EVEREST

May 24
Elevation 26,085’

Camp 4

I slept well last night it's still windy but way less. Sun is coming out. I feel rested and breathing normal. Still with enough O2 for hours and will have more soon along with breakfast. Today is a rest day in Camp 4. We are warm. It was a windy night last night. Our tent is holding just well. Breakfast today was dehydrated eggs and extra oxygen bottle! (just like The Four Seasons!) Don't know if we will go outside. I would like to but depends on when. I was curious to know the weather forecast. Alicia sent me the outlook. I'm wondering what the guides are considering; a summit bid at night or in the next day or two.
Guides are in a good mood. I hear them laughing in their tents. It's sunny and we got another bottle of O2. Still windy though. We are hunkered down in our tents it's a down party for sure. It's not very comfy. We slide down a bit with all gear. Sleeping bag, summit suit, full of down. Tom my tentmate is OK, I don't know about the rest of the team in their tents, I guess they are OK. Now that we are at Camp 4, we’ll need to make a decision soon about the summit. We will see what happens with the weather.
There's a lot of noise with the wind blowing on our tent. Sherpas came twice to check on us and refill our water bottles. I will turn off my devices to save battery.
Life at camp 4 is very difficult. You need oxygen to do anything; you run out of breath just trying to go to the bathroom. I can't use my solar panel, it would fly away. I'm running an extra battery and turning everything off.
We have good news,: we will have dinner at 9:00 PM. We leave for the summit tonight at 10:00 PM. Guides checked weather and decided that it's best to climb at night. We expect it should take 8 to 9 hours to the summit and 4-5 hours to get back to Camp 4. So All in all 12 to 14 hours, but again it all depends as it's a night climb. With sunrise as we summit, hopefully.
Energy level: 9. Physical Wellness: 9. Mental Wellness: 9. I truly feel very well. It's going to be hard just like EBC to C2. It's going to be about managing energy very well and wisely. Drinking and eating. Needless to say, weather permitting. So could easily be more time to be on the safe side. A summit is still a summit. The weather is looking best at night and hopefully we will reach the summit just in time for a new day and sunrise. Trust that I'll do my best. The Everest watch Alicia gave me when we first met will now attempt to reach the summit that was always meant to be! I think it's our team and one other team moving to the summit tonight. That's it. Turning off devices for now to save battery.

May 23
Elevation 26,085’

Camp 4

Now at my highest elevation ever! I slept super well in Camp 3!!! Best night so far since I arrived EBC! Had Eggs with onions and Peppers for breakfast! Yummy. We then set off and arrived C4! It's very windy, we are inside our tents and we are warm. Now waiting for dinner and hot drinks. I'm feeling tired, but well. And hungry! Which is good.  Many people loose their appetite at high elevation.
It's a little bit of a mess around Camp 4 and inside our tent. We’re trying to organize it a bit but it’s difficult with all the wind and wearing an oxygen mask. You can breathe without oxygen, but the air feels very thin. I feel tired but very well.

May 22
Elevation 23,664’

Camp 3

I arrived C3! I'm resting in my tent and organising gear. Climbing with O2 is a big difference. Feel great! Frenemy (Miga’s toy) made it without oxygen. I’m now without O2 in my tent and feel super well! Regardless, we will use oxygen to sleep again. I'm super hungry. Eating chocolate and goodies. Then we will have more dehydrated dinner. My throat is well and no sinus congestion.
C3 is carved into the Lhotse face, so platforms are for our tents and the bathroom. On the front side we have a huge drop! Plan is to rest the rest of the day and have dinner later (dehydrated dinner). It will be room service to our tents! I think I have chicken teriyaki!!! I am super hungry.
Not very cold outside yet. It's sunny but will get cold as soon as the sun goes down. I'm dreaming of my favourite meal of consommé. Chicken teriyaki is yummy though. I would pay to watch TV on the sofa with and consommé right now and a good movie.
I’m now preparing to sleep. We are warm inside our tents, summit suit and sleeping bag!
Tomorrow, we wake up at 4:00 AM to have breakfast. Then we have about 1.5 hours to get dressed and packed. Plan is to leave Camp 3 towards Camp 4 at 6:00 AM. It should take us about 10 hours to reach C4 at a simple pace. We will have oxygen all the way to C4. And we will sleep with oxygen tonight as well!

