Ama Dablam Expedition News
Ama Dablam Expedition News
Blog posts: Scroll down for day by day Autumn news of our climbing and trekking teams.
Dec 1 - Another summit on Ama Dablam. Congratulations to the team!
Photo: Tenji
Nov 30 - SummitClimb Success Alert! Huge congratulations to our incredible SummitClimb Team 4 for conquering the heights of Mount AmaDablam today! What an outstanding achievement!
Nov 19 - AmaDablam: Our SummitClimb team was the only team to climb to the summit today!! The weather was excellent: clear and blue skies!!! BIG CONGRATULATIONS .
Nov 19 - Exciting update from the AmaDablam Expedition. Looks like Ama Dablam team 3 is about to Summit! Ang Dawa is with Rui and Luis very close to summit. Tenji is just behind with father and son John and Gabriel. It looks like they have the mountain to themselves again
Nov 17 - News Flash: SummitClimb's Second Team successfully summits Mount AmaDablam at 6 AM Nepal time. Congratulations to them on this amazing achievement. Wishing them a safe descent!
Photo caption: Par and Will at the summit of AmaDablam. Photo Paul
Team are near summit. Paul at the summit of AmaDablam. Photo Paul
At the Summit of AmaDablam
At the summit of Amadablam. Camp 2. Photo Jason
Nov 15 – WINTER IS CLOSING IN. WILL THEY MAKE IT?? SUMMITCLIMB TEAM TRIES TO REACH THE TOP OF AMA DABLAM, ASIA’S MOST FAMOUS MIXED, ICE AND SNOW CLIMB, ALSO KNOWN AS THE MATTERHORN OF THE HIMALAYAS!
- Paul, William, Par, and Dorjee all summited on 14 November. CONGRATULATIONS! They are currently at camp 2 and are expected to reach base camp (BC) by 2 or 3 pm.
- The basic members, Jason and Brooke summited on 14 November. CONGRATULATIONS! They have already arrived at BC.
- Henry, Adam, Tim, Pemba, and Gelji are at camp 1 today. They will move to camp 2 tomorrow. The entire team will attempt to summit on the night of November 16th. GOOD LUCK TEAM!
- Napier and Pema Rinji are both heading to camp 2 today. Pemba and Napier will attempt to summit tonight. GOOD LUCK TEAM!
- Tenji and Ang Dawa are with John, Gabriel, Rui, and Lluis at BC. They will rest today and tomorrow in BC. On November 17th, they will proceed to camp 1 and on the 18th, to camp 2. They will then make the summit attempt on the same night. GOOD LUCK TEAM!
Video caption: AmaDablam camp 2. Jason
AmaDablam Camp 3. Photo Jason
Video by Jason
Photo Caption: Amadablam camp 1. Members enjoying perfect day. Photo Jason
Here is Brooke’s description of his and Jason’s climb of Lobuche Peak, Island Peak, and Mount Ama Dablam, during November .
We flew into Kathmandu and were greeted by a Summit Climb shuttle, which took us to our hotel. We got settled in at the Yak and Yeti, a beautiful hotel in the downtown area. That evening we linked up with Paul, Dan, and the rest of the Summit Climb crew. This was my first time with an expedition crew and really didn’t know what to expect from the other clients. Everyone was awesome; truly excited and passionate about the mountains, very excited to get after it, and some very deep and impressive climbing resumes.
We pushed from Lukla immediately to Namche Bazaar. The hike was definitely strenuous but was an excellent intro to a long day of trekking through the Khumbu valley. In Namche we stayed at the Yak Hotel and were treated wonderfully by the inn keeper Chimmy and his family. While in Namche we took the time to do the acclimatization hike to the Everest View Hotel and through Khumjung, getting to visit the Sir Edmond Hillary school. Getting the first look at Ama and Everest was absolutely incredible. I’ve dreamed of getting to visit Nepal since I was a little kid, and that view made me genuinely tear up. After 24 hours rest/ acclimatization and an evening at the world's highest Irish Pub, it was time to push on.
The next leg of the trip was to Dingboche. Another few thousand feet of elevation gained and 14 miles on the trail. We also used the Nangkartshang summit/ridge as our acclimatization hike. It took us above 16,000 feet, perfect prep for Lobuche high camp the next day.
