Down from Camp 3 and Resting Before the Final Push!

A Vertical Stroll up the Lhotse Face to Camp 3! Following Jang Bu's Lead

Hello from Pheriche! 4200m….I can breathe!!! :)

Amazing just two days ago I was at Camp 3 over 7000m or 24,000 feet. I spent 4 sleepless nights at Camp 2 (21,300 feet), and then took a little vertical stroll to visit Camp 3 at about 24,000 feet. So this completes my second rotation on the mountain and the next time I go up it will be for the real deal…our summit push!  That won’t be till after the 15^th most likely so hang tight!

This climb and journey is a spiritual one for me, and one of self-growth and awareness. If I had to summarize feelings and emotions pre-climb and now during climb, it would be through the Coldplay song, Paradise…. http://youtu.be/J6ZWlDks0nQ  . Sometimes it’s easier to relate things through other means than words.

Our Second Push to Camp 2

Well there is a reason why you basically climb this mountain 3 times….your little body gets used to the thinner air little by little each time. Jang Bu, Tindy, and I set off from Base Camp on May 2^nd around 5 AM and made it to Camp 2 around 1 PM. The trip through the ice fall was quite peaceful and finally felt like me and the mountain, as it was really just Jang Bu and I climbing together. I let big groups go by, so I wouldn’t feel rushed and could just enjoy it. I have decided that the ice fall is like an adult jungle gym J If you can get past the part that it is a dangerous place, you can actually feel like a kid in a magical maze. We only had once close call as we were just exiting the ice fall when a small avalanche came down with mixed snow and rock very close to the route. I couldn’t really mutter any words so I just called out to Jang Bu and pointed up and his eyes got really big and he started running up the fixed rope…I tried to follow his lead, but there was no way I could run that fast at above 19,000 feet! When we finally both stopped we just looked at each other and I was totally out of breath and then we laughed. “Close one,” I said…”no more running I hope!” The stroll from Camp 1-2 was steady and uneventful, but it was getting COLD! By the time we got to Camp 2 it was snowing full on and Phuri met us at the base of Camp with some warm juice, which was AWESOME! That was a COLDDDDDDDD night and the beginning of four nights of no sleep for me :( I really struggle sleeping at Camp 2 and with not being able to take Diamox, I am afraid or hesitant to take sleeping aids at that altitude, especially with my heart beating as fast as it is. Also, when I do fall asleep, it is way deep and full of some crazy dreams, and then I wake up at times gasping for air. This is when the mind games begin,  but we’ll get into that later. The good thing is that I have still had an appetite up there! I have not lost much weight, which is really good news. I will need every little bit to get me up the rest of the way!  A huge thanks to the amazing Sherpas of Adventures Global, who have been keeping me well fed with some really yummy food. Phuri, the main cook at Camp 2 is seriously incredible and just 3 nights ago went from Camp 2 to the South Col (26,000 ft.) with 30 kg of rope to be fixed on the mountain, and then was back in time to cook dinner with a big huge smile like he had just taken a stroll around the block! That last night at Camp 2 was pretty special, as Ronnie and I just ate dinner in the cook tent with the Sherpas and hung out as they prepared dinner. They really are amazing people and it was nice to have that time with them and some good laughs. Also, all the cooking pots made it much warmer and so we were all nice any cozy :)

Yup, it was freeeeeezzzzzing at Camp 2 my first night!

lol....I love Grumpy Cat

Our Last Cozy Dinner at Camp 2 in the Cook Tent!

