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• 26 May
• 22 May
• 21 May
• 20 May
• 19 May
• 18 May
• 17 May
• 16 May
• 13 May
• 9 May
• 5 May
• 4 May
• 2 May
• 1 May
• 30 April
• 29 April
• 28 April
• 27 April
• 26 April
• 25 April
• 21 April
• 19 April
• 18 April
• 10 April
• 9 April
• Team Roster

26 May -

Dispatch for 26 May, Everest Nepal South Col and Lhotse.

Introduction: This season, 100% of our teams achieved summit success on Nepal's Mount Everest (South Col Route) and on Mt Lhotse, the world's 4th highest mountain. All team members and all Sherpas climbed to the summit, without exception. We congratulate everyone and would like to thank their families, friends and colleagues for their kindness and support.

Here is a bit of detail regarding the summits:

Sunday May 19 - Chris, Dave & Steve summit Everest with Sangay and Thile; Adam rests at the South Col. Anne-Mari & Violetta summit Lhotse with Lakpa and Pasang; Kieran, Monica, Scott, Slavo, Dan and Sherpas take a rest day at Camp 2. Violetta and Anne-Mari descend to camp with Lakpa and Pasang.

Monday May 20 - Adam summits Everest, while Sangay waits for him on the South Col. Chris, Dave & Steve descend from South Col to Camp 2 with Thile. Kieran, Monica, Scott, Slavo, Dan and Sherpas move up to Camp 3. Anne-Mari descends to basecamp with Lakpa. back to top

Tuesday May 21 - Kieran, Monica, Scott, Dan and Sherpas move up from Camp 3 to South Col and rest; Slavo climbs to Lhotse Camp 4 together with Pasang and Karma. Adam descends from South Col to Camp 2 together with Sangay. Chris, Dave & Steve descend from Camp 2 to basecamp together with Violetta and Thile.

Wednesday May 22 - Slavo summits Lhotse at 7:00 AM with Karma while Pasang waits in Camp 4. Kieran, Monica & Scott depart South Col at 8.30pm for Everest summit with Jangbu & Mingma. Slavo descends to Camp 2. Adam descends to basecamp with Sangay.

Thursday May 23 - Kieran, Monica, Scott, Jangbu and Mingma reach Everest summit between 5.30am and 6.00am and return to South Col at approx 2.00pm.
Slavo descends to basecamp.

Friday May 24 - Kieran, Monica, Scott, and Dan descend from South Col to Camp 2 with Jangbu & Mingma.

Saturday May 25 - Kieran, Monica, Scott, Dan and Sherpas descend from Camp 2 to base camp.

Once again, thank you very much to everyone for all of their efforts and hard work before, during, and after the expedition and thanks to summitclimb news readers for following our climb! back to top

22 May -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR:

• NEWS: On the summit of Everest @ 4:30am, members+Sherpas from SummitClimb north & south teams met! We will post the photos in a few days!
• Everest Nepal team all members and Sherpas summit @ 4:30 am today. This year 100% success on Everest Nepal & Lhotse!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jangbu Sherpa carrying 17 empty oxygen bottles down to basecamp. Scott Smith Photo.Mingma Sherpa, Jangbu Sherpa, Monika Witkowska, and Kieran Lally in the high camp at the South Col. Mt. Everest Summit in the background. Scott Smith Photo. back to top

 

 

 

 

 

21 May -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR:

• Good news! Lhotse 2nd group all summited today at 7am! Everest 2nd group tries for summit in 8 hours. Please wish us luck!
• Everest summit team now resting @ South Col. Will try summit tonite! One member in Lhotse high camp, also ready to go!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20 May -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: Its official! All members of 1st group summited. Last member went up this a.m. 2nd group in c3 now, c4 2morow, try summit 22-23. back to top

 

Summit Photo of David Roskelly – Photo  David Roskelly. Summit Photo of David Roskelly & Steve Pearson - Photo  David Roskelly

 

Summit Photo of David Roskelly – Photo  David Roskelly. Summit Photo of Steve Pearson – Photo  David Roskelly. back to top

 

Summit Photo of Steve Pearson – Photo  David Roskelly. High altitude food showing by Anne-Mari Hyrylainen - Finland Summit Lhotse. Photo Anne. back to top

 

Lama Card showing by Anne-Mari Hyrylainen - Finland. Photo Anne. Lakpa Kongle Sherpa capturing Anne-Mari Hyrylainen photo on the summit of Lhotse - Finland. Photo Anne

 

Lakpa Kongle Sherpa summit of Lhotse. Finland. Photo Anne. Anne-Mari Hyrylainen & Lakpa Kongle Sherpa summit of Lhotse. Finland. Photo Anne. back to top

 

View from summit of Lhotse what a day. Photo Anne-Mari Hyrylainen

19 May -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR:

• Correction. 1 member from first group did not try for summit last night, and will try tonight.
• Congratulations! All members & Sherpas in 1st group summited both Everest & Lhotse. 2nd group tries 22-23 May.

