Beyonce and Vogue on the Roof of the World

I feel like I'm about to make a revelation worthy of a Daily Mail editorial...

Spare yourself no illusions that I, as a high-altitude diva in down, was heroically trudging knee-deep through steep snowy slopes on the far flung reaches of Everest this spring, clinging onto my jumar with clenched teeth, breathing each breath as if it were my last… Oh no....  

It's time to for the 'reveal' before I'm unwittingly 'outed' by the press and the cynics...

I'm slightly reluctant to share this video as it will no doubt quash the little credibility that I have as a 'mountaineer' and may rather confirm my status as a 'mountain diva'. On the plus side, it may however be living proof of the closest Beyonce has ever been to the allusive Roof of the World.... and I think it's safe to say that Anna Wintour can also be added to that prestigious list... AND it's living proof to my parents that after years of lectures, I can, in fact, keep my room clean.

Presenting the Mountain Manor... Many thanks to the team at Adventure Consultants for putting together this little gem...

I think it's safe to say that I'm homesick already!!

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The Lhotse Summit push and the 'Lucky' Number 3...!

For the non-Dutch speakers amongst you (and I suspect there may be many!) the word ‘geluk’ can be roughly translated from Dutch to mean, “luck and happiness”. Perhaps it was ‘good surname karma’, plain old-fashioned hard work and experience or a combination of both but we had the most perfect – “lucky and happy” – summit push which culminated in our successful summit of the 4^th highest mountain in the world, Lhotse, at 8516m in the early hours of 22 May, 2013... making me the 3rd Canadian woman to do so..!

We left the relative comforts of our yellow tents already coated in a thick layer of frost, perched high up on the Lhotse Face at 2am and adjusted our head torches. It was a brilliantly clear night and the freshly fallen snow reflected the light cast by the nearly full-moon…. There was no wind. It was so quiet and the new layer of snow seemed to muffle our crampon-clad steps up the steep icy slope. Perhaps it was adrenaline or perhaps it was the fact that I’d slept in my -40 degree sleeping bag wearing my down suit and brand new ‘summit socks’ but I was actually warm… and happy…. And excited! Finally – after months of training and planning the day to stand on the Lhotse summit had arrived..!

 Whilst we hadn’t yet set out I knew that the conditions were perfect and the weather-gods seemed to be smiling upon us. A comfort given I was about to push both my mind and my body to their absolute limit into the infamous Death Zone, the altitudes above 8000m / 26,000 ft where the amount of oxygen is not high enough to sustain human life. 

Operation ‘Exit from Tent’ took about as much planning as D-Day. Harness – check, ice axe – check, water and food – check, head torch – check, pack with sponsor flags – check, camera under 2 layers of down – check, big-boots – check, crampons – check, bootwarmers – check, handwarmers – check, oxygen mask & cylinder - check… smile – check… went smoothly thanks to Anthony’s excellent forward planning and water-boiling expertise (and perhaps some fear about my OCDness about the organization of the tent!!).



Photo by Adrian Ballinger from Everest

When Guy and Suze indicated it was ‘Go Time’ we were both ready sat in our  well aerated tent (thanks to rock-missiles which rained down on our tent from the face) with our feet out the door ready to take the first steps from Camp 4 to the summit.

And so the long plod - my jumar meditation to the summit - began....

Lhotse differs from Everest in that it goes up – straight up between 50 – 60 degrees - from Camp 4 to the summit. With this in mind and combined with the perfect conditions it was easy to fall into a slow and steady rhythm. If I could keep up this pace I knew that I could make it…! Breathe, step, step, slide the jumar up the rope, breathe, step, step… repeat, repeat, repeat. 

I could see the tiny red lights from Suzes’ battery powered bootwarmers shining through the bright yellow gaiters of her boots. They seemed like beacons in the dark moving steadily forward and upward – always just a few steps ahead. I fell into the same rhythm as her steps and wriggled my own toes also comfy and snug in my boots.

I could only see one other set of lights far off in the distance – so faint that I was unsure if they were twinkling stars or climbers making their way up ahead on the face. Looking back over my shoulder at Everest to the north I could see tiny headlights, like tiny glowing stars, slowly winding their way up the summit pyramid of Everest. I wondered if any of my friends were amongst them and wished them safety and strength on their journeys.

The Lhotse Couloir

Entering and climbing through the infamous Lhotse couloir was surreal – it could literally have been anywhere in Chamonix or Scotland – as also indicated by the abundance of loose rock hiding under the light layer of snow and ice. Certain sections of the couloir were no more than about 6 feet wide. So different from the many wide-open Himalayan snow-slopes characteristic of the Himalayan giants.

About 2 hours into our ascent I began to crave a drink of water and knew that I’d soon have to stop and hydrate. My waterbottle encased in a thick protective covering was in my pack and given the steep angle of the snow slope I wasn’t in any position to stop without at least a bit of ‘faffing’. I pushed my jumar ahead and took a step trying to look up and see whether the icy-smooth slope would abate slightly to offer me enough of a perch for a quick rest stop.