A Sad Day to Camp 3

Well they say bad things happen in 3 and boy did they on May 5^th on Camp 3! Ronnie and my plan was just to set off from Camp 2 and go and “touch” Camp 3. I set off about 7 AM and was back by about 1 PM. The good news is we made it up and down safe and sound and in really good time. I was surprised, as I felt pretty lousy that morning and had no idea how I was going to push through! I was by then 3 nights of sleep deprivation and feeling pretty nauseous as a result.  Then after walking for less than an hour out of Camp I got news that a Sherpa from another team had died at Camp 3. He had had tea and then died shortly thereafter. Someone from his team shared the news with me on the route and it was a sad and sobering moment. My heart went out to his family and friends and in my head I just thought how now was the start of the accidents on the mountain, as the summit push got closer and everyone got higher up the mountain. It is a sad reality of this and many mountains unfortunately, and I was saddened by how desensitized we had to be to death, as we all just carried on up the mountain.  Once I got on the actual Lhotse face it was full focus up this vertical sheet of ice and every step had to count! I was surprised I was breathing ok and moving relatively well, then as I looked up and down I thought, “Georgina, now you are having fun….you are totally fine and going to make it to Camp 3!” I was having fun, the challenge, the incredible landscape, the fact that this was a final rite of passage before the final push…it was all good. Yet, just before arriving to Camp 3, Jang Bu and I stopped to chat to another climber I knew and his Sherpa and then the Sherpa started smoking! Then I really felt like I couldn’t breathe and was amazed he could manage this cigarette! Just as I was going to ask Jang Bu to get away from this guy, this horrible call came in on the other Sherpa’s walkie talkie….I have honestly never heard screams like I did on that call :( Turns out on of the Sherpas from another team was hit on the back of the head by a falling piece of rock or ice on the Lhotse face! Luckily he was helped down to Camp 2 and helicoptered off the mountain to Kathmandu. I am not sure if he was climbing with a helmet ,but it is a sad reality that many Sherpa do not.  At that point Jang Bu told me that the mountain was too dangerous that day and that we would make it to Camp 3, drop our load, and head down. As we approached Camp 3, Jang Bu went ahead to find our tents and then popped up and announced he had found them….I mustered out a “wooohooo!” We then chilled out with the Adventure Consultants crew and took a little rest. At that point, as I was about to start taking some photos, we saw the Sherpa body retrieval effort go by. It was very sad indeed and an incredible effort by over 7 Sherpas to get this body down. There are two sets of ropes going up the Lhotse face, so the body went down one set and all the other climbers used the other set of ropes whether going up or down. Needless to say the one set of ropes got crowed quick, especially as there was a team of at least 15 headed up and about 15 of us headed down. At one point about 20 people were on one section of rope and 2 anchors! Trying to pass the team coming up consisted of clipping around them. At one point one of the climbers from that team coming up, took my safety off and just held onto it, I quickly grabbed it out of his hand and reclipped!  That is a big no no, you never take off someone else’s safety. Just one of the many problems of having inexperienced climbers on this mountain. Once we got down to Camp 2, I also found out a climber from another team had to be choppered off due to pulmonary edema. Basically, the same helicopter had to touch down on Camp 2 three times: to get the body, rescue the injured Sherpa, and rescue the ill climber. All very sobering and my heart went out to the families involved;  I was so very grateful we were all safe and a good reminder you can take nothing for granted on this mountain. 

Happy to be making my way up the Lhotse Face!

Jang Bu showing me how it's done!

We Made It To Camp 3!

Body Retrieval Effort Down the Lhotse Face

Sherpas are AMAZING

The human effort and spirit of the Sherpas is truly remarkable. I have said this before, but every day I am here I am moved and inspired by them and their genuine good heart and nature.  Just like Phuri went up to the South Col and back to Camp 2 in time to make dinner with a smile. Their physical strength and endurance is something super human. Their kindness and care after us westerners is extraordinary. I couldn't be here without them, like most on this mountain. Jang Bu, my Sherpa for this trip is incredibly kind and diligent about my safety and well being  He has begun to strategize with me about our summit push and gave me coaching tips for during my rest time. Meanwhile, while I am resting he will be pushing up to the South Col to make sure things are in place for our big push.  

On our decent back through the ice fall, I was about to get on one of the vertical ladders when I looked over the ledge and was greeted by a big smile from one of the ice fall docs that was securing the ladder and cutting away excess rope. He said a nice big hello, asked which team I was on, then went down the ladder and called up, “didi, you can come now.” He was the sweetest and making all of our lives safer by securing ladders along the ice fall.

More on this in a future post as well.

