This is Dave Hahn Calling in from the Mt. Everest Climb. We are spending our second night here Deboche tonight. We weren’t able to send out email from here, that’s why you haven’t heard from us, but all is well. Today was our rest day here. What did was we hiked over to Tengboche and got our blessing from Lama Geshi, a blessing for attempting the mountain. That was a great time; we went out lunch in Tengboche afterward and came back here in the afternoon. Everybody is going really well.
Tomorrow it is our intention is to move up to Pheriche. We hope we will have email communication then.
Take care for now, Bye.
RMI Guides Dave Hahn, JJ Justman, Billy Nugent & Team
Spencer: It all looks so awesome. The nature, mountains, people, culture. I’m jealous of the sights and other rewards, but grateful that I’m not facing the work you’ll be putting in. We’re all thinking of you and pulling for you. We head to Tahoe tomorrow. Baby hill hikes compared to your little trek. Think about you many times every day. Positive energy and love being sent to you and the team in abundance. Love, dad
Posted by: Chet Pipkin on 4/1/2014 at 6:21 pm
James and team
Thanks for the great blog and video. It was great getting an “action scene”. Glad things are going so well.
We moved up-valley to Deboche today. Morning in Namche was pleasant but we had places to go and things to see. We hit the trail by 8:30 and walked easily along the traverse trail leaving town. At first we were mixed in with a few trekking groups and strings of pack animals, but after a little while we had the trail to ourselves. We'd have loved to have been able to hang on to our hard-won altitude, but it was necessary to give plenty of it back as we needed to drop all the way down to the river to get across and take on the Thyangboche Hill. We worked slow-and-steady up the hillside trail, gaining about fifteen hundred vertical feet in an hour and a half. Along the way, we got great views of Kangtega with its giant walls of rock topped by hanging glaciers, but these views were surpassed when we reached the hilltop and saw Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse and Ama Dablam spread out before us and doing battle with the wind and clouds. Thyangboche Monastery sat like a palace at the ridge crest behind elaborate and ornate gates. We took our packs off for a few minutes and tried to take it all in, but we were only twenty minutes walk from Deboche at this point and lunch had taken on great importance to the team, so we shouldered packs once more and set off down through the rhododendron forests to our lodge at 12,200 ft above sea level.
The afternoon passed with food and naps and a break from the distractions of the internet, since WiFi was not readily available. We are not quite in the wilderness yet, but we can see it from here.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
This was our easy day in Namche. No big hikes, no packing, no training... this one was for resting, for catching up on personal business and for exploring the Sherpa capital at one's leisure. Above this point in the trek/climb, we won't have such ease of communication and certainly not the opportunity to shop for good climbing gear. There was some important business to attend to though as Chhering Dorje, Lam Babu and I went to the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee office to review procedures and policies for getting garbage down the mountain. We signed our sincere intention to play by the rules.
Some of the team traveled several hundred feet up in altitude to the Namche suburbs in order to visit the fine Sherpa Culture Museum with its fascinating Everest history exhibit. Some went for massages and cheeseburgers downtown.
As the gang assembled for dinner in the early evening, we were pleased to find that Apa Sherpa was sharing our Tea House for the night. Apa, the all-time leader in Everest summits -with 21- is bringing a trek in to explore the Khumbu.
All of the RMI climbers and guides are healthy and well-rested. Tomorrow we'll hit the trail and go higher once again.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team
Nicole, greetings from beautiful NJ.(Im lying weather sucks) I am very proud of what you have done so far and you are about to do. we all miss you and love you. be careful and safe. Take pictures when you can
See you soon
Elpidio
Posted by: Elpidio Cruz on 3/31/2014 at 6:07 am
Faitma, I know you’re enjoying all that hiking and beautiful scenery. Looks spectacular. You and the team are so lucky! Wish I was there with you all.
Peter
Posted by: Peter Williamson on 3/31/2014 at 3:42 am
As planned, today was our hiking and acclimatizing day at Namche. Since we are now well and truly "at altitude" it pays to go slowly. We'll actually spend three nights here at 11,200 feet before ratcheting up the sleeping altitude again. Light exercise on such days can enhance acclimatization, and so we went for a fine hike. First, we climbed straight up and out of Namche to reach Syangboche, at close to 12,000 ft, then we moved East to gain ridiculously good views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse and Everest. Combined with the already insane vistas to our South and West of Thamserku and Quangde, respectively, it was nearly overwhelming... too much to fully take in. So we walked to the Everest View Hotel, sat on an open terrace and sipped hot lemon juice while pondering the view. It looked quite windy and nasty up high on Lhotse and Everest (Nobody tries to summit in March for good reason) but where we sat it was sunny and calm. We then walked over for lunch in the village of Khumjung and finally up to Khunde before crossing the forested ridge line once again for Namche.
