Base Camp

This following blog is courtesy of Billi Bierling, Himalayan Experience:

Everest Summit Push is On

The following blog is courtesy of Billi Bierling, Himalayan Experience:

Everest and Lhotse teams meet again at Base Camp

The following blog is courtesy of Billi Bierling (Himalayan Experience):

The following blog is courtesy of Billi Bierling (Himalayan Experience) reporting from Everest Base Camp:

Resting, Rope Fixing and Roaming for the Internet

The following blog is courtesy of Billi Bierling, Himalayan Experience:

Rest, Practice and a Glimpse into the Khumbu Icefall

 After having enjoyed a slightly clouded view of Everest from Kala Pattar on Wednesday, the team had a rest day on Thursday. In the afternoon, the guides took the members on a practice course just outside the camp in order to get them ready to scale Lobuche East, where they will be heading on Saturday.

Three days into our trek to Base Camp and we are feeling great. Our group has had good weather and views thus far, and we are all using these days of hiking and evenings in rustic lodges to get to know one another. There have been many card games to play, stories to tell and hear, and yak steaks to enjoy.

7 days into our trek to Everest BC we are at our final night in beds and indoors. Tomorrow we head to the first of our tent camps, Lobuche basecamp at about 16,200 feet. We will spend a couple of nights there before moving up to our true basecamp close to Pumo Ri. The good news today was that our last heli of equipment, along with the boss - Russell Brice - arrived in Syangboche and will join us in camp in the next 3 days or so.

It has been a whirlwind week since my last post, and finding time on a computer has been near the bottom of my list of prioirities. Apologies for that! Our complete team has been in Base Camp for a week now, and basecamp (for us) is an incredible place. While most teams this year have been squeezed into a small and quickly melting area below the Icefall, Russell’s forethought and planning has us basking on an open plain 15 minutes away from the main camp. With more sun, clean water, lots of space, and the glacier moving more slowly in this location, our camp is incredible.

While sitting in a t-shirt and flipflops this morning, enjoying a proper English breakfast (bacon, eggs, baked beans and toast, along with lots of french press coffee), I thought perhaps it was time for a dispatch with pictures. Important to do a bit of work even on a much deserved rest day!

Just heard on the sat phone that our athletes have started their climb for the summit. They have been split into 2 teams: the first one started out yesterday, the second will start tomorrow. Adrian’s group is in the first team, consisting of 11 climbers, 3 guides and a bevy of supportive Sherpa. Yesterday they had an early start, successfully climbing from Base Camp, through the Icefall, straight past Camp 1 and on up to Camp 2. The fastest climbers made it in 5+1/2 hours, and 10 hours after starting everyone was safely in camp.