Namche Bazaar 3400m to Thame 3820m

Thame Google Earth position N27 49 52.2 E86 38 57
Great to be back in Thame after 9 years. Its amazing how familiar things still are! Stayed at the Sunshine Lodge near the school. Last time Gromit was a real hit with all the kids, but alas this time he is still stuck in London.





En-route saw these amazing rock paintings








One of the many suspension bridges, this one over a particularly deep and narrow gorge













Visited the Thame monastery, where a Puja was in progress. The very deep voices of the monks was very moving and I silently requested permission to grace Shisha's summit. I think Peter also found the experience quite moving.

Wednesday 22nd, Namche Bazaar 3,440m

Amazingly after only a couple of days we are in Namche Bazaar. London - Doha, Doha - Kathmandu flights all fine except for having to return to Doha for two hours after some small technical hitch” after take-off. I think the landing with full tanks caused more problems than the original “hitch”. Kathmandu (KTM) has not changed. Great to have Kedar from Explore Himalaya (http://www.explorehimalaya.com/) at the airport to meet us. Always good to see his ever smiling face.
Stanhope Gardens was not as complete as I would have liked. Sorry to Claire! Also did not have a chance to say cheers to Mum & Dad in Swellendam. Only got to bed at 3:00 after installing (very badly the last of the kitchen base units) – Could not believe it when the taxi arrived to take me to Heathrow – time certainly flew.
We had rather optimistically booked our flights to Lukla for the next day after we had arrived at KTM. But amazingly the weather was clear (monsoon still very much around) and we flew out to Lukla on our first attempt! [Approx GPS reference for Google Earth at N27 41.280 E086 43.918] Our plan was to see how well we felt and if ok, reach Nanche Bazaar.


The weather was very warm with only a small amount of cloud. Great compared to the lovely British weather back home… Very green valleys with plenty of crops being harvested. A surprise was to have meant Gelbu at KTM at our hotel Marshyandi. He was the great cook I had last year while trekking up the Langtang valley. He was based at Kangin Gompa at the end of the trail. Anyway as we were thinking of getting a porter to carry some of the camping gear, and as he said he was keen, we asked Kedar to see if he could get Gelbu onto the same flight to Lukla we were on. No problems and half our cost – so before he knew it he was on his first ever flight, to a valley which he had never seen! Quite something if any of you have seen the runway at Lukla – in the middle of the mountains, short and sloping quite dramatically.
After about 8 hours on the trek, which consisted of approx. 4 hours resting and 4 hours walking, we reached Namche. The final part consists of a fairly steep climb up to the village, which is much like it was the last time I was here in 1998. Peter was fine and seemed to handle the trek very easily. At the lodge (Buddha) he immediately began planning the rest of the trip – I must say with his intentions would make a good leader on an SAS selection course… We will have to see how we feel to see what we can reasonably achieve.



I had to be quite insistent on staying at Namche today (Wednesday). We had climbed quite a bit from Lukla yesterday and as Namche is at 3,440m, we certainly have to take into consideration a good acclimitisation plan. I seemed to be in need of masses of sleep, probably due to the last week in London, flights and planning/packing required before our flight, but now can say I’m starting to feel a little more human.
As I don’t want to overextend myself this early in the trip we have organized another porter to join us for another two days. Tomorrow we leave for Thame and this will probably be the last frequently visited lodge along our route – hence why we are carrying our camping gear and food etc. All not necessary on the more frequented routes due to the very good lodge infrastructure.
Thanks for the donations to www.justgiving.com/8000mandabove
Post note….Gromit I have not really forgot you – Mrs H, please courier out to Kedar of Explore Himalaya, who else will remember the matches…

As far as comments about hair colour is concerned my advice to Mrs H is to definitely change her door locks because a substitute 'Eminem' is lurking in the shadows. Watch out. Don't open any door until the real Hoseman returns form tibet!

