Nights over 20,000ft

Stephen is fast asleep as I post this.  At least I hope he is!  The team is spending their second night on top of Lobuche peak.  Last night Stephen had a hard time sleeping due to the incline on which his sleeping bag was on.  He kept sliding off of his mat in the middle of the night.  Needless to say, sliding cannot be the best feeling when you are on a small peak that holds barely 7 tents!  So here's hoping he adjusted enough to stop the sliding.  Yesterday they climbed to the "true" summit of Lobuche.  A short hike along a sheer cliff up to a small point that only 4 people can stand on at one time.  As you climb to this point you are actually on a overhang!  Better make sure those ropes are tied off well!!!  Stephen seems to be doing well even though he is so high.  They team will wake up early and hike down to Lobuche base camp.  Have lunch and rest and then hike back to Everest Base Camp.  Long day. 

The wind has still been blowing and it's been snowing off and on.  Up at camp 2 on Everest the wind was blowing so hard that it blew some tents right off the mountain.  The tents were secured tightly but the wind won.  When asked if anyone was in them, Stephen replied that he thought "one guy might have been dragged for a bit".  I wasn't sure if he was downplaying it for me, it was the truth or the altitude was helping him not really be sure. Anyway, they are watching and waiting now for the jet stream to change so the weather will let them climb!

Lobuche Climbing

One more peak under his belt.  The climbers climbed to a mid-camp and spent the night.  They then woke up early to summit.  They had to wait a few hours due to weather.  They made it up to the top and then went back down to Lobuche base camp.  They are resting for two days before they climb Lobuche again.  Yesterday on their first rest day it snowed and blew and there was a huge lightening storm.

Back at Everest Base Camp it was storming as well.  It was storming and blowing so hard that a huge serac collapsed in the Khumbu Ice Falls.  Luckily nobody was in there at the time.  Thank heaven for small miracles. 

Huge Serac in the Khumbu Ice Falls

Heading to Lobuche

It finally warmed at little!  It has been so cold on this trip.  Russell said it has been at least 10 years since it has been this cold.  Stephen would wake up and find ice on his pillow where he had been breathing!  Luckily Stephen has great body heat, I would have been frozen by now!  The good thing about the cold is that the Cumbu Ice Falls are very frozen and won't move as much.  The Ice Falls are very dangerous because they are unpredictable.  They are constantly moving so if it's colder they move less, thus better for climbing!!  Stephen had a rest day yesterday.  The expedition has what they call "the white pod" to hang out in.  It is a place to watch movies, get drinks and snacks and visit - just a good hang out place.

The White Pod

Along with hanging out Stephen and the climbers had to pack a bag to take with to Lobuche.  They needed to decide what to take because they couldn't take all the gear.  Lobuche rises to 20,175ft.  Russell likes them to climb Lobuche to acclimatize instead of taking the normal several trips through the Cumbu ice falls.  They will be gone for a week and climb the mountain 2 times.

Cumbu Ice Falls

Stephen and the climbers headed for Lobuche Base Camp.  It's a rough, rocky, unstable hike.  They made it and will go to sleep early and leave to climb at around 1:00am.  Climbers always start when it is still dark.  The ice and snow is more stable in the dark without the effects of the sun on them.  It should be a good yet difficult climb, besides it will be great to have summitted another peak in the process.

Lobuche Peak

Kala Pattar

Kala Pattar Peak

Stephen finally got to really climb!  He climbed Kala Pattar Peak.  It is a 45min. hike away from Base Camp.  It rises to 18,200ft+.  It was very cold and not a very easy climb.  A lot of trekkers try and climb it but not many make it.  It was a tiring day but Stephen said it was great to climb, so it was well worth it.  Too much sitting can be hard!!!  The climbers didn't practice ladders and ropes the other day like I said they would but they are planning on doing it tomorrow.  Russell said that there may be times when they have up to 5 ladders tied together to get across some of the crevasses.  Sounds like FUN!!!!  Check out Stephen on www.himex.com.

Going on a ladder across a crevass

Puja

Today Stephen is going to the Puja ceremony.  It's when a Lama comes and blesses all the climbers, their gear and blesses that the mountain will accept them.  It's a long ceremony, but well worth it to get this special blessing and see the amazing culture of Nepal.  It has been a tradition as long as there have been climbers!

Mt. Everest

If you want to see the other climbers and Russell's account of everything going on go to www.himex.com.  On the right hand side he has expedition news.  He highlights a couple of climbers each time.  He has not highlighted Stephen yet but he has done the other man from SLC, Martin Frey.  His wife hiked into base camp with him.

Tomorrow will be a day full of practicing.  Ladders, self arrests - thing like that!  Stephen doesn't like to sit around so that should make him happy.

Days Behind

Dingboche

Stephen is right on time, I am not.  I don't even have altitude, or being tired from climbing as an excuse!  Just life!  Last time I up-dated Stephen's progress he was in Tengboche in the Khumjung province.  Before leaving one of the trekkers had to be helicoptered out.  She was suffering from edema.  The trekkers left for Dingboche for a steep climb.  Stephen and a few others decided to take the harder but shorter route.  They left after the trekkers but arrived before them.  Dingboche is at 14,800 ft. and their claim to fame is the highest billiard parlors in the world!!!!  From Dingboche they hiked to Lobuche Base Camp.  Later the climbers will return here to climb Lobuche.  They rested a day there and then it was a long day to Everest Base Camp.

Lodge at Lobuche Valley

Finally!!! Everest Base Camp!!! 17,400ft. Stephen is excited because here he gets his own tent.  On their trek in they would share rooms or tents.  A little privacy can go a long way.  Russell doesn't like to stay where most climber's at BC stay so their BC is off a little from everyone else.  Most climber's are not up yet. It's a very cold and has snowed several times on the way in.  The area where their tents are is moving.  They are on or by a glacier.  So they are constantly having to adjust their tents.  They have a few days rest now with just some looking around hikes.

A base camp at Everest

First sight

A "real" Yeti

Sunday was a rest day.  The hikers had the choice to rest or they could go on a 45 min. hike to get a view of Everest!  There was also a monastery near by that claims to have the skull of a YETI!!!  Stephen didn't get a chance to see if their claims were true because he got his final bag!  What a relief.  Finally to sleep in your own bag, to have his own hiking boots.  Life is all about the simple pleasures.  Stephen did decide to go on the hike to look at Everest.  He said it was just like the pictures, with the plume of snow drifting from the top.  I asked him if it looked high and his answer came back quickly "YES".  He said it was well worth the extra hiking.  The group he is with is filled not only with climbers but also with several people just hiking to base camp.  Only one person so far has turned back.  The climbing may be somewhat short but always seems to be straight up hill or straight down hill (the former being the majority).  Seeing Everest made Stephen want to be there NOW.  But the slow steady pace of hiking in is very important for acclimatization.