The Everest Community

I mentioned this the last time, but climbing Everest takes a community and a big thank you to all the Sherpas, Ice Fall doctors, expedition leaders, doctors, and more that help keep us climbers safe. Even among the climbers, for the most part if we can help each other in some way we do. I was grateful for one of the Spanish climbers that happen to have eye drops at Camp 2 and helped me with my super sore eyes! It is really an incredible effort by an amazing community and more on that in future posts, but I wanted to acknowledge the fact, as I have become more aware and so very grateful. I know on the summit push things become a bit more cut throat, I did after all have about 15 people pass me as I fell ill on my last summit attempt, but I also recognize that is part of the deal. Things seem to change that night.

Mind Games

I alluded to this the last time, but the mental games have begun, especially in the sleepless nights in a freezing tent, or when people are falling ill around you. You have the moments of thinking “what am I doing here again.” Then you reach a major milestone and you realize that even though you are uncomfortable there is so much passion and love for what you are doing it and why you are doing it. This is an Everest for Congo climb and the women of Congo I read about back in 2007 in Glamour magazine gave me the drive and inspiration to turn a dream into a reality of climbing mountains. Their story and their strength gave me and still give me strength and have made an impact in my life to push limits I didn't think possible. It may sound crazy to many, but just the truth and how it happened.

Now while I say that, I have to be honest, as I have had some tough moments and second guessed myself and being here and the sacrifice and prep that has gone in the last 3 years trying to climb this one mountain twice! When you hurt from the cold, you think you will lose your mind from no sleep, and when your lungs hurt for that one bit of air to take another step; you have to dig deep and know why you are doing this and also have so much gratitude for having the opportunity to make your dreams come true and follow what is true to your heart. I don’t expect everyone to understand why this level of effort is worth it, it just is. That is what I have to remind myself. Everything here takes effort, and keeping a good mental attitude is key. Luckily there are lots of things and people to keep you inspired here and make you realize that you could actually do more. 

Happy and friendly faces after making it down from Camp 3...with Cason and his Sherpa :)

tent living going on 6 weeks down at EBC

Rocks of Love

So in my previous blog I talked about choosing love over fear and I have to say this mountain has been reminding me of that with rocks of love, literally! So not only did I find the one little heart shaped rock I talked about last time, I have found more! Also, when I got back to Base Camp this last time, my tent had to be relocated while I was away. The Sherpa crew at Base Camp was kind enough to do this for me while I was away and put everything back in my tent perfectly, except for the little heart shape rock I had found before. I was pretty bummed and spent yesterday afternoon looking for it amongst all the other rocks around my tent, seemed like a hopeless effort at the time….BUT I FOUND IT! And on top of finding it, I found another heart shaped rock, and then found another one today.  These little rocks of love as I call them are my reminder to always choose love over fear and that love and kindness is all around in some way. Very grateful for these little signs from above. Also a nice reminder of the love and kindness that awaits when I get home.  Maybe this sounds cheesy, but I am a big softy for those who know me. 

Old heart shaped rock and new one!

And another one :)

Can you spot the heart???

Thick Air, Rest, and Reflection

So the plan is to rest at lower altitude, eat, sleep, and prepare for one last big final push! More to come, but I will be resting at least till May 12^th down the valley. I will have access to email and internet and will update more as I know more. Now the waiting game begins for the weather window that will allow us all to try and see if we can indeed reach the top of the world! It will be later May as weather is looking bad for the next week.  I plan to get some yoga in, short hikes, and visits to the nearby monastery-I will be heading to Deboche for the remainder of the rest period and it sits in the middle of a forest, so I get to see TREES and rhododendrons! :)

I had to wish some of my new climbing friends good luck, as we might now be on different summit bid schedules, so there is a chance I may not see them until after the push. That was a bit sad too, as there is a big part of me that wishes we could all go up together. 

Seeing greenery and cute yaks during my rest brings a smile!