18 May -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: We have 2 teams poised for the summit. Everest camp 4 leaving at 7pm. Lhotse camp 4 leaving at 1am. Best of luck! back to top

17 May -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: First team now in camp 3. Second team in camp 2. Weather is foggy with light wind.

16 May -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: WE ARE CLIMBING THE KHUMBU ICEFALL AGAIN TONIGHT. WE SPLIT THE TEAM INTO 2 GROUPS, GOING FOR SUMMIT ON 19TH & 21ST.

Nepal Everest Lhotse Climb and Trek. Dispatch 16 May, 2013:

Greetings to everyone. We are all feeling very excited and in awe of where we are, because our entire team of men and women of all ages and abilities have had an extended period of many days of very restorative replenishment at basecamp and green villages with thicker air below, and as of last night, half of our team of foreign climbers and sherpas headed up from basecamp, and disappeared into the clouds to go for the twin summits of Everest and Lhotse. Tonight, the first half of our group will be in camp 3 and the remaining members of our team and all of our remaining sherpas are going to depart basecamp at 1:00 am in the morning to work their way up through the icefall and on up into camp 2, in order to try our luck on getting to the top of the world's highest mountain. So, after today, our entire team will be trying to climb Everest and Lhotse. And, in just a few days from now, we will be able to tell you about the success of our attempts. At this juncture, we wish to send out our profound thanks and appreciation to all of our loved ones, friends, and colleagues at home who have lent their support and made our quest for the highest of the heights possible. Please continue to wish us luck. With great thanks and appreciation, from all of us in the SummitClimb and SummitTrek 2013 May Nepal Everest Lhotse Climb and Trek.back to top

 

Scott Smith, Monika Witkowska, and Kieran Lally enjoying a delicious dinner in Lobuche. Photo by Slavo. Compressed chart of summit attempts. Photo by Pasang Sherpa

Jerzy Kukuczka's memorial at Chukkung Village. He climbed all 14 8000 metre/ 26,000 foot peaks in winter and-or by difficult routes. An amazing hero. Photo Monika Witkowska. Monika Witkowska and Rheinhold Messner in basecamp. Rheinhold Messner is probably the greatest living 8000 metre -26,000 foot climber of all time. This photo was taken on 9 May, 2013, by an Austrian camerman just before Mr. Messner was asked to leave basecamp by the authorities, because he had no permit. back to top

13 May -

Welcome to the news of the Camp 3 Everest Training Climb where a group of people from around the world, some of whom knew each other from before and many of whom were new friends, came to Nepal to trek to basecamp and even to climb up to Everest's camp 3, which happens to lie at 7000 metres / 23,000 feet above sea level. Actually we had two such groups during April and May of 2013, and everyone in both groups did brilliantly, achieving their goals of reaching basecamp and trying to climb high above, through the massive Khumbu Icefall up to camps 1, 2, and 3. To begin we would like to send our heartfelt condolences to Michelle West who lost her mom back at home and had to leave our team early. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Michelle and her family. The rest of the team soldiered on with the flights up through Lukla, Namche, and on into the friendly hospitable high altitude Sherpa villages which make the "Khumbu Trek" so famous around the world.

Upon reaching basecamp, our teams rested and enjoyed the delicious food and plush comforts of basecamp, including a heated dining tent with tables and chairs and gourmet home cooked food of fresh ingredients. Everyone enjoyed hot showers and basked in the privacy of their own individual sleeping tent which did not have to be shared. After a few days of rest and acclimatization the teams explored surrounding valleys of basecamp and enjoyed ice climbing training and days in the lower icefall near basecamp.

