2007 Himalayas

This series starts with a very special thanks to Jenny, who among other things worked for these three weeks getting me ready for this next fun trip. Sewing mainly, but also attending to the endless details of ordering gear, arranging travel, and so forth.

Bangkok

Mar 28, 2007

And so it was that we found ourselves at the Phoenix airport saying tearful good-bye's, and promising that we would start all future trips in each others company. In retrospect, Jenny realized what she had missed on Vinson and Aconcagua, and had I learned enough to insure her a safe and enjoyable time.

But not this trip, so once through security I was alone. But at least Jenny had given me a sheet of detailed instructions for where to find my next airline connection, how long I had to get there, and so forth.

After an hour's flight to LA, I was on a 724 jumbo jet for 15 hours. I was headed for the Orient and expected to fly west, but the great circle route put us over the coast of northern California, and Mount McKinley of all places.

The flight itself was not too comfortable, owing to a strange post taking most of the foot room under the seat in front of me, and inconsiderate men on ether side commandeering the arm rests. I solved the problem by simply going to sleep - and staying that way for most of those 15 hours, except once in a while getting up for some exercise, going to the restroom then drinking more water. So in the end I arrived in Hong Hong at least somewhat rested.

The morning was early, although I had lost a day crossing the Date Line. The airport was the nicest I had visited by far. It was modern, spacious, and very clean. Of all the amenities, the one that caught my eye were the showers. There were loads of duty-free shops, but it took me an hour to find one that sold bottled water. It was a small cafeteria, and there, out of the blue, someone came up to me and asked if I was Ray.

Todd introduced himself and said that when he learned that I had joined his group, he read everything on my website. He was a young and fit looking businessman from San Francisco, and pursued a variety of outdoor adventures such as mountain climbing and so forth, but mainly he was interested in extreme surfing in big waves around the world. I liked his general outlook and personality.

The 2.5 hour flight to Bangkok was on another crowded 757, but this time the passengers seemed much more friendly and considerate, and I had a very good seat from which I could gaze out the window at the landscape below.

Hong Kong had been chilly, but in contrast Bangkok was hot and humid. Once through customs, Todd and I changed a bit of money, then were inundated with taxi drivers. When people are that aggressive for your business, you know to beware. Yet once we were outside we seemed to have no choice but to deal with them. After all, there were taxis parked all around. Fortunately we knew that it should cost 300 baht ($8.50) for the 30-minute drive to our recommended hotel, but these guys were demanding 2 to 3 times that for an hours drive. No thanks.

At last someone pointed down. Ah, there was a lower level. Once down there we found the real taxis, and soon were on our way through the city.

The hotel was very simple but comfortable, and after so many hours of travel, I slept uninterrupted for the rest of the afternoon and through the night.

Kathmandu

Mar 29, 2007

Ray called this morning from Kathmandu. He was amazed at how large the city is: 2.5 million people. He said he wasn't expecting it to be so big. He was glad to finally arrive there, after so many long airline flights.

Some of the guide staff were at the airport to greet him, and they had already collected his luggage. Both Ray and I were relieved to know his luggage arrived intact. Later he got to meet with the rest of the guide staff and some of his team members.

Kathmandu Tour

Mar 31, 2007

Ray had an enjoyable day in Kathmandu. In the morning, he and his group boarded a bus for a tour of the city. The streets are very narrow, and were chock-full of small shops. Almost every building was a small store. The throng of people was amazing, and everybody seemed to be selling something. There were also small food carts and stalls, and fruit and vegetable stands, and at one he saw a huge pamplemouse the size of a basketball, and lots of other fruit he had never seen before.

Their first stop was at the "Monkey Temple", more properly known as the Swayambhunath Stupa. It is on top of a hill - 356 steps up the hill and the rock that the temple was built on. The common name comes from the many monkeys that live there. It is a Buddhist religious monument, built on a large rock, with a pagoda-style roof, lots of ornamentation, and decorated with gold plate and colorful prayer flags. It is the oldest holy shrine in Kathmandu - at least 2000 years old. The locals say it has always been there.

Then they went to a famous Hindu temple, the Pashupatinath, which sits alongside the Bagmati river. Thousands of pilgrims from all over the world come to pay homage to this temple, also known as 'The Temple of Living Beings'. It was a very beautiful building, but they were not allowed to go inside. They were able to walk around outside the temple, along with the monkeys. The river was almost dry; it is not yet monsoon season.

It was here at Pashupatinath where they saw some of the Hindu holy men, called sadhus, who cover their skin with ash, paint their faces, and let their hair go rastafarian style. These men were friendly and they wanted to have their pictures taken with the tourists - for a small donation.

From the Hindu Temple they went to visit one of the schools. The guiding company Ray is with sponsors school children from the Khumbu region. The people like to send their children into Kathmandu for education, but most of them cannot afford it. So the guiding company sponsors up to 20 children every year. The children live at the school. Upon the group's arrival the children lined up for a photo and shook all their hands. Ray felt they really appreciated their opportunity for education. And Ray said it was satisfying to him to see their money going to a good cause.

Their tour guide for the day was a Nepalese gentleman, very nice and extremely knowledgeable, and it turns out he is also a professor of astrophysics! He gave an excellent tour.

They stopped for lunch at a fancy restaurant, where the cost for the lunch was only $6.00. The meals have been excellent. Usually they are served the traditional Nepali fare of daal-bhaat, which is lentils and rice, along with either a vegetable or chicken curry, heavily spiced. Ray said it is really good, although one person in their group got sick from one of the meals.

Back at their hotel, the guide company requested that everyone in the group bring their gear out onto the lawn, on the hotel grounds. Fortunately it was in the shade, as the day was quite hot. The guiding company inspected the gear to make sure each person had all the necessary items. Ray's gear passed the inspection. After the inspection, Ray packed his bags again, and was lugging them one by one back to his room, and was appalled to find a fellow about ready to take off with one of his bags. This was surprising, because the hotel has many guards, and this fellow was obviously not one of the hotel staff.

With that finished, Ray decided to ask the hotel if they could launder a couple t-shirts. No problem, when do you need them? Oh, tonight. A couple hours later, a small, wrapped parcel arrived at his room - not just laundered, but pressed, very neatly folded, with a cardboard insert - just like a brand new dress-shirt. Their typical guest must wear something a bit nicer than a t-shirt!

Helicopter to Syangboche

Apr 1, 2007

Ray got a call early this morning, at 6:30 am: time to load up the huge Russian helicopter and leave Kathmandu. The Sherpas hired by the company quickly loaded all their gear bags. The helicopter was packed to the hilt with gear bags and food. There was room left for 5 passengers. Ray climbed aboard and 45 minutes later they landed in Syangboche, at 3720 meters, 12,205 feet.

The Sherpas unloaded the helicopter and it returned to Kathmandu for the next load of gear and passengers.

There had been a fair amount of cloud cover during the flight, but they caught glimpses of several famous big peaks: Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam. Ray was totally awed by the beauty of the area. He said it blew his mind how massive these mountains are, and how beautiful. When they unloaded at Syangboche, it wasn't too cold at this altitude. Just a fleece sweater and a windbreaker.

They hiked down the trail to Namche Bazaar, about 700 or 800 feet very steeply down, about a 40-minute hike.

They are staying at a nice hotel in Namche, two trekkers per room with a private bathroom. They will stay here for three nights, taking day hikes during the day in order to acclimatize. Namche is part of the Khumbu region, the land of the Sherpa, the mountain people. They are very friendly, and most can speak English. Everywhere you look there are yaks and porters and Sherpas carrying loads into the mountains.

After lunch Ray and Vern walked into the town, 15 minutes, another steep walk. Ray said he was amazed by the steepness of the terrain. And extremely beautiful with clouds hanging onto the slopes.

