The weather looked good the following day for another summit attempt, so once again we gorged ourselves on a super lunch and then humped back up to Lobuche high camp—for the third time. We were loaded for bear, eager to knock this one off and turn our attention to Everest herself. Favorable conditions marked our … Continue reading Lobuche the Right Way
Well, this happens to the best of us. Believe me. We moved up to Lobuche High Camp, about 1,100 feet above base camp, as planned after lunch. Fun hike, way easier than the first time we made this same trip for acclimatization. Camp was already set up by our amazing Sherpa team, and we settled … Continue reading No-Go on Lobuche
We got up, ate breakfast, and trekked down to Lobuche basecamp today. The idea is to climb Lobuche in the coming few days, putting ourselves to the test and getting up to about 20,000 feet on fixed lines. Coming up this exact same trail a few days earlier was tough for me… going down was … Continue reading Back to Lobuche
Today was very important for our expedition. We held a blessing ceremony, or puja. This 3 hour extravaganza seeks permission from the mountain deities to allow safe passage for all climbers on the mountain. The elaborate ceremony was presided over by a lama from far down the valley… he was an adorable elderly man who … Continue reading Puja!
Tough sleeping at our new elevation of 17,200 feet. Even walking to the latrine or shower makes me breathless! This is standard, and should be expected… For whatever reason, I did not have this issue when at the same elevation on Aconcagua, but who knows what other factors may be at play here. I certainly … Continue reading Ice Capades