After a few days of rest the groups were ready to tackle the mighty Khumbu Icefall and ascended in the middle of the night, choosing the safest time of day when the icefall is sleeping and gentle. They climbed through the towering ice pinnacles and crossed yawning crevasses on ladders up to camp 1, which is located at 6000 metres / 20,000 feet inside the broad flat valley inside Everest, known as the Western Cwm. After a few days relaxing and resting in snowy camp 1, they made their move up to camp 2, located on a rocky moraine in a somewhat wind-protected spot at the side of the Western Cwm, tucked under Everest at 6400 metres / 21,000 feet. Camp 2 is a suprisingly comfortable camp where there is a permanent cook and a dining tent and the tent sites are fairly comfortable. The group rested for a few days in camp 2 then walked to the base of the Lhotse Face for training and acclimatization, then, when they felt good and ready, climbed up the steep icy walls of the Lhotse Face and planted their feet in Camp 3 at 7000 metres / 23,000 feet. Camp 3 is located on a "shelf" on the steep ice wall of the Lhotse Face, which towers a mile (1.6 kilometres) above the Lhotse Face. We congratulate the Camp 3 Everest Training Climb members on the their great efforts. Even for those who choose to stay in lower camps, it was a job well done and a very worthwhile expedition that will be treasured for life.
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Jangbu Sherpa, 14 Everest ascents, with Scott Smith, aspiring Everest climber. Photo taken in camp 3 by Monika Witkowska. Team climbing the steep Lhotse face to camp 3 at 7000 metres - 23,000 feet. Monika Witkowska Photo.

 

Tiny team walking in the giant icefall. Monika Witkowska Photo. Altitude readout on Monika Witkowska's watch in camp 3.

Tents in camp 3 on the Lhotse Face at 7000 metres, 23,000 feet. Monika Witkowska Photo. Washing clothing day in basecamp. Monika Witkowska Photo. back to top

 

Team walking in the Western Cwm at the base of the Lhotse face. Monika Witkowska photo. Thile Nuru Sherpa ascends a vertical ladder in the Khumbu Icefall. Monika Witkowska Photo

 

Team enjoys delicious dinner in the camp 2 dining tent. Monika Witkowska Photo. Team works on computers and different tech stuff in the dining tent. Photo by Anne-Mari Hyrylainen. back to top

Slavomir Fila climbs a ladder in the Khumbu Icefall while Jangbu Sherpa holds the lines. Monika Witkowska Photo. Steve Pearson and Dave Roskelley, checking email surfing the net at the 3g spot in basecamp. Monika Witkowska Photo

 

Sange Sherpa in the Khumbu Icefall. he is clipped to the rope. Monika Witkowska Photo. Sherpas at work in the icefall. Monika Witkowska Photo. back to top

 

Rescue helicopter in camp 2. Victim lies on stretcher. Photo taken with respect by Monika Witkowska. Scott, Violetta, Monika, Slavo, Kieran, and Don on an acclimatization walk to the base of the Lhotse Face. Photo Adam Dixon

 

Monika Witkowska jumps a crevasse in the icefall. Violetta Pontinen Photo. Preparing to cross the big lake in the icefall. Photo Monika Witkowska. back to top

 

Monika Witkowska climbing a ladder in the icefall. Violetta Pontinen Photo. Monika Witkowska photographed her shadow while climbing across a ladder in the Khumbu Icefall. Her shadow is hitting the bottom of the crevasse at appx 15 m - 50 ft depth. back to top

Jangbu Sherpa, 14 ascents of Everest. Monika Witkowska Photo. Jangbu Sherpa, 14 time Everest summiter, crosses a ladder in the Khumbu icefall. Monika Witkowska Photo

 

Jangbu Sherpa jumps a crevasse in the Khumbu Icefall. Monika Witkowska Photo. Jangbu Sherpa with a full load of tents and oxygen tanks. Monika Witkowska Photo. back to top

 

Enjoying hot drinks and a break in camp 1. Monika Witkowska Photo. High tech gadgetry in our basecamp tent. Monika Witkowska Photo

 

Dan Mazur melts snow in camp 3. Monika Witkowska Photo. Jangbu Sherpa crosses a long ladder with Mt. Everest fully in the background. Monika Witkowska Photo. back to top

Chris Longacre and Sange navigating through the icefall one iceblock at a time. Mount Pumori looms behind. Monika Witkowska Photo. Clmbers headed over the top, making the transition from icefall to Western Cwm, where camp 1 is located. Photo by Monika Witkowska

 

Camp 2 at 6400 metres - 20,992 feet, perched on a moraine on the side of the western cwm. Photo by Monika Witkowska

Basecamp Life. Scott Smith doing his laundry in front of the dining tent. Monika Witkowska Photo. Basecamp medical tent. Monika Witkowska Photo back to top

9 May -

Dispatch 9 May, 2013. Everest, Lhotse, Camp 3 Training Climb, Basecamp Trek.