Some facts about the trip

Mountain: Shishapangma
It’s the lowest of the fourteen eight thousand meter peaks in the world
Located in south-central Tibet, a few kilometres from the border with Nepal.
It is the only eight-thousander entirely within Chinese territory
I will be attempting the "standard" route from the North side

Height gain from base camp is 3,027m
I will probably travel over 220km on the climb
Due to load carrying and the acclimatisation required, I will actually ascend over 9,000m

Base Camp - 5,000m - Will drive there
Advanced Base Camp - 5,600m - Will use Yaks to carry all my gear. I will be using Project Himalaya for infrastructure support up to this level
Depot Camp – 5,800m – Climbing starts from here and my objective is to have no support from here onwards
Camp 1 – 6,500m – Am going to try to go 100m higher for this camp than last year. After crossing the penitentes steep climb up to Camp 1
Camp 2 – 7,000m – in a valley north of the summit
Camp 3 – 7,500 – On a ridge leading to the summit
True Summit – 8,027 – a bit of a knife ridge - see picture below

Jump to www.8000m.blogspot.com/2006/10/google-earth-climbing-route-analysis.html to see analysis of route

Will carry at least:
6 loads to Depot Camp
4 loads to Camp 1
2 loads to Camp 2
1 load to Camp 3
Then back to ABC for so rest and recuperation before climbing to the summit over about 5 to 7 days





A shot of Ed Viesturs (has climbed all fourteen eight thousanders) returning from the true summit of Shisha

Packed, renovated and ready to go

Sunday’s departure date is fast approaching. It’s been a little manic due to delays with progress on renovating the flat. Hopefully I would have done enough to make the flat liveable and therefore Mrs H won’t change the locks while I’m away.

Plan is as follows:
Peter and I depart for Kathmandu this Sunday. Monsoon permitting, we fly to Lukla on Tuesday morning for two weeks trekking up a valley west of Everest up to the Nangpa La (pass). This route is not well travelled so should be “rustic” and certainly won’t be the same as being outside Harrods at lunchtime. The objective is to see a new part of the world, look over the pass into Tibet, at Cho Oyo (8,201m) and to start the first phase of my acclimatisation before the climb begins. We will have to tread carefully at the “border” as last year there was an incident where a nun was shot by Chinese border guards – see article at www.explorersweb.com/news.php?id=15436

Have Google Earth available as we will be sending back co-ordinates of our progress. Thanks for all the comments about our hair, lack of it or colour there-of. Thanks in advance for donating to Rainbow Trust Children's Charity. If you haven’t yet then please do! – See www.justgiving.com/8000mandabove

Breaking news: Iñaki Ochoa SUMMITS Dhaulagiri - his 12th 8,000er!

Congrats Iñaki!

(MountEverest.net/Madrid) Spanish climber Iñaki Ochoa de Olza has reached the summit of Dhaulagiri on a speed ascent. Iñaki topped-out today at 3:00 pm, local time - about 24 hours after setting off from BC, according to his home team. Iñaki has reported on bitter cold on the summit of his 12th, 8000er. Source mounteverest.net

I had the privelage of meeting Iñaki on Shishapangma in 2006, and hence will be following his progress on achieving his goal of climbing all 14 8,000m meter peaks - without oxygen or Sherpa support.

Inspiration for my climb - 1962

An Expedition like no other
In 1962, three amateur mountaineers from New England and one from Switzerland embarked on a remarkable attempt on the unclimbed North Face of Mount Everest. A year before the first successful American expedition reached the summit of Everest backed by 27 tons of equipment and $1.8 million (1999 equivalent), this small, unsupported team climbed to 25,500 feet on 3% of this funding (just over $12,000 in 1962) and set a standard for superalpinism, the fast and light ascents of the highest peaks.

Chessler Books rated the expedition account by Woodrow Wilson Sayre, Four Against Everest, one of the top 100 mountaineering books of all time, judging from early sales demand and surveys conducted in the mountaineering community. The foremost Himalayan expedition leader, Eric Shipton, himself wrote a flattering letter of acknowledgment in the opening pages, calling the expedition a "magnificent achievement" and acknowledging the lightweight style that was ahead of its time and long Shipton's preference. And just last year, Outside Magazine rated the book one of the top 10 Everest adventure stories.