In Namche there are a lot of stores - almost all of them selling mountaineering gear of some sort. Ray was surprised to see big name brand clothing for sale at very low prices. For example, $20 for a nice NF jacket. However, he soon learned that the brand name is not genuine. He found a sewing shop, with trundle sewing machines busy at work, putting together down mittens, complete with official-looking embroidered logos.

As we spoke on the phone, yaks loaded with gear passed by along the trail; they obviously knew where they were going. Ray laughed as they walked by, and moved aside to allow them room.

Namche to Khumjung

Apr 2, 2007

Ray awoke at daybreak, and took a 20-minute hike up a nearby slope to get a glimpse of Mount Everest. He said he enjoyed being off by himself, before the rest of the team was up.

As he was headed down, he met the rest of his group headed up, so he turned around and went back up for a second time.

A few hours later they all took a day hike to Khumjung, a small, nearby village at 3,780 meters (12,402 feet). This day hike was part of their acclimatizing process. It took about 4.5 hours, and was really nice hiking. They met a few other hikers, and lots of Sherpas and yaks carrying loads. At one point Ray got bumped off the trail by a yak. He laughed as he told me about it, then said that you have to be really careful when they pass, because they are pretty wild.

The scenery was spectacular, with tall and pretty mountains all around. The day was cloudless and beautiful. Along the way they came to a high point and there was Everest, standing right in front of them. From this point they are 28 miles, horizontally, from Everest.

They walked through Khumjung, and as usual there were lots of interesting things to see, including the carved stone tablets. Then they made a long loop back to Namche. On the way back Ray and Vern hiked cross-country and they enjoyed it immensely.

Back at the hotel they had a nice lunch. Ray said they are enjoying the luxury of this hotel, because they know that once they leave here the accommodations will not be quite so nice. He even took a hot shower today - solar heated.

During the afternoon the team had a long lesson/lecture on preparation for higher altitudes, altitude sickness, and proper acclimatization. This was followed by a nice dinner at their hotel. Someone on the team asked Ray what he was going to buy in Namche for a souvenir. Jokingly Ray replied, "one of everything!"

Trekking above Namche

Apr 4, 2007

Ray said they spent all day trekking high above Namche Bazaar, then in the late afternoon they returned to their hotel.

Village of Thame

Apr 5, 2007

Another great day in the Khumbu region. Today Ray and his team hiked west to the small village of Thame. This is the village where Lakpa Rita Sherpa, one of the team's senior guides, grew up. Ray said the village was much more rustic than what they have seen so far, with a large monastery, and definitely off the tourist track. To get to the village they climbed up through a long, steep canyon.

It took them 5.5 hours to hike from Syangboche to Thame, with a stop about half way at a tea house for a big lunch. As usual, the hiking was fantastic, and Ray spent quite a bit of time hiking along with the Sherpas, chatting and learning about their way of life here. The yaks and Sherpas accompanied them today, carrying some of their gear. For a trekking pack, Ray is using one of our home-made Ray-Way backpacks.

Here in the Khumbu area it is not unusual for the children to hike many miles from their small village to go to school in Namche. Lakpa explained how as a child he would hike for 3 hours from Thame to go to school in Namche, then another 3 hour return back home at the end of the day. And he would do this 6 days a week for 10 months a year. It had just taken Ray and his team 5.5 hours to hike what these kids could do in 3 hours! No wonder the Sherpa are so strong and fit.

There were lots of other fascinating stories about their life here. Ray said that it is amazing to watch the Sherpas carrying loads up and down the trails. And the things he has seen being carried is incredible. For example, huge timbers. He even saw one fellow carrying a large load of rocks! But to the Sherpa people, this is nothing unusual, it is just a natural part of their life.

Apa Sherpa's Everest Summiter Lodge at Thame

Thengbo Monastery

Apr 6, 2007

Ray and his team had a working rest day today. That means they hike all day and then come back to the same camp. So that's a rest day!

They climbed up to a monastery on the side of the cliff. It took about 2 hours to get up there. This monastery is the second oldest monastery in the Khumbu. There they had a ceremony, with a Buddhist monk blessing them on their expedition with Kata scarfs and Shrudis (prayer strings). Ray said the monks were really friendly.

They were at the monastery for about 2.5 hours. Then they kept climbing the hill for exercise. Finally they got to the top and were amazed to see that they were surrounded by huge mountains towering above them. Their high point was 13,600 feet.

They are following a very strict acclimatizing program. They hike for a long time every day, with no real rest days. Ray said he feels really good and as strong as the rest of the team.

They descended back to Thame and ate a huge lunch, then they went to visit the house of Lakpa Rita's parents. Some of the most renowned Sherpas - those who have accomplished many summits of Everest and other peaks - are from this village. So among the Sherpas, this village is quite famous.

Lakpa's parents live in a primitive house. The bottom floor consisted of a one wall of dung chips for cooking, and the opposite wall was small bits of wood for fire wood. Three yaks lived on this bottom floor. Then you go up the stairs into a small kitchen area, with a hearth for cooking on, with a large apron above the hearth for venting the smoke. Next to the kitchen is a huge living room with a large table complete with table cloth and nice tea cups all set out. They all sat down and she served tea. They had another ceremony to bless the expedition.

Meanwhile the Sherpas on their expedition had prepared a large dinner, as usual. They cook outside on large kerosene stoves. They always prepare lots of different dishes. Tonight's specialty was pizza!

Finally they had an hour and a half to themselves. Ray went for a hike through the village which he said is very clean, everything is really well groomed and well taken care of. The trail up to the monastery was impeccably clean. The air is clear and fresh, and it is all so beautiful, almost at timberline, the cedars are small, almost stunted. Thame is in a small valley surrounded by giant peaks, with a river running through the valley.

Khumjung via Gendukpa

Apr 7, 2007

Hotel Everest View

Today Ray and his team hiked up to another isolated monastery, high above the trail and the Bhote Khosi, on the side of a cliff. This monastery, called Gendukpa (Lama Zhangbu’s gompa) was in a small prayer room cave, maybe 10 feet by 15 feet. The cave's interior was decorated much like the other monasteries they have visited, with Buddhist ornamentation and paintings. Again, they had a nice ceremony, with blessings from the monks.

Then they hiked way down the hill to a small village called Thamo for lunch, followed by more hiking and climbing back up the valley to Khumjung. All day today they met many Sherpas on the trail. Ray said they are super nice and friendly and fun to talk to. Some of them were carrying huge loads.

In the afternoon it began to snow, but they continued hiking. Altogether they hiked for 6 hours. Most of it was steep up or down; there is very little level terrain. It is a really good workout. The company guides are working the team pretty good, with no let-up, and with practically no free time. They ended the day at about 12,600 feet elevation. Ray said they are starting to ascend a big valley and are leaving the lowlands behind now.

Finally in the late evening the snow stopped. Most of the trekking so far has been on well-traveled trails, where it is quite dusty. With the snowfall today, the dust turned to mud. As they came into the village they passed by a small store and Ray noticed a pair of down booties for sale for $12. At the Khumjung Hotel - where the usual policy is to remove trekking shoes or boots before entering - Ray took off his trekking shoes, put on two pair of wool socks, but his feet got cold in a hurry. A quick trip back to the store for those down booties took care of that, and now he has warm feet in the hotel. He took a shower, even though the water was not real hot.

Ray had a chance today to hike and talk with Pete Athens. Pete is one of the greatest Himalayan guides around and has summited Mount Everest seven times. He has lived in Nepal for a number of years and is quite knowledgeable on Nepalese culture. Ray said it was an honor for him to hike and talk with Pete. Pete mentioned that they had met once before: in 1975 in Yosemite Valley!