Greetings to all friends and family of SummitClimb and SummitTrek and the Mount Everest Foundation. We are pleased to inform everyone that our our Lhotse, Everest, and First Camp 3 Training Climb Team have achieved their objectives (sleeping in camp 3 at approximately 7100 metres (23,300 feet). Now the team members are down resting in basecamp, and some relaxation seeking members have even gone to lower villages below basecamp, such as the beautiful Pheriche Village. Amazingly, our member Anne-Mari has decided she wants to go up to camp 2 and help our amazing hard working Sherpas carry loads of oxygen, tents and food up to the high camp! Speaking of camp 2, our second Everest Camp 3 Training climb is in camp 2, and are resting and preparing to go to camp 3.

Regarding Mt. Everest Foundation for Sustainable Development news, an engineering and architecture team is preparing to set off from Kathmandu to trek up into the Khumbu Valley to measure and draw a site plan of the famous www.DebocheConvent.org where 20 nuns live in seclusion at Nepal's oldest nunnery, just a few kilometres/miles from Everest herself. The engineers and architects will also conduct a site study for the www.MtEverestBiogasProject.org , which will treat all of the human waste from Everest basecamp and convert it into useful cooking gas and farm fertilizer. 

5 May -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: Everest & Lhotse team climb to camp 3 in mixed sun, wind & snow. Everyone now safely in the tents. back to top

4 May -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: Yesterday big wind & snowstorm hit Everest & Lhotse face. We sheltered in camp 2. Today good weather. All team trying for C3 in 1 hour.

Kieran Lally climbs high above camp 3 on the Lhotse Face. Jangbu Sherpa and Western Cwm in the background. Scott Smith Photo. Kipa Concentrating on Cooking At Camp 3. Scott Smith.

2 May -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: SNOWING & WINDY HERE IN CAMP 2. WE TRIED TO PUSH TO C3 TODAY. 3 MEMBERS & 1 SHERPA MADE IT. THE REST OF US HOPE TO TRY TOMORROW. back to top

Sange Sherpa Watches Kipa Sherpa Make a Radio Update in Camp 2. Kieran Lally walking beside a huge crevasse in the Western Cwm. Photo by Scott Smith.

1 May -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: Everest & Lhotse members rest in c2. Sherpas set c3 @ 7200m / 23,700 ft. Training climb member reaches c3. Heli films c2. Peaceful now.

30 April -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: EVEREST, LHOTSE, AND TRAINING CLIMB MEMBERS WALK TO BASE OF LHOTSE FACE @ 6680M / 22,000FT. SUNSHINE AND WIND. A GOOD DAY OUT ON THE HILL

Kieran Lally High On Lhotse Face, with Everest in Background. Kieran Lally and 15 Sherpas in the khumbu icefall. Scott Smith Photo.

29 April -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: Acclimatization today at camp 2, 6400m / 21,000ft. Lhotse face & Everest tower above us. A little light snow but mostly sunny.

Ascending Lhotse Face by Scott Smith. Decending Into Khumbu Icefall, below camp 1. by Scott Smith.

28 April -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: EVEREST SUMMITERS, EVEREST TRAINING CLIMBERS, AND LHOTSE SUMMITERS NOW IN CAMP 2 @ 6400M / 21,120 FT. WINDY, SUNNY. ALL ARE WELL. back to top

Moving Up Western Cwm with Lhotse Face in the Background.  Kieran Lally holds the ropes for Dan Mazur Crossing a Crevasse in the Western Cwm. Photo by Scott Smith.

27 April -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: Today team resting in Everest's Western Cwm at 6000m / 20,000 ft. Weather mixed sun, cloud, and wind. Tomorrow we plan to move to camp 2.

 

Carved Into Serac At Camp 3, by Scott Smith. Kieran Lally descends the Lhotse face on fixed ropes. Note the fault lines in background and the tents in lower right. Scott Smith Photo.

26 April -

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: All members climbed up through the Khumbu Icefall today. Challenging. Now we are all in camp 1. Perfect sunny weather! 

