Heading to Lobuche

It finally warmed at little!  It has been so cold on this trip.  Russell said it has been at least 10 years since it has been this cold.  Stephen would wake up and find ice on his pillow where he had been breathing!  Luckily Stephen has great body heat, I would have been frozen by now!  The good thing about the cold is that the Cumbu Ice Falls are very frozen and won't move as much.  The Ice Falls are very dangerous because they are unpredictable.  They are constantly moving so if it's colder they move less, thus better for climbing!!  Stephen had a rest day yesterday.  The expedition has what they call "the white pod" to hang out in.  It is a place to watch movies, get drinks and snacks and visit - just a good hang out place.

The White Pod

Along with hanging out Stephen and the climbers had to pack a bag to take with to Lobuche.  They needed to decide what to take because they couldn't take all the gear.  Lobuche rises to 20,175ft.  Russell likes them to climb Lobuche to acclimatize instead of taking the normal several trips through the Cumbu ice falls.  They will be gone for a week and climb the mountain 2 times.

Cumbu Ice Falls

Stephen and the climbers headed for Lobuche Base Camp.  It's a rough, rocky, unstable hike.  They made it and will go to sleep early and leave to climb at around 1:00am.  Climbers always start when it is still dark.  The ice and snow is more stable in the dark without the effects of the sun on them.  It should be a good yet difficult climb, besides it will be great to have summitted another peak in the process.

Lobuche Peak

Kala Pattar

Kala Pattar Peak

Stephen finally got to really climb!  He climbed Kala Pattar Peak.  It is a 45min. hike away from Base Camp.  It rises to 18,200ft+.  It was very cold and not a very easy climb.  A lot of trekkers try and climb it but not many make it.  It was a tiring day but Stephen said it was great to climb, so it was well worth it.  Too much sitting can be hard!!!  The climbers didn't practice ladders and ropes the other day like I said they would but they are planning on doing it tomorrow.  Russell said that there may be times when they have up to 5 ladders tied together to get across some of the crevasses.  Sounds like FUN!!!!  Check out Stephen on www.himex.com.

Going on a ladder across a crevass

Puja

Today Stephen is going to the Puja ceremony.  It's when a Lama comes and blesses all the climbers, their gear and blesses that the mountain will accept them.  It's a long ceremony, but well worth it to get this special blessing and see the amazing culture of Nepal.  It has been a tradition as long as there have been climbers!

Mt. Everest

If you want to see the other climbers and Russell's account of everything going on go to www.himex.com.  On the right hand side he has expedition news.  He highlights a couple of climbers each time.  He has not highlighted Stephen yet but he has done the other man from SLC, Martin Frey.  His wife hiked into base camp with him.

Tomorrow will be a day full of practicing.  Ladders, self arrests - thing like that!  Stephen doesn't like to sit around so that should make him happy.