Everest Day 8, 22-Apr-2018: Basecamp to Camp 1 This morning Jon and I set off from Basecamp just before 05:30 and headed up through the Khumbu Icefall to Camp 1. It took us just over 3.5hrs at a nice steady pace and with a moderately heavy pack. I’m trying to get all my camping gear, some food and high altitude …
Everest Update 2 of 10: Settling into Basecamp
Everest Day 4, 18-Apr-2018: Rest day with walk to Kala Pattar Today marked the 4th anniversary of the devastating 2014 icefall collapse so as a sign of respect to those who lost their lives we did not go up through the icefall today. Instead we had a rest day in basecamp. While we have been up and down to altitude …
Everest Update 1 of 10: Back in the Khumbu, Trek to Everest Basecamp
Everest Day 1, 15-Apr-2018: Kathmandu – Lukla – Namche It feels so good to be back in the Khumbu! After a few days rest in Kathmandu, today we got the small fixed wing flight up to Lukla (2800m). I’ve done that flight a number of times now but the landing on the short inclined runway is always fun. After a …
Denali Update 6 of 6: Back to Civilisation
Denali Day 15, 04-Apr-2018 Not much to report today. After getting back down from the summit at 05:00 we spent the day drinking, eating and sleeping; pretty much in that order. The winds have picked back up as forecasted and it is quite miserable outside. For the duration of this trip we have been receiving daily professional weather forecasts specific …
Denali Update 5 of 6: Grueling Day, Epic Summit!
Denali Day 14, 03-Apr-2018: Summit! Summit!! Summit!!! I’m not too sure what to say. That has just been one of the toughest days I’ve ever had in the hills. The feeling is strange. I am not excited, I am not thrilled, I am not even relieved. I am glad it’s done but know we still have a few more days …
Denali Update 4 of 6: Weathering the Storm
Denali Day 11, 31-Mar-2018: All Good Things Must Come to an End What’s the saying? All good things must come to an end? Why is that? Why can’t good things keep on going? Anyway, our run of good weather has definitely come to an end. The wind started last night and continued all day today. We went outside briefly to …
Denali Update 3 of 6: Made it to 14k Camp
Denali Day 6, 26-Mar-2018: Load Carry up Motorcycle Hill Another glorious day with idyllic weather. That’s five days straight now with sunny skies, no cloud and no wind. It is remarkable. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, but I do fear that the longer this perfect weather continues the harder it will hit when it does change. The …
Denali Update 2 of 6: A Slow Start
Denali Day 1, 21-Mar-2018: Flight In This afternoon got dropped off on the glacier at the foot of Denali, the site of the normal base camp. It was a remarkable flight from Talkeetna over epic winter Alaskan scenery. It was a bit of a reality check when the plane took back off leaving the 4 of us standing knee deep …
Denali Update 1 of 6: Now the Fun Really Begins
Struggling to Keep Up to Date Apologies, I am posting this update slightly out of order. Between cramped long haul flights, jet lag, the actual climbs themselves and recovery, I have found it difficult to keep up to date with my trip reports. I still have Carstensz and Elbrus to catch up on. However, I thought I would get this …
Elbrus Update 2 of 2: Summit
Elbrus Day 5 – 13th March 2018 Waking up in the early hours this morning and having to duck outside to the outhouse, I questioned if the weather forecast had got it completely wrong. Today was our planned summit day and it was meant to be clear with light winds. It was clear, a brilliant night sky full of stars, …