Paul Pottinger’s Adventures from the Top of the World
Category Archives: Approach Trek
Trail to Tengboche
Everest 2016 • March 31
Things looked a bit grim when we woke up… I guess conditions would have been worse if it had started to rain blood or frogs, but short of that it looked pretty darn rotten. But, no worries, we are hardcore mountaineers! Up into the freezing rain, mixed with graupel and hail… I took a page … Continue reading Trail to Tengboche
Resilience and Dentistry
Everest 2016 • March 30
What a lovely rest day in Namche. The purpose of rest days is… to rest, meaning to allow our bodies to acclimatize to the increasing elevations. Namche is about 11,200 feet AMSL, so if we push it too hard we could end up with headache, nausea, fatigue, etc. Rest days rarely involve sitting around. We … Continue reading Resilience and Dentistry
This Will Be Awesome
Everest 2016 • March 29
First night in the Khumbu… I slept from 10 PM to 3:30 AM, still getting over my jet lag. It was amazing to lie there in the dark, listening to the Dudh Kosi rushing below the tea house. Outside, it was intensely cold, and very clear—the storm had passed! Nice breakfast, then on the trail. … Continue reading This Will Be Awesome
Great to be Back
Everest 2016 • March 28
Back to Tribuvahn at first light The airport was inexplicably virtually empty, a complete change from 24 hours earlier, and a real surprise considering how many flights had been cancelled. We went straight through security and waited only a few minutes until we hopped into a pickup truck and drove across the airport to the … Continue reading Great to be Back
Service, Devotion, and LUKLA
Everest 2016 • March 27
Up at 4 AM to get ready for the flight to Lukla. This small village is the de-facto start of treks in the Khumbu valley, because it has an airport that can accommodate fixed-wing or helicopter flights. It’s just about 100 miles away from Kathmandu, but the rugged terrain that lies between make them very, … Continue reading Service, Devotion, and LUKLA