Suddenly and without warning I felt a sudden ‘jolt’ and nearly lost my footing as the rope went slack and then sprung back in place like an elastic. Things felt like they were moving in slow motion as I slid two precarious steps down the slope and I heard a high pitched scream escape involuntarily from my lips – it was quickly muffled by my oxygen mask and I found myself gasping for breath. I heard Suze scream up ahead and felt the dynamic spring of the rope so knew that I wasn’t the only one who had sensed that something was wrong. Looking up ahead I could see the dark silhouette of an ice-screw swinging in the moonlight off of the rope about 3 feet in front of me. The anchor which had been fixed into the ice had sprung free under our weight… an ominous sign that made me nervous and I wondered how many more of these loose anchors there were.

 We quickly assessed that everyone was ok and continued to make our way up the slope as the sun began to peek over the mountains casting a magical blue-grey hue over the snow. It was almost bright enough to turn off my head torch and I looked forward to the warmth cast by the sun.

Dawn had unfortunately brought us some unstable weather in the form of 50kph wind gusts. The sky remained clear but the wind was whistling up the face and being channelled into the couloir. It came howling up behind us and then in front of us, bringing freezing temperatures and fountains of spindrift – had we not been well above 8000m it would have been a mesmerizing sight.  I wiggled my fingers and toes to keep them warm and watched as Lhotse’s summit vanished into the white swirling mist. I had no idea how high we were and no real sense of where we were relative to the summit. My only indication was that our Sherpa, Ang Phurba was still climbing steadily on up ahead… Suze turned around and shouted over the sound of the wind that we had about 45 minutes left to go… I was thankful for the protection offered by the couloir.

The steep angled snow slope soon turned to loose, broken rock which sloped downward and made for some challenging climbing. I often found myself with my full weight on the rope pulling myself up over the rock and trying to navigate to the more solid looking snow patches. In some areas the fresh snow had collected because of the wind – it was the finest, most powdery snow I’d ever seen and completely unstable.  It was a technical, steep climb which took a lot of concentration – ultimately keeping me warm and alert and time passed quickly….

Final Steps to the Summit

Suddenly we popped out of the protection of the couloir and onto an icy-narrow snowslope and a giant final hurdle loomed in the distance. A tall mound of rocky rubble marked by seemingly endless broken ledges and loose rocks – at the top of which was a steep final bright white snowy cornice juxtapositioned beautifully against the blue of the sky. The wind was howling and the snow whipped around my face… I knew we were nearly there.

The climb over the final rocky ledges was difficult, endless broken ledges sloping downwards, no solid edges for my gloved hands to grab. The frozen body of a climber who had died just below the summit last year sat on one of the ledges and our rope passed directly on his path. It’s strange but one of the ‘feelings’ that I remember most vividly from the climb was how I felt seeing the body of the climber. We knew before we set out for the climb that he was there so it wasn’t really a surprise. What did surprise me was how he sat perched on the rock, looking out over the spectacular Himalayan panorama… I suddenly felt very, very small and very ‘human’ and ‘vulnerable’ in this foreign, frozen and windy world. It was a surreal feeling and I re-set my focus on making my way the final 3 metres to the top.

And suddenly there I was! The Lhotse summit..! It was TINY – much tinier than I’d expected. It rose to a snowy corniced point in which we’d secured an icebar in the midst of a pile of prayer flags which were whipping in the wind. Ang Phurba gave me a hug which nearly sent me tumbling down the face. We both laughed. I looked out at the curvature of the earth below me and looked DOWN at the tiny mountains – whilst they are formidable 6000 and 7000m peaks they looked so small in Lhotse’s shadow…

People have asked me how I felt… It’s hard to put into words so pardon this section of ‘garble’ as I try and describe it…. I had so many emotions running through me – from euphoria to fear to vulnerability to feeling truly ‘human’ and truly alive in an environment that I didn’t physiologically belong in – if that makes any sense at all. I felt an overwhelming sense of calm. I couldn’t believe how close the sun felt and how far away the rest of the world seemed. I felt so incredibly fortunate and so lucky. I felt so truly ‘alive’ in the warm glow of the sun feeling the warm blood pulsing through my fingers and toes.  I felt very conscious about my vulnerability. I felt nostalgic. I thought of my parents and my family in Canada. I thought of my job at PwC and how lucky I was to have had this opportunity to take some time away to experience ‘life’. I thought of the charity, Hope for Tomorrow… I reflected on the journey I’d taken to get here – the experiences both on and off of the mountains I’ve climbed and how I’ve learned and developed myself through these experiences – the good and the bad..! The hours of training, the worries, but also all the pure joy, the happiness, and the truly inspiring, amazing people that I’d met along the way – those people who had and continue to inspire me and encouraged me to go on.