After 24 hours in Dingboche we pushed to Lobuche East High Camp. It was another long hike with 2500 feet of vertical gain. The views were spectacular and put us in position to knock out Lobuche the next morning. Summitting Lobuche went off without a hitch. We were able to move at our own pace, passing several climbing teams along the way. When we summited we had the whole peak to ourselves. This was my first time over 6000m. It was great having this peak at the beginning of the trip, it built a lot of confidence and just showed how beautiful the rest of the time in Nepal was going to be. We returned to base camp, broke down the tent, and began to move back to Dingboche.
The trek back to Dingboche was when I started to know something was wrong. I was able to coast on the downhills but any sort of incline caused me to stop every 100 meters to catch my breath. This continued the entire 7 miles. By the time I got back to the teahouse I was physically wrecked. It took all i had in me to dig a single item out of my duffel, and had to take a rest after. I began to feel a heavy wetness on my lungs. Breaths were labored and there was a noticeable ‘rice crispy’ effect on exhalation. I had a raging fever that lasted for 2 days as well. I carry a SPO2 monitor with me, and was sitting in the mid 60’s (not good). Not only was it physically draining, but it brought up some doubts about the rest of the trip.
The following morning I visited Dr Abhyu at the Mountain Medicine Institute in Dingboche. He confirmed the respiratory infection/pneumonia as well as potential HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema) and recommended I didn’t travel any higher while the antibiotics were taking effect. After 3 days of diligent rest my O2 saturation was back to the point that the Doctor cleared me to climb again. That day we pushed to Chuckung and the next to Island Peak Basecamp. Getting sick in this place, on a trip like this, really grew me as a medic. I’ve always believed in practicing empathetic medicine, and I feel like I now have a deeper understanding of what my teammates or students are going through when they suffer an altitude based illness.
Island Peak was a brisk climb. We worked our way through some loose shale in the beginning and avoided other climbing groups. Jason and I had the agreement that I would maintain the best pace I could, and that he would summit ahead of me, turn around and grab me on the way down. This let me still work on recovering and keeping some gas in the tank for the hike back to Pangboche. Jason hit the summit before sunrise, and I was still able to make it through cramp-on point and to 19,500 ft. Being able to knock Island Peak out while being on the mend from some serious illness felt amazing and mentally put me back in the game for Ama.
After Island, we moved straight to Pangboche. This was an opportunity to take a rest day at lower elevation. The decrease in elevation was very noticeable and by day 2 I felt totally recovered from the respiratory infection and ready for Ama Dablam.
We made the short trek to the Ama Dablam base camp lodge and got settled in. We used the time to arrange tents for Camp 1 and Camp 3 with the tea house owner and do a final lay out of our kit. Our kit was focused on being light and efficient as well as being able to assist in emergent situations on the mountain.
On the morning of the 12th Jason and I moved from basecamp to Camp One, about 4 and a half miles with 4500 feet of vertical gain. There were essentially no technical elements to this movement, just a long/steep hike. We found the tent we had rented from the tea house, settled in, and focused on quick recovery and rehydration. We were able to stash some gear that we wouldn’t need to take any higher at the tent (trekking poles, 3 seasons boots, etc). We started the next day at about 8:00 and pushed through the very technical Yellow Tower to Camp Two. The Yellow Tower had about 3 pitches of true exposed vertical rock climbing at about 5.7 level. The whole route was well established and well anchored fixed lines. Going from Camp 2 to Camp 3 we passed through what we felt like was the most dangerous part of the climb, The Grey Couloir on the Grey Tower, due to lots of loose rock and rock fall caused by other climbers. We mitigated this by establishing clear communication with the other climbing groups and moving through with no overhead climbers. We got to Camp 3, around 3 in the afternoon and got prepped for the next mornings summit push. We headed for the summit at about 4 am and were met by the other Summit Climb teams who had stayed at Camp 2. Using the fixed lines we pushed through the semi vertical snow portions along the side of the Dablam and summited just before 8 o’clock. It was a a perfect day, the weather was amazing and the only traffic on the mountain was the Summit Climb teams (total of 6 of us). The summit felt surreal, absolute elation mixed with disbelief. Even sitting here writing this a few days later, I’m still wrapping my mind around it. After quick pictures, we pushed through the descent and made it back to the basecamp tea house by evening time.