It was a great stretch of the legs and lungs on uncrowded and garden-like trails. The afternoon back down in Namche then seemed just perfectly made for napping.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team
Nicole and Team,“The Lord is your shepherd” and He will lead you on your journey. We will follow you each day with our joy, energy, excitement and love. Mimi
Posted by: marianne rhodes on 3/30/2014 at 5:09 pm
Nicole, I am glad your team is rested and ready to go forward together. From now on is the exciting experience that we have spoken about so many times. You are an inspiration to your friends and family. I know you will accomplish with the entire team with you. You know your mom is proudly supporting you as well and with you in spirit. Love you much A.Ginny
Yesterday's clouds drifted away in the night. We woke to crystal clear skies over Phakding and unimpeded views of giant snow-covered mountains. After a fine breakfast, the gang was on the trail just after 8:30 AM. Although I'd warned over and over that the trail would be busy with trekkers, porters and pack animals, we had it pretty much to ourselves. The trail wound up and down along the constant whitewater of the Dudh Khosi. We strolled through pine forests and picturesque farmland at the bottom of a deep gorge. We entered Sagarmatha National Park and stopped for lunch in the small village of Jorsalle, sitting outside in the sunshine. Then it was all business, up through the big trees and the big hills leading to Namche Bazaar. A new suspension bridge had been built at the foot of the big hill, taking us hundreds of feet in the air across the gorge. The team went at the final hill with gusto, taking a break partway up to enjoy the first distant glimpses of Mount Everest.
We rolled into Namche and our home for the next three nights at about 2:30 PM, leaving plenty of time for naps, shopping and internet.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team
Lee, Travis, and Norm . . . we are fascinated by the posts, information, and photos. Enjoy the experience!
Posted by: Kevin on 3/28/2014 at 10:58 am
Nicole, This looks to be an amazing journey so far, and it is only the beginning. I am so happy for you that you are fulfilling your dream. Be safe every day and enjoy every minute. I miss you very much.
Love your #1 fan, forever. Mike.
Yesterday was a whirlwind marathon of packing and prepping in the chaos of Kathmandu. This morning was the staccato hurry up and wait of getting up and out to the airport and hanging to see if the weather would permit flying. Flying conditions weren't perfect when we got through security at the domestic terminal in Kathmandu. We ended up waiting several hours -swilling coffee, listening to music and people watching- until the pilots felt good about taking off for Lukla. Once up and out of the smog layers of the Kathmandu Valley, we were treated to stupendous views of the Himalaya. Those with port-side window seats could pick out Mt. Everest as the flight progressed. But we were only up about 45 minutes before the pilots put the Twin Otter into a dive. They had Lukla's crazy-angled airstrip in their sites and it was clear from the steep mountain walls all around that this was our one shot at parking the plane. Heart rates shot up, cameras were clicked on and the wheels touched down perfectly.
A few minutes later, we were out of the plane and sitting in a quiet Tea House in the lower Khumbu Valley. We ate a leisurely lunch and got walking up valley. It only took a bit more than three hours to reach Phakding And Joe's Garden... Our lodge for the night. By that point, things had clouded over, but our luck held and the rain didn't fall.
The team ate dinner and bedded down to the soothing sounds of the nearby river churning through endless rapids.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Nicole,
You are an inspiration! It was hard for you to leave but it will be so worth it.
I admire your discipline, hard work ethic, motivation and determination to succeed.
Enjoy the beauty, peace and serenity of the climb one step at a time.
I found…St. Bernard, patron saint of mountain climbers. A blessing.
Lord, we beg you to bless Nicole and crew, these ropes, staves, mattocks, and these other tools, so that all who will use them in scaling the mountains’ heights and precipices, in ice and snow and raging storms, may be preserved from all accidents and catastrophe, Safely reach the summits, and return unharmed to their homes; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
You are blessed and admired. God bless you on this special journey.
Peace,
Mary Grace
The 2014 RMI Expeditions Mount Everest climb has begun. Slowly. The seven climbers and three RMI guides made their separate ways around the globe- from Canada, from Poland, and from all corners of the United States, to convene in Kathmandu and get the party started. All made it on schedule and with their luggage... a small miracle. The team fought off jet lag long enough to accomplish a few important preliminary tasks. With the help of Sagar -our Nepal agent, and Lam Babu, our Sirdar, we gathered at the Nepal Ministry of Tourism to receive our climbing permit and a short orientation slideshow from the ministers. They emphasized how important it was to bring trash off the mountain and to treat others with respect. They wished us luck and shook our hands.
