Enroute to climb Ama Dablam - Back in Namche Bazaar....

Following a delicious breakfast of porridge, cereal and bottomless cups of tea from a spotlessly clean lodge we set out under a cloudless blue sky from the small village of Monjo this morning up 'Namche Hill' to the thriving metropolis of Namche Bazaar... As usual we are graced with absolutely breathtaking views through the Khumbu Valley in the shadow of Everest off in the distance.  I've done this walk now numerous times and the views never cease to disappoint. The narrow path cut into the side of the hill  and heavy yak traffic means we often walk in a long and winding 'trekking train'; the sounds of the white-water of the Duda Kosi river far below broken only by the 'clink' of our trekking poles chipping against the rock underfoot and the occasional porter carrying small battery powered radios playing what I can only assume is the Nepali Top 40.

The smells along the trail enliven and overwhelm the senses. The valley is filled with smell of sweet blossoms, richy fertilised earth turned over by local farmers planting potatoes in their fields, the intoxicating smell of crushed juniper underfoot, the sweet milky smell of the porters carrying their heavy loads,  and the occasional pile of steamy yak dung planted unceremoniously in the middle of the trail. Whilst it is a rather unique combination of scents and not altogether unpleasant, I don't suspect that 'Eau de Nepal' will be bottled and sold in a French perfumerie any time soon.

While the path is undulating and steep in certain sections, it is by no means impossible and for anyone considering a trek in the Himalayas where they can enjoy relative 'creature comforts' (beds, culture and hospitality of the local people, fantastic food, breath taking views...) I would highly recommend it. There are literally people of all ages, shapes and sizes along the trail making the experience their own. 


A challenging part of the walk has been to try and stay on the left side of the 'mani-walls', 'stupas' and prayer wheels which are found along auspicious sections of the trail and at the entrance to the numerous villages through which we pass. Mani walls are generally about 4-feet in height and can range from 4 feet - 30 feet in length and are made up of flat stones carved with the mantra (prayer) "Om Mani Padme Hum" which means (roughly) 'Generosity, Ethics, Patience, Diligence, Renunciation, Wisdom'  Given the early arrival of the high winds on Makalu last month I refuse to take any chances with charma and have been giving each stupa, mani wall, and prayer wheel its due respect!

Spinning the written form of the mantra around in a Mani wheel (or prayer wheel) is also believed to give the same benefit as saying the mantra, and Mani wheels, small hand wheels and large wheels with millions of copies of the mantra inside, are found not only in Nepal but everywhere in lands influenced by Tibetan Buddhism. 

We made it up 'Namche Hill' in almost record time and settled into our gorgeous lodge which looks out over Namche. Breathtaking view of many mountains and routes (the Losar ice climb will be EPIC in a few weeks time!). SO many things to do, so little time.!

It's also been great to see old friends here - Tsadam, KC at Sherpaland, as well as the team here at the Internet Cafe and the bar downstairs where I've spent (perhaps!) too many evenings enjoying the hot rum punch...!

Our group 'splits' tomorrow as Valdes, Chad and I (taking advantage of our 'Makalu Acclimatisation' continue on to Phortse and then on to Ama Dablam Base Camp. The rest of the team will continue with their acclimatisation here and meet up with us in a few days time.

It's great to be back in the Khumbu and to be moving on tomorrow - am very much looking forward to our day into Phortse, meeting up with the Sherpa team and the adventure ahead on Ama Dablam..!

Police checkpoint to check permits...

Read More

A fond farewell to Makalu Base Camp & Destination Kathmandu!!

For the second night in a row, we went to bed with visions of ‘sugarplums’ (in the form of mojitos, showers and club sandwiches) dancing in our heads last night and today we were not disappointed – as the sugarplums materialised in the form of Fishtail Air… followed by mojitos, showers, a swim and a fantastic dinner in warm, clear and sunny Kathmandu, and a perfect close-out to our Makalu expedition and final dinner together as a ‘Makalu Team’.

I had a ‘taste’ of a rock’n-roll lifestyle this morning (minus the silk pjamas, 6am sunglasses, hangover, and connecting flight to LA). We woke up in our freezing cold basecamp tents at 5.45am and were shifted onto the heli-pad by 6am with the tiny silhouette of the helicopter appearing over the horizon at about 6.03am and by 6.15am we were in the thriving metropolis of Tashigone a short (but spectacular) flight away.