Superalpinism
For Woody Sayre, climbing Everest without Sherpas, oxygen, or even logistical support to base camp was both a matter of principle and the necessity of an outsider. He had long practiced the skills required to lead and succeed on expeditions to remote locations with limited support. His climbs on Denali in 1954 and later Mt. Whitney exemplified the purity of his superalpine spirit.

But, long before these "training climbs," he had set his sights on Everest, and he knew he would not be climbing the mountain with any group of professional mountaineers. The style of the day was a three-month-long siege effort with dozens of climbers, hundreds of porters, and tons of supplies. Despite the expense and extended time spent on the target, these expeditions hardly had enviable success rates, and multiple casualties and even fatalities were by far the norm.

Woody was an idealist, and was convinced that in-depth study and extensive preparation could give a small team the same essential skill set with a far greater operational flexibility. The spirit of superalpinism, seen in the writings of Eric Shipton since the late 1940s, had a hold on Woody. It was also his only real choice to fulfill his life-long dream.

Assembling his Team
Longtime friend Norm Hansen was a natural first choice as a teammate on Everest. He and Woody had climbed Denali, and their personal styles were compatible. Assembling the rest of the team was, however, a significant challenge. Woody knew that safety and logistical realities made a team of four the ideal superalpine arrangement. Getting those four would be such a challenge however, that the final team member was literally chosen while they were enroute to Everest.

Selecting a Route
Well into the 1980s, the 8000 meter peaks of the Himalaya were the sole preserve of sanctioned national climbing efforts. Independent teams were not even allowed permission to apply to climb these peaks, and only applications from recognized national alpine clubs had a chance of acceptance. In 1962, Nepal had granted access to Everest to India and a team of professional Indian mountaineers. In the north, Tibet was still reeling from its occupation by China, and was closed to westerners.

So, what options did Woody Sayre have to attempt Everest? No official attempt was possible on either side. For Woody, a perpetual outsider with little interest in playing by anyone else's rules, a feint from a "nearby" peak was the only choice. It would not be easy, but then what Everest attempt ever could be? See the route to gain an appreciation of the tremendous distance and technical challenge the Sayre party accepted, and nearly completed.

As part of my acclimatisation I intend to go out to Nepal 10 days before the "official" climb. Weather permitting, I'll fly to Lukla, and then trek north west through Thame up to the Nangpa La pass - this route has been inspired by Sayre

Google Earth - Climbing route analysis

This post shows images from Google Earth (which you must get if you have not already! - http://earth.google.com/) of the route. Except for one strip, which I'm hoping they will update soon, its pretty detailed. In fact I have been using it to see if there is an alternative route up the mountain. Imagine if Mallory had had such a view before he climbed!



Where in the world? Drove from Kathmandu via Friendship (not very) bridge to Shisha base camp




Overview of the climbing route - Used yaks to get from Base camp to Advanced BC (approx 17km, 600m height gain) and this is done once - then slog to depot camp, (5km, 200m height gain) did 3 times - then climbing really starts after crossing the penitentes














View from ABC, up to Depot, then CI, CII & CIII















From Depot, accross the penitentes, up to CI
















From CI (My high point - 6,400m) to CII, CIII & Summit















In the "valley" from CI, CII then Summit
















Proposed CII & CIII
















Looking back over summit to ABC & BC

3rd October - Iñaki Summits!

Iñaki Ochoa de Olza summits true summit!

My Sincere Congratulations to him! Iñaki has now climbed 11 of the worlds 14 8000m peaks

Extract by Jamie from Project Himalaya web site:

"Briefly, 1am Iñaki left our Camp 1 heading up alone. By morning he was at Camp 3 (no tents there) and called down to say that again the ridge looked too dangerous and he was turning back. Half an hour later he radioed saying that he saw a line he liked. He dropped out of Camp 3 and crossed an area of recent serac collapse then climbed near a rock ridge up to the main east-west ridge to the true summit. Iñaki radioed again from a little below the summit saying it would be too windy to call from there, and then battled the last distance in waist deep drifts to the summit. This was just before 2pm Nepal time (yes, the mountain is entirely in Tibet, China, but we work on the more sensible Nepal time...) He had been climbing over 12 hours, from 6400m to 8027m/8046m (depending on which height you believe).

