then, we came back down for lunch.

Everyone’s doing great! It’s so nice to be up in the mountains. We’re having a wonderful time trekking in the beautiful Khumbu Valley. We’re looking forward to more great views tomorrow! We’ll check in soon.

First views of Everest!

First views of Everest!

Ama Dablam as seen from the trail.

Ama Dablam as seen from the trail.

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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Checked in at the Panorama Lodge in Namche!

One of the many suspension bridges on the trail to Everest Base Camp!

The Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition team checked into one of our favorite places to stay in the Khumbu Valley today, the Panorama Lodge in Namche Bazaar! With no shortage of good weather and excellent vibes, the team is doing great and looking strong on the trek so far. We’ll spend two nights in the bustling village of Namche to acclimatize before packing our bags and continuing on up the valley! Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Namche Bazaar:

Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest (8848m/29,032ft) team.

Today, we trekked up to the village of Namche Bazaar (3440m/11,290ft). We’re really happy to be here, staying in the Panorama Lodge with our good friends, Mingma Sherpa and his family. We’ve stayed here for many years and it’s just wonderful to return every year, and get to be with them and enjoy their beautiful lodge, and the town of Namche!

Great views today, some epic suspension bridges we crossed over. A few other teams and yaks on the trail, but we’re looking forward to a hike up to the Everest View Hotel tomorrow; hopefully get a view of Everest if it’s clear! And visit the Sagarmatha Next Foundation building that we work with with with our nonprofit, the Madison Mountaineering Foundation.

So, the team’s doing well! We’re happy to be here. We are having some great weather. We’re just heading uphill, living the dream!

We’ll check in soon.

All smiles and prepared to cross another suspension bridge.

All smiles and prepared to cross another suspension bridge.

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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Visiting Sagarmatha Next

The team on the way to the Everest View Hotel (photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering environmental restoration team had another great day while acclimatizing in and around Namche Bazaar! After enjoying a hearty breakfast at their tea house, the team hiked up to the Everest View Hotel for acclimatization, tea, and snacks. On the way back to their lodge, they stopped by Sagarmatha Next, one of our partners in removing waste from the region—ensuring it is either properly disposed of or transformed into art by the organization’s resident artists. Expedition Leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Namche Bazaar:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Gokyo Ri, Lobuche East and Island Peak environmental restoration trek – today is October 22nd.

Today we had a nice breakfast here at the Panorama Lodge where we’re staying in Namche Bazaar (3440m/11,290ft), and then we hiked up to the Everest View Hotel. It was another beautiful morning here in the Khumbu Valley! And so this morning we had our first clear views of the Everest (8848m/29,032ft) and Lhotse (8516m/27,940ft) Massif. Everest itself was partly obscured by a lenticular cloud, but really nice views of Lhotse and Nuptse (7861m/25,791ft), as well as Ama Dablam (6812m/22,349ft) and Cholatse (6440m/21,130ft), and Taboche (6495m/21,309ft), plus other peaks around the Khumbu Valley.

And then after the Everest View Hotel, we walked over to Sagarmatha Next. Sagarmatha Next is an NGO that raises awareness around waste management issues here in the Khumbu. Since this is an environmental restoration trek, we’ll be partnering with them, yet again, for the third time on this itinerary. We plan to pick up trash at Lobuche East (6119m/20,075ft) and Island Peak (6189m/20,305ft), and perhaps other locations around the Khumbu. Then, if we find any clean mountaineering equipment, such as old ropes or crampons, or other items, we’ll send those over to Sagarmatha Next, where it will be turned into art by their resident artists. So it’s great to partner with them again!

We headed back down to the Panorama Inn for lunch and we rested the rest of the evening. We’re looking forward to trekking to Dole (4038m/13,248ft) tomorrow! We’ll be in touch.

Visiting Sagarmatha Next, and one of its founders, Tommy Gustafsson (photo by Terray Sylvester)

Visiting Sagarmatha Next, and one of its founders, Tommy Gustafsson (photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our climber Steve McConnell at Sagarmatha Next (photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our climber Steve McConnell at Sagarmatha Next (photo by Terray Sylvester)

Beautiful views above Namche Bazaar (photo by Terray Sylvester)

Beautiful views above Namche Bazaar (photo by Terray Sylvester)

Ama Dablam towers high above the valley (photo by Terray Sylvester)

Ama Dablam towers high above the valley (photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our climber Rick Irvine enjoying the beautiful fall weather (photo by Terray Sylvester)

Our climber Rick Irvine enjoying the beautiful fall weather (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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