Yesterday we made our first trip into the much-feared Khumbu Icefall and all came out again to tell the tale.
The icefall is the head of the Khumbu glacier and from basecamp looks like an impenetrable jumble of ice and crevasses rising 600m and blocking the access to the Western Cym. However, every year a team of Sherpas called the Icefall Doctors go in and mark out a safe route.
So at 6.00am yesterday we headed in... Actually, it was a lot less scary than I had expected. Although we clipped in to the fixed rope that the doctors had set up, there were very few places where the route was at all exposed and it was mostly straightforward, if sometimes steep, walking. We did have to cross 8 or 9 ladders over crevasses, and this was daunting the first 2 or 3 times, but even this became fairly routine.
As pre-agreed, we went up to around 5,700m, just over half way, and then turned around. On the way back however the sun had hit the icefall, and combined with the lack of wind and reflection from the ice, turned it into a furnace. The fact that I was wearing boots designed to keep my feet warm at -40 degrees didn't help, and I got back to camp quite exhausted and dehydrated. However, an afternoon of resting and drinking tea soon revived me.
Today was a semi-rest day so this morning I took a shower and a shave, and this afternoon we have been sorting out rations for the high camps. Tomorrow is a full rest day, then Friday we will be up at 2.00am for a 3.00am start to climb the complete icefall, 'touch' camp 1 and then return to basecamp.
Before I go, a huge thank you to everyone who has commented on the blog and sent emails. Time in the comms tent is always in great demand, so I can't reply individually, but please please please keep them coming because you can't imagine how great it is to receive messages from home. In case you have forgotten, my email address at basecamp is pbrowne@jaggedglobe.uuplus.net - please don't be shy in emailing me.
Bye for now,
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
At Basecamp
Apologies for the delay in updating but there were a few hiccups in setting up the basecamp comms tent. However, I am now here and settled into my tent, my new home from home for the next 6-7 weeks.
So, we left Dingboche on Thursday last week and trekked to Lobuche, then next day to Gorak Shep were I had my first dose of ill health. The bit of a cold I had developed into something a little more serious and my sinuses were totally blocked - not good at 5,000m were breathing is difficult at the best of times! However, after a bad night and a lot of sudafed I was ok to travel up to basecamp the next day.
We arrived around midday on Saturday and spent the next day and a half just getting used to our new surroundings and also doing even more washing of myself and clothes. However, I've decided that shaving is a real chore up here and I'm contemplating giving it up until I get home - only contemplating at the moment!
Basecamp is very comfortable. I have a 5 man tent to myself so there's plenty of space for all my stuff, and we have a very nice mess tent with all home comforts including a DVD player.
Yesterday morning we had a Puja ceremony, were we ask for the permission of the gods to enter onto the mountain. This basically consisted of sitting cross-legged for about an hour while a lama incanted prayers and then throwing rice around, smearing each other with flour and drinking the local hooch.
Then this morning the real business began and we went onto the glacier to practice crossing crevasses on ladders, abseiling and other techniques. Tomorrow morning at 6.00 we will make our first venture into the icefall proper. Quite daunting, but I am glad to be finally getting the real business underway.
Bye for now, I'll update you as to how I got on in a few days.
So, we left Dingboche on Thursday last week and trekked to Lobuche, then next day to Gorak Shep were I had my first dose of ill health. The bit of a cold I had developed into something a little more serious and my sinuses were totally blocked - not good at 5,000m were breathing is difficult at the best of times! However, after a bad night and a lot of sudafed I was ok to travel up to basecamp the next day.
We arrived around midday on Saturday and spent the next day and a half just getting used to our new surroundings and also doing even more washing of myself and clothes. However, I've decided that shaving is a real chore up here and I'm contemplating giving it up until I get home - only contemplating at the moment!
Basecamp is very comfortable. I have a 5 man tent to myself so there's plenty of space for all my stuff, and we have a very nice mess tent with all home comforts including a DVD player.
Yesterday morning we had a Puja ceremony, were we ask for the permission of the gods to enter onto the mountain. This basically consisted of sitting cross-legged for about an hour while a lama incanted prayers and then throwing rice around, smearing each other with flour and drinking the local hooch.
Then this morning the real business began and we went onto the glacier to practice crossing crevasses on ladders, abseiling and other techniques. Tomorrow morning at 6.00 we will make our first venture into the icefall proper. Quite daunting, but I am glad to be finally getting the real business underway.
Bye for now, I'll update you as to how I got on in a few days.
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
Ready to Move On
We have now almost completed our acclimatisation stay at Dingboche and tomorrow we will continue up the trail to base camp.
On Monday we hiked up a hill behind Dingboche. The ascent was around 700m which took us over 5,000m for the first time. In the afternoon a few of us walked over to Pheriche to visit the Himalayan Rescue Association hospital and attend a lecture on Acute Mountain Sickness. I also took a pulse oxymeter test which showed my pulse to be 67 and my oxygen saturation as 92%. Basically this is good and means that I am acclimatising well.