The ‘wall’ of warmth when we landed in Tashigone was sooooooo nice. Peeling off the base layers and feeling the natural warmth from the sun was exactly what I needed. The heli made several trips to collect our 600kilos of equipment and gear and then we all piled into the heli for the final 45-minute leg of our journey – destination KATHMANDUUUUU!!! 

A spectacular flight into Kathmandu past snow capped mountains, over jagged ridges, green valleys, tiny towns and children running out of their thatched houses to wave to the passing helicopter. What an absolutely stunning country - both on foot and by air..!

I think that the smiles on our faces in the photos say it all.....

Read More

Waiting for the Heli... and Mojitos.... club sandwiches, showers and warmth!

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the houseNot a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;


The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
(Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863)

If we were to re-write this little Christmas tale based on Makalu 'dreams' it would read something like:

'Twas the night before departure from Makalu BC, when in all of the tents
Not a climber was stirring, not even a rat;
The boots and bags were lined up on the heli-pad with care,
In the hopes that the Fishtail Air helicopter soon would be there;

The climbers were nestled all snug in their -30 degree sleeping bag beds,
While visions of mojitos, showers, beds, and club sandwiches danced in their heads;
With Sherpas camped in their down, and us in our caps,
Had just settled down for what we hoped would be our final Makalu BC nap....

I would go on but will spare you the rhyme...!!

To make a relatively short story (but long day!) short, last night we crawled into our sleeping bags under a clear starry sky with visions of helicopters, hot showers, real beds and mojitos dancing in our heads…. Unfortunately, as fate would have it and thanks to the weather gods we’d have a few more days to wait..! We woke up at 6am to hot tea and a very quick pack of our gear – cramming wet sleeping bags into kit bags constantly keeping an eye on the horizon and ears alert waiting for the heli. 

And that was the consistent theme for the day...!

In spite of the clouds, we never lost hope and sat, ears alert, eyes straining on the horizon on the Makalu Base Camp heli-pad, praying for a small ‘break’ in the cloud allowing our long-awaited Fishtail air pilot to find the little hole in the cloud to bring us to the mojito, swimming pool, club sandwich, bed dreams.

We waited, wrapped in our sleeping bags, talking about club sandwiches, showers, mojitos, beds, pools, clean clothes, warmth from about 7am - 4pm when we finally accepted the inevitable (eg. we couldn't see the sky anymore and it was bloody freezing!) and dejectedly crawled back to camp and into our tents staring at the ever ominous Makalu (and the MASSIVE spin drift blowing from the summit!)

Clearly Mother Nature wanted us to enjoy the stunning views of Makalu Base Camp just.... a ... little.... longer.... and it would make enjoying the creature comforts of Kathmandu even sweeter when we finally arrived..!

We crawled into bed feeling optimistic about tomorrow! May the gods of blue skies look favourably upon us!!

Read More

Makalu Summit Attempt Aborted – jet stream winds…!

 After over a week of patient waiting, eating, sleeping, staring at the summit and meticulously preparing for the ultimate challenge of summitting this absolutely stunningn mountain, we’ve had to now accept one of the variables of mountaineering - despite the time and money spent, effort expended and summit dreams envisaged, that there is little that can be done to control the weather. 

Adrian, Chad and Monica have been fastidiously poring over our daily weather forecasts, agonising and longing to deliver some ‘good news’ - that there has been a break in the jet stream winds (the allusive ‘weather window’), but we have finally been forced to accept what has there will be no remission in the extreme winds at 8500m for at least the next two weeks; and beyond that, all there is uncertainty… it’s been an unusual season in the Himalaya and, looking at the forecast, it wouldn’t surprise me if there were no Himalaya 8000m summits this year.

We get our forecasts from a specialist team of expert Himalayan meteorologists in Bern called Meteotest. They have assured us that as far as their forecasting can predict, the winds at the summit of Makalu will be 80-100km/hr, with gusts in excess of that for the foreseeable future. Temperatures are dropping and there is no sign that the jet stream will shift off the Himalaya any time in the next two or three weeks.

Obviously we are disappointed but finding comfort in the fact that there is little you can do about the weather..! We are strong, healthy and have performed exceptionally well on the mountain and have taken advantage of the perfect conditions and route. Having said that,  trying to climb above 8000m is something that pushes the physiological, psychological and emotional boundaries of every climber, even in the most perfect weather conditions. Trying to do so in 80km/hr winds with windchill temperatures approaching the -40's, is foolish to say the least. There is no way to justify an attempt at the summit in such adverse conditions. The risk of frostbite, accidents and even death is huge, and in no way a risk we are prepared to take. I value my fingers and toes too much!

So it is with great sadness that today we made the decision to turn our energies to cleaning the mountain, breaking down high camps, bringing down unused oxygen bottles and tents, and leaving here within our scheduled dates. 

Having said all of that, and in spite of the disappointment, I've had an absolutely INCREDIBLE expedition and am so happy that I took the chance in attempting to climb Makalu. I've learned heaps, have met a wonderful group of people, took a risk both with the mountain and the weather but it didn't quite work out.... this time! I know for a fact that I will be back next year and will attempt in the Autumn once again. 

I knew when I decided to join the expedition to climb Makalu that the timing of climbing 8000m peaks in the autumn is not easy. The season begins before the monsoon is over and the early weeks are overshadowed by difficult decisions regarding snow safety (as was so tragically illustrated by this year's avalanche on Manaslu). There is then usually (!) a short period at the beginning of October when the weather allows climbers to make their summit attempts. This period is rapidly shut down as the jet stream moves south onto the Himalaya and generates wind speeds well in excess of what it is possible to climb safely in. This year, that small window of windless days came at the end of September and, rather than offering another few days later in the first two weeks of October, it has been slammed shut by a ferocious jet stream that is sitting firmly above Nepal generating serious winds across the mountains....and showing no intention of shifting at all. There is little we can do apart from sit in our comfy base camp and stare at the summit where the wind tears at the Makalu La.

We had everything in position for a solid summit attempt. The team was well acclimatised and well rested. The Sherpa were ready to go forth and fix the route to the summit of yet another of Nepal's giants. Equipment at our various high camps was in position and accounted for. The conditions underfoot on the mountain were unbelievably good. Yet, the final piece of the puzzle is just not going to fit...and in this game, if things don't fit perfectly there is simply too much to lose.

Tomorrow we’ll make our way back up to 6800m to collect our personal equipment. The Sherpa will take two days to bring down everything that is on the mountain and after that we will break down ABC and head down valley to catch our helis (weather permitting!) to Kathmandu on the 11th.

The map with the pretty colors is a world map (as shown above) and the colors represent different wind speeds at 9500m. The easiest way to find us is to find the outline of India and then above it the outline of Nepal. We are in the eastern half of Nepal, under the yellow/brown color which represents winds of 60-70 knots. All the jet maps we have looked at look the same or worse. Depressing!

The GFS profile (below) is a little more specific to the altitudes we are dealing with. When we're looking for a summit day we chose the 8500m altitude line (360hPa) and then look at the wind flags (the lines with hashes). The long line shows the direction of the wind, the hashes each represent 10 knots of wind, so on this chart, as you can see, the wind at 8500m does not drop below 35knots throughout the whole of the period shown.

Read More

Staying Warm - Thanks to Sherpa Adventure Gear - Ilam Jacket

I’ve been here on Makalu for nearly a month now and have once again been reminded of the wide range of conditions that one can be exposed to in these high altitude environments. You can be basking in the sun one minute and exposed to full-on-cold, wind, and snow the next – even here at Advanced Base Camp, the difference in temperature from when the sun dips behind the mountains to signify the start of the evening is pretty drastic and will send you diving for your down layers…! One thing I’ve definitely learned is that you can never be too prepared. 

One of my absolute favorite pieces from the Sherpa Adventure Gear outdoor clothing range is the Ilam (ee-lahm) jacket. The Ilam jacket is super warm, insulated, wind proof and seems ‘weightless’. I chose the Ilam over the Varja jacket primarily because of the hood which can fit over a snug Sherpa wool-hat or even a climbing helmet. (I’m a huge hood fan!). The primaloft insulation high warmth-to-volume ratio means I get to stay cosy without the bulk so the jacket can fit under a water-proof / wind proof jacket like the Lithang 3-layer jacket. If you’re wondering where the unusual name comes from, Ilam is a district in Nepal that’s famous for it’s natural scenery, tea production and rain… something that I’ve not seen too much of on this trip thus far!

And, of course, as with all Sherpa Adventure Gear clothing, the zipper pulls on this snug, super handy jacket has two very auspicious Sherpa symbols - the distinctive prayer flags and the endless knot. The prayer flags ‘pulls’, also known as the Lung Ta (wind horse), bless the ground you walk on and help you stay in balance with the sky, wind, water and earth.  The auspicious symbol of the endless knot represents the unity of thought and action, words and deeds, wisdom and compassion and is also a distinctive feature on each piece of Sherpa Adventure Gear clothing. 

Read More

The Waiting Game: Groundhog Day & Weather Windows...

Waiting for the weather window feels a lot like Groundhog Day. The weather is generally the same every day (blue sky, sunny and hot in the morning, cooling off considerably in the afternoon), we eat meals daily and regularly at 8:30, 12:30 and 6:00 every day, and, when not basking in our saunas (aka. tents) conversations generally revolve around the summit window, Chad’s questionable taste in movies, what our neighbors are up to, where the helicopter is, and what electronic devices are in the queue for charging, whether or not it’s really, really, really time to shower…

On a daily basis we are greeted at around 7:30 by a warm towel and cup of tea thanks to the exemplar efforts of the kitchen staff. At around 7.48 we are greeted by the intense heat of the morning sun on our tents and crawl out of our warm sleeping bags for a breakfast in the sun with chairs socially arranged by Valdes. We go to bed wrapped in our down jackets with our headlamps on, diving into the warm comfort of our sleeping bags armed with hot water bottles. Such is life at Base Camp…… It will be good to get moving again although I think that it will be quite a shock to the system.

The Weather Window

You will have seen from Facebook and Twitter updates and in any literature on high-altitude climbing, mention of ‘weather windows’. Because of ‘weather windows’ mountains such as Makalu, Everest, Lhotse etc. can only feasibly be climbed in the spring (April / May) and in the post monsoon season (September / October), when the normally 200kph summit winds drop to between 25 - 50 kph. This drop in wind speed ultimately only takes place for about 7 - 10 days in late May, just before the arrival of the snow-bearing monsoon and variably from mid-September – mid-October. The exact dates vary from year to year. This means that climbers spend the early stages of their expeditions acclimatising / stocking up on red blood cells to prepare for the challenges ahead so that when the weather window ‘arrives’, they are ready to make the summit push and take advantage of the lower wind speeds.

Because the ‘window’ dates vary from year to year, much time can be spent back at Base Camp / Advanced Base Camp which is used as the ‘launch pad’ for the summit. Ideally, a 7-10 day ‘rest’ at Base Camp ensures that aches and pains and coughs are tended to and that the body is repaired (as much a possible!) through a healthy combination of sleep and food. The key is to spend as little time at altitude as possible.

We’ve been very lucky these past few weeks with our acclimatization in that the winds have been low and the temperatures have been mild. This morning, as predicted by the weather reports which we receive from Meteotest (located in Bern, Switzerland) the winds have definitely picked up and a very clear long and ominous plume of spindrift can be seen blowing from the ridge above camp. Change is in the air..! There are some ‘windows’ or breaks in this wind increase coming up – and until that time, all we can do is continue to sit here and wait………….. continue to raise eyebrows at Chad’s questionable taste in movies, what our neighbors are up to, where the helicopter is, and what electronic devices are in the queue for charging, whether or not it’s really, really, really time to shower….

Read More

The People You Meet: The 5* Culinary Genius, Our Cook Tashi

I find myself on this expedition constantly thinking about food. Not because I’m hungry or because there is little else to think about but rather, because the food on this expedition is sooooo good..! I would venture a guess to say that there are few people in this world who can put together a 5*, 3-course meal at an altitude of 5600m consisting of homemade tomato soup with a spicy poppadom side dish followed by fresh melt-in-your-mouth asparagus, savory rosti-potato accompanied by a tender yak steak grilled to perfection. For dessert, a perfectly baked apple pie is produced with a flourish and garnished with warm custard. The ‘vin du jour’ is a rare boxed specialty, the very finest vintage of ‘San Bernadino’ a dry red wine straight from Bilbul, NSW…. 

The genius-chef behind these culinary masterpieces is Tashi,  the high-altitude chef (culinary genius) for all Alpenglow Himalayan expeditions. Tashi initially started his career as a trekking guide but soon found that he was better suited to working as a cook on expeditions. Over the course of the years working with teams on mountains including Everest, Manaslu, Ama Dablam he has earned a reputation as one of the top expeditions cooks in the Himalaya. During this time he has developed a vast portfolio of recipes and cooking techniques to accommodate the challenges of cooking above 5000m where extreme cold, lack of oxygen, lack of fresh supplies and sometimes finicky taste buds can present a challenge. He has learned to manage and accommodate all – with a smile and hospitality that knows no bounds. 

Several years ago, an expedition client recognized Tashi’s talent and passion for cooking and invited him to work in Switzerland for several weeks – where he has continues to spend a few weeks per year. Here Tashi refined many of his existing recipes and added bread-making, croissants and other mouth watering pastries to his repertoire… and he hasn’t looked back since..!

The traditional Nepali food eaten by most Nepalis including the Sherpas who provide the backbone of so many expeditions is a dish called “dal bhat“ consisting of cooked or steamed rice or sometimes other cereal bhat and lentil soup dal. It is generally eaten twice a day: mid-morning and early evening. Whilst it’s a delicious meal, I think that most people who haven’t grown up with dal bhat as a staple part of their diet would struggle to eat it twice a day!

In speaking with Tashi, he lamented that for Makalu (due to the remoteness of the mountain) he was restricted by the lack of fresh vegetables and lack of an oven. Given that the nearest major village is a 7-day walk away, and we have not yet had a day without delicious meals I found it hard to believe that our diets would have improved. I’ve eaten everything from yak steak to baked spaghetti, to pizza, to chicken schnitznel, pancakes with REAL maple syrup (direct from Canada!)….. 

I’m also most impressed by the great care and attention that is paid to hygiene on the mountain – absolutely essential to ensure that all climbers stay healthy and strong.  The kitchen – while basic compared to something you’d find in a restaurant in London – is immaculate and strictly managed with rinse, wash and dry stations set up and all ingredients arranged and organized. Tashi is supported by two equally kind, hard-working kitchen boys who help prepare, serve and clean up after the meals – all with a smile and the hospitality so characteristic of the Himalaya.

I’m most grateful for all of the pride that Tashi takes in both the kitchen and in the preparation of our meals. Without him I’m certain I, along with the rest of the team, wouldn’t even have had the energy to set foot on this mountain…! 

Now, it’s nearly 6pm – dinner time – so best prepare for yet another high altitude feast..!

Read More

Bad Ass Climbing while the skiing was taking place - the 7000m tag

Laying in a cold tent, nestled deep inside of a huge, puffy down sleeping bag, fashionably dressed in the latest in 7000m lingerie (eg. down suit) is about the most comfortable place to be above 6600m and at the crack of dawn. This morning was no exception. It was 8am and the sun STILL hadn’t reached our tent and all of my water bottles were frozen. Given that Chad had given us a 9.00am set-off time I knew that I’d have to get moving. It seemed however, that Chad had similar appreciation for his sleeping-bag and down-suit combo as he shouted across to our tents to see if we’d be happy to postpone our departure time to 10am. I certainly wasn’t going to complain…!

We left at 10am sharp, just in time to see the sun hit the face of wall that we’d have to climb to reach our 7000m ‘tag’ before descending back to Camp 2.  The route started with a gentle snow-slope, up to a rock band, through a steep icy section and evening out at a 7000m plateau. A challenging climb but on mixed terrain which made for an interesting route which kept the brain alert and engaged.

In spite of the slow start and cold conditions, I must admit that it turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable climb and absolutely stellar day. Chad, Valdes and I managed in just about 4 hours including several breaks to watch Sergey and Adrian’s absolutely epic ski from 7200m through the deep powder bowl to the right of our route. It was one of those unforgettable Himalayan days with blue skies, heaps of sunshine, no breeze and plenty of laughs. Topping out at 7000m, looking across at the NE Ridge of Everest and into the snow covered peaks of Tibet reminded me of how lucky I was to be on such a spectacular route with such a great group of people. We made a quick descent and met with Adrian and Sergey who had been lounging in Camp 2 following their ski descent.

Camp 2 on Makalu

View from the 7000m bench - a hint at what the future holds

Read More

Bad Ass Skiing at 7250m...

I’m fairly certain that the Sherpas, like us, assumed that Adrian and Sergey were carrying their skis up the bouldery and snowy steep slopes of Makalu in an attempt to look seriously bad-ass in front of all of the other people on the mountain… (um… all 10  of them?!). 

We all watched with bemused looks upon our faces as, in a session of ‘arts and crafts’ in the mess tent, they installed complex boot-heating systems with an even more complex layer of duct tape to super-power their Black Diamond Quadrants boots. We looked on as they tried to assemble the all-important ski and apres-ski wardrobe suitable for an 8000m peak while balancing minimal weight with warmth and, of course, style.  Sadly the black-bear fur balaclava was sacrificed in an attempt to minimize weight and maximise efficiency… We scratched our heads in curiosity as, they seemed to carry their La Sporta GT 177s anywhere and everywhere there was a chance of an increase in altitude directly proportional to an increase in snow-depth...

Finally, this morning, as we lay in our sleeping bags, we  listened to them grunting to get up at the crack of the sub-arctic dawn, chip open their frozen solid water bottles, drag their harnesses over their down suits and cram their thick wool socks into their boots. All in an attempt to ‘lay down fresh tracks’ after making the 400m ascent from Camp 2 up to 7200m in the -15 degree temperatures.  Either they are seriously, seriously bad-ass or no-one told them that Makalu hadn’t been skied above 7000m before.... and from the merry-band of travelers currently on the mountain, there wasn’t going to be any stiff competition to clinch the title..! 

Regardless, from the comforts of our cozy Marmot sleeping bags we all admired their dedication and spirit and looked forward to watching them carve big, deep turns into the snowy slopes of Makalu against a spectacular Himalayan backdrop of Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Cholatse…

When we arose from our sleeping bags a few hours later I poked my head out of the tent and watched their silhouettes against the rocks making their way up the face. They’d made excellent progress and I was looking forward to witnessing a seriously amazing descent. I knew the line that Adrian had in mind – it was to the climbers left of our route in a wide, steep bowl of what looked like quite well consolidated but ‘light’ snow.

At 12-noon I found myself perched on one of the rocks in the rock-band  heading up to our 7000m touch-point – jumar in hand, gasping for breath, boiling under the blazing sun… and heard Adrian’s call… “Coming down, climbers left”. And waited. And waited. And waited. And then suddenly I saw them – Adrian first in his ‘Ronald McDonald’ red and yellow Marmot down suit and Sergey looking appropriately Russian in his red Mountain-Hardwear one-piece.

For me, there are few things as mesmerising as watching an accomplished skier on steep terrain, making huge, effortless, big S-turns in fresh, untracked snow. From our vantage point in the rock band as we climbed to 7000m, looking down at the skiers it was like high-altitude ballet in deep powder. In spite of the fact that they made it look effortless it was clear from the breathless, “AWESOME” echoed over the radios that the descent had been seriously hard work.

It’s pretty clear why, as documented in a recent BBC news article, “What Adventures Are Actually Left” why mountains such as Makalu remain unskiied.

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19621341

With the summits of the world's 14 mountains over 8,000m long since reached, climbers have now taken to skiing down them.

Most of the 14 major mountains, including Everest (Davo Karnicar) in 2000, have been completed, extreme skiing site wildsnow.com suggests. But K2, Makalu and Kangchenjunga, in the Himalayas, remain un-skied or un-skiable from the summit.

That night, when we all safely descended back to our Camp 2 tents we all agreed that it had been an absolutely incredible and tremendously unique Himalayan day. Between the climbing and the skiing I couldn’t imagine anywhere I would rather have been. 

Nice to see the boys already plotting their 7200+m line ;-)

Watch this space... more to follow..!

Read More

Rest days before the next acclimatisation push....

Spare yourself no illusions that we are stilll heroically trudging knee-deep through a steep snowy slopes on the far flung reaches of Makalu, clinging onto our jumars with clenched teeth, breathing each breath as if it were our last… Oh no.... Rather, the greater proportion of us are lounging in our tents or enjoying the warm comforts of the 'chill out tent' where the world is 'yellow', enjoying the benefits of satelite internet, solar power and the rather eclectic mix of songs on Adrian's ipod. Every now and then Monica breaks out into song and Tashi comes by with a new recipe which he'd like to try out on us... I am just digesting the most fabulous 'baked spaghetti' and counting down the minutes to dinner. Adrian has decided that as a side-business, he will open up the high altitude Alpenglow Coffee Republic cafe with his cappucino apparatus that also provides a great arm-work out in preparation for all of the jumar-ing ahead..!

We're resting today as tomorrow we head back up to Camp 1 and then on to Camp 2 from which we'll climb to 7000m. This will be our last push before our summit bid which is expected in early October - weather dependent...! I'm excited to be heading back up the mountain to conduct the final preparations of both mind and body for the tremendous challenge ahead.

Everyone is feeling healthy and strong - there is one other team here (Keri Kobler) as well as three small independent teams. Having said that, the mountain is in top-notch condition, the weather forecast is excellent, the ropes are fixed to Camp 3!

I've tried to post as much as I can today in an effort to catch up on some missed-days so hopefully this will give you a good overview of the adventures that we've been having on this absolutely spectacular mountain.

That's all for me for now - in spite of the 5* conditions, my fingers are slowly freezing and the sun is setting behind the mountains so it's time for me to dive into my tent and read the 2nd installment of Harry Potter! 

Will post again in 3 days! x

Read More