May 21
Elevation 21,413’

Camp 2

Feeling very well. No sinus congestion nor sore throat! And slept well all night! I'm still acclimatising well. The best news is my digestive system is working well! We head to C3, 22nd, at 6:00 AM. C3 will serve us as a quick “Pit-stop” to recover and replenish before we continue to C4 the following early morning, 23rd. The plan is to climb at a mid-simple pace with oxygen (O2), so to arrive C3 fairly complete energy-wise. Haha! It will be hard but I will do my best! Starting tomorrow I will be on oxygen at all times, even to sleep. It will be super nice!
I tried to use the satellite phone with Alicia. Coverage is a bit spotty in the valley between Everest, Lhotse & Nuptse. But we got to have a quick chat.

May 20
Elevation 21,413’

Camp 2

Happy Birthday to my amazing mother who is just as strong as me, mentally climbing Everest with me and not sleeping at nights.  Love you, Campanita!

We left EBC in the middle of the night and have arrived at C2! It was hard, cold, sunny, long, everything. But I feel very well! Now organizing my tent and then replenish food and drinks. Digestive system still working well!

May 19
Elevation 17,598’

EBC

It's time for our summit bid! We leave EBC tomorrow morning at 1:00 AM towards C2. We just finished our oxygen equipment training. Feels good. And experience with scuba comes in handy. In the Beginning everything is cumbersome. But that feeling is familiar, so it's about staying calm, breathe & adjust. I have two options that work: goggles, my second choice since they cover my face, and preferably glasses, weather and wind permitting. The trick will be to manage fogging in my goggles and sunglasses.  Will require adjusting, relaxing & moving on. We also chose and packed the meals that we will eat in camps 2, 3 & 4 for our summit bid. Tonight we’ll have breakfast at midnight then leave EBC at 1:00 AM. We will go all the way to C2! Everything is ready, I'm ready. Let's climb!

May 18
Elevation 17,598’

EBC

Helicopter rides were quick and easy this morning. It’s a sunny day, clear skies! I slept well and feel rested from our recovery in Namche. Now to rest a bit more and pack for our summit bid! We got an updated weather forecast. Not looking great. But our guides will keep us posted on plans.

May 17
Elevation 11,286’

Namche Bazaar

A beautiful sunrise in Namche today. It’ our last day of rest before we enter the Colosseum! (Lots of Gladiator references since we watched the movie last week) 😊
Overall feeling good. 4.9/5. Tomorrow I fly back to EBC at 7:30 AM (weather permitting). Same route, Namche-Periche-EBC.Weather. We’ve gotten the first forecast for our planned summit day on the 25th. It's looking just OK right now.

May 16
Elevation 11,286’

Namche Bazaar

Finally found Hillary Viewpoint today. It was beautiful sunny with great views of Namche and it’s valley. Then did a good stretch/yoga session in the lodge. And then, of course, more Sharkuno with the team. We’re starting to get mentally prepared to head back to Base Camp on the 18th. The perfect end to the day was a latte and chocolate cake!

May 15
Elevation 11,286’

Namche Bazaar

Resting, sleeping and eating in Namche Bazaar at lower altitude is paying off! My sinus issues are almost gone and I'm sure my entire body is thanking me for the decision to come down as I wait for my summit bid. Today we did a little shopping in town. We’ve also been playing Uno since Camp 2. It’s getting very competitive and with some unique rules, I’ve renamed it SharkUno.

I’m taking advantage of hot showers and steamy bathroom to help clear my sinus’ – I’m about 70% better in last 36 hours.