New Oxygen Strategy and Health

Things will be different for me this time going up, and I will be sleeping on oxygen at Camp 3 on the summit push, not spend a night at the South Col before our summit push if we can avoid it, and use a different flow of oxygen at different stages of the summit push. I have talked it through with Jang Bu and Ronnie and many of the other guides and Sherpas on the mountain and feel confident in the plan and feel I will be in a better position this time. I hope and pray that mother nature and my body cooperate this time, but as I said nothing can be taken for granted here. Like I mentioned I have lost less weight than last time! This is really good news and my appetite is going strong :) I have been taking aspirin and stretching tons to counter balance another medicine I am on that can cause blood clotting, so no problems there either. I had had trouble on my first rotation to Camp 2 with extreme leg and muscle spasms in my tent, but that is all resolved now. As for my eyes, the eye drops are doing wonders!

Why I haven't lost weight! This was breakfast at Base Camp Yesterday!!!

What I Miss

I am definitely more home sick this time than the last time I was here.  I am dreaming of warm places and yummy foods-what I wouldn’t give for some gallo pinto and queso frito, pupusas, Porto’s Bakery, a nice juicy steak!  I miss my close friends and loved ones. I missed getting dressed up. I miss dancing. I miss clean sheets and a warm bed. I miss Oliver my cat. I miss the beach and seeing the water. Being without puts things in perspective, so for that I am grateful and feel blessed.

As for the dancing….I have my fair collection of cheesy dance music and so when it’s safe and I am not in a hazard climbing zone, I put my ear buds in and have my own little dance party like today on my 5 hour hike down to Pheriche :)

If you want a taste of my selection here you go!

David Guetta http://youtu.be/JRfuAukYTKg

Ne-Yo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crrOl0egI00

Havana Brown http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NenYxo0ko10

Morgan Page: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyK_82zrfTY

Chromeo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XCcWlgVqHA

And of course, there is old school Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, and keeping it chill with Pretty Lights :)

Well more soon, I am healthy and in good spirits and grateful for being here. Thank you for those that have sent warm messages of support and encouragement. They really mean so much. A big shout-out and thank you to my two friends that made this journey possible for me. You are in my thoughts every day and you know who you are :)

As always, if you would like to support our efforts, please visit www.climbtakeaction.com and share with others if you can :)  All proceeds to go International Medical Corps and V-DAY for their efforts for women in Democratic Republic of Congo and you can learn more on our website….all donations are tax deductible and none of the funds to go to the climbing expenses.

Almost down to the home stretch! 

Big hugs,

G

Made it to Camp 2! Next stop Camp 3 :)

Camp 2 of Everest

Hello! First news, we made it back from Camp 2 (21,300 ft.) on April 27^th! First successful rotation on the mountain complete!  I have been resting at Base Camp the past couple of days and let me tell you… I am loving the thicker air and better sleep! I feel like a new woman J No doubt Everest showed me she’s in charge! We go back up on Thursday and this time with the goal of sleeping one night at Camp 3 (24,500ft) for one night and part of our second rotation on the mountain. So resting up for that big push!

So now I have been gone a month and have the hardest month ahead to go, the mental game of this climb has begun. Setting off on this first rotation on the mountain made it feel like this expedition was really finally on its way. Of course there were moments of pure exhaustion and feeling like I was never going to get to the next milestone, but it was just one foot in front of the other that was going to get me there.  I was reminded how brutally cold this mountain can be and also how it can feel like it is cooking you alive. At each point of discomfort, I always remind myself how fortunate I am to be able to be pursing this dream and why I am doing it. That thought tends to bring an instant calm and focus. I am staring to miss and crave things, mainly loved ones and close friends, warmth at night, certain foods…and I am a total girl and can’t wait to put on a dress and some heels again haha. I am really missing my little guy, Oliver, the best little cat around. I had a hilarious dream last night that I went to Hawaii with my best friend to get a little rest before the big summit push ;)

The next 3 weeks are critical, we have one more rotation up the mountain to Camp 3, then we will drop down to a nearby village to rest for 4-5 days before the summit push, which can be anywhere from mid to late May. My focus is on staying strong and healthy, keeping up my appetite, getting sleep, and getting my mind ready to play the biggest mental game of all when it comes time to push for the summit. Each day I am reminded of how amazing our earth and what a special place this is. My favorite is looking out my tent at night and seeing each star twinkle.