During our phone conversation today, Ray mentioned an aspect of his team's dynamics that he hadn't anticipated. It turns out 3 of the team members are there to make a commercial film about their expedition. Ray said that their intent is not a simple home-video/memoir type of film, but rather a full-blown commercial enterprise, with the intent to market it into the big-time movie industry. The rest of Ray's team were surprised when Ray asked not to be included in the film. Ray had to explain to them that unlike most people, he is not seeking fame and glory, and he values his privacy. Once he explained this to his group, they all agreed. But it took the intervention of the company guides to convince the 3 film makers of this. In the end, everyone had come to amicable terms.

Tengboche Monastery and Deboche

Apr 8, 2007

Another fantastic trekking day, starting with a visit to the Hillary School in Khumjung. Then they began trekking, first a steep descent, way downhill to rejoin the main trail. At the valley bottom they had to cross the glacial-silt laden Dudh Koshi (which means Milky River) on a long suspension bridge, high over the river. Ray said he tried not to notice how it looked like some of the planks could collapse at any time.

Shortly after that, in Phunki Thanga, they found a nice grassy area for a picnic-style lunch. Ray said the Sherpa cooks are amazing, they can prepare a nice meal anywhere. Then they began a hill climb - "a hill to end all hills" - 1,700 feet high. There were no level spots and it took them 1.5 hours to ascend, with no rests. Ray explained how it is not practical to hike slowly up this trail, because there is so much traffic. This is the main trail, known as "the highway." Ray said it was just littered with activity - lots of Sherpas with heavy loads, lots and lots of yaks, and very dusty. He had to keep his mouth and nose covered. Ray was carrying his Ray-Way backpack with a fair amount of weight, but the Sherpas carry huge loads, 70 to 75 pounds, and these Sherpas were passing him up!

Ray is also impressed by the yaks. He said they are quite smart, and they carry tremendous loads, and in general they are really nice creatures, although you have to be a bit careful around them because they are so strong and a bit wild. As we spoke on the phone, Ray said that there were yaks all around his tent, with their bells ringing.

They finally reached the top, and there on the ridge-top was the famous Tengboche Monastery. As they were walking past the monastery they passed by a doughnut shop, of all things. So they went in and to his surprise Ray said he saw racks and racks of fresh doughnuts and cakes. Of course they bought several kinds and they had them heated in a microwave!

At the Tengboche Visitor's Center they went to the Interpretive Center to learn more about the Buddhists and the monasteries. At 12,700 feet, Tengboche is one of the highest monasteries in Nepal. Twice in its history the monastery has been destroyed and then rebuilt. The Rimpoche Tenzing, the Incarnate Lama, who presides over this monastery, is one of the most revered lamas in Nepal.

Then they went to visit the monastery, and they were very honored to have the Tengboche Rimpoche bless their expedition, for their safety. They were invited inside the monastery, which was fabulous. And they were even given permission to take photographs. Normally photographs are not allowed in the monasteries. During their visit, the monks started to arrive for their prayer time, and the trekkers were invited to stay. Very quickly the monks filed in, about 25 of them, wearing their robes, sitting on benches, meditating. The drum started beating and the monks started chanting, and Ray said it was quite powerful.

After their visit they descended the ridge on the other side to the small village of Deboche. Here they stopped for the day. The group had a small hotel, but the rooms were so tiny that Ray and Todd chose to sleep outside in a tent.

Ray said everything is going really well. The team is starting to unify, and everyone is getting along quite well and having fun together as a group. There is a lot of joking and interesting conversation. Ray said he enjoys being with them.

Pangboche and Pheriche

Apr 9, 2007

Ray said he had a most comfortable night in the tent. Of course the rest of the team had to tease him a bit, and joked that he was working on his Camping Merit Badge.

As usual they had a long day of hiking, a couple more large river crossings on suspension bridges, and quite a bit of climbing.

Along the way they passed through the village of Pangboche and stopped to visit the Pangboche Gompa (monastery). The Pangboche Lama, Lama Geshe, gave them each a handwritten card with their name on it, to carry with them to keep them safe. The Lama spoke in Nepalese, so Lakpa translated. Ray said it was a wonderful teaching. The gist of it was: We do not have all the answers. But we are seeking world peace, and for solutions to many world problems, solutions that work for all peoples, all cultures. As you travel through our land you will eventually come to your final destination, and then you cannot go any further, and you will need to return. So as you travel be sure to enjoy it, and do everything you can to help other people and to make them happy. Ray said it was a beautiful teaching.

They stopped for lunch at a lodge in a small village named Shomare, perched on the mountainside. They sat down at tables inside a sunroom with glass windows on all sides. The panoramic views were fantastic. Pasang Lodge.

They continued on all afternoon with more steep climbing, while the clouds moved in, the temperature dropped and snow began to fall. As usual, they shared the trail with the many yaks and porters carrying loads.

Ray and his team stopped for the day at Ang Nuru’s Himalayan lodge in the small and remote village of Pheriche at 13,900 feet. Their hotel, or lodge, is rather primitive but considering their location they are very happy with it. They are now above timberline.

Ray spoke from outside the lodge and said he could see through the window, inside the lodge, where they were setting candles on the dining table and getting ready to serve dinner.

Hiking above Pheriche

Apr 10, 2007

Today Ray and his team had a so-called rest day. Which of course means that they climbed a very steep mountain slope to the northeast of Pheriche. They ascended to 16,000 feet and enjoyed seeing the spectacular peaks surrounding them. Ray said it was a pretty tough climb, mostly because of the affects of the altitude. Nevertheless, he is having so much fun, being in such a beautiful area, surrounded by a beautiful culture and people.

The guides are working them really hard. After lunch they hiked over to the Himalayan Rescue Association medical clinic, which is staffed by volunteer doctors from around the world. There, the team had another long lecture about altitude sickness. Then, amazingly, they were given almost 2 hours off. Two hours of free time, to do whatever they wanted, Ray said with a laugh.

As we spoke, Ray said the snow had finally stopped, and he was strolling through the village of Pheriche where they are staying again for a second night. Yaks grazed and wandered about, and locals strolled by, stopping to exchange "Namaste" with Ray. Ray said he enjoys the Sherpa people very much; they have a gentle and friendly manner.

Up at this high altitude the yaks are really large, and they have super long and luxurious coats. He has seen three really cute baby yaks here in the village. On the phone Ray started laughing again: a large yak had just walked up to him and was staring at him.

Lobuche

Apr 11, 2007

The terminal moraine from the Khumbu glacier ends at a place called Dukla. From here to Base Camp we would be trekking on this expansive moraine.

Ray and his team arrived in Lobuche after a steep climb. They gained over 2000 feet, and are now close to 16,000 feet in altitude. They hiked slow, enjoying the scenery with fantastic mountains all around. Ray said it is just unbelievable, these mountains, and they are so pretty. The views from Lobuche are amazing; he could see the summit of Lhotse.

He said it felt like a really long day, they had left Pheriche at about 7:30 am, but when they got to the lodge in Lobuche he looked at his watch and was very surprised to see it was only 1:30 pm.

The day had been pretty cold and windy, and as we spoke on the phone I could here the wind whipping past. Ray said it had been a good day, he was feeling strong, staying hydrated, and the slower pace helped. He said the scenery is so incredibly grand, but the small photos he is able to send via the satellite phone are not large enough to portray the grandness of it all.

Ray described the area as quite primitive, but ironically the lodge had nice rooms, and a large dining room. And it was very crowded, with lots of trekkers and climbers converging here. It was so crowded they had to eat dinner in shifts.

Our phone call was short, as it was much too cold for Ray to stand outside for very long.

Everest Base Camp

Apr 12, 2007

Ray and his team arrived at Everest Base Camp today! In the photo: to the right of Ray is Lhotse; to the left is the west ridge of Everest. And right above his head, barely visible is the summit of Everest. There are clouds streaming off of the summit.

Ray said Everest Base Camp is huge, like a small city, but it is all dwarfed by the magnificent peaks. They hiked a long ways today, many hours. When Ray awoke this morning the temperature inside the room was 28 degrees. This was at the lodge in Lobuche, where they have stayed for the last two nights. The day didn't warm up much, although they had a clear sky. At this altitude, it is always cold, and nearly always windy.