The spindrift shifted to provide glimpses of the slopes of Everest and of the myriad of peaks beyond. It had been a great ascent, with a fantastic team and all of us on top. Now other possibilities spread out tantalizing below me – so many mountains. But for the moment my eyes were focused on the distant valley far below and the comforts of camp, a square meal, a good night’s sleep and then the start of the long trail home….

It was time to get down...

The scramble down the loose rock was slow and precarious. The couloir seemed suddenly steeper as I descended, arm-wrapping facing outwards. I was horribly conscious that it was 2000 metres down to the western cwm, a long, long way to roll…

The loose rock presented its fair share of challenges and every few minutes the couloirs echoed with someone screaming ‘ROCK!!!’ as a stone-missile shot its way down the couloir. It was scary – being hit by a falling stone – even the size of a small pebble – could be fatal. And there were certainly no shortage of small pebbles and big rocks. I tried to take careful, firm steps and via snowy patches to avoid disturbing more rock. I took a quick break to change one of my oxygen cylinders with Ang Phurba and let the others go further down ahead of me. This also gave me the opportunity to abseil down some of the steeper, longer sections and be a bit more conscious of my foot placement.

As we neared Camp 4 and found ourselves on the firmer snowy-slopes Ang Phurba and I were actually laughing and having fun. I knew that we’d done it. We even started chatting about the next 8000m peak..!! The sun bounced off of the white, fresh snow and I felt warm and happy.

Guy, Suze and Anthony were just stepping into Camp 4 as we pulled up behind them. Huge hugs all around. I couldn’t believe it..! We’d done it! I think that was when I finally allowed myself to fully relax and gaze up at the Lhotse summit now towering high above us…

That afternoon we descended all the way back to the oxygen-rich(ish) air of Camp 2 at 6400m. I was exhausted but absolutely thrilled to have been met there by the Everest Team who had just descended from the South Col and their successful Everest summits..! Again, hugs all around a million laughs. A perfect day.

I was happy. I was exhausted. I did it and I loved it.....

(....but not quite enough to do it again... well, not this year anyway!!!)


------
Many thanks to to our fabulous guide, Guy Cotter for many of the Summit Day pics in this blog...!

Time out to enjoy the wiew from Camp 3 (7400m) on the way down....

With Everest team mate Cason Crane

3rd Canadian woman to summit Lhotse

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The time has come to go UP!

The time has come to go UP...!

It’s been 5 days since we completed our last rotation up Lhotse, sleeping at an altitude of 7400m (Camp 3) before coming down to Base Camp to prepare for the final summit push – and wait for the weather!!  It’s been an exceptionally busy few days filled with birthday celebrations (THE party of the year at the AC Base Camp!), a surprise visit by the legendary Reinhold Messner and a friendly television crew, detailed briefings on Summit Day logistics (food, gear, timings) and finally, general catching up on both sleeping and eating – something I’ve become exceptionally good at..!

Looking at the forecasts (a company called Meteotest based out of Bern, Switzerland), the summit window this year is pretty clear which is excellent news and has allowed the bigger teams on the mountain to work together to coordinate timings in order to avoid long delays on the mountains upper slopes. The window of good weather looks like it will be between the 18th – 24th of May... a huge improvement over last years 2 day window which caused so many problems on summit day..!

Our current planned summit date will be the early morning of May 20th. This means that we will depart Base Camp in the early hours of the 16th to climb up through the Khumbu Icefall to Camp 2, spend the 17th resting and finishing final preparations at Camp 2, climbing the icy steep Lhotse Face to Camp 3 on the 18th,  continue up and traverse to Camp 4 on the 19th and to the 8516m summit on the early morning 20th! It’s a packed schedule but given the strength of the team, quality of the leadership, quality of the route and the resources available to us I cant imagine a better time..!

In terms of my personal reflection on the journey thus far – and the challenges which now lay ahead. I have thoroughly enjoyed the physical and emotional journey which this expedition has offered and delivered – both for the team and friendships made, the comradarie with the Sherpas, the quality of the services provided and the many laughs shared both during the expedition and the run up to it with family, friends and colleagues. I am confident that these past months have formed the foundation of the ‘crux’ which now lies ahead and can’t imagine having a more solid foundation. I feel both honored and blessed to have the opportunity to climb with this team on this absolutely spectacular mountain…!

Please keep our team in your thoughts and prayers over the coming week and think of us on the 20th as we stand on our perch gazing out at a spectacular Himalayan panorama looking out at the Roof of the World in the morning light. Full details of our progress can be found on the Adventure Consultants website under the ‘Lhotse Dispatches’ section…!

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The People You Meet: The Lhotse 2013 Climbing Team..!