Adam and Don Kicking Back In Camp 2. Photo by Scott Smith.

25 April -

Nepal Everest Lhotse Dispatch 25 April, 2013:

Greetings everyone. Our team is well. In fact I would say that everyone's health has been unusually good. Big news here is that after acclimatising and training in and around basecamp for a week, we are now ready, this very night, to head up to through the famous Khumbu Icefall up to camp 1 inside the Western Cwm. We plan to stay there for several days and gain acclimatization, hopefully exploring to camp 2, if all feel well. Dave Roskelley and Steve Pearson arrived yesterday and they plan to acclimatize around basecamp and do some training in the glacier before heading up as well. Thanks for following our expedition and wish us luck!!! -Dan Mazur  back to top

TODAY’S TWEET FROM EXPEDITION LEADER DAN MAZUR: In Everest basecamp. Going up Khumbu icefall tonight.

 

Basecamp Scene. Everest basecamp nestles amongst the tall peaks and the Khumbu Glacier. See the line of glacial recession on the slopes on the right. Monika Witkowska Photo. back to top

 

Chris Longacre practices a ladder crossing in the Khumbu Glacier near basecamp.  Kamal Bahadur cuts the cake on a celebration night in basecamp. Monika Witkowska Photo.

 

Monika Witkowska climbing ice in the Khumbu Glacier. Anne-Mari Hyrylainen Photo. Sandra Grosskinsky climbs ice while Sange Sherpa and Anne-Mari look on. Monika Witkowska Photo. back to top

  

Violetta and Anne-Mari dining al fresco in Pumori ABC. Photo by Monika Witkowska. Monika Witkowska practicing in the icefall. Violetta Pontinen photo.

Sange Sherpa, suffering a knee injury from the Khumbu Icefall, being examined by HRA Everest ER basecamp hospital doctors. Violetta, Sandra, and Anne-Mari enjoying a beautiful day of ice climbing practice. Monika Witkowska Photo. back to top

Summit Climb basecamp scene. Khumbu Glacier behind. Monika Witkowska Photo. Team practices ladder crossings and ice climbing ascending and descending in the Khumbu Glacier near basecamp. Monika Witkowska Photo.

 

Team walking into the Khumbu Glacier for iceclimbing practice. Monika Witkowska Photo. View of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Khumbu Icefall from Pumori ABC. Photo by Monika Witkowska. back to top

21 April -

Nepal Everest - Lhotse Dispatch 21 April, 2013: Team makes acclimatization walk to 5650 metres / 18,500 feet.

Today we woke up to a beautifully snow encrusted basecamp with gorgeous dawn sunrays sparkling across the entire camp. We enjoyed hot tea in our individual tents brought by loyal and hardworking kitchen staff. After wiping the sleep from our eyes we rolled out of our sleeping bags and stumbled down hill to our spacious dining tent where we all joined together around the table to compare notes on how we slept. The breakfast began with tea and coffee, then progressed into porridge, and on into pancakes, omlettes, fried sausage, and ended with further tea and coffee. After such a delicious repast, we lolled back in our comfortable chairs and unhitched our belts just a notch. Looking out the open front wall of our dining tent we could see giant ice peaks of Lhotse, Nuptse and a bit of Everest. The intimidating Khumbu Icefall was layed out in front of us like some mighty carpet. Low and behold, the sun was still out, so all of us in the group decided that today could be ideal for a walk to higher elevations in a quest for acclimatization. So we pulled on our boots, filled our water bottles and the cooks gave us a lovely packed lunch of tibetan bread, apples, cheese and eggs. We heisted our day packs and proceeded to cross the mighty Khumbu glacier and then walk up the west valley wall high above the glacier, clambering on snow leopard trails through grey spikey rocks, across frozen brown Himalayan tundra, and eventually up to towering boulder ledges with incredible views across the entire region. Clouds lowered, the wind picked up, and snow flew. Our high altitude adventuring legs had, in just four hours of hiking uphill from basecamp, brought us to 5650 metres / 18,500 feet. A very tall spot to be indeed. We sat on rocks, ate our lunches, sipped water and hot tea from thermoses, and enjoyed looking down at soaring birds far below us. It was an exhilirating and somehow calming place to be, so high above basecamp, which looked like a vast rockfield punctuated with a few colorful dotlike tents spread out across the undulating glacier. Finally it was time to go, so we headed back down the slope to our comfortable warm basecamp home, anticipating another tasty dinner of fresh ingredients, feeling like we had touched the sky today...for a little while anyway...

