Author: bartw55

Making it to the summit of Lobuche was much harder this year! It took almost an hour longer, mostly because the rock slab lower section had an inch of new snow on it making it very slippery and slow.

We said goodbye to the trekkers in our group a few days ago. It was hard to part, even though we so recently became friends. We all shed a few tears as one of the climbers parted with his wife on the trail. It’s how Judy and I thought we’d have to do it last year, but instead we had the romantic helicopter farewell.

Now, I’m back at EBC where we’ll rest for a day, then ladder practice!  I love it!

Here’s the latest addition of the family photo.  Hopefully I can get it to the top of Everest, almost two miles higher than where I’m standing in this photo!

 

One of my favorite days last year was sharpening my skills on the huge ice seracs that have not so recently traveled down from the Icefall. Today was no exception. It was even better because I’m healthy and energetic. Last year it occurred on one of the few sick days I had.

We started at 9am and did six rotations between two sites – three on the one you see in the picture and three on the other, ending at noon. IMG guide, Johnny, had us do it all with our warmest and largest mittens. Using the ascender and carabiners is relatively easy with some practice unless you have to do it with the big gloves, then it’s a challenge even for the experienced climber.   I’ve read of those summiting on a warm day with medium gloves or less, but we practice for the worst, of course.

After lunch we took a group picture with the 50 or so Sherpa in our camp, then I took a shower. IMG sets up two nice tent showers, each with two sections, one for showering and one for changing. A small generator is used to heat the water. A hot Himalayan shower!  Life doesn’t get much better.

It’s another six-hour hike back to Lobache base camp tomorrow, in preparation for a summit attempt two days later, weather permitting. I’ll be out of wifi and cell range again, so I’ll keep Jude posted by satellite phone and she’ll update the blog.

 

Rest day consisted of a gear check of my harness and ascender, essential for staying safe on the fixed line, and a casual walk up through base camp. We also visited the makeshift hospital, the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA), where I met PA, Yogi, and the doctor donating her time to help us, Tatiana.

Similar to last year we visited Crampon Point, the point at which we put on our crampons to start up through the Icefall, and took pictures.

I was surprised to find most of the earthquake debris cleaned up.  Nepal has an organization that does such things.  With a very close look, however, it’s still possible to see partial remnants of just about everything.  I saw shoes and tent posts and pieces of chairs etc.

It has been very dry this year and the lower Icefall looks different.  Even though the ice here is roughly 700 feet thick, the dryness has exposed the rocks and dirt collecting on top.

 

 

 

It finally happened. I never thought I’d be here again.

My home for the next six weeks

It took us about six hours to get here from Lobuche base camp. The weather was ideal and I felt as good as I have the whole trip so far.  After I set up my tent, we rested and hydrated then had dinner. Yak steaks for the second night in a row.

Lobuche was much different than last year. It has a whole new look and feel with no snow. There was three feet last year. The Sherpa played games in the meadow where we camped. The two acclimatization hikes to high camp and a village called Zongla were sunny and beautiful.

 

 

We began our trek from Pheriche at about 9:00 am. We are well above treeline now and the landscape is more barren. Our hike to Lobuche base camp takes us up a fairly flat valley with some elevation gain as we arrive at Tugla where we stop for lunch. From Tugla it’s about a 40-minute hike over to our Lobuche camp, which sits in a beautiful meadow at the base of Lobuche Peak. IMG chooses to tent here instead of staying in lodges in order to keep everyone healthy. We will be spending three nights. From here on it’s seven to eight more weeks in a tent.

 

Rest days can either be used to actually rest, or as most of us do, take an acclimatization hike, and then rest. Today was no exception. I hiked up with the group about 1,000 feet to 15,000.  The views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Kantega, Thamserku, etc, etc are fabulous!  This one is of Lhotse.

Afterwards, we hiked down into the village of Dingboche to have lunch at one of the head Sherpa’s son’s lodge. Phutashi’s daughter-in-law cooked lunch for all of us.

 

 

 

The Himalayan Rescue Association HRA has a medical facility here where they treat many acclimatization issues such as High Altitude Sickness, HAPE, and HACE. We had a meeting this afternoon with the doctors and nurses temporarily working here to learn the symptoms of these potentially fatal illnesses.

Tomorrow we head for Lobuche base camp. There is no wifi or cell service in this area so I will be calling my wife, Judy, on my Satellite phone and she will update the blog. I’ll be in Everest Base Camp (EBC) in about four days and I’ll be updating again from there.

It was a beautifully clear night with all the stars of the universe seemingly visible. That’s quite a change from all the rainy evenings and nights we’ve had so far. I woke up to the same clear skies and packed my trekking duffel once again for the next leg to Pheriche.

Along the way we make the obligatory stop at Lama Geishi’s house in Pangboche for his Buddhist blessing for safe climbing and a safe return to our homes and loved ones.

 

From there we stopped for lunch, then made the final push into Pheriche at 14,000 feet where we’ll spend two days with another acclimatization hike to 15,000 tomorrow. The Himalayan Hotel demolished by the earthquake is completely rebuilt. In fact, it took one month for 40 Sherpas to do it. I shed a tear when I passed it last year when I saw the room Judy and I stayed in crushed.

I have one rest day here in Tengboche before moving on to Pheriche tomorrow. We’ll stop along the way for our Buddhist blessing in Pangboche.

We started the day with a 1,000-foot-acclimatization hike. Hiking high then sleeping low is the best way to do it.

This is the best view I’ll have of Everest until I get back up to Camp 1. There’s not much of a view from Everest Base Camp.

Later today we’ll visit the monastery and listen to the monks chant Buddhist prayers. Sitting on the floor is cold and uncomfortable but I want to honor my Sherpa friends.

I’ve placed more pictures on Instagram. If you’re not on it download the free app on your smart phone and search for bartw55.

It was kind of sad to leave Namche this morning. I said goodbye to the beautiful Sherpa girls who remembered me and Judy from last year.

The Khumbu Lodge must be the place to stay because we met Peter Hillary, Sir Edmund’s son, and Ueli Steck, perhaps the best climber of our day, during our stay.

It was a perfect morning to start our trek to the next stop, Tengboche.

That’s my bag on top of the yak.

It took us about 6 hours including a lunch stop to arrive at Tengboche. The final 75 minutes is a haul hiking up a steep 1,600 feet in the sun. We’re here safe and sound, though, and I just devoured a delicious cinnamon roll from the best bakery in the Himalayas!

It’s a much needed rest day in one of my favorite villages, Namche Bazaar. After three straight days of hiking and a 24-hour stomach bug the timing couldn’t be better.

One of the trekkers had the creative idea of raising money for earthquake reliefby sending boxes of toys and stuffed animals for us to hand out to the children along the way.