What I love about expeditions is the experience of meeting new people, with an often similar sense of adventure and enjoyment of a 'challenge', and the evolution of the team. When signing up for an expedition I generally look at the reputation and quality of the guide and the company itself and the pricing of the overall package then becomes a secondary consideration - the rule of thumb, 'you get what you pay for' generally rings true! The composition of the team - your 'family' for the coming 2 months - is reliant on the 'vetting' procedures of the company and is, hence, tremendously important especially when climbing 8000m peaks when previous climbing and altitude experience is very relevant. I've always been exceptionally careful in this respect and, as a result, have had excellent experiences and have made 'friends for life' on my expeditions and learned a tremendous amount about leadership and teamwork in the process. I sense that this season will be no exception..!

This season I'm climbing with Adventure Consultants. Adventure Consultants is a world-renowned mountain guiding company with a legacy of climbing expeditions to the world's highest peaks, and wilderness treks to the more remote corners of the globe. Its philosophy of only operating with small guided groups provides a more personalised service. This minimises environmental impact and continues to have a proven advantage in its success rates.

Adventure Consultants offers expeditions, treks and wilderness journeys to the Himalaya, Antarctica, Arctic, South America, Greenland, and Alaska in addition to a world class mountaineering guiding service and climbing school in New Zealand and Europe with our IFMGA / NZMGA mountain guides.

The Adventure Consultants Lhotse Expedition 2013 guides, team members, Sherpa and staff are:

Expedition Leader - Guy Cotter - Our guide for Lhotse is none other than Guy Cotter, the Director of Adventure Consultants. Well known Everest chronicler Alan Arnette recently did a fantastic interview with Guy as part of an ongoing series he does each season with Everest climbers and I encourage you to read it and check out Alan's fantastic blog in the process (http://www.alanarnette.com). A short excerpt of Alan's interview with Guy can be found below...

"Guy Cotter has been running the company since 1996 with a strong philosophy of keeping it small, and safe. But he is not a behind the scenes boss, but rather climbing with the best of them, including Peter Hillary recently...."

"Guy, a native Kiwi, lives on the South Island of New Zealand in the amazing town of Wanaka on the shores of Lake Wanaka. He takes total advantage of everything his country offers from climbing to skiing to mountain biking. As the owner of Adventure Consultants, his company supports the best of New Zealand by being part of world-class movies, and running guided trips to their pristine mountains and ski slopes...."


Team members:
Suze Kelly, New Zealand
Anthony Baldry, Australia
Heather Geluk, Canada 

Expedition Doctor: Dr Anne Hutchison, New Zealand / Scotland
Base Camp Manager: Anna Simmonds, New Zealand
Base Camp Setup: Caroline Blaikie, New Zealand / Scotland
Expedition Sirdar: Ang Tshering Sherpa, Khumjung, Nepal
Climbing Sirdar: Ang Phurba, Makalu, Nepal
Climbing Sherpas: Dawa Temba, Tshering Dorje, Pemba Ongde Sherpa

BC Members Cook: Chhongba Sherpa
BC Members Cook boys: Dendi Sherpa and Zangbu Sherpa
BC Sherpa Cook: Dawa Thundu Sherpa
BC Sherpa Cook boy: Maila Rai 
Camp 2 Cooks: Pasang Lama and Karma Sherpa
Camp 2 Cook boys: Karma, Nima and Lhakpa Tenzin Sherpa
Water carriers: Karma, Kusang, Dawa Sherpa and Sukuman Rai

For more details about our Lhotse expedition go to
www.adventureconsultants.com/adventure/lhotse 

Team photo at our amazing hotel in Monjo..! Silver service in the mountains!

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The long hot slog up to the Sherpa Capital of Namche Bazaar

Blue skies and a sunny morning greeted us as we awoke in Monjo and began our plod up Namche Hill to the town of Namche, the ‘Gateway to the Himalaya’ and the first major stepping stone on any trek into the Khumbu region of Nepal. We made good time up the hill and arrived at 10am which gave us the luxury of the day to acclimatise and allow our bodies to respond to the lack of oxygen at 3200m by producing more red blood cells. 

It’s great to be back in Namche - a ‘holding place’ that most climbers and trekkers pass through on their way into the Khumbu and on treks / climbs to the Everest region. During the day the city is alive with internet cafes blaring music, shops selling all kinds of mountaineering gear (from down jackets to technical climbing tools) interspersed with the occasional pharmacy. There are some real legends from the climbing community here at the moment and it’s fascinating to learn more about everyone’s plans. 

I'm looking forward to rolling out my sleeping bag and enjoying a solid nights sleep, taking in my fill of coffee and maximising the last of the reliable internet facilities for the coming weeks..!

We stay in Namche for 2 nights and then make our way up to the small mountain village of Deboche – one of my favourite sections of trail in the region.