I have met some very kind and amazing people here and grateful for new friendships and for seeing some familiar climbing faces around. The mountain is becoming smaller and it is nice to see smiles along the way up the mountain, especially when you are not feeling top notch. 

I have had to say goodbyes already to Ally and Rob on our team that were just planning to stay to reach Camp 3, they did awesome and we will miss them. Also some other new friends doing research here on the mountain have gone back down the valley. Goodbyes are always bitter sweet.

Farewell Cake for Ally and Rob

Farewell to Ally and Rob!

There are supposedly 282 climbers attempting Everest this year, and at least 20 or so have already gone home if not more due to multiple reasons.  So we shall see how this season turns out. There is still a lot of work to be done on the mountain in terms of setting ropes to camp 3, the South Col, and the summit! A big huge thanks to the climbers, expedition leaders, Sherpas, and Ice Doctors involved in paving the way for all of us to get a chance to pursue our dream of seeing and feeling what the top of the world is like. None of this would be possible without a collective effort.

So since I last wrote we did try to go up to Camp 1 on April 20^th, but after getting just about an hour or so away we had to turn around due to high winds and excess snow! It was a bummer indeed, but just how it goes. The mountain decides how high you can go up, not you. So I hung around Base Camp waiting for better weather. It was cool though, I got to meet new people from other teams and also connect with some of the other lady climbers on the mountain. So far I have met 13 of the lady climbers and I am guessing there are no more than 25 ladies on the hill this year from what I have seen. I know there two or three women guides on the mountain from Russia and New Zealand.  I also have only met one other American woman climber on the mountain, Melissa Arnot, who holds the record for most Everest summits for a Female (4 summits). I am still on the hunt for other American ladies, but have met most of the teams and have yet to find one. Most of the ladies are from India, Argentina, Portugal, Japan, Brazil, Russia, China and Korea I believe. Perhaps the most inspiring story of these ladies is that of an Indian climber who is attempting to summit with one leg. She was pushed onto an oncoming train and lost her leg and has an above knee amputation. She is quite an extraordinary young lady and inspiring us up the hill. I saw her last as she was approaching Camp 1 a couple of days ago, as I was on my way down from Camp 2. I have to say it is awesome that all of us ladies are encouraging one another as we see each other in passing up the hill, even if it is just a brief smile, I love that we are all acknowledging one another and wishing one another well. 

Some of the Ladies on Everest this year!

So on the 24^th we made the push to Camp 1 (19,900 ft.) from Base Camp. We set off about 4:45 AM and made it about noon. Everest kicked my butt that day! I found the ice fall a bit more challenging than in my 2011 attempt. It just felt a bit longer and well there were more awkward ice formations that seem like they are just waiting to fall! There were less ladders though. The ice fall doctors say there are about 30 total. There were long queues that day, as everyone had been waiting for good weather to make the push, so we had expected it to be crowded. We waited at least 30 minutes, in line for one of the ladders that probably lay in the most danger of an ice formation falling. Thus, we waited down below to not be in the danger zone. Somehow the hours fly by in the ice fall. You are so focused on clipping into the ropes, climbing safely across ladders, and just in awe of where you are walking. I had my first instance of frozen hands for the trip and it was an instant flashback to last time. I was wearing thinner gloves as we were moving and I was afraid of getting too warm, but waiting in those long lines chills you quick and so by the time I changed gloves, my hands were a slight shade of purple and Ang Kami helped me put on my big mitts and add extra layers to warm up my core. That is the fine balance of layering appropriately at all times…you never want to be too warm or too cool. Yet, as you walk through the ice fall at moments you get sun and then suddenly that beautiful sun could be blocked by a huge piece of ice and then well you are insta cold. Regardless of the dangers of the ice fall, it is still probably one of my favorite parts of the climb, and one of the most challenging. It is like a rite of passage and it allows you to really step into the western cwm and feel like you are actually on Everest!