I also met Justin Sackett today, who is an American climber attempting Everest without Oxygen.

May 14
Elevation 11,286’

Namche Bazaar

Slept well, my sinus’ are much better, throat doesn’t hurt.
Today ended up being a “Cacho Rest Day”, i.e. an active rest day.  We tried to find the Hillary viewpoint and we got a bit lost but found our way back.

I’m doing my best to regain some weight. My pants were a bit big but now falling off after our first rotation.

May 13
Elevation 11,286’

Namche Bazaar

The great news is that I slept full last night. My alarm woke me up & that never happens!
We (8 of us) waited for a few helicopters and the weather to clear this morning and then things move fast! It's 2 per heli from EBC to Periche & 4 per heli from Periche to Namche. The heli needs a layover in Periche to refuel.
It's sooooooo nice and sunny here. This lodge is clean from a water & food POV. I'm so looking forward to doing NOTHING & just catch up with news, contacts, read a book and look forward to what is coming!
In the lodge, I believe it’s just 8 of us & ~8 from the British Military; they are also attempting to summit Everest. I saw them coming down with me from C3. Ha!
Some guys from my team went for massages in town.

From our guide today:
While we are currently resting up from our recent acclimatization climb to camp 3, our Sherpa team is now completing the final logistics for our summit push, this includes carrying the remaining oxygen and other equipment to camp 4. Once they complete this work and have a quick rest, then we can begin, assuming a favorable weather forecast.
The guide team is keeping a close eye on the weather, right now it looks pretty windy up high, although some people may summit. After the 17th the winds look more favorable.
With ~5 nights resting in Namche, then 2 nights back in base camp to readjust, this puts us summiting on the 25th.
-as always, the itinerary is flexible to accommodate changing conditions, etc.

May 12
Elevation 17,598’

EBC

The 1st rotation on Everest is officially COMPLETED!! 
I'm back at my home EBC!! We set out from Camp 2 at 5:30am.
Absolutely stunning views & to cross the Khumbu during the day was both stunning & some sections terrifying. But all worth the adventure. Now time to rest & maybe consider Heli down to Namche for a few days to recover faster. The concern down there is unclean food and germs from other trekkers. But, recovery is key for our summit bid. The team will discuss tailor made options per person today. 
EBC now feels like Versailles! After 5 days of climbing, I took a loooooong shower & washed clothes.
Update: the recommendation for my best chance to recover from cough and sinus congestion is to go to lower altitude in Namche Bazaar. Almost all our team will go down.
The Expedition Continues!!!!! 

Out of the Khumbu Icefall with Garrett & Tom

May 11
Elevation 23,664’

Camp 2 > Camp 3 > Camp 2

I'm back at Camp 2! We hiked up the Lhotse face to Camp 3 and back down to push our bodies to acclimatize more.
I’ve now crashed inside my tent & resting before I remove all the gear I have on me.
I feel well. Very tired as it was one of the hardest things I've done. Climbing the Lothse Face with no Oxygen is no joke.  So glad we will use oxygen during our summit bid.
The views from Camp 3 (C3) looking down to the Khumbu (C1 & C2) & up to Everest were stunning! I spend about 40 mins there waiting for others to arrive. Glad because coming down was hard too, a combo of rappels & arm arrests.
I still have a cough, like everybody else.
Also, my inReach device  (which is how I send messages via Satellite) unclipped from my backpack, I didn’t know it was lost until I reached Camp 3 – but a Sherpa on my team found it rolling down the Lhotse face. Absolutely amazing.
I also tested a vest that holds waterbottles under my down suit and keeps my water warm – it was the worst idea. I removed it at a rest stop & almost threw it down the mountain. It was pressing my chest making it even harder to breathe. I’ll use insulated bottles in my backpack for the summit push instead.