They stopped for lunch at the lodge at Gorak Shep. This lodge has a wonderful sunroom where they were able to warm up. They rested there for about an hour and a half.

They hiked all day on the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. It was strenuous going, really rough hiking on the rocks and boulders, lots of up and down, with plenty of steep sections. Ray said the altitude was affecting him a bit, and the rest of the team too, because they all hiked pretty slow.

Reaching Everest Base Camp, it took them nearly half an hour to walk through the "city" of tents. The Sherpas set up their team's tents at the head of the rest of the camp, meaning they are at the very base of the Khumbu Icefall. This icefall is so unreal it is hard to imagine. He watched some climbers descending through the icefall, and they looked like ants. Their altitude here is 17,300 feet.

Everest Base Camp is situated right on the Khumbu Glacier although the glacier is covered with rocks and boulders. Ray said it is really rough, there is not a flat place anywhere, and it is difficult to walk around because of how rough and rocky it is. He is very thankful for all the work the Sherpas did, preparing flat areas for their tents, setting up the tents, and making the team as comfortable as possible. Ray said that it was so luxurious to have a large tent all to himself. The yaks carried up all these tents, along with the remainder of the team's gear and food. Each team member gets their own tent, so Ray said he has plenty of room to spread out, he has all his gear with him now, and he is very happy to have reached base camp. Considering where they are, he is pretty comfortable - until he looks outside. The Icefall is something to behold, and he feels totally dwarfed by it and all the surrounding mountain peaks and ridges.

As we spoke, Ray said he could feel the temperature dropping, the sun had already dropped below the mountain tops. The sky was still clear, the wind had diminished, but the air was extremely cold. He said he was feeling pretty good.

Puja Ceremony

Apr 13, 2007

Prayer flags 'release' a prayer to the wind with every flap. Mani stone. Dzopkyos are male cross breeds of a yak and a cow. They are used at lower elevations where yaks have difficulties. khatas (scarves). Khunde sits above Namche Bazaar and next to the village of Khumjung. Thame, Lhakpa Rita's hometown.

Photo: Prayer flags at the puja. In the background, towering over Base Camp, the face on Everest's west ridge. At lower right, part of Khumbu Icefall.

Ray and his team enjoyed a nice day in Everest Base Camp. The Sherpas who have been trekking with them invited the team to their blessing ceremony known as the puja. One of the Sherpas is a monk, and he led the ceremony with prayers and chants. Most of the Sherpas have been at base camp several days and have acclimatized, whereas the team has been there less than 24 hours. So the Sherpas were able to carry on with the dancing, which is a form of prayer, long after the team members tired.

After the ceremony the Sherpas passed around cans of Chinese Coca-Cola. Ray said it looked like a can of soda, but the writing on the can was in Chinese. He decided not to try it.

Because their camp is so close to the foot of the Khumbu Icefall, Ray has watched climbers coming and going through it. He remarked again about how tiny the climbers look as they make their way through the chaos of ice blocks.

Rest Day

Apr 14, 2007

Today has been declared a rest day for Ray and his team. Ray has been getting used to life in Base Camp and acclimatizing to the higher altitude. He said he is enjoying each day as it comes, and he is learning a lot from the guides, and from his team. Today he had another chance to talk to Pete Athens for a couple hours. And for some fun and relaxation, Ray and a few others flew a small, 2-square-meter performance kite.

The day was sunny although windy, and it wasn't super cold but then it was not super warm either. Base Camp sits almost directly under the west ridge of Mt. Everest, and Ray said the scale is quite imposing and humbling. During the night there was a loud rock fall which lasted three minutes. And there are almost constant avalanches on the surrounding slopes, and seracs collapsing.

As we spoke, Ray described watching a team of climbers top out at the upper edge of the Khumbu Icefall. Two other parties were snaking through the lower sections, making their way back to Base Camp. Ray said he could see the summit of Lhotse, way up past the Icefall, and he could also see the face of Nuptse with giant seracs on it.

Ladder Practice

Apr 15, 2007

Another fine day in Base Camp. Ray said that during the morning they worked on some basic camp chores like strengthening the tents, making them more secure against the wind. They also had a bit of down time to rest.

Then the team was gathered together for ladder walking practice. They have three aluminum ladders in camp to practice on. One ladder is horizontal, one is on a slight slope, and the third is quite steep. They rigged ropes alongside for holding on; one person would tension the rope to make it easier for the other person to cross.

Then came the real challenge: put on the double boots and crampons, and walk the ladders. Ray said it was difficult because the points of the crampons tended to get stuck on the ladder rungs. Foot placement was critical. The guides gave the team members an assignment: 100 practice ladder walks.

In the afternoon when it began snowing, the team gathered in one of the large tents to review some of their climbing equipment and to rig their quick-draws and jumars. Each piece of gear like the harness, the carabiners, the quick draws, the jumars, all need to work together efficiently and flawlessly.

Later in the evening the snow stopped, the sky cleared a little bit, and the temperature plummeted. Ray said that last night it was very cold - minus 20 centigrade. Ray is using a one-person Ray-Way Quilt with 2 layers of Alpine insulation. He said that with a few extra layers of clothing on he is quite comfortable under the quilt.

Ice Climbing Practice

Apr 16, 2007

Pumori

In the morning they watched a huge avalanche come down on to the Khumbu Icefall. A serac had broken off at the top on the Everest side of the Icefall, and had started this avalanche. He said it just clobbered that side of the Icefall. Everyone in Base Camp was standing there watching it. At that time there were several people making their way through the Icefall, but right in that particular area the route swings far to the right in order to avoid that avalanche prone area. Seracs breaking off there is quite common. So nobody was hurt.

Ray said they had a long practice session in Base Camp today. They were working on their icefall techniques.Ray: In the morning I continued practicing ladder walking my double boots and crampons. Once I got used to it, this was not a problem.

In the afternoon we put on harness with jumar and rappel device. The guides had set up a circular course that included a 40-foot ice pinnacle with a very steep face that they had to climb up, using one jumar and the front points of our crampons, and then rappel down the back side of. Then there was another 25-foot pinnacle that we climbed using a different technique, and arm-rappel down the back side. The circuit also included crossing on ladders.

It was fun, but I became more concerned for everyone's safety as the practice session wore on. I counted six times when I saw unsafe protection. At any of these, someone could have got hurt. I saw two ice screws pull out, that people were ascending on; and one carabiner that came completely unclipped while one fellow was setting up for rappelling. This guy was starting to lean back when the carabiner came unclipped. I would never rappel on just one non-locking carabiner and one sling.

I was quite concerned for everyone's safety, and spent some time fixing one of the anchors. One of the guides had placed an ice screw as an anchor, but it had melted out in the sun. Just there, the guide could have easily have put a thread in the ice. When I got there, I found that the screw had melted completely out. To which the guide said, " Don't trust that." Yeah right. So I fitted a thread, and this held all day for the rest of the circuit practice.

The guides had set up two ladders five feet off the ground, and I asked the guides, in front of the group, if anyone would be spotting everyone while crossing them. I explained to the group and the guides that these ladders might be dangerous if anyone fell off them. Ordinarily the ladders are meant to cross crevasses; and if anyone fell off them he or she would swing into space, clipped to the safety ropes. But here at the practice session, if anyone fell off these ladders, he or she would crash into the ground. The guides scoffed at this idea and said these ladders were perfectly safe and no one would fall off.

Sure enough, Firat fell off one of the ladders and very badly twisted his knee. Subsequently, this injury caused him a lot of trouble in the days and weeks to come.

