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

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.

BAGS!!!!!

Monasery near Khumjung

Happy Day!  Two of Stephens three bags made it to him.  His own coat, own pants, own coat. And then there was the hot shower last night.  Shorter but very steep hike today.  They left Namche Bazar and climbed to Khumjung (12,400ft).  Tomorrow is a rest day with the opportunity to visit a nearby monastery. 

The Beginning

Stephen is hiking into Base Camp.  The group is taking their time.  Russell Brice (head of expedition and renown climber) likes to take the climbers on a longer route than normal.  This longer hike will make it easier to acclimatize.  This is the second day of the hike in.  They started in Kathmandu and helicoptered into Lukla (9, 317ft).  That day they hiked into Phakding (8,562ft).  They arrived today in Namche Bazar (11,282ft).  they are exactly 12 hours ahead of us and almost perfectly on the other side of the world.

                                                                                                              Namche Bazar

 Stephen has already encountered his first problem.  While leaving SLC his flight was delayed over two and a half hours.  This caused him to barely get on his connecting flight to Dubai. Well he made it but his bags did not.  Because of the delay of flights and change of carriers in Dubai his bags were lost.  He had to borrow an old sleeping bag, a sherpa's coat and some tennis shoes of Russell's to start his hike in, not knowing where his bags where or whether or not they would be found.  But never fear today the gear got to Kathmandu and will catch up with Stephen in 2-3 days.  Meanwhile the tennis shoes will have to do.