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An up-close & personal tour of every air pocket between Kathmandu & Lukla: Flying into the most dangerous airport in the world

 At 2860m Tenzing-Hillary Airport (better known as Lukla airport) bears the infamous title of being the ‘most dangerous airport in the world’. At the end of the short and abrupt runway (angled at a ‘gentle’ 30 degree upward slope) is a very large and very solid unforgiving mountain and the dangers in landing are often compounded by hazardous weather. The airport is ‘overlooked’ by the mountain village of Lukla which is the starting point of most treks and expeditions into the Khumbu region of Nepal. 

This morning at 5am I found myself fitting in a last minute packing job, strategically cramming in all the ‘non-essentials’ that I’d responsibly decided that I wouldn’t need (e.g. the electric blue nail polish, scented candles…). At 5.45 I found myself in the lobby ready for the days adventures to begin..!

The theme of the day seems to have been ‘hurry up and wait’ – a part of life that you learn to quickly accept here in Nepal. Today was no different…  At 6am we rushed from our hotels to get into line at Kathmandu’s domestic terminal and then proceeded to wait; weighed our bags on an old grain-scale… and then proceeded to wait; we rushed to get through ‘security’ and then proceeded to wait; rushed to the transit bus and then proceeded to wait for our slightly rusted twin prop plane… The flight was a slightly harrowing one and the pilot kindly gave us a ‘tour’ of every air-pocked between Kathmandu and Lukla. Had the flight been in a helicopter it would have been fairly ‘normal’ however I had to remind myself that twin-prop planes generally don’t really fare well in dealing with vertical movement and 20m ‘drops’...!! I closed my eyes and cranked my ipod up a little louder to drown out the sputtering of the engines and the gasps of my fellow passengers.

Seeing the small runway in Lukla reminded me however that I was now officially in ‘expedition mode’. My main focus for the coming weeks is to embrace the steady pace of expedition life where days and moments and memories are taken and enjoyed one step and one day at a time.  It was a brilliantly clear day with the sun peeking over the panorama of snow-capped mountains and the farmers making their way into the terraced fields.

The walk up to the village of Monjo (our stop for the night) was relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable – bumping into both Ian Ridley from my Everest 2010 team and Jon Gupta, a friend from the UK enroute..!  It isn’t a surprise to see familiar faces as the well-trodden trail is bustling with trekkers and the air is filled with the sound of the steady clink of their poles on the stone steps. The sound of chimes and prayer wheels turning in the wind fill the air with a familiar ‘mountain melody’. The colourful spring blossoms add vibrance against the clear blue sky and cold grey mountains casting their shadows over the land.

I’m soooo happy to be back and excited to use these days to get to know our fantastic little team, all of our mutual acquaintances and exchange stories over bottomless cups of hot tea..!

Rene and Anthony enjoying the walk

Bumping into former team mate & friend, Ian Ridley on the trail

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Kathmandu - 'Home away from Home' & Packing... again!

There’s something about the city of Kathmandu which heightens the senses. A city where chaos rules. Where life slows down a gear and ‘life’  - well, London - seems like a whole other world away.  It’s easy to ‘lose’ yourself in the chaos… It’s hard to believe that less than 48 hours ago I was still sat behind my desk at work..!

Dust clouds swirling around in the sticky heat, bumper-to-bumper traffic crawling at a snails pace accompanied by the persistent honking of horns at decibles which pierce the ears, generators grinding and humming loudly echoing in the alleys, cell-phones ringing, chimes tinkling as they sway in the warm breeze against the red-clay buildings framed by green windowpanes and trimming that has gone grey from the pollution. Flea-bitten dogs laying lazily in the middle of the broken sidewalk with concrete slabs jutting in all directions as barefoot pedestrians walk non-chalently past… children laughing and running through the streets, zig-zagging around the cars and kicking up swirls of dust as they go with red cheeks and huge smiles… the entire scene framed by bright pink-fuschia bourgainvillias which emit a sweet incense over the city… 

Heading into the ‘backpacker’ area of Thamel one is overwhelmed by huge photos of Himalayan panoramas juxtaposed against brightly coloured signs “Best Expedition Everest”; “Helicopter flight to Everest”; signs as big as the shops themselves selling every outdoor brand and combination of trek you could possibly imagine. The dust is omnipresent and the pollution and cacophony of sound is overpowering as hundreds of motorcycles fight for space on the narrow dirt roads, zig-zagging between cars, pedestrians, dogs and the sacred cows which roam the streets…  weathered-looking peddlers selling Tiger-balm out of small wooden boxes while women and children sit alongside the streets with their hands outstretched for money or food as the dust continues to swirl around them. The soothing sound of the ‘Om mani padme hum’ mantra gently keeping the calm through the chaos. 

Looking up at the darkening sky it’s clear that a storm is brewing as the sound of thunder can already be heard rumbling in the distance – no doubt about to be proceeded by a downpour of biblical proportions to clear the air and send people running indoors…. Tourists looking for cafes offering cheap internet, cinnamon buns and some of the best pizzas on this side of Italy....