In what looks as though it could be the only summit (true main summit)

Photo, of course by Iñaki
The following is from Iñaki's web site - note that the translation is not correct but I feel that even though it contains errors, the essence of his experience comes through...in fact I think the translation might add a little!

“ Does not give shame you? to your years and opening new routes? ”… To the other side of the world, the telephone voice loaded of irony of my friend Oscar Gogorza gives back abruptly to the reality, nothing else to arrive at the field bases. I am so happy that more than to walk, flight, or I slide a handspan over the ground. I am completely dry, burst and fused after the hardest and dangerous, clean and magical ascent as i myself it had not imagined not even in my better dreams. I finish making the best scaling of my life. When leaving the frozen glacier and arriving at the “mainland” I have not been able to make another thing that to collapse to me exhausted, crying like a boy.
Them story a secret? Only i myself it believed to have a 1 percent of possibilities. Nobody bet nothing by me more, here on the field it bases, and with good reasons. Day 30 i myself had raised until the 7,700 meters and the conditions were infames, with extreme avalanche danger. And in addition the wind did not stop, beating with desire from the southwest. Thus the call “normal route” had defeated or to most of the aspirings, and more than 100 climbers, many accompanied by sherpas and artificial oxygen, they had lined up or towards Katmandú. Well-known clienta of a commercial expedition assured to me categorical before releasing itself that, according to its guides, this year the main top “impossible” era. That yes, had received him 12,000 dollars by such advice…
Therefore, attempt to rest day 1, concentrated in finding the forces and the mental balance necessary for which only I know that she is approached. The old classes come to me at the top from Latin. And to the aim to the end I decide me destalentado that one, Julio Caesar I suppose, that she said the one that “the fortune smiles to the audacious ones”. And audacious and arrogant it is without a doubt to think that it can raise a ochomil, the one that it is, by where nobody has raised before, and in addition to do it in solitaire and without installing height fields, in which ascent is called “express”.
That I have seted out, neither the more nor the less, and I have not trusted it to anybody.
I start up to in the morning, from the 6,350 meters of field 1. I leave like a howitzer. Soon encounter my better rate and I devour the meters with quickness, without needing shutdowns to recover when the snow is not soft. To the dawn I am to 7,400 meters, still in the normal route, that already by my experience of the past day 30 that is not in conditions. Here the wind is unbearable. I pay attention to the northeast face and I see that there it does not make air, so very instinctively I go towards its base. I cannot be thought that it has not been happened to him to anybody before to me. I have to lose 200 meters of height, so hard ascended, and to happen underneath a truely dangerous hanging glacier, but to 8 in the morning I am in its base. The crack that gives to entrance to the route the business with care, that stops that I am only, and immediately my two pioléts find the land in which better they develop, lofty ice and snow.
6 hours later a beautiful trench is opened behind me. I am in the highest edge, the same one which those climb that comes from the South face, the same one that my friend Jorge Egocheaga had defined as “peculiar” after his ascent the last year. The mountain climbers, what race, we called thus to which in fact he is dangerous, jodido and difficult.
To the 14 and 8 minutes nepalí hour I call by radio my girl and him story that I am doing photos to me to the defense of the wind, 5 meters under the top. When I cross the last meters out of breath, I realize without doubts that I have made something special. It lodges an infinite hope to me.
The most violent and terrible wind than I have seen evacuates to me of the own top after passing a pair of seconds in her. But he does not matter to me. He is already behind schedule, and I have to march towards house.
Iñaki Ochoa de Olza. http://www.navarra8000.com/

Photos - Back to Kathmandu

Now is that not civilised









Man alive - and this was just a half portion - Everest Steak House, KTM














Last evening in KTM














Look what a shave does - I shared a jeep with Angela and Carmela from BC to KTM













Got cleaned out by the local ladbrokes - doesn't he looked chuffed - in fact he offerred me my money back














Mud and landslides everywhere, luckily we had no issues on our return journey














En route to Tibetan/Nepal border - an amazing road through amazing steep valleys














Leaving ABC

Photos - those on the mountain

One for Mumsie














Gromit - Navigator












Jamie McGuinness - Project Himalaya

















Sherpa Dawa - a very compassionate and considerate man, like Namgyal amazingly strong



















Sherpa Namgyal - what a strong guy, good luck with your studies!


















