Tag Archive for: Seven Summits

Active Rest Day in Namche Bazaar

Guide Cacho Beiza leading the group above Namche.

Enjoying an active rest day in Namche Bazaar, the teams hiked up to the Everest View Hotel and enjoyed…  (wait for it)…  some wonderful views of Everest and the surrounding peaks!  Madison Mountaineering guide Terray Sylvester provides a recap of the day:

Hello!  This is Terray calling in for the 2022 Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition!  It’s Wednesday, April 6th.  Today our trekkers and climbers hiked up to the Everest View Hotel, about 1,000ft above Namche Bazaar.  Along the way we had great views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Everest in the distance – just cystal clear skies.  Then the clouds came in and we hiked back down to Namche.  Some of us took a detour thru Khumjung (3790m/12,430ft) where they saw what is purported to be a skull of a yeti in a museum and a few others of us when and visited a new Sherpa cultural museum here in Namche with some really interesting history and artifacts.

Tomorrow we’ll continue on up past Tengboche Monastery to Deboche (3820m/12,532ft) and we’re looking forward to that hike.  There should be more great views along the way!

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

Ama Dablam in the distance.

Ama Dablam in the distance.

Approaching the Everest View Hotel with Thamserku in the distance.

Approaching the Everest View Hotel with Thamserku in the distance.

Garrett with climbers Sara Safari and Josh Garrison

Garrett with climbers Sara Safari and Josh Garrison

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:

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Team Arrives Namche Bazaar

Everest team on the trek to base camp

Today the climbing and trekking team continued the trek and moved from Phakding up to the “capital of the Khumbu” Namche Bazaar.  Madison Mountaineering guide Terray Sylvester provides a recap of the day:

Hello!  This is Terray calling in for the 2022 Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition!  It’s Tuesday, April 5th.  Today we all moved from Phakding up to Namche.  We actually had beautiful weather yet again!  The Khumbu Valley is really in bloom right now; lots of flowing trees, rhododendron, flowers along side the trail which made for a really pretty hike.

We made it to Namche Bazaar about 2 o’clock, maybe 2 or 3 in the afternoon.  Some folks headed out to enjoy town a litte bit – lots of good bakeries and cafes and scenery, of course.  Then we had a good dinner and tasty welcome carrot cake here at the Panorama Lodge in Namche.  We’re wrapping up the evening and heading to bed.

Tomorrow we’ll have an active rest day and hike up to the Everest View Hotel.  But we’ll be in touch with a dispatch tomorrow too.

Alright, we’ll 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:

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Into the Mountains!

Flying to Lukla

The trekking has started!  The weather Gods permitted the whole team to fly to the mountain village of Lukla (2850m/9,350ft) and complete the first day of trekking towards Everest Base Camp.  Madison Mountaineering guide Terray Sylvester provides a recap of the day:

Hello!  This is Terray calling in for the 2022 Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition!  It’s Monday, April 4th.  Today we flew from Kathmandu to Lukla.  We had good weather for our flights which was nice because it’s been a little rainy and hazy lately and there was some concern that we would not be able to fly up to Lukla.

Then we trekked on to Phakding (2640m/8,661ft).  So we’re here tonight, just starting dinner, and looking forward to our trek up to Namche (3450m/11,319ft) tomorrow.  The weather is nice, warm, a little cloudy, but dry!

We’ll be in touch!

Ready to fly to Lukla!

Ready to fly to Lukla!

Trekking to Phakding

Trekking to Phakding

Mani Stones

Mani Stones

Taking a break on the trek to Phakding

Taking a break on the trek to Phakding

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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Kathmandu City Tour

Pashupatinath Temple

Today the climbing and trekking teams enjoy a wonderful tour of some of the major sites of Kathmandu and are getting ready to fly up to the mountain village of Luka to begin the trek to Everest base camp tomorrow.  Madison Mountaineering guide Terray Sylvester provides a recap of the day:

Hello!  This is Terray calling in for the 2022 Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest expedition!  It’s April 3rd.  Today our climbing and trekking teams enjoyed a tour around two of Kathmandu’s seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  We went to Pashupatinath Temple, which is the most famous Hindu temple here in the city and we went to the famous Boudhanath Stupa, which is one of the world’s largest Buddist stupas.

Tomorrow our plan is to fly to Lukla so we can begin our trek up to Everest Base Camp.  That’s an exciting day and so far the weather forecast looks good!  So if all goes as planned, our fixed-winged flights will depart Kathmandu early in the morning and will be in Lukla in time for breakfast.

So all is well here in Nepal and we’ll be in touch!

A stone carving at Pashupatinath Temple

A stone carving at Pashupatinath Temple

Trekker Ryan S. visiting a Buddhist Temple in Boudha

Trekker Ryan S. visiting a Buddhist Temple in Boudha

Butter lamps at Boudhanath Stupa

Butter lamps at Boudhanath Stupa

Pashupatinath Temple

Pashupatinath Temple

Boudhanath Stupa

Boudhanath Stupa

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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2022 Mount Everest Expedition Kicks Off!

Team Welcome Dinner in Kathamandu

Welcome to Kathmandu!  The Madison Mountaineering Everest 2022 team has arrived in Kathmandu to kick off the Everest expedition and base camp trek.  Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, provided this update:

Hello!  This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest expedition team!  Today is April 2nd and all of our members are here now in Kathamandu.  We just finished our gear checks today and had a nice team dinner and we’re looking forward to a city tour tomorrow.  Everyone’s doing well and we’re happy to be here in Nepal and excited to get the adventure underway.

Thanks and we’ll check in soon!