Yesterday I took a rest day and apart from going to the shop to buy Coke and Mars Bars I spent the day doing admin things, washing some clothes, having a shave and loosing at cards.
This morning some of us took a hike up to Chukkung for a cup of tea, putting another 300m on the acclimatisation clock. Tonight we have a special event - a pub quiz with the prize of a toblarone.
Generally my health continues to be good, although I am sufffering from a bit of a cold at the moment. I also had a few 'gastric problems', but they have now dried up - sorry, cleared up!
So tomorrow we will head of to Lobuche. I'm not sure about internet access for the next two stops, so my next post may well be from base camp, where we should arrive on Saturday.
I hope everyone at home is well. The only news I have had from home is that Everton beat Wigan 4 - 0 on Saturday. COYB!!
Bye for now
On Monday we hiked up a hill behind Dingboche. The ascent was around 700m which took us over 5,000m for the first time. In the afternoon a few of us walked over to Pheriche to visit the Himalayan Rescue Association hospital and attend a lecture on Acute Mountain Sickness. I also took a pulse oxymeter test which showed my pulse to be 67 and my oxygen saturation as 92%. Basically this is good and means that I am acclimatising well.
Yesterday I took a rest day and apart from going to the shop to buy Coke and Mars Bars I spent the day doing admin things, washing some clothes, having a shave and loosing at cards.
This morning some of us took a hike up to Chukkung for a cup of tea, putting another 300m on the acclimatisation clock. Tonight we have a special event - a pub quiz with the prize of a toblarone.
Generally my health continues to be good, although I am sufffering from a bit of a cold at the moment. I also had a few 'gastric problems', but they have now dried up - sorry, cleared up!
So tomorrow we will head of to Lobuche. I'm not sure about internet access for the next two stops, so my next post may well be from base camp, where we should arrive on Saturday.
I hope everyone at home is well. The only news I have had from home is that Everton beat Wigan 4 - 0 on Saturday. COYB!!
Bye for now
Sunday, 5 April 2009
At Dingboche
Just a quick one as this is costing a lot!!
Arrived at Dingboche today afetr two good days from Namche. On Friday we walked to Deboche, where we shared a lodge with an American film crew making a documentary; the crew included Ed Viesters (quite a famous mountaineering film maker) and also Dave Hard, the guy who discovered George Mallory's body. Yesterday, we trekked up to Pangboche via Ama Dablam basecamp, which was a tough but very satisfying day.
We are now going to spend four days at Dingboche doing acclimatisation walks before we carry on up the valley towards basecamp.
I'm still feeling great and so far I've sufffered no ill effects.
I'll blog again before we leave Dingboche.
Arrived at Dingboche today afetr two good days from Namche. On Friday we walked to Deboche, where we shared a lodge with an American film crew making a documentary; the crew included Ed Viesters (quite a famous mountaineering film maker) and also Dave Hard, the guy who discovered George Mallory's body. Yesterday, we trekked up to Pangboche via Ama Dablam basecamp, which was a tough but very satisfying day.
We are now going to spend four days at Dingboche doing acclimatisation walks before we carry on up the valley towards basecamp.
I'm still feeling great and so far I've sufffered no ill effects.
I'll blog again before we leave Dingboche.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
At Namche
We have now made it up the valley as far as Namche Bazaar. Everyone is in good health and feeling fit, although the altitude of 3,850m does cause a little bit of breathlessness when doing any sort of exertion, such as standing up!
In keeping with the rest of the trip so far, the journey to Lukla was smoooth and trouble free; we passed serenely through all the chaos at the airport and the flight itself was fantastic. The views of the mountains were the clearest I have ever experienced and even the landing was trauma-free! From there it was a quick cup of tea and then we were on the trail.
The first days trekking up the base camp trail is very pleasant, involving mostly downhill walking and we ended the day at a place called Phakding, 200m below Lukla, in what can only be described as luxury lodges - en-suite flushing toilets and how showers on demand. Believe me it will get tougher, honestly! The next day (i.e. yesterday) was a bit more of a test, involving an ascent of around 800m up to Namche, the real sting being that 600m of that ascent comes in the last kilometre and a bit, and it was very hot, so we arrived at Namche feeling a little bit hot and sticky - luckily the lodge here also has hot showers on demand, although not en-suite!! (I have drafted my letter of complaint to Jagged Globe already).
Today was billed as a 'rest day' but this morning we took a hike up to the Everest View Hotel for tea on the terrace and fantastic views of, you guessed it, Everest. We are staying in Namche again tonight and then tomorrow we will be off again.
As for me, I'm feeling great; legs and lungs (and digestive system!) are all working properly - long may it stay that way.
Before I go, I'd just like to say happy birthday for yesterday to my sister Angie. I would have sent a card, but I will probably get home before it does!!
Bye for now.
In keeping with the rest of the trip so far, the journey to Lukla was smoooth and trouble free; we passed serenely through all the chaos at the airport and the flight itself was fantastic. The views of the mountains were the clearest I have ever experienced and even the landing was trauma-free! From there it was a quick cup of tea and then we were on the trail.