One of the gudes was stationed on top of the 40-foot pinnacle, to help with the rappel, although they didn't bother to belay anyone down. The guides had placed one (only) anchor of the V-tread type. This is done by drilling two holes into the ice with ice screws forming a "V" tunnel, then treading a bit of tat (rope or webbing) through this, and tying a loop. Unfortunately, the two holes were much too close together to suite me, and the bit of tat too small - only 6mm cord. Nevertheless, the guide had tied two ropes off this one anchor, one side to jumar on, and the other side to rappel off of.

When I got up there and saw this anchor, which I had just jumared on (!), I said to the guide "I'm not going to rappel off that!" The guide was adamant, though, as if I had no choice. But when the next person in line started jumaring line number 1, I figured if the anchor pulled, I would be OK, as my weight on rope number 2 would counter-balance the other person. So I took my chances that the tat wouldn't break and send all three of us plummeting.

The day ended with some pretty heavy snowstorms continuing into the night.

Partway up the Khumbu Icefall

Apr 17, 2007

Despite the discouraging practice yesterday, Ray said he awoke this morning full of energy, feeling strong. He said he drank 4 quarts of water during the night, and this was extremely beneficial both physically and psychologically.

Today Ray and his team ventured up into the Khumbu Icefall. Ray said he had a fantastic time, he enjoyed every minute of it, and he felt strong and confident. There is a fixed route through the Icefall, made by very skilled Sherpas who have been doing this for many seasons, and the route is fairly safe. All the teams climbing up the Khumbu Icefall follow this route.

Ray said there were fixed ropes, ladder crossings, and in one place there were two ladders tied together across a gaping crevasse, which they had to cross. Then they had to cross it again coming down. Ray said it was a bit scary, but also fun and exhilarating. They were out on the Icefall for about 4 hours and they climbed only part way up. He repeated that it had been a really fun and enjoyable day.

Once again, the snowstorms moved in during the afternoon and evening. As we spoke on the phone, Ray said the snow was starting to come down fast and furious, so he was going back into his tent. He sounded good, and was full of enthusiasm.

Rest at Base Camp

Apr 18, 2007

More snow storms at Base Camp. Yesterday while climbing the lower part of the Khumbu Icefall they met about 25 non-Sherpa climbers and about 40 Sherpas.

Also, Ray asked me to clarify that the Khumbu Icefall route is not particularly safe. He compared it to the training circuit-obstacle course that the guides had set up, which in his opinion was unsafe. Ray said that climbing through the Icefall is not a walk in the park, ether. It is dangerous and difficult and a lot of hard work. But despite that Ray said it was fun and he enjoyed the challenge.

Camp-1

Apr 19, 2007

Ray and his team are in the Western Cwm. They arrived safely at Camp 1 after negotiating the Khumbu Icefall. Ray said it was really dangerous, but he had a really good time.

They left Base Camp at daybreak, and it took them 9 hours to get through the Icefall and in to Camp 1. The guides had allowed for 12 hours, but Ray said they were pretty fast for beginners. Ray enjoyed the challenge immensely and he felt strong and powerful. In fact, he was out in front of the rest of the team, right behind the lead guide. The route consisted of countless ladder crossings, with fixed ropes the entire way, and some incredibly steep sections.

At one point Ray was crossing a double ladder - two ladders tied together end to end to span a very large crevasse - when his crampon got stuck on a ladder rung. He said he couldn't kneel down to try to free it because of the way the crampon was stuck. He said the guides were shouting advice to him, how to free it. Finally, following one suggestion, he turned his heel a particular way and pulled, and it came free.

By late afternoon he felt extremely tired, as did most everyone else. The altitude was definitely draining him, and he said he had to drag himself the last bit to Camp 1, which is at 19,700 feet.

Partway up the Western Cwm

Apr 20, 2007

Today Ray and his team climbed up through the Western Cwm about 800 feet above Camp 1, to a high point of 20,500 feet, to acclimatize. From this high point they could see the summit of Mt. Everest towering over them. Ray said that they were all feeling pretty wasted from the high altitude.

The route through the Western Cwm is not as steep as what they experienced coming up the Khumbu Icefall. Instead, it meanders this way and that, weaving in and out, up and down, to avoid crevasses. Still they crossed over lots of crevasses on ladders, and most of those crevasses are immense and really deep.

I asked Ray about the weather, and he said that typically the sky is clear in the morning, then the clouds build in the afternoon bringing snow storms and frigid wind. The Western Cwm is notorious for being very hot during the morning when the sun beats down into it, but today they had a lot of wind which kept them cool.

Ray said that the scenery is unbelievable. He described the view from Camp 1: looking up the Western Cwm, the Lotse Face looms right in front of him. And above the Cwm he could see the South Col, and the exposed rocks known as the Yellow Bands. The Nuptse wall is to the south, and the western shoulder of Everest is to the north. The Western Cwm is a narrow valley between the two, and it is an area of avalanches.

Ray said there were immense lenticular clouds over the top of Everest and Lotse; these clouds have been there for several days, which means super high winds up there, blowing at about 150 miles per hour. But at the moment it was not too windy there at Camp.

Camp-2

Apr 21, 2007

Another fantastic day for Ray and his team. They arrived at Camp 2, Advanced Base Camp, at 20,300 feet. Here the Sherpas have set up another base camp for their team, complete with a small cook/dining tent and some three-legged chairs to sit on. The Sherpas had a hot lunch ready for the team when they arrived, which was most welcome.

They left Camp 1 at 8:00 am and arrived at Camp 2 about 5 and a half hours later, at 1:30 pm. Ray said it was slow going, but a good day nonetheless, nice and sunny. It was a long way from Camp 1 to Camp 2, and they had to take it super slow. He didn't feel too tired, just out of breath whenever he exerts. He said they are not acclimatized to this higher altitude yet. I could hear his labored breath, huffing and puffing as he spoke.

Ray explained that he was not too tired, but that it is really difficult to breath, you just can't get enough air. He said if he sits down for a few minutes he feels pretty normal, but as soon as he stands up and starts to move he gets out of breath. "Anything you do, like putting on your boots, just wastes you." He said the whole team is pretty maxed out on acclimatization. They have just taken two big jumps, from Base Camp to Camp 1, and then Camp 1 to Camp 2.

Ray said the views and scenery are amazing, he has never seen anything even remotely like it. Camp 2 is at the east end of the Western Cwm, right below the Lhotse Face. He said he can almost reach out and touch the west shoulder of Everest. And the Nuptse Face is just to the south. Camp 3 is visible, about half way up the Lhotse Face. He said it is way up there; it looks really tiny. He was disappointed that his camera battery froze right out of Camp 1. He didn't have a spare battery with him so he missed a lot of good photos.

Ray said he hiked slowly today, near the back of the team, in order to conserve his strength. They weren't climbing steeply, it was more just walking. He said it was not nearly as adventurous as the Khumbu Icefall, so he hung to the back of the group, to husband his energy. So he made it up to Camp 2 in good shape, not too tired, and he's hanging in there.

They have learned pressure breathing, which is forcefully exhaling all your breaths. Ray said it helps.

As we spoke Ray said it was really cold and starting to snow. He sounded good, full of excitement.

Nearly to the Lhotse Face

Apr 22, 2007

Today was a working rest day at Camp 2, in order to help acclimatize. Ray said they hiked up the glacier, almost to the bottom of the Lhotse Face, climbing several hundred feet. It was very windy and cold, and snowing. He said that the crevasses at this end of the Cwm are quite deep, but narrow enough that they could just step over them. They don't have ladders for this section.

They hiked for two hours, then returned to their tents at Camp 2. These working rest days are a necessary part of acclimatization. The temptation is to lay idly in the tent or hang around camp, but the walks force you to breathe deeper and faster which saturates the body with more oxygen.

Most of the team is doing well, although one person had to go down. Ray said he still feels strong, in fact he is feeling really good. The only discomfort is being out of breath.