It was a great feeling getting into Camp 1 and knowing that I could rest a bit and prepare for another push the next day. I had the wonderful surprise of having our camp next to Alpine Ascents and so I got to visit with Vern Tejas, a friend and my very first guide on my Seven Summits climbs in Russia on Mt. Elbrus. Ally and I shared a tent and we also took some time to get some awesome pics at dusk. 

Hi from Camp 1!

Vern Tejas Visit :) Such a nice surprise at Camp 1

The next day the 25^th we headed to Camp 2…we only hit one long ladder queue, but Ally and I had to remind some of the climbers waiting to cross about proper etiquette to let one and other alternate. It took me about 3.5 hours to get there and the last bit to camp was a slog, but beautiful and amazing to be in the Western Cwm. I had a lot of memories rushing through my head of the last time walking up to Camp 2. Just like last time, I finally felt like the expedition was beginning and I was walking on the mother of all mountains.

www.climbtakeaction.com Everst for Congo 2013

I got to visit with new and old friends at Camp 2 and take a little stroll to the base of the Lhotse Face with Ally, as the ropes to Camp 3 were not yet ready. As you may have heard in the news, there was indeed an incident at Camp 2 over rope setting up the Lhotse Face between some world renowned climbers and the Sherpas. I rather not get into the brawl that took place a day after heading back down to Base Camp, but I am sure if you Google it, you can read about it. I find it sad that violence and egos are exploding at this special place, but so it goes.  We are all fine and no need to worry.

My last night at Camp 2, I decided to take the advice of taking a quarter tablet of Diamox to help me sleep, as it is quite tough to up there, but I WILL NEVER do that again! OMG that little quarter tablet had the reverse effect and kept me up all night. I was WIRED! Needless to say, I got about an hour or two sleep then was up at 5 AM to head back down to Base Camp. Sleeping at Base Camp was the best present in the world J

What I felt like on Diamox...crazy Yak!

Our team has split in two and Ronnie and I from Adventures Global will be on the same rotations going forward and the other two climbers are sticking to one rotation. I am confident in Ronnie and my plan and we are taking the more traditional approach of having two rotations on the mountain before dropping down to rest before the summit push. You cannot rush this climb or mountain…things happen on her schedule, not yours.

Well, I have to hike back to Base Camp and one more day of rest before the push up to Camp 3… Ronnie and I will head up with Ang Kami and Jang Bu, our amazing Sherpas that are incredibly talented, kind, and rock stars on the hill. I know all I can do is my best, and I p ray mother nature and my body cooperate for the rest.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers. To learn more about why I climb and support our efforts, please visit www.climbtakeaction.com. Everest for Congo 2013!

Much love!

G

Going up the Ice Fall

Ice Fall 

Jang Bu and the Ice Fall Doctors!

Traffic Jam!

Me and the ladder I almost fell off of! lol I am ok!

Jang Bu and Pasong

Ally and I making our way down to Base Camp!

Me and more ladders :)

Choosing Love over Fear....

Hi Friends,

I just enjoyed a cheese pizza and a coke in Gorak Shep-YUM! We are leaving for Camp 1 of Everest tomorrow and will spend one night there, then move on to Camp 2 and spend 2 nights there and then head down to Base Camp. This will complete our first rotation on the mountain.

Yesterday we took a walk through part of the Ice Fall and made it to the second ladder. It was the magical maze of snow and ice I remembered and super excited to get up to Camp 1 tomorrow and getting this climbing show on the road! 

Earlier this week we went up to Pumori Advanced Base Camp (5700m) for an acclimatization hike as well and got some pretty sweet views of Everest from the North and South side, Nuptse, and Lhotse.

The heart shaped rock I found today on my hike :) Reconfirming the message to choose love over fear :)

I am currently reading two books, Aleph and May Cause Miracles. Both books have an awesome message of choosing fear over love in all situations in life. They have been more applicable than ever up here. Today on my hike up to Gorak Shep, I also came across a cute little heart shape rock, that now will go home with me and serve as a reminder of this important message. I have been fortunate to have met some really great people from other climbing teams while here, mainly from Argentina, Brazil, and Spain. I love hearing about some of their other adventures and get tips about what might work up above as we go higher. I have also been able to practice my Spanish! :) My Portuguese is still lacking...lol. I love it because it is always great to have new friends to go and do climbs and other fun things with, so I very much look forward to keeping in touch with these new friends. 