The first days trekking up the base camp trail is very pleasant, involving mostly downhill walking and we ended the day at a place called Phakding, 200m below Lukla, in what can only be described as luxury lodges - en-suite flushing toilets and how showers on demand. Believe me it will get tougher, honestly! The next day (i.e. yesterday) was a bit more of a test, involving an ascent of around 800m up to Namche, the real sting being that 600m of that ascent comes in the last kilometre and a bit, and it was very hot, so we arrived at Namche feeling a little bit hot and sticky - luckily the lodge here also has hot showers on demand, although not en-suite!! (I have drafted my letter of complaint to Jagged Globe already).
Today was billed as a 'rest day' but this morning we took a hike up to the Everest View Hotel for tea on the terrace and fantastic views of, you guessed it, Everest. We are staying in Namche again tonight and then tomorrow we will be off again.
As for me, I'm feeling great; legs and lungs (and digestive system!) are all working properly - long may it stay that way.
Before I go, I'd just like to say happy birthday for yesterday to my sister Angie. I would have sent a card, but I will probably get home before it does!!
Bye for now.
Monday, 30 March 2009
Greetings from Kathmandu (KTM)
Well, I've made it this far! I met up with most of the rest of the team at Heathrow and we arrived in KTM yesterday at around 3.30pm after a pleasingly uneventful flight via Delhi. We're staying at the Summit hotel, which I've stayed at before, and which is a very pleasant and peaceful oasis away from the noise and general chaos of the city centre.
To my surprise, we have got a full day in KTM before leaving for the hills tomorrow. So instead of the expected 4am alarm call to get to the airport for our flight to Lukla, I instead had a wondeful 9 hours sleep followed by a leisurely breakfast on the terrace. After breakfast we had a lecture from the guy who invented the oxygen system we're going to be using on the mountain, followed by a full gear check. Some of the group have gone into town to stock up on a few essentials, but I'm just going to have a quiet day sitting in the sun at the hotel.
So that's it really, all very boring and unexciting (although at least I didn't go into detail about what I had for breakfast!). Tomorrow is when that 4am call will come, and that is when the big adventure will really start.
Catch you soon!!
To my surprise, we have got a full day in KTM before leaving for the hills tomorrow. So instead of the expected 4am alarm call to get to the airport for our flight to Lukla, I instead had a wondeful 9 hours sleep followed by a leisurely breakfast on the terrace. After breakfast we had a lecture from the guy who invented the oxygen system we're going to be using on the mountain, followed by a full gear check. Some of the group have gone into town to stock up on a few essentials, but I'm just going to have a quiet day sitting in the sun at the hotel.
So that's it really, all very boring and unexciting (although at least I didn't go into detail about what I had for breakfast!). Tomorrow is when that 4am call will come, and that is when the big adventure will really start.
Catch you soon!!
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Ready for the Off
Well, it's just about a week now until I set off on my little adventure. The question that most people ask is 'do you feel nervous', and I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing that the answer is a resounding No!! - I just feel excited. Don't get me wrong - I have no illusions whatsover about what I am letting myself in for, and just how tough it is going to be. I know that it is going to be the hardest thing that I have ever done, or will ever do, but I feel so well prepared, physically and mentally, that if I don't do it now, I will have lost the chance for ever.
So, on Saturday 28th March I will be flying off to Kathmandu. After the briefest of stays (probably around 12 hours!) we will then fly to Lukla and after a quick cup of tea we'll be on the base camp trail. The trek into base camp will probably take around 15 days, taking it nice and easy and having plenty of rest days and day walks to aid the acclimatisation. Having arrived at at base camp, we will then spend the best part of a month acclimatising, making several trips up the mountain, spending longer and getting higher each time, but always heading back to base camp. After our final acclimatisation climb we will probably head right back down the valley as far as Dingboche for a few days of rest and relative comfort. Only when we are absolutely ready will we head back up the mountain and go for the summit, which we will aim to reach any time between mid- and late-May (it's not possible to be more specific!!).
I'm hoping that with the proliferation of internet access on the trail and at base camp that I will be able to update this blog at regular intervals, except when I am up the mountain of course. So, bye for now then, and the next post I make will probably be from somewhere on the trail.
So, on Saturday 28th March I will be flying off to Kathmandu. After the briefest of stays (probably around 12 hours!) we will then fly to Lukla and after a quick cup of tea we'll be on the base camp trail. The trek into base camp will probably take around 15 days, taking it nice and easy and having plenty of rest days and day walks to aid the acclimatisation. Having arrived at at base camp, we will then spend the best part of a month acclimatising, making several trips up the mountain, spending longer and getting higher each time, but always heading back to base camp. After our final acclimatisation climb we will probably head right back down the valley as far as Dingboche for a few days of rest and relative comfort. Only when we are absolutely ready will we head back up the mountain and go for the summit, which we will aim to reach any time between mid- and late-May (it's not possible to be more specific!!).
I'm hoping that with the proliferation of internet access on the trail and at base camp that I will be able to update this blog at regular intervals, except when I am up the mountain of course. So, bye for now then, and the next post I make will probably be from somewhere on the trail.
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