Saturday, April 9, 2011

Days Behind

Dingboche
Stephen is right on time, I am not.  I don't even have altitude, or being tired from climbing as an excuse!  Just life!  Last time I up-dated Stephen's progress he was in Tengboche in the Khumjung province.  Before leaving one of the trekkers had to be helicoptered out.  She was suffering from edema.  The trekkers left for Dingboche for a steep climb.  Stephen and a few others decided to take the harder but shorter route.  They left after the trekkers but arrived before them.  Dingboche is at 14,800 ft. and their claim to fame is the highest billiard parlors in the world!!!!  From Dingboche they hiked to Lobuche Base Camp.  Later the climbers will return here to climb Lobuche.  They rested a day there and then it was a long day to Everest Base Camp.


Lodge at Lobuche Valley




Finally!!! Everest Base Camp!!! 17,400ft. Stephen is excited because here he gets his own tent.  On their trek in they would share rooms or tents.  A little privacy can go a long way.  Russell doesn't like to stay where most climber's at BC stay so their BC is off a little from everyone else.  Most climber's are not up yet. It's a very cold and has snowed several times on the way in.  The area where their tents are is moving.  They are on or by a glacier.  So they are constantly having to adjust their tents.  They have a few days rest now with just some looking around hikes.


A base camp at Everest

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

First sight

A "real" Yeti
Sunday was a rest day.  The hikers had the choice to rest or they could go on a 45 min. hike to get a view of Everest!  There was also a monastery near by that claims to have the skull of a YETI!!!  Stephen didn't get a chance to see if their claims were true because he got his final bag!  What a relief.  Finally to sleep in your own bag, to have his own hiking boots.  Life is all about the simple pleasures.  Stephen did decide to go on the hike to look at Everest.  He said it was just like the pictures, with the plume of snow drifting from the top.  I asked him if it looked high and his answer came back quickly "YES".  He said it was well worth the extra hiking.  The group he is with is filled not only with climbers but also with several people just hiking to base camp.  Only one person so far has turned back.  The climbing may be somewhat short but always seems to be straight up hill or straight down hill (the former being the majority).  Seeing Everest made Stephen want to be there NOW.  But the slow steady pace of hiking in is very important for acclimatization.