Descent

After nine days of living at high altitude, it felt great to be heading down. The altitude had definitely taken a toll, in some way, on every member of our group. Although I had mixed emotions about leaving the high Himalayan mountains, it felt great to breathe easier as we descended. Fueled by thoughts of hot showers and loved ones at home, we headed back toward Lukla.



No worse for the wear, our fearless guides, Heather Sullivan and Danika Gilbert (for Lotus Expeditions), take a break along the trail. They are both amazing women. I would follow either one of them on a trip anywhere. They have my complete trust and respect.
One of Danika's many talents is ice climbing. Among other things, she guides for San Juan Mountain Guides.
Heather founded Balanced Rock Foundation, whose mission is to offer enriching programs for the mind, body, and spirit in the serenity within and around Yosemite National Park.
Thanks so much to both of these women!



Prayer flags adorn trees along the trail.



Our descent took us once more, through the Everest Memorial Area.



A hiker from another expedition is assisted with oxygen as he descends to recover from altitude sickness.



Without yaks, yak-cow hybrids, and their drivers as they are called, trekking (and living) in this region would be very difficult. Since there are no motorized vehicles, these animals are the next best thing.



I can still hear the bells ringing on the path. It's quite a lovely sound, as long as it's not too close! Their horns are quite dangerous. Mostly, they are gentle, but you still want to give them a wide berth.



This video gives a glimpse of trekking around yaks. The men guiding the yaks are known as yak drivers.



In this video, you'll catch a glimpse of Dipendra, the world's greatest sherpa, protecting me as I film the yaks. He's using my trekking poles to help keep them on their path.



Although they are carrying huge loads, they are quite nimble on their feet.



Early morning in Pangboche, 13,500 feet. This was one of the few times that I actually used the gorillapod I brought along. I don't think I could have taken this shot this without it. For my photo friends out there, camera settings were: f22, 2.5 seconds, 3200 iso.



Breaking down camp in Pangboche.



Door to 604 year-old gompa in Pangboche.



Interesting lock.



Sign on door in Pangboche.



A mother and her son in Pangboche.



Running water.



As our group headed out from Pangboche (far right), our Nepali staff finished breaking-down our camp. (bottom left)

Three more trekking days left, stay tuned!

Trek On

Today's post will take you to my highest summit ever. Seven months after actually making it to Mount Everest South Base camp, where I'm pictured here, I'm finally posting it. Better late than never...right?

Lebuche, at 16,175 feet, became our high camp for three nights. We were originally scheduled to camp at Gorak Shep for two nights, in preparation for our big climbs. Circumstance sometimes necessitates change and the decision to stay in Lebuche was very helpful to people in our group feeling the tough effects of altitude. Our leaders recognized that we would all sleep better a little lower which would increase our chances for success on our upcoming, hardest hikes. It was a great decision for the group, but did increase the level of difficulty for our hikes to Kala Pattar and Everest Base Camp. Gorak Shep, the highest camp before Everest Base Camp is next to the trail leading to Kala Pattar and is also along the way to Everest Base Camp. Coming from Lebuche adds a few hours of hiking just to reach Gorak Shep. It was daunting to think of completing both hikes, as I was also experiencing altitude-related ailments. I told myself it would all work out the way it was meant to, but in the back of my goal-oriented mind, I wouldn't take no for an answer.



The long road from Lebuche to Gorak Shep.



While on the way to Gorak Shep, Sherpa Dipendra and one of our guides, Danika, enjoyed an impromptu climb. In the foreground is a memorial plaque to a fallen climber. In addition to the primary monument area, there are many chortens and plaques celebrating lives of lost climbers scattered throughout the region.



Heather's daypack is dwarfed by a porter's load behind her. Porters carry a type of walking stick that they use as a chair along the trail. They sometimes carry 100 kilograms or 220 pounds!



Soup with a smile... In preparation for the cold, windy summit of Kala Pattar, Heather brings some delicious soup sent by our cooks. In addition to three wonderful meals a day, the kitchen staff gave each of us a snack-filled goody bag for our daily hikes.



I'm not sure what type of bird this is. It was hanging out near our group in Gorak Shep, where we took a break before heading up Kala Pattar.