May 10
Elevation 21,403’

Camp 2

Life at Camp 2 is hard. It’s super cold morning and night and super hot during mid-day. It's the extremes surrounded by beauty! I’m feeling much better than yesterday. My throat is almost fixed. Just ready for tomorrow. I've been recovering from a sore throat since we arrived Camp 2 and now it's ready and healed for tomorrow! Tomorrow we leave camp 2 at 6:00 AM towards camp 3 which sits right on the Lhotse face, an ice wall. It will be a real climb and the first time we will use our summit suits! The plan is to touch Camp 3 and come back down to Camp 2. Resilience is the word. Absolutely brutal. One day at a time is the way. Otherwise it’s very very difficult to tackle it. I'm preparing my pack for tomorrow, we’ll get an early start.

May 9
Elevation 21,403’

Camp 2

I slept well last night. We’ve arrived at Camp 2. I’m exhausted and resting, eating and drinking in my tent. I'm laying down on my mat and can feel the rocks underneath. Too tired to fix them now. I'll place my second mat later and will be fine. Update; I'm recovering well from our hike! Fixed my mat!

I have also finished my course of antibiotics – my stomach is doing great. Now I’m taking cough and sinus medicine – feeling better and hope I can sleep tonight. Khumbu Cough is something everyone has to deal with on the mountain.

May 8
Elevation 19,603’

Camp 1

Today is an acclimatization day at Camp 1 so, we went for a hike about 1/3 of the way up to Camp 2 then returned to Camp 1. We rested the remainder of the day. It's snowy but gets very hot when the sun comes out. I was prepared and fully covered myself from the sun! I felt great hiking  but didn't sleep well last night.
My first night here in Camp 1, I think, was the worst I’ve ever had, period. I was fully awake since 10:00 PM, rolled uncomfortably all the time, the air burned your nostrils as you breathe, the tent was frozen and would snow inside if you move. The good news is my body seems to be acclimatizing very well, the bad news is a side effect is having to go to the bathroom (7times) in the night, very annoying.
I’m a bit worried of tonight though. It felt like forever last night. I felt confined in a freezing chamber for about 9 hours. But it’s all part of the training, so tonight I'll slowly stretch and meditate! A mega test of the mind! I left my headphones at EBC, big mistake.
Tomorrow we leave for Camp 2 at 8:30 AM after breakfast. It should take us about 4-5 hours!
In other news: No permit, no guide – Duck is rescued from Khumbu Icefall

May 7
Elevation 19,603’

Camp 1

I arrived camp 1 and I'm inside my tent! I felt rested and strong leaving EBC. The Khumbu was absolutely beautiful and a maze of ice! The crux was at the end indeed. The large serac that blocked the route a week ago still had a tricky section. My Sherpa said, ‘Let’s rest a minute because we need to move fast on the next section’. It was my first sprint at +19,000’. The longest ladder crossing (5 ladders lashed together!) was insane. I managed to cross it smoothly. We encountered white out conditions just before Camp 1 – we stopped for a bit – we couldn’t find the route.
It’s snowing and cold here in the day but not super cold. We’ll sleep today and tomorrow here at Camp 1. My tentmate, Tom fell asleep already!
I’m amazed I’m doing things we see in movies!

May 6
Elevation 17,596’

EBC

Another team member has dropped from the climb. He has been feeling sick since Periche, was not able to summit Lobuche and went down to KTM for a couple of days to recover. He returned to EBC a couple of days ago, but wasn’t able to fully recover and decided to drop. We wish him the best.
The rest of the day we relaxed before our first rotation. Breakfast will be @ 1:00am. We’ll  leave for Camp 1 @ 2:00am. We will traverse thru the Khumbu icefall to get to Camp 1. We leave at the coldest part of the day to avoid the sun warming the rocks and ice on Everest’s West Shoulder (on our left) causing seracs to collapse and avalanches.
It should take me anywhere from 7 to 9 hours to reach Camp 1. We will all move at our own pace aided by our Sherpas. I plan to move as fast as I can with the help of my Sherpa who I met tonight: Dawa Sunder Sherpa. He is the cousin of our lead Sherpa, Aang Phurba Sherpa. He is 23 years old and has summited Everest 3 times already. Dawa Sunder Sherpa will be my aide for this expedition. I consider him my new best friend!!!

