Sherpa Archives

Everest 2017

Team arrives to Mount Everest 2017 base camp!

After an amazing trek through the Khumbu Valley, our team of climbers and trekkers have arrived safely to Mount Everest 2017 base camp. As we arrived to camp we caught two time Grammy Award nominee Paul Oakenfold playing a set at Everest base camp. Our Sherpa team danced along with fans from around the world as we laughed and enjoyed the beautiful setting.

With a warm welcome from our chef (Antony Dubber), we all enjoyed fresh Norwegian salmon and a tasty variety of side dishes. I think we will be eating well on this expedition! The weather here at Mount Everest base camp has been warm and sunny the past few days, allowing for ample reading outside with magnificent 360 degree views of some of the tallest mountains in the world. Today we are having a personal day where we are able to do laundry and set up personal tents. Over the next few days we will start training in the Khumbu icefall in preparation for our first rotation to Camp 1 on Mount Everest. We are excited to be here and look forward to making our ascent. Onward!

Follow us on social media @MadisonMtng on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Thank you Mountain Hardwear, MusclePharm, Thuraya, Wicis and Modern Oats for your support on this expedition!!

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Kala Patthar, meaning ‘black rock’ in Nepali and Hindi, is a notable landmark located on the south ridge of Pumori in the Nepalese Himalayas. Thank you to our expedition friend Rob Mens for sharing these.

Mount Everest 2017 Kala Patthar

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Kala Patthar view at sunset

Mount Everest 2017 Kala Patthar

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Kala Patthar view at sunset

Mount Everest 2017 Kala Patthar

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Kala Patthar view at sunset

Mount Everest 2017 Kala Patthar

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Yak train looking over Mount Everest base camp and the Khumbu Icefall

Mount Everest 2017 base camp

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So happy to have the world traveling chef Antony Dubber here with us this season!! 🙂

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Norwegian salmon as our team arrives at base camp. So tasty!!

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Mount Everest 2017 base camp

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Madison Mountaineering’s Sherpa team enjoying an awesome gig by Paul Oakenfold!

Mount Everest 2017 base camp

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Paul Oakenfold rocking the stage on Mount Everest!

Mount Everest 2017 base camp

April 13, 2017/0 Comments/by Andrew

Everest 2017

Team arrives safely in Khumbu Valley, now resting in Namche

Our climbers and trekkers have all made it safely from Kathmandu to Tenzing Hillary Airport in Lukla. From here we passed through several Sherpa villages, and entered the beautiful Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park. After crossing the river by suspension bridge, we arrived in the village of Phakding. After a good nights sleep we continued trekking along the scenic Dudh Kosi River through the village of Monjo, then up the steep hill to Namche Bazaar. Currently we are spending our second night in our comfortable lodge acclimatizing and enjoying the sights, cafes and tasty pastries in Namche. This afternoon we saw our first view of Mount Everest!

Follow us on social media @MadisonMtng on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. We love to hear from you 🙂

Onward and upward!

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Prayer wheel in Kathmandu

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Early morning flight from Kathmandu to Lukla

Tenzing Hillary Airport

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Tenzing Hillary Airport

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Last chance for Starbucks 🙂

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Prayer wheel near Lukla

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2017 Mount Everest climbing and trekking team leaving Lukla

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Relaxing at a local tea house

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Geoff and John

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Amazing views on the trek to Namche

April 5, 2017/1 Comment/by Andrew

Everest 2017

2017 Himalayan team departs for Lukla!

Madison Mountaineering’s 2017 Himalayan expedition team of Everest & Lhotse climbers have arrived from around the world. We are now in the final stages of logistical preparation before our exciting flight to Lukla. After our short flight tomorrow from Kathmandu to Lukla, we will begin the journey toward Mount Everest, known by the locals as Sagarmāthā. Mount Everest is earth’s highest mountain at 8,848m (29,035ft) above sea level. Tonight our team of trekkers and climbers will enjoy the comforts of the city before we take off early tomorrow morning. Here we go!

Expedition dispatches will be posted here as frequently as possible. Follow us on social media @MadisonMtng on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!!

Below are some photos of our city tour today around Kathmandu.

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Local Nepal street art

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Monkey Temple

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Money Temple

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Received a departing blessing for a safe passage through the Himalaya.

April 3, 2017/0 Comments/by Andrew

Everest 2017

Climbers prepare for 2017 Everest expedition!

Our 2017 Everest expedition is preparing to launch! This March we will lead a group of climbers and trekkers from around the world as we journey through the Khumbu Valley toward Mount Everest base camp. If you would like to join our team of trekkers and spend a night at base camp please contact us here. To higher places!

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2017 Everest

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2017 Everest

February 26, 2017/0 Comments/by Andrew

Everest 2016

Team waiting at Camp 2 as weather window approaches

Today our climbing team patiently continued to hold at Camp 2 on Everest as our weather window approaches. After analyzing the weather forecasts from our friend Michael Fagin, it is looking very positive for a summit date between May 18-19 on Everest. We will soon make the ascent to Camp 3 and put ourselves in position for this summit window. The team is doing very well and we have been sending food and supplies up the mountain from base camp. Ankur continues to win at Scrabble from what I’ve heard. In the afternoon the team has been going on short hikes to stay active.

Here at base camp the weather has been beautiful and sunny throughout the day. The Sherpa team and I have been enjoying the TV series Game of Thrones in the evenings and are caught up on Season 6. We are all very excited as our climbers will soon continue up the mountain.

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Shout-out to the icefall doctor’s shown here passing our climbers. This skilled Sherpa team have been fixing the ropes and ladders all season long, keeping our climbers safe.

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May 14, 2016/0 Comments/by Andrew

Everest 2016

Climbers hold at Camp 2 as Sherpa team summits

Today our climbing team enjoyed a rest day at Camp 2 on Everest and celebrated the great news that our collaborative Sherpa team successfully reached the summit of Everest today at 5:10pm our time. Lakpa Chiring Sherpa from Pangboche represented Madison Mountaineering and stood on top of the world earlier today. This was a group effort among a few other lead teams here this season and marks the first summit of the year from the south side. We are very happy that the ropes and fixed lines have been set and now our climbing team is awaiting the weather window to push for the summit. Right now the weather forecasts are calling for increased winds which could possibly push our anticipated summit date back a few days. Early tomorrow morning our Sherpa team will bring food and supplies up to Camp 2 as we wait for the weather to clear.

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Climbing Sherpa Team

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May 11, 2016/1 Comment/by Andrew

Burke Khang 2015

Halloween Weekend and Advanced Base Camp Preperation

Hope everyone had a great Halloween weekend! We said good bye to our trekking team that accompanied us all the way from our start in Kathmandu to our base camp here at Gokyo’s fifth lake. It was hard to say goodbye after the last ten days of trekking together in the Khumbu region of Nepal. They are now heading towards Cho La Pass and then onwards to Mount Everest base camp before returning to Lukla and then Kathmandu.

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Our climbing team organized equipment at base camp today and took a walkabout around camp, scouting the glacier we will cross when we make our move towards our advanced base camp on our summit push. Our base camp is a very beautiful setting, with a nearby lake, and high peaks on all sides. A team of our Sherpa guides along with Madison Mountaineering guide Sid Pattison left today to head to advanced base camp. Tomorrow they will work on establishing the route to camp 1, at the top of the rock buttress, the first major technical section of the climb. This climbing involves around two thousand feet of steep snow and an ice arête (description and imagery here), after which we can establish our first high camp. Everyone is doing well and we look forward to our next acclimatization hike tomorrow.

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View of glacier above camp: