Archive for the ‘Ama Dablam’ Category

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Nepal Update – One Up, One Down

May 11, 2012

Eben Reckord reports that the A4 team moved up to Camp 3 yesterday (about 21,000) and the Sherpas were able to break out a trail further up the ridge during the afternoon.  The plan is to start about 11pm tonight and head for the summit.  Weather is looking good right now, and they are going to give it their best shot.

Over on Ama Dablam, Liam O’Sullivan reports that the team took a shot at the summit yesterday, but the mountain said “no”.  They got hit by snow, and also had some lightening.  Several members of the team got very close (within about 50 meters of the top) but they were unable to make the true summit.  The team has now descended to BC and everyone is doing well.

Eric Simonson

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Ama Dablam & Annapurna 4 Climbers Moving Up!

May 9, 2012

IMG guide Eben Reckord reports from Annapurna 4 that the climbers made it up to Camp 1 today, while Thunang and Phinjo continued up to Camp 2.  Tomorrow the climbers go to Camp 2 and the Sherpas to Camp 3.

On Ama Dablam,  IMG guide Liam O’Sullivan reports that today the team moved up from Camp 1 to Camp 2, and if everything is going well, they may take a summit bid from there.

Eric Simonson

Posted in Ama Dablam, Annapurna IV | Comments Off

Ama Dablam Climbers Head For Camp 2

May 8, 2012

IMG guide Liam O’Sullivan reports that the Ama Dablam team is doing well.  They had a nice rest day today at Camp 1 and now they are getting ready to move up to Camp 2.

The weather, route, and conditions look good!

Eric Simonson

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Ama Dablam Climbers Reach Base Camp

May 6, 2012

 

Ama Dablam from Pumori. (Photo by Eric Simonson)

Ama Dablam leader Liam O’OSullivan reports that the team headed down to Pangboche after their climb of Lobuche Peak.  Then, they ascended up to Ama Dablam Base Camp where they are now established.  Now they are all together with their sherpas Ang Chirring (Kami), Ang Sona, Kalden Phura, and cooks Jor Bahadur and assistant Pasang Tshering.  The sherpas have a nice Base Camp all set up for them, and the camps on the mountain are all set.  Now that the team are well acclimatized, they should be able to move smoothly right on up Ama Dablam, starting with the trip tomorrow up to Camp 1.

Eric Simonson

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Updates From Nepal

May 3, 2012

Great view of Everest from the top of Lobuche Peak. (Photo by IMG Guide Justin Merle)

IMG guide Liam O’Sullivan reports that the Ama Dablam  team had a good summit today on Lobuche Peak, and are now all back down to Base Camp.  Tomorrow they head for Pangboche, and from there, Ama Dablam Base Camp.  Way to go, team!

Elsewhere in Nepal, our IMG teams are staying  busy.  On Annapurna 4, IMG guide Eben Reckord reports that the team had a good trip up to Camp 2 (19,500 ft) today, and that they are all tucked into that camp now.  During the afternoon, Phinjo and Thunang pushed the route a bit further up towards Camp 3, and their hope is that tomorrow they can finish that next part of the route.  IMG guide Jenni Fogle and the Maida EBC trek team with are taking a detour on the way back down the valley, with a visit to Phortse village, the home of many of our Sherpas.

Eric Simonson

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An Update From Nepal

April 30, 2012

On Everest, the Classic climbers and Lhotse climbers are wrapping up their first acclimatization rotation and are heading down to Base Camp.  Meanwhile, the Hybrid climbers have now moved back up to Camp 2, for their second rotation.  The Sherpa fixing team is getting close to reaching the South Col.  See the Everest Page for more info.

IMG guide Liam O’Sullivan and the Ama Dablam climbers are wrapping up a couple days of acclimatization at Everest Base Camp, and are ready to head back down to Lobuche Peak.  While at EBC they had the chance to get all rigged up and practice on the “ropes course” out on the  glacier.  Now they are looking forward to climbing Lobuche Peak, before heading over to Ama Dablam.

Down at Gorak Shep, IMG guide Jenni Fogle reports that the Maida Mountaineers custom trek team had a nice climb of Kala Pattar, and will be pulling into Everest Base Camp tomorrow.  Everyone is doing well, and they are having lots of fun.

At Annapurna 4, IMG guide Eben Reckord reports that they had more than a foot of snow up at Camp 1 overnight, so they are pulling the sherpas down and delaying their next rotation up the hill.  They will all be taking another rest day or two at Base Camp, to let the slopes stabilize higher up.

Eric Simonson

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Nepal Weekend Wrap-up

April 27, 2012

Cho Oyu and Everest from the south. (Photo by Eric Simonson)

Everything is going well in Nepal for our IMG teams.  Greg Vernovage reports that the Everest and Lhotse Sherpa teams have now established the route to Camp 3, and the IMG climbers have all been up to Camp 2 now  for acclimatization.  The Hybrid team will be starting their second rotation tomorrow, with the goal being to sleep at Camp 3.

On Annapurna 4, Eben Reckord reports that everyone made it down to Base Camp safe and sound, and now they are enjoying a couple rest days.  Today Thunang and Phinjo ran a load of tents, fixed rope, and pickets up to Camp 1 and tomorrow they are going back up to start working on getting the Camp 2 and 3 established in preparation for the team’s next rotation.

Liam O’Sullivan and the Ama Dablam crew are pulling into Everest BC today, after a couple days of acclimatization hiking from Lobuche BC.

Over on Ama Dablam, Kami Sherpa reports that they have the climbing route now fixed up to Camp 3 and Kami, Kalden and Ang Sona are now working on getting the camps established.

Jenni Fogle and the custom trek team are doing well in Dingboche now, enjoying an acclimatization day before they head up to Lobuche Base Camp.

So, we are all super psyched with the progress so far and will be keeping you up to date on their comings and goings.

Eric Simonson

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IMG Teams On The Move In The Khumbu

April 25, 2012

Up on Everest, we have now have IMG climbers at Base Camp, Camp 1, Camp 2 and the Sherpas are getting ready to head for Camp 3 in the next couple days.  Follow their progress on our Everest Expedition Coverage Page.

Down the valley, we have both our Ama Dablam and our Custom EBC Trek team heading for Everest Base Camp.  IMG guide Jenni Fogle reports from Namche that the “Maida’s Mountaineers”  trek team is doing well.  They have enjoyed good weather the last couple days as they cross suspension bridges, dodge yaks and porters on the trail, and enjoy the spectacular vistas that have unfolded as they gained altitude.  After their first night in Phakding, they climbed the famous “Namche Hill”  where they spent the last couple nights as guests of our old friend Pemba, and his staff, at the Khumbu Lodge.  Now the team heads for the rhododendron forests of Deboche, where they will enjoy a couple days to visit Tengboche monastary and the surrounding area.

Meanwhile, IMG guide Liam O’Sullivan, Phu Tashi Sherpa, and the Ama Dablam team wrapped up two days of acclimatization hiking in the Pheriche area, and are heading today to Lobuche Base Camp, prior to the big push up to EBC.

Eric Simonson

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Food Coma, Cricket & A Yeti Head

April 20, 2012

IMG leader Liam O”Sullivan reports that the team had a great time in the Namche area, and managed some nice acclimatization hikes:

“All is going well. The weather has been fantastic! After trekking from Phakding (8,600′) to Namche (11,300′) on Day 2, we completed a nice leisurely training hike yesterday. First we hit the “Everest View” viewpoint of Everest, Lhotse, and of course, Ama Dablam! It was spectacular and there were many hoots and hollers as we rounded the bend in the trail and saw all the peaks. After numerous pictures, we made our way toward the village of Khumjung (12,400′), home of our Sirdar (the lead trekking guide) Phu Tashi, where we were treated to yet another large meal which resulted in a noon nap (food coma) at the restaurant. After playing catch with a few of the local schoolboys with Ama Dablam rising above in the distance, we toured the local school before heading up to the monastery, where after a small donation we were treated to seeing a bona fide Yeti head!

After recovering from the excitement of that, we headed over to Khunde (12,600′). Here we visited the largest hospital in the region and spoke with one of the hospital’s two doctors. He is on call all the time! The hospital has four satellite clinics in the Khumbu, each in different valleys, with his catchment area extending all the way down to Phakding, where we stayed the first night of the trek. He reports his patients are wonderful, especially his pregnant patients who uniformly make their appointments, sometimes having to walk many miles uphill at elevation to make it to the hospital. We then made our way back down towards Namche, stopping by the Sherpa Museum along the way, where we were treated to pictures of every single Sherpa who has ever summited Everest, including a choice shot of our own co-leader, Kami. We reached the hotel happy to take off our boots and sit down for some yak sizzler and another ferocious card game of Hearts!”

Eric Simonson

 

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Ama Dablam Team Reaches Namche

April 18, 2012

The Ama Dablam team at the beginning of the trek in Lukla ( Left to right Eric, Ingrid, Solveig, Natalie, Chris, Ted, Liam)

IMG Ama Dablam leader Liam O’Sullivan reports that the team has now reached Namche, and that everything is going well for them.  They will take several days in Namche, for acclimatization, before heading on up the valley.

Meanwhile, Kami Sherpa is heading up to Ama Dablam Base Camp to start working on the route and getting the camps set up.  Liam and the climbers will proceed slowly up to Everest BC for acclimatization, then climb Lobuche Peak, before heading over to Ama Dablam.  After 10 expeditions to Ama Dablam, we know that it is super critical to get the team well acclimatized.  Ama Dablam is one of those peaks on which it is easy to get too high, too fast!

Eric Simonson

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