Thank you very much for following our expedition!!! All of the best to you and yours -Dan Mazur

19 April -

Today, we were woken up early in our personal tents by the kitchen staff bringing hot tea. Then we had breakfast, consisting of porridge, omelettes, home made bread, and fried spam for the meat eaters amongst us. Then, our 20 Sherpas invited us to a prayer ceremony led by Lama Tashi to bless our upcoming expeditions. The 2-hour ceremony was marked with lots of prayer flags displayed around our campsite, frequent prayers, sharing of drinks and food, and chanting by all.  Another nice addition to our campsite today is a new water filtration system. Thank you very much for following our team's news. - Scott Smith

 

Lama Tashi scoops up a handfull of rice to toss onto the basecamp alter during the blessing ceremony. Scott Smith Photo. Sherpas putting up prayer flags in basecamp. Summits of Lhotse and Nuptse in background. Scott Smith Photo.

 

Lama Tashi and Scott Smith enjoy having their photo taken after the ceremony. Monika Witkowska Photo. Avalanche plummets down from Mount Lingtren during our basecamp blessing ceremony. Scott Smith Photo.  back to top

18 April -

All members have reached Everest base camp. Everyone is doing very well. We are enjoying our comfortable camp and having a few well deserved rest days. We will send more photos tomorrow. Thanks for following our expedition.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Violetta, Anne-Mari, and Marie at the Monkey Temple. Welcome to the Himalayan Hotel in Pheriche, complete with sun beds. Photo Anne-Mari Hyrylainen. back to top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chorten memorials to fallen climbers atop Dughla hill. Mount Lobuche in background. Monika Witkowska Photo. Chris, Adam, and Don enjoy a delicious lunch break at Above the Clouds hotel in Lobuche. Monika Witkowska Photo. back to top

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strong zopkioks topping out on Dughla hill. Monika Witkowska Photo. back to top

 

 

 

 

Memorial to fallen Everest climbers at Himalayan Rescue Association in Pheriche. Pasang Sherpani is the boss of the Thughla Lodge. Cholatse in the background. Monika Witkowska Photo. back to top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 April -

Today we left Kathmandu in a small twin engine, twin pilot, 18 seat propeller driven "Twin-Otter", the trusty workhorse of the Khumbu-Everest trekking trade. We flew for 40 minutes from Kathmandu to the airstrip at 2,840 metre/9,300 foot-high Lukla. Upon arriving and collecting our equipment and gear, we loaded up yaks and porters and strolled a couple of hours down and through the forested and farmed Dudh Khosi valley with a small clean river ripping through a narrow green rocky mountain studded valley to the picturesque small town of Phakding. Here we camped in a field on the river bank at 2,650 metres/8,700 feet. All members feel great, excited and ready to head further up the Khumbu Valley to Namche Bazaar tomorrow. Thanks for following our adventure at SummitClimb.com!  back to top

9 April -

Our team is all set to head to the mountains. After a lot of preparation, shopping, and fun dinners in Kathmandu we headed to the airport to fly to Lukla today. Unfortunately, due to high winds the flights were cancelled. It's looking good for getting out tomorrow though and our team of men and women of all ages is excited. Thanks for following us at SummitClimb and stay tuned as we begin our trek into the Khumbu Valley.

Scott Smith in front of the plane that will fly us to Lukla. Adam Dixon conducts an impromptu class for local kids at Lukla. Scott Smith Photo. back to top

 

Elaborate souvenir stand inside the famous monkey temple. Scott Smith Photo. Inside the monkey temple. Scott Smith Photo

Our fun group of men and women from around the world in Kathmandu getting ready to head for Everest (Don Lenz). Airport mini van at Shakti Hotel. Scott Smith Photo

 

Skilled artist creates a Thangkha painting in Kathmandu. Photo Anne-Mari Hyrylainen. 

 

 

Team Roster:

• Thile Nuru Sherpa
• Jangbu Sherpa
• Sange Sherpa
• Dawa Sherpa
• Pasang Sherpa
• Karma Sherpa 
• Lhakpa Kongle Sherpa
• Ang Shera Sherpa
• Kipa Sherpa
  
• Migmar Sherpa
• Nir Kaji Tamang
  
• Jay Bahadhur Nagarkoti- Cook back to top