Sherpa Sarki - a fantastic cook, wish he was able to provide the food on the mountains











Dorje & Da Nura - both ALWAYS smiling and happy














Corrine, Bob and Inaki (On route to Camp 1)




















Hans, Walter, Bob and Clive










Tom, Katharine and Mac - representing Montanta and Wyoming (Katharine treated my bruised ribs with some hot chinese lotion - really helped

Learning ones limits...and setting new goals

Sorry for the long blog...
Its amazing to be such and old goat (mountain??) and still to be able to learn so much! I think about the paradigm shift mentioned by S Covey. "A man gets on a train with his two young children. They make a terrible racket and can't seem sit still. The man looks upset, head in hands, but does not do anything. Another passenger says excuse me but can't you control your children. The man looks up, says Oh so sorry, but we have just come from their mothers funeral!"
Does that not make you change your perspective about the situtation.

So to have the opportunity to learn about the (mountain) environment and oneself is amazing. One can read, one can listen and one can watch (videos etc), but to actually be there is another thing. An amazing an experience. And just like the change experienced after hearing about the funeral, ones percention by being on the mountain changes imensely.

And time adds to this, ones mind digests and works this new information over...

So where am I going with all this............................

I am off the mountain!






Shisha disappeared into the "white" - first snows at ABC














My load from Depot to ABC - luckily Walter and Clive were with me to keep me motivated















Back at Depot camp









Bit of a white out on way down - not that helpfull considering the crevasses that are around




I mentioned in the last blog that I have some questions to answer. It was quite something to be alone at 6400m at camp 1. One has plenty of time. The view down the valley was amazing. Seeing the route one had climbed gave you a sense of real achievement.

So being there, allowed me to take the information that I had just learned and analyse it. Man alive I can tell you that 8000m is along way up. I was still 1600m away and at the time this seemed like a long way. As you know, my objective was to do this without:
1. Oxygen
2. Sherpa support
so hence the Yak comments in previous blogs...

I became concerned about being able to get all the required logistics in the right place at the right time. Camp 1 was stocked for 3/4 days. But to be able to continue to "stock" camps 2 & 3 seemed impossible - this without any assistance. Although I was improving in health (from the Zhangmu hell), being at altitude one does not neccessarily gain in fitness and ability. The higher one gets the more one deteriorates. So to carry on going up and down to stock all the required camps on ones own, I don't believe was a feasible option any more. I think it would slowly grind one to a halt.

I therefore thought about moving my camp 1 up to camp 2. This would mean I would have depot camp and camp 2 on the mountain. It was also imply some BIG days. This initial stint on the mountain was to aclimatise. Plan thereafter would be to go back down to ABC, eat up a storm and rest, and wait for a good weather window. The summit attemp would then be launched.
But following the Depot camp, Camp 2 and summit bid plan I was worried about the following:

• Long days to get to each position - although not carrying loads (just intraday clothes, equipment and food) is demanding
• Ability to eat sufficiently - even though one knows one has to, it very difficult to actually eat - somehow the altitude supressses this
• Ability to drink sufficiently - I was convinced I could do this well - but again very difficult to actually do - much easier just lying in the tent (wasting away)
• Would I have enough gear in the right camps - for example where do I leave the Down Jacket - depot or camp 2. I had already experienced leaving the down suit at the stash (between depot and camp 1) for one night and having to move my but to assemble the tent before I froze. Alternatively one could have more gear (duplicates) but then this all needs to be carried up!
• Would I have enough food and gas at the camps - more a concern if weather chnages for the worse - so again does one carry extra?

I think the above IS possible to coordinate - but everything has to go according to plan. Unfortunately though, one can't make that assumption on the mountains. The weather is the big unknown.