Sara S. chatting with Madison Mountaineering guide Cacho Beiza at the gear check

Sara S. chatting with Madison Mountaineering guide Cacho Beiza at the gear check

Climber Sara S. very excited about all the duffels and to be in Kathmandu!!

Climber Sara S. very excited about all the duffels and being in Kathmandu!!

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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Back Down to Base Camp

Full team on the summit of Aconcagua

The Aconcagua team are now all back down to base camp safely after standing on the summit of the highest point in South America.  Here’s expedition leader Garrett Madison with today’s expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Aconcagua team dispatch.  Today’s Friday, February 11th.

Today we descended from Camp 3 (5989m/19,650ft) on Aconcagua down to base camp (4367m/14,327ft).  We had a nice day.  Got down in the early afternoon, set up camp, took some showers, had a nice barbeque lunch, and a celebration dinner this evening.  Everyone’s doing great, we’re happy to be down here in base camp after our summit day yesterday where everyone made it to the top and had great views from the summit.

We’ve heading out tomorrow, hiking back to the Horcones trailhead and then driving to Mendoza.

All’s well here in Argentina.  We’ll check in soon.

On the way up to the top of Aconcagua

On the way up to the top of Aconcagua

Celebration toast in base camp for 100% Aconcagua summit success!

Celebration toast in base camp for 100% Aconcagua summit success!

Climbing to the top of Aconcagua at sunrise

Climbing to the top of Aconcagua at sunrise

View from Aconcagua high camp of the moon and sunset

View from Aconcagua high camp of the moon and sunset

Sunset on Aconcagua

Sunset on Aconcagua

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 guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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100% Aconcagua Summit Success!

Fantastic news!  The entire Aconcagua team stood on the summit (6961m/22,837ft) today and are now safely back down to Camp 3.  Here’s team member Krisli Melesk reporting the happy news:

This is Krisli calling in from Madison Mountaineering 2022 Aconcagua expedition.

I have some excellent news!  The whole team who we started with in Mendoza has just summitted and we are back safely in Camp 3!  We just has some nice beverages and also some snacks.  Everybody is in high spirits and we’re looking forward to heading back to base camp for some warm showers tomorrow and some more beverages, maybe. Haha.

Everybody’s doing great and we have an excellent team.  Everybody been super casual and super nice.  The weather has been amazing today, we were so lucky – clear skies and beautiful views.

I think that’s me over and out.  Lots of love to everybody, family, and friends.  Bye now!

(photo from the Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua archives)

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 guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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Aconcagua High Camp (C3)!

Sunset on Aconcagua

Our 2022 Aconcagua team has moved up to High Camp (C3) (5989m/19,650ft) and is in position for the summit attempt tonight! Here’s team member, Todd Ammerman, with today’s dispatch:

Hello!  This is Todd Ammerman checking in from the Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua expedition.  Today we had a marvelous day.

We moved from Camp 2 to Camp 3 which I have now learned is at approximately 19,700ft (6005m).  We are getting well hydrated and fueled up.  We’ll start tomorrow for an early summit push.  Everybody is here and in good shape and good spirit.

We are looking for a wonderful day tomorrow.  Hopefully this next dispatch will have great success stories.  Until then!

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 guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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Dialing in the Best Summit Day

Mount Aconcagua

Making a slight change of plans to optimize the summit day forecasted weather, our Aconcagua team made a light carry up to High Camp (C3) (5989m/19,650ft) and returned to Nido de Condores Camp (C2) (5522m/18,117ft) for the night.  Calling in via sat phone, here’s team member Peter Horsman with today’s expedition dispatch:

Hey everyone, this is Peter Horsman calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua expedition.  Today is… (what date is it?) …February 8th maybe.

Instead of moving to Camp 3, we actually had a change in schedule because it looks like weather is significantly improving.  So instead of summiting on the 9th, we are now summiting on the 10th, hopefully.   So today we actually had a great day.  We had, again, a wonderful breakfast by our Agentinian guides Neno and Cacho.  Then we took some gear and food and clothing up to Camp 3.  A pretty nice hike – wonderful weather, great scenery.

Overall the team is doing really, really well.  We’re all feeling very strong and are very excited to move to Camp 3 tomorrow where we will then spend a couple of hours of sleep and then the day after tomorrow we’re going to go for a summit attempt.

All is well here in Camp 2 and Melina, I love you.  Bye bye.

(photo from the Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua archives)

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 guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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Nido de Condores Camp (C2)

Aconcagua

Our Aconcagua team moved up to Nido de Condores Camp (C2) (5522m/18,117ft) yesterday and are enjoying a rest day today.  Here’s team member, Peter Horsman, with today’s dispatch and the plan for the days ahead:

Hey everyone, this is Peter Horsman calling in from the Madison Mountaineering Aconcagua expedition.  We are at Camp 2 on Aconcagua at 18,000ft or so (5500m).

Today we are having a really nice rest day.  We’ve just been served amazing pizza by Neno and Cacho, who are our Argentinian guides and are amazing.  Everything is going really well!  The team’s feeling well.  It’s a really nice, sunny day here.  We’re all feeling the altitude a little bit, but that’s normal at this altitude.

Our plan is to move to Camp 3 tomorrow.  And then, hopefully, try for the summit on the 9th, so the day after tomorrow.

Everybody is feeling really strong.  Garrett‘s doing well, he’s smiling, cutting the pizza for us!  Maybe the whole team can say something like… I don’t know… shout something.  “Yee-haw!”  That was [garbled] in case you were wondering.  “Viva Aconcagua!”  Viva Aconcagua, that’s good.

All right, well thank you.  You’ll hear more from us tomorrow.  Melina, I love you and I’ll see you soon.  Bye, bye.

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 guide’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions

– Instagram:

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