There are many amazing things about being on Everest and on this journey and there are also somethings that are not my favorite about Everest versus other climbs. I love meeting new friends up here, pushing myself to new limits, taking in these amazing views, and being surrounded by some world class adventurers that keep you humble. Meeting legends up here is pretty awesome and hearing their adventure stories even more awesome. On the other hand, there are a lot of egos up here and some folks unfortunately have ego without reason to. There are some folks up here that have never really climbed anything before, yet decide that Everest will be their first.  There are others that get overly competitive and take it upon themselves to put others down to make themselves feel better, this is unfortunate especially in a team dynamic. As one of the few women climbers up here, it is also interesting to share stories and the comments we may have come across so far. This is when this message of choosing love over fear becomes so important. Knowing who you are, what you stand for, why you are here, and knowing you have prepared as much for the journey ahead and open to what nature and God decides for the outcome. I have already had to block out a lot of noise and not very nice comments by others that sadly are making this climb about a competition against others, verses a challenge against themselves. This climb I have always felt is much more mental than physical and that staying with a good attitude and mindset and believing in yourself and what you have done to prepare is critical. I wish the naysayers the very best and hope they can find some peace up here and also some self awareness. I think that is one of the  best gifts of this experience, but I must be honest it is hard sometimes not to take things to heart or personally, it's part of the game up here unfortunately. SO I am so grateful for the messages from the books I am reading, for they keep my mind happy and healthy and constantly reminded that love and kindness conquers all :)

I feel my best when I am climbing and any nonsense from down below goes away and it is just you and the mountain. This is why I CANNOT wait to get to Camp 1 and Camp 2. I have met my Sherpa JangBu and he is awesome and I know I am going to learn so much :) It will likely take 4-6 hours to get to Camp 1 tomorrow morning through the Ice Fall and we will leave at 5 AM.

Below are some photos from the week! A highlight was our Puja ceremony, which was very special, spiritual, and ended in a great celebration! It is awesome to also see how much this event means to our Sherpas and how they would not go up the mountain until after this blessing. The end of the Puja ends in a festive celebration, and we sang, danced, and had a few toasts :) We also got our faces smothered in bread flour by the Sherpas and that was quite fun :)

Well, until next time, and hope to share some cool pics from Camp 1 and 2! Here is a map of what lies ahead as well!

Big hugs,

G

Highlights from the week via Photos :)

lama at our Puja Ceremony 

Our Puja at our Base Camp

Post chilly Puja Celebrations

The Sherpas were trying to teach us their song and dance

Ice Fall Practice with Ronnie and Alison :)

At Pumori Advanced Base Camp

The Famous Ice Fall :)

Fun parts of the Ice Fall :) Don't look down!

My other friend Kevin came to visit at EBC :) 

Part of the team at EBC Rock

Starting to make home at Base Camp!

Arriving at Everest Base Camp in Altitude Seven Apparel

Well we have been at Base Camp now since Thursday, and slowly but surely it is becoming our home base. It was a weird feeling walking in here and knowing what to expect the next 45 days or so, magical at the same time. I looked up at the ice fall and the mountain and I just thought,  “please be kind.” Days are definitely flying by though!  At the end of this blog is a photo tour for you all to get a taste of what life up here is like :)

My first night here I looked up at the night sky and saw all the gorgeous mountains lit up by moonlight and all the thousands of stars and just gave thanks for being here and set my intention for the climb and this journey. I had done this on some alone time on one of the stupas in Dingboche, but there was something different about doing it here.

Everest for Congo www.climbtakeaction.com

Thursday, I just got settled in and checked in with the EBC docs to get new antibiotics for my cough and ear ache. Nothing to worry about and I am doing better, was just on the wrong meds earlier. I am bundling up with scarfs to keep cold air away from the ears and throat. I also got to see my friend Kevin, which is climbing with the Peak Freaks team and trying to summit Everest and Lhotse without O2!! His camp is next to ours, so nice to have friends nearby.  I got to see a few of the Sherpas from my previous team in 2011 as well, which was nice and they are in the camp next to me as well.