Another factor is ones mental state - can one keep the motivation on ones own - I was disapointed that I was not stronger. As I mentioned, as one is not eating or drinking there is plenty of time to think - the pull to more pleasant environs is strong. Being alone too does not help - I think by sharing the experience with a partner these "negative" emmotions could be coutered. With all the good intentions in the world, Gromit still prefers reading to talking!

So as mentioned I'm off the mountain. I decided to drop down from camp 1 to ABC and not return. At the same time, and this was not the reason for descending, the weather reports were poor. The monsoon had definately not ended, and in-fact for the first section (6400 to about 6100) I descended in a white out. I cleared all my gear, but left the tent and food I had carried up - possibly useful for other climbers.

I am going to have to re-appraise my approach, take all the information I have now learned and perhaps set new objectives for the future. I had set such finite goals, that as soon as I realised that I would not achieve them, it was very easy to go down. I think that this surprised the other two summit teams - why not climb a 7000m peak which was almost on route or why not join Jamie's team (which was supported by Dawa and Namgyal - climbing Sherpas). But I was so focussed on doing it on my own, that although very kindly offerred by Jamie, they were not really options. I needed to completely reappraise.

Answers - Objectives:

• Go high - I was really chuffed to have got to 6400m on my own, and importantly that my body felt good from an aclimitisation point of view
• Experience the freedom of the hills - Being in this environment is pure freedom. It is my main motivation for climbing. I will never forget the feeling when Claire & I were dropped by helicopter at the base of Mt Aspiring in NZ, and we were completely alone - heaven
• See the curvature of the earth from land - still outstanding! I think there is still time
• Get to an 8000m summit - Still outstanding
• Sleep above 8000m - This was to cater for a South side attempt on Everest - the South col is at 8000m - still outsatnding, but possibly not so importantant now - more why later
• “Enjoy life” as Mallory said - Boy did I enjoy the trip, Mallory, Tilman, Shipton certainly were on to a good thing(I won't mention Zhangmu again)
• “Dare Mighty Things” as Theodore Roosevelt said - I did try, and beleive that I have some great information for the future. I'm certainly not stopping to "dare".

Answers - Questions:

• Do I have the organisational skills? - Yes I believe I do
• Do I have the physical ability to get to & above 8,000m? - Although I only got to 6400m I certainly believe I can get to 8000m
• Is it really all worth it? - Considering the freedom of the hills, the experiencing of something not many people do or understand and the challenges one faces, I do believe it is worth it
• Is it possible to build a camp infrastructure on my own? Probably not, especially without risking too much - I must return (the top is only half way), so will always measure the risk profile of each stage.
• What are the affects of the climb on heart rate? - More analysis later, but I always stayed at 130/140 beats per minute - perhaps was a little slow in ascending, but always had energy for the next day!
• Will I be affected by AMS? - Minor headache along the early parts of drive and at BC, but think this was due to the Zhangmu bug - Overall always felt good and comfortable regarding the altitude gains
• What rate of ascent is feasible? - Will analyse my stored data and report back in a later blog
• Is Mount Everest a possibility? - For me definately not without Sherpa support and probably not without oxygen - I'm not sure if it is an objective for me any more - but hearing Bob from New York's experience, I certainly get exited!!!
• Am I able to climb to 8,000m without oxygen? - I believe I can and probaly still want to - I like the idea that it could be harder than Everest with Oxygen
• Am I able to climb to 8000m, without Sherpa support? - Probably not, but what about with a partner instead

Photos will be published in next blog there are gsome goodies...

Thank you all for all your support, sms's and emails - amazing to get a "text" while sitting on a slope of a big mountain...

Reminder - Objectives of "8000m and above"

My achievements versus my objectives will also be evaluated in the next
couple of days...

Herewith a reminder of what my objectives were:

• Go high
• Experience the freedom of the hills
• See the curvature of the earth from land
• Get to an 8000m summit
• Sleep above 8000m
• “Enjoy life” as Mallory said
• “Dare Mighty Things” as Theodore Roosevelt said

Reminder - Questions the trip will answer

These questions will be answered in the next couple of days, but
herewith reminder of what was stated earlier...