Tomorrow it all changes. We fly into Lukla and officially 'start' our 'walk' into Everest Base Camp..! Tomorrow night we sleep in the small village of Monjo and then walk up to the Sherpa capital of Namche. I am psyched and really can't wait to get going..! Our start is 5am tomorrow so with that in mind, time to log off here and catch up online in about two days time.

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An Unconventional Blog about my Unconventional Bedroom - Altitude Training

One of the most rewarding 'side effects' of my high altitude experiences has been the opportunities it's presented to better understand my own physiology and the changes that are taking place within my body as I 'go to altitude'. The body's response to altitude proves, once again, what an incredible and resilient machine the human body is.
One of the key 'tools' which I've been using in preparation for expeditions to 8000m peaks including both Everest and Makalu has been an altitude tent which I rent from The Altitude Centre in London.  

Before I go into detail about what this crazy contraption is, I'll take a few seconds to outline some of the science behind it...

The Science
The lungs contain approximately 300 million tiny air sacs, called alveoli. Each of these tiny air sacs has a thin membrane, through which oxygen in the air is absorbed into the bloodstream through diffusion.  Carbon dioxide is expired from the blood to the air in the lungs, before being exhaled. Simply put, the less air pressure there is, the less oxygen there will be in each breath, and the less will pass through the membranes into the blood.

The body responds to the decreased amount of oxygen by increasing the efficiency of oxygen intake from the lungs and transport in the blood. An important part of the acclimatisation process is the production of more red blood cells, which takes place mainly during rest.  

A 'Head Start' - the Altitude Tent
To give myself a 'head start' and 'grow some additional red blood cells' before I leave, I have been spending the past month sleeping in an altitude tent. Sleeping in a 'simulated altitude environment' allows my body to achieve some of the positive adaptations to altitude while still allowing me to continue to go to 'carry on my normal life' at an oxygen-rich lower altitude where muscles can perform at their normal work level. 

Rather than simulating altitude with actual low air pressure (which would require substantial engineering!), the altitude tent remains at normal air pressure, substituting low concentration of oxygen for low pressure. While normal air contains 20.9% oxygen independent of altitude, the air in an altitude tent contains as little as 12% oxygen (the remainder being nitrogen). The partial pressure of oxygen inside the tent is the same as it is at the natural elevation that the tent is simulating.

I can’t claim that the altitude tent has done wonders for my sleep pattern and do wonder every night as I zip up the flap to ‘seal’ the tent and provide the controlled environment into which the air is pumped whether it's working! 

What's involved
A small beer-fridge size machine (the 'hypoxic air generator') which sounds like a low-decibel lawnmower is connected to the ‘tent’ by an 8 foot long clear plastic hose which pumps the low oxygen controlled air into the tent. This displaces the more oxygen-rich air inside the tent and with it the excess carbon dioxide which I exhale. The body’s response to the lack of oxygen is to stimulate the production of red blood cells, giving the blood better oxygen-carrying capacity and lowering the heart rate.  

It takes the body more than two weeks to produce new red-blood cells – hence why I’ve been sleeping in this plastic bubble for nearly 8 weeks now..!!

I must admit, I’d prefer pre-acclimatising high in the Swiss Alps in a gorgeous chalet with a fantastic mountain view while eating cheese fondue with a dreamboat ski instructor named Otto, but I’ve learned that in life (in this crazy world of high altitude mountaineering) you have to learn to make compromises….

If you're interested in altitude training or have questions about how altitude training can boost your performance at altitude or for long-distance events (eg. marathons, cycling, etc.) give The Altitude Centre a call - or better yet, pay them a visit at one of their fantasic gyms. They are a fantastic resource and I'd highly recommend giving them a call or checking out one of their high-tech gyms.

enquiries@altitudecentre.com
www.altitudecentre.com

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The People You Meet: Danielle Sweeney - friendships & jewellery design reaching new heights...

University seems like ages ago. Having said that, over the course of those years-gone-by – through moves from country to country, through travel adventures, job changes, fashion changes, boyfriend changes, and all of the ups and downs that life has to offer, one thing has remained constant – and that is the friendships forged on the snow-covered campus of McGill University, Montreal. I’m so excited to share a little story about how I’ll be taking the spirit of one of these friendships with me up the slopes of the spectacular Himalayan panorama in the form of a unique and very specially designed piece of jewellery.