Descending to Base Camp

Apr 23, 2007

During the night at Camp 2 they had a lot of fresh snowfall. The team got an early wake-up call, with breakfast ready at 6:00. At that hour the air temperature was extremely cold. By 7:00 am they were on their way, descending to Base Camp. The return trip took 7 hours altogether.

Ray loaded a new battery into his camera, kept it warm, and throughout the day took a whole lot of photos.

During their descent today, almost the whole team felt sick, except Ray - he said he felt great, strong and full of energy. But yesterday it was completely opposite: they were roped up, not on fixed lines, and he felt bad from the altitude, and climbed slowly, trying to catch his breath. He was not acclimatized to that high altitude - 21,000+ feet. He said at one point he looked up at the Lhotse Face and could see Camp 3 up there; and it was really high and it just looked impossibly far away.

Then, today he felt really good, but most of the others felt rotten, saying they did not sleep a wink last night. The team doctor said that this good day/bad day, roller-coaster scenario is common. Often one team member will have a great day, while another member is having a bad day. It is the altitude, and the body trying to adapt. Ray said when this trip is fun, it is really fun, and when it is bad it is horrible. You cannot believe the suffering when you can't get air, you feel like you are suffocating. Everything about your body feels bad, and of course this affects your mind and your attitude.

One of the keys to feeling well is to drink volumes of water. As usual, Ray drank lots of water throughout the night. Ray said he slept, although not soundly, and not too comfortably, mainly because of the cold temperature, the wind battering the tent, and the thick condensation inside the tent.

At both Camp 1 and Camp 2, and on the trek in, Ray and Todd have shared a tent. Ray is thankful to have such a good friend and tent-mate; he said Todd is a really good friend, and they get along great. They sometimes stay up late at night talking while everyone else is resting.

So they left Camp 2 at 7:00 am and kept up a fast pace down to Camp 1. It took them only 2 hours. Ray said they were at times almost running. They passed many Sherpas carrying loads up to Camp 2. Altogether today, Ray estimates they met about 300 Sherpas. The Sherpas are incredibly strong, some will carry loads to Camp 2, go back to Camp 1, pick up another load, carry it up, then return, all in one day! He said that as you weave through the maze of the Icefall, climbing on the fixed lines, the Sherpas pass you like you are standing still. They are so friendly, they will always return your greeting of "Namaste". They are using tump lines, with really heavy loads, and can barely lift their head to look up at you, but they are all so friendly.

Ray said he enjoys most the technical parts, like the Icefall. Traveling through it again going down, he got a whole new view of the Icefall. He was amazed at the depth of some of the crevasses. He said you could fit a 3-story building in some of them. When they have to cross these super wide crevasses, they normally will climb down on fixed ropes or sometimes ladders, then climb the other side the same way.

Their descent through the Icefall was pretty fast too, although not too fast because they have to be quite cautious. There is a lot of climbing down, around, up, in, out, down again, up again, and so on. The ladder crossings are no longer quite so scary; Ray said he crosses them two rungs at a time now. Altogether there are about 30 ladders, most of them are horizontal. Some are shaky, they wobble side to side. When you get out there in the middle, you don't look down, you just concentrate on what you are doing. He said there is one particular ladder that was not anchored. You have to step on it just right to keep it from sliding out from under you.

The last two hours coming down the Icefall they had light snowfall with some white-outs, just to add to the challenge. Ray said the whole day was really fun, really beautiful, but of course dangerous.

At the bottom of the Icefall, they headed for their base camp. About 200 feet away from their camp they finally reached the end of the ice, and took off their crampons.

They cruised into their base camp and reveled in all the luxuries. Compared to Camp 1 and 2, base camp is plush. Ray said that of course it had been like this all along, but now they all really appreciated it. There is the large mess tent with tables and comfortable chairs and full time cook and fantastic meals; there is the hot shower; and everyone gets to be back in their own private, 3-man tent. Ray was very thankful for his own comfortable tent, just the way he had left it, with his small pile of clean clothes, his bags of snacks, etc. And the air down at Base Camp is thick and warm - it is such a relief to be able to breath easier. He said the whole team cheered for joy when they arrived back at their base camp. Most of the others were pretty beat because they hadn't slept at all last night at Camp 2. They were all really happy to be there.

Ray was second in line for the shower. He described it as a hot dribble - very, very nice! He said he has been wearing his old ski pants, left over from our South Pole trip. He said they fit really baggy because he has lost so much weight. And his leg and back muscles are strong.

Then back at his tent he put on clean clothes, took care of his feet, trimmed his toenails, put on clean socks. I told him it sounded like he was living the "life of riley" there at Base Camp. Then they had a nice hot lunch in the mess tent. After lunch he walked outside and was blown away by the scenery. The light was different and it just really struck him how beautiful and fantastic the mountains are.

Ray said that most everybody on his team has the awful, dry "Khumbu cough." Fortunately, so far Ray does not, so he is keeping his fingers crossed. He drinks 4 quarts of water during the night, but he needs two more. He only has 4 bottles, so he said he was going to scrounge around to see if he could find a couple more bottles. During the night he gets up to pee every 2 hours, then he drinks another three-quarters of a quart before going back to sleep. And that is how his nights go. He said that if he doesn't do that, he starts feeling bad. It is the altitude, it dehydrates a person so quickly.

We had a chance to talk about his gear and clothing, and how it is working for him. We had made a medium-weight shirt out of special fabric, and Ray said it is working extremely well. In fact, some of the team members want one just like it.

Typically Ray hikes with this shirt only, along with the appropriate neck gaiter and/or fleece scarf. For pants he wears one or two thermal layers plus his old South Pole ski pants (very wind resistant, but breathable). He said he has tried a waterproof breathable jacket but it was just too hot.

The one item he wears a lot when not climbing is his home-made insulated jacket. This is the same jacket he wore on our trip to the South Pole, while climbing Mt. Vinson in Antarctica, and in Argentina on Mt. Aconcagua. It is made from lightweight breathable nylon, with a thin layer of synthetic insulation sandwiched between the two nylon layers. Actually, the construction is similar to the Ray-Way Insulated Hat, which many readers are probably familiar with. When Ray got back from Argentina, this insulated jacket was pretty shot from 4 months of use and we were going to throw it out and make him a new one. But then we decided to wash it a few times to see if that would help. We still intended to make him a new one for this trip, but ran out of time. So Ray ended up taking this old one, and apparently it is still working great. Ray said we need to design a hood for it, and then we will make it available in kit form. It is a fantastic jacket, warm, comfortable and extremely lightweight. There are many photos of this jacket. It is the blue one that you see Ray wearing in the photos on the main page, on Aconcagua, on Mt. Vinson, and in several photos from our South Pole ski trip story.

Ray commented that everyone else is usually much more bundled up than he is. He figured he still has his "Antarctic blood" which allows him to work during the day with less layers than some of the other people.

It was a long phone call, thanks to the use of a more reliable satellite phone there in Base Camp. Ray said he is looking forward to a real rest day tomorrow. The guides have promised the team a genuine rest day, but he suspects that, as usual, that means a "working" rest day.

Rest Day at Base Camp

Apr 24, 2007

Ray called mid-morning, his time, just as it was starting to snow. He said the snowfall is typical, almost every day about this time. The sky grows black with heavy clouds and snow starts falling, usually getting thicker as the afternoon wears on. Then later in the afternoon the clouds start to disperse and the lighting becomes magical.

True to their words, the guides gave the team a genuine rest day today. A few of them went for a walk through base camp, which is at least a one hour trek!

Backing up a few days, Ray said he happened to meet John, his climbing partner from Mt. Vinson, while crossing the Icefall. They each knew the other would be here, somewhere, and they had hoped they would see each other at some point.

Ray said he might try to wash some clothes today. From the looks of the photo, though, it doesn't really look like many socks are going to get washed. Ray didn't mention that both Amy and Jeanne are very experienced mountaineers, so he'd better watch out. In any event, I like seeing these photos of him and "his gals." I know he is having fun and that's what it's all about.