Left: Dorjee Gyeljen Sherpa, Summited Everest 23 Times!
Right: Aang Phurba Sherpa, Summited Everest 14 times!

May 5
Elevation 17,596’

EBC

I slept very well last night and feeling MUCH better.  At breakfast we learned of a couple recent events: One of our team members was helicoptered out with HAPE, and a Khumbu icefall collapse injured 4 people from other teams (all OK, one airlifted to KTM). Silver lining: the collapsed serac was actually the section making our route risky, so conditions are now safer than before. Given the incidents, our rotation was pushed to tomorrow night. Will use today to pack and prepare. And rather than relying on second-hand reports, Garrett’s Sherpa team heads up tonight to verify the route firsthand. Lastly, our teammate evacuated to KTM is in good condition and will rejoin us later.

May 4
Elevation 17,596’

EBC

I skipped icefall training today – woke up with stomach pain again. Similar to last time but less severe. I didn’t get much sleep last night. One of the guides has given me a course of Diarbok Forte, which is an antibiotic to treat parasitic infections.  It’s pretty common for foreigners to get stomach bugs in Nepal. By dinner I was feeling better again and had ramen washed down with electrolytes.
Tonight’s Movie: Gladiator

May 3
Elevation 17,596’

EBC

Our guides have laid out our plans for our 1st rotation over the next week. Tomorrow we’ll do a daytime practice through the Khumbu Icefall route. We’ll only spend 3 hours round trip to get a sense of the route. Hopefully we’ll move faster when we set out for Camp 1 on May 6th. We’ll spend two nights at Camp 1,  two night at Camp 2, climb up to Camp 3 then turn around to sleep at Camp 2, then descend all the way down to Base Camp on the 11th.
Our Sherpa team, 28 of them, have been hard at work. They’ve been up to Camp 2 twice in the last three days carrying loads, working to get Camp 2 set up for us. I see them leaving offerings before they hike out.
Tonight’s movie: Talladega Nights

May 2
Elevation 17,596’

EBC

We took a long, difficult hike today up to Pumori’s High Camp at 18,540’ then descended back to EBC. We were about 1 mile from the border with Tibet. From there we could see how big EBC is! Nepal has issued ~425 summit permits this year. That means EBC has a population of +1000 climbers, sherpas, porters, cooks, doctors, etc.
The days are still very nice here but when the sun goes down it’s very cold. And, no showers before bed.  The water tanks freeze at night.

May 1
Elevation 17,596’

EBC

Today we practiced ladder crossing & ice climbing in the Khumbu icefall. Ladder crossing will be very important once we go for our 1st rotation as it seems we have some long ones…6 ladders tied together in some sections. My crampons fit perfectly in the ladder rungs, though!
The news this evening is that we will stay in Base Camp a few more days to: let other teams move up the mountain ahead of us, allow one more express climber arrive, and give time for one team member to rest at a lower elevation in Kathmandu before rejoining us up here.
We can now see the first teams are making their way through the Khumbu icefall - at night - lit by their headlamps.

April 30
Elevation 17,596’

EBC

Today is another training day for us near Base Camp. Meanwhile, 28 of our Sherpa team made it to Camp 2 successfully and will take about 3 days setting our camp there. They mentioned the route on the Khumbu icefall looked safe/fine.  Things are getting very real now! We may start our first rotation in ~4 days.

April 29
Elevation 17,596’

EBC

Today started out silently with a beautiful snow-covered camp. You could only hear the birds chipping as they snacked on the offerings from the Puja ceremony yesterday. The rest of the day we trained on rope management on the glacier. Then hung out in the tent playing games and eating popcorn.