• Do I have the organisational skills?
• Do I have the physical ability to get to & above 8,000m?
• Is it really all worth it?
• Is it possible to build a camp infrastructure on my own?
• What are the affects of the climb on heart rate?
• Will I be affected by AMS?
• What rate of ascent is feasible?
• Is Mount Everest a possibility?
• Am I able to climb to 8,000m without oxygen?
• Am I able to climb to 8000, without Sherpa support?

20th September - to Camp 1

Left ABC early and arrived at Depot camp feeling good. Food: decided to
take up 4 dinners, 4 breakfasts, 5 drinks for intra day and 4
teas/coffees. This would allow enough days/nights to acclimatise and to
get up to camp 2. Regarding gear, took Quasar Ultra tent, Mountain
Hardwear Ghost sleeping bag, Exped mattress, 3 gas canisters, stove,
water & P bottles, spare socks, gloves, bask high altitude suit.
I would leave my approach boots at Depot and change into the Millet
boots. Also would have/wear crampons ice Axe and leki pole.

It was extremely hot going through the penitentes. My boots felt great.
Crampons necessary to grip on the very undulating slopes of each
penitentes. Took an hour & 8 mins to get through. Route fairly easy to
follow - footprints and flags.

Now I was on the mountain! Beautiful... Mack from another team was very
helpful - verbal support. The route now moved upwards through some
crevasses. At about 6100m I decided to leave half the load. - Did not
want to get to Camp 1 too late. Stashed it with some wands so that I
could easily find it. One is faced with a typical mountain problem -
false summits - it never seems to end - even using the count down
method. I arrived at camp 1 (5h 15 including time in penitentes) and
found Jamie's tents - there are quite a few locations where tents can
physically be located. (4h14 to climb 530m) It was important to quickly
make a platform and get the tent up. A Sherpa from a nearby tent offered
me a very welcome and needed hot drink. Soon the tent was up and I was
in my sleeping bag. Big mistake was leaving the suit in the stash at
6100m. The night was fine - boiling water, eating dinner and in fact I
slept ok. During the night reheated the water for hot water bottles.

Next morning left at 8:30 to get the balance of my gear - 21 mins down
and then 2 hours back up. By now I had heard that the weather forecasts
were not good.

I decided though to stay another night at camp 1 - firstly to get more
acclimatised and secondly to do the balance of the planning. It was
becoming apparent that there were some interesting logistical challenges
to overcome.

Health wise, I was feeling stronger and stronger. The niggling pain in
my right lower chest (from coughing) and felt when coughing and
twisting, was now only a dull ache. Thumb now bending so just a sprain.
But importantly cardio vascular and legs strong. Oxygen saturation
levels were what I called average. But importantly I did not get any
headaches at 6400m.

Next blog will cover:

Eating ability;
Drinking ability;
Carrying ability;
Having the right gear in right camps;
Having food in the right camps;
Coping with the solitude;
Maintaining my motivation;

....all of this at 6400m and above...

Felt great at Camp 1












Ready to tumble?















Scene of another groups tents at Camp 1















Closer shot of Depot camp and Penitentes














How is this for a view (out of your tent). This is Camp 1 (6400m) and view back down showing Depot and ABC camps

3 Carries & 1 day rest

So 17th and 18th were also Yak days. Very chuffed that my gear and food
is now all at Depot camp (5860m). The route does have stages so one can
"count down" - something for me that is very much part of my approach.
There was one nasty mudslide which would slowly build up and then
release - so any attempt to bridge it is washed away. Mack & Kevin
helped find a route and we were soon safely over (that time). 17th carry
was slowest -is approx 5.5km each way and had taken me 2h45 up. But
17th was at least an extra hour...
Maybe I knew that I was not returning on same day, but rather sleeping
at Depot camp. Found a perfect flat sandy tent site - masses of time
saved not having to chop out a spot out of the rocky icy moraine. Think
it had been made the night before by Clive & Sirke - thanks guys!

Did snow most of the night which was not ideal as I don't want to be
first out on the "new" route. Did sleep well though and Jetboil worked
well - Gromit had forgotten the spoon and lighter (again) so thank
goodness the Jetboil has its owner igniter.