Ray mentioned that last night the team gathered in the mess tent for dinner, as usual. But this time it was different. The team still buzzed with the excitement of having been up to Camp 2 and back with everyone safe, and Ray said he noticed a new feeling of comradery that he hadn't felt with the team before.

Working Rest Day

Apr 25, 2007

Another rest day in Everest Base Camp. Although Ray said he spent most of the day working; it was a self-imposed "working rest day."

Ray's base camp tent, although pretty comfortable, had a major fault: There was a big, hard lump under the floor, right in the middle. Ray decided it was time to move. Imagine trying to find somewhat smooth and level ground for a tent site in the middle of an immense glacial moraine. But first it required de-thawing the frozen-in corners of the tent where it was presently pitched. This took several hours of chopping at the ice, letting the sun melt it, chopping some more.

Meanwhile, Ray packed his gear and cleared out the tent. If you have ever lived for several weeks in a tent at a base camp, then you know how big of a chore just packing it all up can be.

Fortunately there was a relatively flat tent spot available, where another tent had been pitched previously, so by the end of the day Ray and his tent were relocated to this new spot. He said it was a big job and it certainly gave him a workout, doing all this at 17,000+ feet.

Kala Patthar

Apr 26, 2007

Ray said he was awakened in the early morning, just before daybreak, by the sound of three explosive cracks of seracs breaking off somewhere up in the Khumbu Icefall.

Today was a big day for the team: they hiked down the trail alongside the Khumbu Glacier to Gorak Shep, then climbed to the top of Kala Patthar at 18,176 feet. Ray said he was surprised at how long it took to climb to the summit; it was a long way up. And it was very windy and cold. Altogether it was a 7 hour round trip, a great work-out and fantastic fun.

Ray said he felt strong and trekked along near the front of the team. And he really enjoyed the challenge of climbing Kala Patthar. He described how he was out in front on both the ascent and the descent of the peak. And for some extreme fun, he and another team mate began a bit of competitive mountain running. They were both moving fast coming down from the peak. They laughed and said "is this a competition?" Ray replied "ok, you're on!" It turned into a full-tilt run with both of them having a grand time.

Todd said that he watched the two racing down the slope and kicking up a cloud of dust behind them.

Leaving the Expedition

Apr 27, 2007

A most welcome rest day in Base Camp, so there is not much to report today. Ray said that he is enjoying the scenery and the ever-changing lighting on the mountain slopes. Also, there have been several avalanches - some quite visible and audible - so no one is venturing far from Base Camp today. Hopefully Ray will be sending some photos so we can see more of what life in Base Camp is like.

An event happened that kind of forced me out of the expedition. The day was a very sad one for me and Jenny, and a few others. The doctors found out about my accident (stroke) of last year, and they all but forbade me to continue, saying it would be very risky for me at extreme high altitudes. I consulted five doctors that day, and only one said it would be all right to continue. The others were pretty adamant. So even though I was among the stronger team members, I had to admit defeat. My world came crashing down.

Prepare to Depart

Apr 28, 2007

Ray said that the morning was incredibly windy and cold, but the wind diminished throughout the day.

The major excitement of the day was when a tremendous avalanche came roaring down the slope, headed for base camp. Ray's survival instinct kicked in. He started running away from the approaching wall of snow. After several hundred feet he glanced back and noticed that the avalanche was still moving, but it was no longer headed for Base Camp. The spindrift from the avalanche started falling all around him as he walked back to his tent.

A few hours later, while he was talking to Ellie the camp manager, there was another roar from an avalanche, coming from the same place as the earlier one. Ray said he turned to Ellie and said, "We'd better run." But she said no, there is an intervening land feature that deflects the avalanches; base camp is safe. That is why it is situated where it is.

Ray said he is used to living at 17,000 feet now. He doesn't get out of breath and it feels pretty normal. He had an enjoyable day in Base Camp, organizing his gear and talking with Ellie the camp manager. He said again how really pretty the area is; the sun is shining, the sky is clear and brilliant, and the sunlight is gleaming off the slopes.

Trek to Pheriche

Apr 29, 2007

Ray had a fantastic day, setting out solo from Base Camp and trekking down alongside the Khumbu Glacier, past Gorak Shep, down to a couple of rivers which he crossed on rickety bridges, and then on into the village of Pheriche for the night.

He said during the morning it was really nice trekking, sunny and warm, almost too hot. He carried his pack with some "survival gear" and he had two Sherpas help carry the rest of his gear. Even though he has hiked this trail several times before, he said it was still pretty strenuous. In the morning, up high, he passed many trekkers and Ray said he could tell that the altitude was affecting them. Then as he descended closer to Pheriche he didn't see many other trekkers at all. As usual there were Sherpas and porters carrying loads up the trail, and in fact he recognized some of them. He had seen them before, either on the trek in or in Base Camp.

The afternoon turned really cold and windy with a heavy snowfall. So he had to keep up his pace to stay warm. Altogether he hiked for 5.5 hours without stopping for lunch. He said it was nice to arrive at his lodge in Pheriche and have a quiet room and a nice dinner.

Ray commented on how beautiful the surroundings are. The nearly full moon was glowing in the twilight, and the peaks are just beautiful in the evening light. He said he was standing at the moment in the middle of the small village, in front of a large pile of very old carved prayer stones. He said the carvings are fascinating, no two are alike, each has been carved by a different person. There are some stones that are surely over a thousand years old, and the weathered carvings on those old stones have been meticulously re-chipped.

He spent some time with his Sherpa friend Kancha in the lodge, and Ray said he learned a lot about Sherpa life. Kancha lives down in the lowlands, and he comes up to the high regions to work. His current job is "cook boy" meaning that he assists the cook, serves meals, ferries gear, and generally helps out around Base Camp. Ray said he looks quite young, almost like a teenager, but it turns out Kancha is 29 years old, with two children, the oldest is 12. So Kancha needs the work in order to send his children to school. Ray said that Kancha is not interested in climbing peaks, but is happy to work in Base Camp and ferry gear from the lower villages. They will be trekking together for a couple more days.

Ray: Today was a good day of hiking, with blue skies in the morning but snow and cold in the afternoon. I left basecamp at 9:00 behind our two Sherpa cookboys/porters Kancha and Lakpa. Once they had led me through basecamp, about a 30-minute labyrinth, they hurried ahead - never mind that they were carrying packs of their own and my two large duffel bags of equipment. Picture a backpack lashed to a duffel with a tump line attached.

The trail beyond Gorak Shep was busy with pallid-face trekkers and their guides. In theory the trail leads down but because it follows the rocky glacial moraine, there was a surprising amount of steep up that had me huffing despite living here for almost a month.

What a month it has been! I've enjoyed every minute of it. My favorite part was climbing and descending the Khumbu icefall, dangerous as it was. And traversing the Western Cwm. The entire episode has been so much fun!

I never make a big deal of my trips, publicly, especially before the fact. That way, should they not turn out the way I expect, as my climb of Aconcagua did, and certainly as this trip did, I will not have to crawl into the woodwork, nor even explain myself. I'm not trying to add to my reputation, but my experience, skill and knowledge. These, I figure, will surely make me more capable on my Next Fun Trip.

Early afternoon I started seeing small vegetation in an otherwise barren landscape of rocks and glacier ice. Within two hours of descending this had become six inches tall, and I recognized it as stunted brush or trees - juniper. I came to a small stream flowing clear, with a bit of moss growing on it's banks. I hadn't expected that such an ordinary sight could be so profoundly beautiful; and the melodic sound certainly added to the effect. I paused long, savoring the moment and thinking of the trip's recent turn of events.

My team meant a great deal to me; we had grown close over the past four weeks, and it was hard parting company, for both me and, I think, them - as evidenced by the long, tearful hugs of farewell.