I was recently contacted by one of those friends from my ‘formative’ years at McGill (where I studied geography, honed grappa-drinking skills, and fed a hunger and a passion for poutine and skiing). My partner in crime and dear friend for many of these adventures was the tremendously talented Danielle Sweeney.  Several months ago Danielle, who has gone on to become a tremendously talented jewellery designer and setting up her own fabulous jewellery design business, Danielle Sweeney Design, got in touch with the offer of custom designing a ring which captured the majesty of the peaks and the lines which join the mountains making up the Himalayan panorama – a panorama stitched together by peaks which include Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, Nuptse, Pumori…

Danielle Sweeney Design

When we parted ways at graduation from McGill University, Danielle went on to complete the Jewellery Arts Program at George Brown College in Toronto. In 2004 Danielle established her own business, Danielle Sweeney Designs, and was awarded the Made You Look Entrepreneur Award, given to the graduating student who demonstrates exceptional skill and entrepreneurial drive. After three years as a resident designer at Toronto's Made You Look Jewellery Studio & Gallery, Danielle and her husband moved to Sydney, Australia where she is based today and continues to run her custom designed jewellery business. Danielle completed the Gemmological Association of Australia's Practical Diamond Grading Course in 2010.

Her gorgeous designs made in precious metals and gemstones range from custom-made engagement and wedding rings to ready to wear earrings, cuff links, pendants and necklaces. Each design is made in limited number and is entirely created and finished by hand. Danielle is inspired by both urban and natural landscapes, translating inspiration into wearable, sophisticated works of jewellery highlighting the intrinsic beauty of metal, natural gemstones and pearls.

Danielle's work has been featured in Flare Magazine, The Globe & Mail, Fashion Magazine online, Rouge Magazine, Dolce Vita Magazine and in Toronto Fashion Week.

Beyond the ‘mountain ring project’, Danielle has also created collections focusing on coastlines with each bespoke piece engraved with your choice of coastline, from the sunny beaches of Sydney, to the icy shores of the Canadian Arctic. 

I’m incredibly honoured to wear this beautifully designed piece of jewellery on my journey to the roof of the world..!

Danielle Sweeney Design
info@daniellesweeneydesign.com
+61 434 893 716
http://www.daniellesweeneydesign.com.au

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The People You Meet: Tashi Sherpa, President & Member, Sherpa Adventure Gear family

In November 2012, whilst in Kathmandu and just back from expeditions to Makalu and Ama Dablam, I stopped into the  Sherpa Adventure Gear flagship Kathmandu shop, to pick up a few Christmas presents for my family and say ‘hi’ to the friendly team. The gorgeous store, spread over three floors with a traditional, dark wood interior contrasted by the bright, welcoming displays of jackets, fleeces, hand-knit hats, and outdoor kit, is an oasis of tranquillity in the dusty and chaotic hustle and bustle of the city.

My visit coincided with that of the President and founding member of the Sherpa Adventure Gear family, Tashi Sherpa.  From the moment of my arrival in the shop I’m again treated to true Sherpa hospitality as am escorted up to the rooftop terrace and treated to an absolutely delicious curry lunch and aromatic tea while Tashi smiles calmly and shares his story. What strikes me from the outset is the philosophical and almost poetic nature of his words – how he seemingly effortlessly has combined years of concrete business experience with a holistic philosophy and spirit that has led the brand from strength to strength since it was founded 10 years ago.


The 'Backstory' of this unique and historical brand...
10 years ago, Tashi and his family owned an import clothing business in the US. Whilst on his travels, a magazine featuring a very recognisable and familiar face commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of Everest caught his eye. The craggy lines of the familiar face staring at him from the cover belonged to none other than his uncle, Ang Gyalzen Sherpa - one of the original Sherpa on Sir Edmund Hillary’s celebrated expedition in 1953 which first reached ‘the roof of the world’.

Though often unrecognised for their contributions to mountaineering expeditions, the Sherpas are the unsung heroes on the slopes of the Himalayan giants including Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu… just to name a few…! For it is the Sherpa who set the routes, carry the loads and lay the rope all the way to the summit and back. They risk their lives for a pittance and smile through the life threatening ordeals on the flanks of Everest and surrounding peaks. But rarely do they receive any of the fame or recognition that follows a successful summit.

As Tashi Sherpa stared into the wise-eyes of his uncles’ weathered face, and read the story of the many unsung Sherpa heroes like his uncle who live in total anonymity—and often utter poverty—in the shadow of Everest, he felt a powerful urge to share the Sherpa story with a wider audience. So he created Sherpa Adventure Gear and began making outdoor clothing and gear. He then started sponsoring the best high altitude climbers in the world to test the products - the Sherpas themselves.

“From the highest reaches of the Himalayas, our people lead the world in mountaineering with warmth, grace and good humor. In our humble experience, there is no better place for testing equipment - and character”

Giving back...
Since its inception, the majority of Sherpa Adventure Gear products are designed and manufactured in Nepal where it employs over 150 people.  It's also committed to continued manufacturing in the country, which is crucial, because for all its astonishing scenic beauty and the sheer loveliness of its people and culture, Nepal is an incredibly poor and both politically and economically unstable country, so it needs all the foreign currency and employment opportunities it can get.

One of Tashi’s main goals in creating this company was to support and honour these people who do so much for so little.  Up to $.50 from every product sold goes to a special fund for the underprivileged Sherpa children of Nepal called the Paldorje Education Fund.