Back at our comfy hotel, the venerable Yak and Yeti, we sat down together for a "welcome dinner" and discussed briefly our plan for getting down to business tomorrow morning when folks have rested and recovered sufficiently.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
What an incredible opportunity and experience….I am so excited and proud for all of you….I know you have all trained hard for this one! Be safe, smart, and thoughtful…
God Bless, Uncle Michael
Posted by: Michael Nugent on 3/26/2014 at 8:25 am
Hi Kara and Team,
It is so reassuring to be able to follow your progress and know where you are at any given time. Kara has accumulated quite a fan base as she completes her 7th summit. She’s an inspiration to many. Tucker can’t wait to meet his Aunt Kara!
Love, Dixie
Wow. I don't think I've ever had a trip down and out from the Vinson Massif go so smoothly. A day ago our stoves were getting the breakfast ice melted at 12,300 ft in Vinson high camp. It was colder than it had been the day before, when we'd gone for the summit. We packed up our tents and roped up to go down the steep lines toward low camp and Basecamp. The day got warmer -naturally- as we got lower, but there was still a lot of cloud, just as there had been all week. Six hours after beginning the descent, we hauled heavy packs and sleds into 7,000 ft Vinson Base. The place was humming with activity. We were told to be ready for a Twin Otter on skis in a half hour. That meant 30 minutes of feverish packing and repacking and last awesome views of Vinson for the year. At 5:30 PM the Twin put down and we got in. Not only was the flight through the sunny Ellsworth Mountains magically beautiful, it was taking us to an on-time dinner at Union Glacier. One that none of us had to open, boil, or rehydrate. We reached camp there at a time when it was mostly ALE staff and not so many needy "customers" such as ourselves. Over dinner, we were told that our next flight was already on its way in. The Ilyushin 76 landed with a distant roar on the ice runway at 12:30 AM. We got on after a bunch of freight had been unloaded. There was plenty of room to stretch out as in addition to the five of us climbers there were perhaps three or four staff and assorted personnel going for the ride to South America. I saw the distant Vinson summit sliding by the port side windows after we'd reached cruising altitude. At 7:30 AM the plane touched down gently in Punta Arenas, where summer is currently coming on strong.
The team piled into a car and then hotel rooms for a big snooze. We'll feast tonight and fly homeward tomorrow. Small world... but full of great climbs.
Best Regards,
Dave Hahn
Dave Hahn here. I'm at Union Glacier. Today we started out at high camp on Vinson (12,300'). We climbed six hours down to base camp, and 30 minutes later we were on an airplane bound for Union Glacier and arrived just in time for dinner. And now we are just a couple hours away from a flight to South America on the Iluyshin. So everything's happening pretty quickly for us. And if it keeps happening this way, we will be in Punta Arenas in southern Chile by tomorrow morning, mid morning or so. But we will catch you up a later and so far so good.
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
It was still cloudy at high camp this morning, despite predictions for clearing. But looking up at the summit of Mt Shinn or the higher ridges of Vinson (the summit is not visible from high camp) it was obvious that no wind was in the mix. We decided to go for the top. We were out of camp by 9:15 AM. The cloud cover actually kept us from overheating in the first few hours. The team made steady progress- everybody was strong and using their best energy saving techniques. We all found the summit ridge to be a magical place. We had no big views, since by that point we were in the cloud tops, but that meant we concentrated our attention on the close in views of rock and snow formations. We hit the top at 4:30 PM and were quite surprised at how comfortable it was to sit up there, with zero wind and strong sun shining on the clouds around us.
We enjoyed a half hour on top and then began our careful descent, reaching high camp at 7:25 PM. This allowed us to eat dinner and get to bed at a respectable hour (which has been rare). Good sleep is what we need now to make tomorrow's descent to Basecamp manageable and safe.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Spencer: It all looks so awesome. The nature, mountains, people, culture. I’m jealous of the sights and other rewards, but grateful that I’m not facing the work you’ll be putting in. We’re all thinking of you and pulling for you. We head to Tahoe tomorrow. Baby hill hikes compared to your little trek. Think about you many times every day. Positive energy and love being sent to you and the team in abundance. Love, dad
Posted by: Chet Pipkin on 4/1/2014 at 6:21 pm
James and team
Thanks for the great blog and video. It was great getting an “action scene”. Glad things are going so well.
Fred K
Posted by: Fred Klingbeil on 4/1/2014 at 2:31 pm
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