Dave: my mentor on the mountain; Todd: with whom I had shared many late-night conversations; Ellie: base-camp manager who had taught me much about procedures; Vern: another guide - these were particularly meaningful people. Jeanne and Amy had cried and hugged me - both together - for several minutes, and wanted me to wait for them a few days hence when the team would descend all the way to Debouche for a few day's rest.

At last Firat looked at me and said in his Turkish accent: "It doesn't matter." I'm not sure what he meant, exactly, but I had to agree with him in general terms. To me, what does matter is the moment, and right now I'm a enjoying a great trek down into the low regions. Moreover, the prospects of a few days more of good hiking look good.

As I continued down, a light snow began to coat the sleeves of my shell jacket. The afternoon was growing colder, as typical of Khumbu afternoons; I was lightly dressed, and despite the exercise I was feeling chilly. I could see down the long valley, to the distant village of Pheriche, my destination for the day, and before long I began to make out the yaks grazing in the surrounding fields and steep hills. Regardless how steep the hills, the yaks love to rove and climb.

I was a bit tired and hungry, so I was glad to reach the village. I had passed Kancha and Lakpa early on in the day, and hadn't seen them since. Maybe my pace was too fast for them, or they had lost their way. Not a chance! They appeared 30-minutes later looking no worse for the wear, and I learned later that they had been talking to their many friends all along the way. Seemed like they knew half the people in the Khumbu.

As much as I enjoyed the camaraderie of the team, I enjoyed hiking solo through this marvelous land as well. I am looking forward to another couple of days of fine trekking.

Trekking back to Namche

Apr 30, 2007

Ray set out this morning from Pheriche. He said he enjoyed his stay at the Himalayan Hotel, which sounds lovely, but Ray laughed and said it is nothing special. But what makes it special is it's location, perched on the side of a mountain with stupendous views of the tall peaks. The morning was quite cold, with a dark sky heavy with clouds. He thought it was going to rain, and he hiked through some of the low clouds for awhile. But then in the afternoon the clouds broke up, the sun came out, and it turned hot. With the clouds dispersing he was treated to wonderful views everywhere.

Ray said he had a fantastic day, really fun, and beautiful and interesting. He hiked by himself, but of course the trail is a busy thoroughfare and he would greet a Sherpa, coming or going, usually carrying a load, every 15 minutes or so. He said it was a dream trek: he is in shape, he is alone with the quiet and peacefulness, alone with his thoughts, surrounded by the beautiful mountains and the lush forests. There is so much to see. He said it was fantastic to descend into the vegetation zone. Yesterday he passed through a small patch of stunted juniper, but today he trekked through vibrant forest, with large trees and rhododendron in full bloom: purples and reds and pinks and whites - so colorful. Along with tiny wildflowers, iris, and pretty creeks trickling down from the heights. Welcome back to Earth!

He stopped for a long break in Tengboche. First at the well-known doughnut shop. This shop has about 2 dozen choices of baked goods. Ray bought a chocolate doughnut, heated in the microwave (!) and a piece of cake. He said he then spent some time studying the carved prayer stones, the architecture. Everything about the village and the monastery he just found fascinating, it really captured his imagination. The monastery was very quiet because most of the trekkers have already passed through. He talked with one of the monks there for 10 or 15 minutes, and really enjoyed the serenity.

He hiked with his Sherpa friends, Kancha and Lakpa, for awhile. The Sherpas are strong, and they hike fast, but they also stop frequently to talk to friends passing by. So when they stop, Ray passes them, then they catch up and pass Ray, and so on all the way to Namche.

Along the way today he came to some Sherpas who were repairing a section of trail. One older fellow sat off to the side asking for donations for the trail work, so Ray contributed to the trail fund.

He reached Namche in late afternoon. Sherap and Lakpa Goma, who run the Panorama Lodge in Namche, had tea waiting for him, and greeted him by name. Ellie at Base Camp had emailed them to let them know Ray would be arriving. After a short rest, Ray decided he would go shopping in Namche Bazaar. He told himself, ok, spend some money and buy some souvenirs. He spent an hour in the Bazaar, wandering through the stalls and shops, looking at all the beautiful and colorful and bewildering array of things for sale. After an hour, he hadn't bought anything, and he returned to the Panorama Lodge for a shower.

Coming from the higher regions, Ray said the Panorama Lodge is a nice place to stay. Sherap and Lakpa Goma are good hosts, they speak good English, and serve delicious meals. Tonight they were having tomato soup, chicken, potatoes, and apple pie. The rooms are clean and comfortable, with modern bathrooms and hot showers.

For the past two days he has seen medical helicopters flying back and forth overhead. He said these flights are primarily emergency to pick up trekkers who are suffering from high altitude sickness. He counted 8 flights today. High altitude pulmonary edema or cerebral edema.

Ray emphasized that the trek in to Everest Base Camp should not be underestimated. The terrain is mountainous, the trail is steep up and down, and it is important to go slowly to acclimatize. He said that if you are in shape, this is a dream hike.

Even though theoretically he is descending from Base Camp, the day was still incredibly strenuous, and it doesn't really feel like he was going down. The terrain is so immense. Up and down all day. When you climb a steep hill it is a long way to the top, and then it is a very long and steep descent down, and as you descend you can look across the valley and see the trail climbing up the next mountainside.

Ray said that after a month of trekking and climbing to the higher camps on Everest, he feels in excellent shape and feels comfortable and is really enjoying the surroundings.

So, he is enjoying Namche and especially the company of his Sherpa friends, Kancha and Lakapa who don't speak much English. They get along really well, and will be together one more day. Namche is incredibly scenic, full of fascinating things to see, even if you don't buy anything in the Bazaar. Ray and I laughed because when he shops, what does he end up buying? Nothing.

Lukla

May 1, 2007

Ray said he had a pleasant 8-hour hike down to Lukla. He said he has definitely left the high country behind now. This lower region is forested and very lush, but it is also really hot.

The trail between Namche and Lukla is well traveled by the Sherpas who are carrying massive loads to their villages. Ray said the loads are mostly family or community supplies, and are now being transported to their villages. And of course there were the tourists

Ray said it felt today like he was actually going down. It was a bit of a slog, with one village after the next, and the big groups of tourists. He said he must have met 30 large groups. Hiking from Lukla to Namche is uphill the whole way and lots of work. Above Namche, Ray saw only the occasional trekker, not the big groups.

Ray, Kancha and Lakpa hiked together most of the day. They stopped for lunch at nice little restaurant in Phakding, after crossing the Dudh Koshi river. Ray found out that Kancha also works as a waiter at this particular restaurant. So after they sat down for lunch, Kancha got back up and started waiting on other customers, taking their orders, going back to the kitchen. It seems Kancha is well known and liked by all.

Ray described Lukla as kind of cramped and a bit run-down; certainly not his favorite. Nothing like the open villages higher up. It is just a busy cross-roads for trekkers, tourists and locals, all because of the airport.

Ray had to say good-bye to Kancha and Lakpa in Lukla. The two Sherpas had helped Ray carry his gear all the way from Base Camp, and now they are returning to Base Camp. Ray was very grateful for all their help, so as they were leaving Namche this morning they stopped at the Bazaar and Ray bought his friends some new trekking boots. Lakpa had been hiking in really tattered sneakers and they were both delighted to have new boots. Ray also gave the Sherpas some other gear, including a down parka each, a fleece neck gaiter each, and one of them got a pair of down booties that Ray said were extremely warm, but were shedding bits of down.

Ray said he was talking to a trekker there in Lukla, and this fellow said that he had seen Ray two days ago in the Tengboche bakery. He was from Sweden, and they enjoyed comparing notes on their treks.

As we spoke, Ray said he was standing in front of the unique airstrip: it is short and steep. The plane lands going up hill, and there is apparently no problem taking off and landing on a sloped runway. So if all goes well, he will be flying back to Kathamdu tomorrow.

Flight back to Kathamdu

May 2, 2007