Gorak Shep at 17,000 feet is the highest, year-round village on the Nepal side of Mount Everest. On the left is Kala Pattar, which appears to be a small hill when compared with the Himalayan peaks surrounding it. At 18,450 feet, not visible in this picture, the summit was far away from the trailhead you see here.



Kala Pattar was our first hike from Lebuche and it was well worth the effort! At 18,450 feet, our highest summit on the trip, I felt overjoyed with the great views of Mount Everest and sense of accomplishing such a tough physical challenge.



We had a quick celebration, enjoyed some delicious soup served by Raj (and carried up by Heather) and I shot as many pictures as I could before heading back down.



The top of the world viewed from Kala Pattar. Because our trek took place in the off-climbing season, there are no climbers in the picture.



Mount Everest South Base Camp and the Khumbu Icefall.



I never knew how blue a glacier could be!



I had planned to shoot a panoramic view from the top of Kala Pattar and hoped to weave it together into one picture. While anchored by Dipendra, my awesome Sherpa, I spun in a circle and snapped away. Upon reviewing the pictures in Katmandu, I realized that my lens hood was loose and it caused the series to be unusable due its silhouette surrounding each frame.



I feel a little sad about not being able to create a 360 degree panaramic shot, but it's a fun reminder of how altitude can effect your brain function. The feeling of elation at 18,450 feet is something very hard to describe.



Sunsets in the Khombu are amazing. The gorgeous bronze reflection of the setting sun on the mountains is often referred to as the alpenglow.

Nine hours after leaving our camp, I returned, in the dark by headlamp, to a wonderful dinner feast. The exhaustion I felt was well worth it.



Bright and early the next morning we headed out for Everest Base Camp. (actually it wasn't bright, the sun had not quite come out when we started) The Everest Base Camp trek is not considered to be technical, but as you see in this picture, the glacial terrain can be tough, especially on very long hikes.



It's out there somewhere!



As we arrived at base camp, we saw beautiful ice formations and colorful prayer flags left over from last year's climbing season. As the glacier is ever changing, the ice moves and sometimes erupts with huge boulders on top.



Upon my arrival at base camp, I was greeted by Diane and Kaia, the other two members of our group who made it there.



Dipendra, the world's greatest Sherpa, celebrates being at base camp once again. Dipendra summitted Mount Everest about 6 months before I met him. I asked him if anything about this trek was difficult for him and he answered with a simple "no." This year (2009) Dipendra summited another peak in the region, Cho Oyu. He is simply amazing and I'm very thankful for his wonderful support and friendship.



As some of you know, I dedicated my trek to my sister-in-law, Debbie, who is fighting gastric cancer. Via satellite phone, I was able to call her from basecamp, which was part of my fundraising-project goal. I woke both her and my brother Andy, in the middle of the night with my phone call. The three of us had a great conversation and talked for several minutes. She had just had a clean scan and the mood was quite celebratory.

I'm proud that through my fundraising efforts, I raised about $15,000 for cancer research. Debbie has now taken over the reigns with her new foundation, Debbie's Dream.

I'm thrilled for her and wish her the best of luck. I am very proud that I helped to inspire such a worthy project. I am in awe of Debbie's strength. When I think about the fact that she's been undergoing chemotherapy for over a year now, hiking for 13 hours just doesn't seem like that big of a deal. I did think of her a lot that day and thank her for helping me achieve this goal. Keep on trekking Deb!!



The Khombu Icefall is an amazing site. It didn't even seem real to be standing in the midst of it shooting pictures.



On the way out of base camp, I heard a loud roar and turned just in time to witness a small avalanche. Although not very dramatic, this picture captured the very end of the avalanche. It made me smile ear-to-ear to see nature doing its thing.

13 hours after leaving, Dipendra and I arrived back at our camp in the dark. Hiking by headlamp in the Himalayan wilderness is something I'll never forget as long as I live. I was beyond exhausted and don't remember eating dinner that night. I had reached my goal and felt ready for the adventure back down to Lukla.

Keep on trekking

Hi everyone,
Although it may seem like it, I haven't forgotten about this blog. I could give a bunch of lame excuses but why?

Yesterday, I received a phone call from my friend, Jon Miller, (therestofeverest.com) who is on a trek in the Himalayas as I write this. It was so cool to hear his voice, broken from the satellite connection, coming to me from Gorak Shep, that I've spent the last several hours just daydreaming about being back there.