The Paldorje Education Fund "provides much-needed headstart scholarships to less fortunate Sherpa children. In Nepal, where many children grow up in remote mountain villages deprived of basic education, it is the our mission to help those in the next generation find their way to a brighter future. By doing this, we honor the dreams of our elders to make a better world." Approximately a dozen children currently benefit from the company’s education initiatives, which typically fund a child’s entire education through high school, and for some, through college. 

Sherpa Adventure Gear is also in the process of setting up additional non-profit partnerships to benefit the health, education, and welfare of underprivileged Sherpa children.

Each season the Sherpa Adventure Gear family grows. But at the core it will always be a small company with a simple vision of doing business in the inimitable way of the Sherpas… One step at a time, helping each other on the climb up, and never losing sight of the destination. 

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NEWS! Spring 2013 - the Lhotse Face (8516m / 27,940ft)

I first marvelled at Lhotse, the 'unassuming' neighbour of Mount Everest in the autumn of 2011 from a Base Camp high up on Kyajo Ri, a quiet 6000m peak in Nepal's Gokyo Valley. From camp, under a stunning pink sky, we were presented with a breathtaking snow-capped panorama of Himalayan giants including Everest, Makalu, Nuptse, Pumori... and the Lhotse Face.

Unlike many past expeditions on mountains including Everest, Makalu and Cholatse, I never considered climbing Lhotse until this past Autumn while descending from our attempt at Makalu and reflecting on options for the Spring (I never seem leave one expedition without having planned for the next!) Lhotse appealed as a viable option for many reasons... the opportunity to return to the Khumbu on the 60th anniversary of the ascent of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay certainly appealed as did the geography of the mountain itself... Lhotse is a formidable mountain with steep precipitous faces, many of which remained unclimbed. On Lhotse's West Face there is a weakness known as the Lhotse Couloir. Narrow and steep, this icy gully allows access to the ridge from where the summit can be reached. I also liked the idea of experiencing the 'Everest culture' without experiencing the crowds higher up on the mountain.

In spite of sharing the well-known Everest South Col route (including the well-documented and deadly Khumbu-Ice-fall), Lhotse has received less than 400 ascents - with Everest well over 4000 ascents.

The Route...
To climb Lhotse the route follows the well-known Everest South Col route to Camp 3 (7,300m) high on the Lhotse Face. From camp 3 Everest and Lhotse climbers continue up the face and make the long gently rising traverse up to the Yellow Band. Following an ascent of the band the Everest climbers continue their traverse to the Geneva Spur whilst climbers looking to continue on to the summit of Lhotse, veer  upwards toward a rocky outcrop nicknamed the 'turtle shell'. The rock shelves at 7,900m provide small platforms where tents can be placed and Lhotse Camp 4 can be established. Leaving Camp 4 very early the entry to the couloirs is reached. Narrow and steep the couloir is climbed for 500m until the ridge is reached. Once on the knife edge ridge, a left turn and some tricky climbing leads to the summit.

Spring Plans and logistics...

I leave for the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu in a few weeks time and have already ramped up my training routine - the altitude tent, a popular feature here in the flat, "Gloucester Glamour" has been erected and my muscles are aching regularly from the challenges set by my personal trainer. On the work front, the delicate balance between 'work' and 'life' continues but is going well and I am again thankful for the support provided by colleagues and friends. Similarly, my credit card statements look more like I am setting up an outdoor adventure shop in central London.

Climbing to bring cancer treatment closer to home - Hope for Tomorrow 
I'll be climbing Lhotse to raise money and awareness through the national cancer charity, Hope for Tomorrow. Hope for Tomorrow is dedicated to bringing cancer treatment closer to home via mobile chemotherapy units. These units serve to  which bring vital care to patients and their families, reducing travel, waiting times and the stresses and strains of busy hospitals. Hope for Tomorrow anticipate that in 2013 they will give over 6,000 treatments and save patients over 240,000miles of travel. Each mobile chemotherapy unit costs £260,000 to build and maintain for 3 years.

The People You Meet... is back!
Once again, I'll be documenting my adventures around highlighting the inspiration provided to me by those that I meet in the planning and during this next adventure...

Some of these people have dazzled me with their genius and art. Others have shared with me insights about how I can live. Others have devoted their life to helping others. Some have conquered mountains while others have built business empires. Some are great artists while others have entertained with their brilliant musical talents. One thing that they all have in common is that they are passionate, talented, and amazing people who have added colour to my life and have helped to gently shape the moments that make up the journey – both at work and at play.

Without the tremendous support of these people life would not be nearly as fascinating and mountains would be significantly higher.

This blog is my way of reflecting on my ‘mountaineering journey’. It’s not just the mountain but the mosaic people you meet along the way that make life such an incredible adventure.

So I raise a glass and propose a toast - "To Lhotse, to you, to me, and to the people we'll meet along the way..."

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