Growing up we always had a subscription to National Geographic and from the first time I read about it and saw the pictures, I wanted to visit and climb in Nepal. This trip really has been a childhood dream. Summit Climb facilitated that dream and let us sculpt our own adventure. Between 3 major summit in 3 weeks, while dealing with a major illness, lots of miles of trekking, and the logistics behind it all, it’s been a life changing learning experience. I definitely look forward to more adventures in Nepal and with the Summit Climb crew.
Above camp 2. Yellow tower. Photo Paul
Photo caption: On the way to Camp 2, climbers are approaching Camp 3 and near Dablam.
Photo caption: Amadablam camp 2. Photo Jason
Nov 14 - SummitClimb's two incredible basic members have just achieved a remarkable feat by reaching the majestic Summit of Ama Dablam! Congratulations to them for this outstanding accomplishment!
Nov 14 - Exciting News from Ama Dablam! Three team members and one Sherpa have conquered the summit! Big congrats to the team on this incredible achievement! Wishing a safe and successful descent. Stay tuned for more photos and videos. Thanks for following the journey!
Nov 13 - Update from Ang Dorjee Sherpa: We are currently at Camp 2 and plan to begin our summit ascent at 11 pm, accompanied by three team members and myself.
Nov 11 - Hi this is Paul. Team 1 have reached Camp 1 safely and are now resting and acclimatising.Team 3 also climbed to C1 today as part of their acclimatisation rotation. We were also super happy to hear that all of Team 2 summited Lobuche East yesterday too. We will rest here for 2 nights before pushing to Camp 2.
AmaDablam above camp 2. Photo Napier.
Camp 2. Photo Tim
Camp 1.
Above camp 2. Way to Summit. Photo Tim
Caption : Climbing started from Camp 1 to Camp 2 and it includes the famous Yellow tower. Photo : Pema Rinji.
Nov 10 - Today the Ama Dablam team attended their Puja ceremony, led by the local Lama. The intent is to ask the mountain and the gods for safe passage up the mountain, to wish us all good luck and to return safely. After the formal blessing, we take the opportunity to socialise one last time, dancing to traditional music and wishing each other good luck. Tomorrow Team one will start their push for the summit by sleeping in advanced basecamp and Team 3 will begin their acclimatisation rotations too. We wish all climbers good luck on their journeys up this beautiful mountain.
Photo caption: Pemba Sherpa playing Nepalese instructions.
Caption : Rock climbing training before summit push. Photo : Pema Rinji.
Photo caption: AmaDablam team members posing for a photo after the puja ceremony.
Nov 7 - The Ama Dablam team arrived safely at Ama Dablam Basecamp today after a blessing at the Pangboche monastery. The team are healthy and will spend the next few days acclimatising to the new altitude, preparing their kit and getting ready to ascend to higher camps.
Photo caption: The team in Pangboche. Photo by Paul.
Nov 6 - The Lobuche East team set off from high camp at 01:30 on the morning of the 5th of November and all reached the 6119m summit by 06:55 in beautiful clear blue, morning skys. We all descended to high camp for some noodle soup and trekked all the way to Pheriche for a well deserved celebration dinner. We are now resting and getting ready to trek or fly to Lukla, with some team members getting ready for their next phase of this expedition. Congratulations team
Photo caption: The SummitClimb team has reached the summit of Lobuche. Congratulations! Photo by Paul. The team is now heading to Tengboche with a stunning view of Ama Dablam. Photo by Lakhpa.
Nov 3 - The Ama Dablam / Lobouche Team have arrived safely in Dzongla at 4830m, a little higher than the summit of Mont Blanc. It’s a beautiful village overwatched by the north face of Cholatse. We will spend the night getting used to our new altitude in preparation for our push to Lobouche high camp tomorrow.
Photo caption: A wonderful Himalayan landscape from Lobuche high camp. Photo Napier. Trekker striking a pose with the backdrop of Everest and Ama Dablam. Photo Majid.