Friday, I did laundry, and well it dried for the most part, only some of it froze…lol. I also got a shower which was the best :) Then it was more getting settled in and starting to get info on the mountain and make a plan. Rob arrived to meet up with the team that day and now we were just missing Alison, which arrived on Saturday after getting a tummy bug and having to stay down below.

I found Kevin! Everest Reunion :)

Saturday, got all my gear sorted and reorganized the tent. I visited with Kevin and some of the Sherpas again, visited the docs again to check on my ear. All good. I got to meet some of the ice fall doctors that were at the clinic tent and found out there are about 30 ladders through the ice fall. The longest set of ladders is about 3 across, which is better than last time, we had a 5 strung ladder set! The ice fall doctors to me are a bit of legend and superhuman. They arrive before anyone else to start fixing the lines up the mountain and then are the last to go as they take all the ladders down throughout the ice fall. They deal with some extremely dangerous situations and sometime lose their life in the process, as the ice fall doctor that passed last week, and we found out had pierced through a snow bridge. Per usual they were smiley, happy to answer questions, which Pasong was able to translate for me :) The docs at the clinic tent here at EBC are awesome and it was good to chat to them about my previous attempt and my incident with hypoxia. They advised that since I know I can do well without Diamox up to about 27,000 feet that maybe I should start taking it on my summit push at about camp 2 or 3. So basically I would do all of my acclimatization rotations on the mountain without Diamox and only use it on my summit push to help my body deal with the lack of oxygen above 27,500 feet , which is where I had to turn around last time. So I am noodling on it…I typically don’t use Diamox and don’t really care for the side effects, but also want a good chance to reach the top safely and it appears a good recommendation.

Today, Oliver and I went up Kalapatar to get some acclimatization and then came to Gorak Shep to send this blog out and check email....racing against the weather clock as we speak!  Tomorrow is our Puja and after that we will practice in the ice fall a bit. Then  we will head up to Camp 1 by Thursday I hope! I am so excited to get through the first round of the ice fall, last time it was my favorite section of the climb. A magical maze of snow and ice and unlike anywhere else in the world I think :)

So a picture says a thousand words, below are some photos to give you a tour of Everest Base Camp (EBC). Adventures Global and our Sherpa crew have been amazing and taking really good care of us :) Part of life up here is getting used to being cold, you go to bed warm and sometimes wake up too warm in your tent and other times too cold in your tent. You need to hydrate, but getting up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, really isn’t the greatest. Our 4 am departure through the ice fall on Wednesday is going to be rough, no doubt! You also get used to hearing avalanches often and even seeing them-not to worry they are not near us! It is a pretty spectacular sight though. By having many little inconveniences, you really appreciate all the comforts of home, and also quickly begin to realize how little we really need. There is simplicity here, of keeping healthy, eating and staying nourished, and listening to your body to see how far it will let you go. A big part of being here, is about letting go and being in the present. Letting go of fears, of worries or woes that you may have left behind at home that start to lose their importance, letting go of control and realizing that nature and the one above are in charge-not you, and basically succumbing to the journey that is taking place. If you don’t let go, then in the end, I feel you lose so much of the true gift of this experience. Of course reaching the top of the world is the goal, but the journey to get there is the gift, that comes with self-awareness and personal growth and experiences unlike any you ever had or could imagine.

Thank you for following my journey and to support our efforts, please visit www.climbtakeaction.com

Everest Base Camp Photo Tour :) 

Heli Rescue in Gorak Shep...about 2 hours from EBC

Yak Traffic in route to EBC!

Everest Base Camp...see the little yellow tents :) Home Base

Adventures Global Everest Base Camp

Where we eat :)

Our Sherpa Cooks are AMAZING! They even baked us a cake!

Our Bathroom

Where I sleep

Inside my tent...we do not share at Base Camp...only on the mountain

How I do laundry

what frozen clothes looks like...lol

Congrats to Ronnie and Elizabeth on their 2 year anniversary :) They met on Everest