Our Sherpa team is heading out today to attempt to set up camp 2 for our us. We in Base Camp are still 2-3 days from starting out first rotation. Our team is always focused on safety, we’ll continue our trainings from base camp until it’s very safe to move up the mountain.

Tonight’s move: The Eiger Sanction, with Clint Eastwood.

April 28
Elevation 17,596’

EBC

Today a local lama visited our camp to perform an official Puja ceremony to ask the Mount Everest (Sagarmatha) mountain deity, Miyolangsangma, for safe passage. The full expedition team was present, +30 people, for the ~3hrs. long ceremony. Now that we are blessed & with good news the Sherpas finally passed through the Khumbu Icefall, we are ready to start preparations for our first rotation.

Sampann flour was rubbed onto the faces of team members to represent a long, successful life (old age).

April 27
Elevation 17,596’

EBC

The last three nights I shared a tent with Phurba Sherpa, I think I’ve absorbed some of his Sherpa spirit in the night. I finally had a good night’s sleep last night, and woke up refreshed and ready to return to EBC. So far my acclimatization is working as planned; I felt very strong on the trek back. I took a WARM shower when we arrived. Tomorrow, thankfully, is a rest day.

Today I also met the porter, Mandan Rai, who carried my duffle full of climbing gear, ~100 lbs.,  from EBC to Lobuche High Camp and back. He carries it on his back with a strap across his forehead. Mandan is short and his face is burned by days in the sun, but his smile is contagious and his strength seems superhuman. He was born a porter into a caste system. He is working VERY hard to make a living. It absolutely broke my heart.

I’m also thankful my appetite is back, I will start eating more.

April 26
Elevation 20,075’ > 16,210’

Lobuche East Summit & Lobuche Village Lodge

We set out from our high camp at 2:00am for the summit of Lobuche which is close in elevation to Camp 1 on Everest. We use this summit as training for steeper slopes, moving across ice, testing cold weather gear and practicing technical fixed-line work. It was steep and challenging. We had great weather and 360 degree views of the most magnificent mountains in the world. 11.5 hours later we were back at the Lobuche Lodge for dinner and much deserved rest.

April 25
Elevation 17,069’

Lobuche East High Camp

Today we hiked back down the trail to Lobuche Village and then turned uphill again to get to Lobuche East High Camp. We’ll set out at 3am for the Lobuche East Summit, a 3,000’ climb.
This altitude training was planned and allows the “Icefall Doctors” (expert Sherpas who install safety protections; ropes, ladders, etc.) to do their work on the route to the summit of Everest. This year they are dealing with a large serac blocking the route. We wish them well and know they are keeping everyone’s safety as the first priority.

April 24
Elevation 17,596’

Everest Base Camp (EBC)

I’m hanging back at Base Camp today, thanks to HAFE (High Altitude Flatus Expulsion – yes, that’s a real thing). A combination of slower digestion at altitude and low pressure up here allows gasses on your insides to expand like a balloon. It can be quite uncomfortable. To be safe, I stopped in to see the doctor at the Base Camp clinic (tent). She prescribed bland foods and rest.  I complied and by dinner was feeling MUCH better.

April 23
Elevation 17,596’

Everest Base Camp (EBC)

It was a chilly, quiet night in Base Camp last night. I slept in my down coat, down pants and inside my down sleeping bag. Fortunately, our agenda today was refreshers and practice on rigging ropes to carabiners and moving along fixed lines. We ended the day with a movie (F1) in the main tent. This will be home for a while. Check out the “amenities” I noted in camp.

April 22
Elevation 17,596’

Everest Base Camp (EBC)

We made it! Finally, after trekking for 9 days and about 40 miles we have arrived at Everest Base Camp! It’s full of teams from all over the world beaming with energy & dreams of adventure. Madison Mountaineering’s headquarters is quite big & very well organized. The Argentinian guides surprised us tonight with Prosciutto, wine and cheese from Mendoza. Tomorrow is really a rest day. Stay tuned for a tour of camp.