Photo caption: A team member has reached Thukla. Check out this beauty. The Himalayan Tahr is a large ungulate related to the wild goat. Its native habitat is in the rugged wooded hills and mountain slopes of the Himalayas in Nepal, from Central Asia in northern Kashmir to China. The IUCN lists the species on its red list as "close to threatened," noting a population decrease due to uncontrolled hunting and other factors. Protected areas such as Sagarmatha National Park are essential for the species' survival.
Photo By Paul
Today, the AmaDablam and Lobuche team members are taking a break in Dingboche, and the weather is looking favorable. They are also hiking some small hills in the area. Photo By Paul
Oct 31 - The Ama Dablam / Lobouche team have arrived safely in Pangboche after resting in Namche Bazaar. The weather has been cool and sunny and the mountains have been peeking through the clouds. Before we left, we said our goodbyes to the Renjo La team and look forward to seeing them in Ama Dablam basecamp next week.
Photo caption: The player wheel and mount AmaDablam. Photo Napier
A beautiful sunset in Dingboche. Photo by Lacy
Mount Ama Dablam captured from Pangboche, with Khumbu kids ready to welcome climbers and trekkers. Photo by Napier
Oct 30 - The Ama Dablam / Lobouche team have arrived safely at Namche Bazaar. We will spend the next few days acclimatising and resting in this wonderful Sherpa capital. The weather has been kind and cool, and the trek to this beautiful village relaxed and culturally fascinating. Tomorrow we will take a short hike to the Everest View Hotel for our first glimpses of the incredible Ama Dablam.
Nighttime photo taken in Namche Bazaar. Photo by Napier
Panoramic view of the Himalayan range, including Mount Ama Dablam. Photo Paul
Photo caption: Mount AmaDablam. One of the other Himalayas. Photo Paul
Photo caption: Namche Bazaar
Oct 28 - The Ama Dablam / Lobouche team have safely reached the village of Zamfute just above Phakding, after a drive to Ramechap followed by a flight to the famous Lukla Airport. Everyone is feeling strong and in good spirits, and we’re enjoying the lovely cool but sunny weather. Tomorrow morning we will leave for Namche Bazaar where we’ll rest and acclimatise for a few nights. Wish us luck
Caption : Beautiful tea house at Khumbu Valley.
Trekkers having tea breaks and Jokiyo are ready for trek. Photo Majid
Caption : One of the Mani rock while hiking down to Phakding. Tea house along with Dhug Khosi river near Phakding.
Photo caption: One of the many suspension bridges. Trekkers are on the way to Phakding. Photo Majid
Photo caption: Lukla Airport
Other side of Manthali airport view.
Photo caption: Duffle bags are ready for packing. Jokiyo having rest. Photo Majid
Photo Caption: One of the suspension bridges in the khumbu. Dudh khosi river. Photo Majid
Photo caption: Birthday celebration. AmaDablam + Lobuche team. Photo Majid
Photo caption: Happy Birthday Lacy. Marigold flowers. Photo by Majid
Photo caption: The trekker at one of the many suspension bridges. Trekkers heading towards Phakding.
Caption : Member and Prayer wheel along the way. One of the fancy town Lukla.
Oct 27 - Busy few days in Kathmandu with the members buying last minute supplies, equipment & getting to know each other, tomorrow driving to Ramchhap and fly to Lukla. Hope all is well.
Photo captions: Trekkers and Climbers being ready for their expedition.
Team Roster
- Paul S. , UK (Leader)
Ama Dablam and Lobuche Team
- William S., USA
- Daniel C., USA
- Lacy T., USA
- Par L., Sweden
Ama Dablam and Lobuche, Renjo La and Cho La Team
- Adam T., USA
- Henry H., USA
- Timothy H., USA
Ama Dablam And Lobuche
- Jason H., USA
- Brooke W., USA
Ama Dablam Climb
- Gabriel D., Irish
- John D., Irish
- Rui S., Portugal
- Krishna M., Indian
- Lluis T., Spain
Climbing Sherpa
- Tenji Sherpa
- Ang Dorji Sherpa
- Ang Dawa Sherpa
- Gelje Sherpa
- Pemba Sherpa
- Pema Rinji Sherpa