So thanks to Jon for reminding me to post the pictures from a place that constantly tugs at my soul!



Welcome to Tengboche Monestary! Magical seeming, as we walked into Tengboche at 12,887 feet, these monks greeted us with afternoon, call to prayer music. Tengboche is the largest buddhist monastery in the Khumbu region.



A monk prepares to ascend the steps leading up to the monastery.



I had a very rough night in Tengboche. I barely slept due to a terrible gastrointestinal bug. When the sun came up and revealed this view of Ama Dablam, it softened the blow a little.



Mani stones mark the entrance to the Debotche Nunnery. Built in 1928, this convent is the sister to Tengboche Monestary. I remember this day very well. Because I was so sick, I had to walk extra slow to help cope with my bad stomach. Dipendra and I made a pitstop at this place and had a delightful visit with one of the nuns living there.



Nomng Doma Tibeti, 31, prays inside the gompa. Since making the journey from Tibet, she has lived at the nunnery for 7 years.

There are approximately twenty nuns living here. The residents help nuns from all over Nepal, who come to visit, stay and learn different prayers and ceremonies in a kind of religious exchange program. Several nuns from Tibet have endured brutal circumstance in their trip to Nepal. Tibetans literally run for their lives while crossing the high mountain passes, many being shot at by soldiers while fleeing.

During my online research, I found a website that includes a project specifically dedicated to helping these nuns (and others across the globe). Click here for more information.



Part of the alter inside the gompa.



Morning chores at the Debotche gompa.



I gave Nomng a LAF(Lance Armstrong Foundation) bracelet after our visit. She decided she wanted the one on my wrist, not the one I gave her from my backpack. Of course I gave her the one from my wrist! Here we are modeling our matching bracelets. Before we left Nomng said a prayer to help my ailing stomach. I started feeling better that night. (besides the prayers, I also asked several antibiotics to rid me of this plague)



Danika, one of our guides on the trek, makes friends with a horse that was wandering around near our lunch break area. The horse was really interested in her grape juice and ended up drinking it. She liked the juice so much that she ended up searching for more and sort of stampeded through our group. It was one of the scariest moment of our trek!



The new and the old. A modern, new bridge crosses over the old suspension bridge on the way to Dingboche.



Prayer flags greet these trekkers as they descend on the new bridge.



Looks a bit different from the health care facilities in the US.



Service with a smile. Raj, our sirdar, helps serve our midday feast. Despite their assigned jobs, the Nepali staff helped with all tasks. I'm pretty sure you'd never hear a Nepali say: "that's not in my job description."



Sharpening stone...



Surrounded by magnificant scenery, one of our group members, Tracey, takes a nap before lunch. Tracey is an amazing hiker and can hike circles around me, she's very fast! I really enjoyed her company on this trip.



Dorje and Dipendra help prepare our lunch. Despite the rugged conditions, each day our wonderful Nepali staff would assemble a full kitchen and prepare three delicious hot meals for the group. Despite our begging, they rarely ate with us, instead waiting until we were done and then eating only in the kitchen. We finally dined with them at our final meal together, it was very special.



Prayer flags color the landscape as we enter the Everest Memorial area. Located at 15,774 feet, it is a solemn place filled with endless little chortens built to honor people lost in the region.



The memorial area is, of course, surrounded by the beautiful Himalayan mountains.



Weathered memorial to Babu Chiri Sherpa. There are many websites to read about this man and his legacy, you can begin here.



Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer was the first book I read about climbing Mount Everest. Scott Fischer was one of eight people who died on May 10, 1996 in the deadliest single tragedy in Everest's climbing history. It was chilling to see this memorial.



Another view of Scott Fischer's memorial. Fischer was an accomplished guide and climber. He was the first American to climb Lhotse and in the third American party to summit K2.



Leaving the memorial area, on the way to Lebuche, porters and yak hybrids carry their heavy loads in support of many trekking parties. Without them, our journey would not be possible.



From my tent in Lebuche, (16,175 feet) I could see toilet tents and horses right outside my door. Now that is a room with a view! Tomorrow I attempt to climb Kala Pattar, our highest point in the trek. The day after that is Everest Base Camp!

Please stay tuned and thanks for visiting!!