Due to snow decided to return to ABC on the 18th and take one day rest -
hopefully while the sun is clear on the route - so it compacts - and
hopefully that other climbers re-establish the trail.

Snowed again on 18th - not ideal...

19th
Iñaki (see www.navarra8000.com) is going up today with his client Bob, and Jamie's team are
coming down after a couple of nights at camp 1.

Plan 20th, 21st, 23rd
My plan is to go up to Camp 1 tomorrow (from ABC) - so will be a long
day. Have worked out what I need to have a proper camp 1 established so
it will be a long day. Hold thumbs for clear conditions and a good
route. After arriving at Depot, I will pack and then go through
penitentes (approx 1 hour). Then a slog directly up to camp 1 (6400m).
That is likely to equal my altitude record. I must say from what I
remember from the Western China trip (Koskulak) this seems to be much
more difficult. But I know I can do the altitude - its all just a matter
of time to see how I am feeling right now...

Enjoy your warm double beds and Mrs H is now enjoying pausing the new Sky HD

This is Mac on the route to Camp 1 - a great guy who helped make my load lighter with a double expresso at Depot camp











View of climbers on glacier after Penitentes - photo by Jamie www.project-himalaya.com/8000m-expeditions-index.html








Which way? First run through Penitentes took an hour, return trip 20 minutes - great when you get used to the environment and hence more efficient

Carry to Depot camp

Have just finished 2 tasty fried eggs at ABC - Saturday (16th) morning.
I must say that the food on the expedition has been great (BC & ABC).

Yesterday we had our Puja, run by Dawa with Jamie, Namgyal and Sirke
playing supporting roles. Weather was clear albeit a little crisp. Great
that now the "door" to the mountain has now been opened.

I then set off with my first load - from now on I'm going to be a Yak,
which consisted of a Terra Nova Quasar tent (will stay at camp 1),
Grivel crampons, Ice Axe, all food for nights/mornings at camp 1, Millet
climbing boots and a dive bag for storage if I'm not putting the tent up.

This is where the psychology gets interesting - Jamie's team have Dawa
and Namgyl to build the camps and carry the loads - all my big talk of
doing it myself is coming "home". Still feeling positive about it though!

From ABC the walk is along an ablation valley and climbs gently to
5900m, where depot camp sits on some moraine. To the left are some
fantastic penitentes - in fact along the entire route - I would like to
do some ice climbing on them if I have time. The closer one gets to
Depot camp (Google earth N28.40328, E85.74986) the more of the route on
the mountain one sees. The route should not present too much of a
problem - unless there is a white out - but we have bamboo wands to mark
the route and I have my gps which will have the route "bread crumbed".

Now plan is to carry on being a Yak. I want to get all camp 1,2 & 3 gear
and food firstly to Depot, then camp 1, then camp 2. This I will be
doing over the next week. It will include some sleeps at the higher
camps. "Sleeps" might be the wrong word as from 6500m it is likely that
I will not be sleeping much at all - focus will then be to keep warm and
hydrated and just sit the nights out - not sure when one is meant to
sleep, perhaps when one drops back down to lower camps - we shall see.

Jamie's group are going to be spending the next 4 nights at depot, camp
1 and perhaps camp 2 - so this means NO communication from me as I can't
use his laptop. Unfortunately my Thuraya phone has stopped being able to
send emails - big pity - but I will try satellite audioblogging for any
major news.

Thanks for all the sms messages - they are great to receive, especially
when its 2:30am and I'm lying awake waiting for the sun to rise - bits
of news all help keep the brain active....

For pictures do look at Jamie's web site, although I might not feature
much, the scenery is exactly what I'm seeing.

www.project-himalaya.com/dispatches .....or follow the 8000m peaks and
look for Shishapangma dispatches from his home page....
Jamie has a new camera so the shots are fantastic.

PS Zens, welcome to London

Jetboil cruising at 5800m (Depot camp) - left my spoon and matches at ABC, hence Gromit on radio. Note spoon I made out of stove component. (Luckily Jetboil has integral lighter)









Depot camp, thanks to Clive I did not need to make a flat area for my tent












Penitentes getting some shape and size, route visible in relatively smooth section in background