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 | On the North Face II
Sunset on the north face. |
 | On the North Face
We stood breathless after hacking out small platforms to stand on in the steep snow. We were several thousand feet up the north face. The sun was lighting up the east faces of the surrounding peaks as we sank our axes into buried ice for anchors. We had been climbing all night, moving slowly up and over the bergschrund onto the ice and steep snow of the north face of Mount Everest. We climbed without headlamps as the full moon lit our way. It was beautiful. We moved independently, without ropes, swinging our axes, breathing, breathing, kicking steps. Finally, climbing! Unfortunately, we only had a few hours sleep in the last 60 hours due to anticipation, a poorly timed snow squall and a fairly cold night without sleeping bags at our small camp below the face. We needed to make it to 7,800 meters in our first push in order to have a chance of summitting the following day, also because our planned bivy at 7800 meters held one of the few safe bivy sites on the route. Fatigue and deep snow had slowed our upward progress considerably. A decision had to be made about continuing up or not. 7800 meters was still a long ways away in the snow conditions we were climbing in. We knew this was our last chance at climbing the mountain since our time in Tibet was coming to an end. We considered the risks we would face if we continued up the route and made the decision to turn around. It was a difficult decision, but both Jimmy and I know many people that never came back from their expeditions and we agreed the goal was to live and climb another day. For the descent I took advantage of the deep powder conditions and enjoyed some great turns on my snowboard down the north face. It was incredible...a dream come true. In our eyes, alpine style climbing is the purest way to climb a mountain, going from the bottom up, in a single push, carrying everything you need with you on your back. It is the style of climbing we most enjoy. The spontaneity and creativity of this style of climbing is refreshing, but along with it comes less margins for error, a thinner line to walk and much less guarantee of success. We have learned a lot on our mental journeys during the last few months. The mental commitment alpine style climbing in the Himalaya requires is an adventure in itself. The moments are rare that everything comes together for alpine style ascents on big mountains, but this is exactly the beauty of climbing this way. All you can do is dream and try. This has been a grand journey. You know it has been a good one when all five members, who have been living, sleeping and eating together for over two months, can look each other in the eye and say they would happily go on another trip together. And finally, humility is one of the greatest gifts you can receive. More than ever we stand humbled and in awe of Mount Everests lure and beauty. We would like to extend our gratitude to Toray - Entrant Fabrics (for keeping us warm and dry this whole time), SoBe Beverages, David Koch, MSR, La Sportiva and Innovation Sports for making this trip possible. To Cloudveil, Rome Snowboards, Dynafit, Life-Link, Petzl / Charlet Moser, GU, The North Face, Adventure Medical Kits, Black Diamond, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Marmot, Special Ops Nutrition, Anon Goggles, Daggers Sunglasses and Dermatone for supporting us and helping us follow our dreams. To Matthew Speakman, for all the great work on my website. Special thanks to Broward Atwater, Tom, Tina and Andreas at Explorersweb.com, Kristine Hinck, Peter Lev, Dr. David Shlim, the gang at Snake River Brewery, our friends in Jackson, the SLC faction and for everyone who has supported us in this endeavor. Also, thanks to those who have supported and believed in my dream, the Seven Summits Snowboarding Quest. Finally, to our families for your love, support and endurance. Until next time& Stephen Koch, Jimmy Chin, Eric Henderson, Lakpa Dorge Sherpa and Kami Sherpa. Image Caption: The team descending the Japanese Coulior. |
| Sept 10, 05.30 PM (local) Everest Snowboarders Down and Safe
Eric Henderson called in and said that the climbers are back down and safe in Camp One. The team will write a full dispatch tomorrow. |
| Sept 10, 08.40 AM (local) Team encounter deep snow
The team are delayed due to deep snow at 6800 meter. Meeting right now. New update shortely. Eric Voice dispatch 08.40 AM (local) |
| Sept 10, 06.00 AM (local) Team advance halfway Japanese Coulior
Eric Voice dispatch from Camp 1. Stephen and the team radio in. Now halfway up Japanese Couloir. Beautiful weather, getting tired. Will make camp in a couple of hours. Eric Voice dispatch 06.00 AM (local) |
| Sept 10, 02.24 AM (local) Team advance 600 altitude meter
Eric Voice dispatch from Camp 1. Stephen radio in from the North Face. Making good progress. Eric Voice dispatch 02.24 AM (local) |
| Sept 9, 11.30 PM (local) Second summit push started
Eric Voice dispatch from Camp 1. The team left 30 min. ago. Updates every 4 hour. Eric Voice dispatch 11.30 PM (local) |
 | New snow...
Caption: Prayer flags, new snow and Chomolungma...after the storm. |
 | New snow...
Soon after we arrived at ABC yesterday it began raining. The rain soon turned to snow and we woke to 8 cm of new snow on the ground&over 35 cm at Camp I. I can only imagine how difficult and dangerous it would have been on the face had we been up at 7,800 meters, with no tent, sleeping bags and food and fuel for only 2 days. Chomolungma was indeed watching out for us! Now, we wait for good weather and eat the last of our more appetizing food. Stephen Caption: A snowy ABC after the storm& |
 | Another day...
Lakpa yelled as he fell up to his armpits in the crevasse. Stephen held the fall. It was 1 am and we had been post holing up to our knees through glit (half glue and half shit) for 6 hours at over 20,000ft trying to navigate the approach to the face through dense fog. When we finally pulled Lakpa out, we threw our packs down to rest. The night was misty and warm with light snowfall. The conditions were not ideal but we had been determined to find our way to the base of the face and make an attempt. We had received forecasts for good weather for the upcoming days and the face had been stabilizing for several days without any serious precipitation. The delicate balance for the right conditions and limited windows of opportunity pushed us on despite the contrary signs around us. Just as our packs hit the snow, we heard a distant rumble. Living in the hills here, one becomes accustomed to the sounds of distant avalanches and rock fall, but this sound was loud and directly above us. The rumble was quickly escalating into a deafening roar. We had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Roped together and surrounded by crevasses, we stood in the dark silently staring towards the invisible freight train. We saw the massive cloud in our headlamps a few seconds before the air blast hit us. We had no idea how close we were to the serac fall or how big it was. We all waited for the worst. Stephen, Lakpa and Kami dove onto their packs as I was blown 25 feet away, pulled taught on the rope. My pack and several ski poles were blown several hundred feet away. We gathered our equipment as the mist swirled around us. After a short discussion (about 10 seconds) we decided to wait for another day. Several hours of slogging later, we were back at camp 1, greeted, as always, with a warm smile and hug from Eric. Jimmy We were all very fortunate to be unharmed. Qomolungma gave us a clear sign last night that the time was not right. We bailed for multiple reasons...snow/fog/warm temps/lateness/fatigue, all of which are easy excuses, but in the end, if She doesnt give herself up to you, there is nothing you can do. Lakpa and Kami are putting in a camp 2 near the base of the route which will save us time and energy next time we go for the face. The weather today is snowing and not good...I would like to think that Qomolungma wants the best for us and the serac was one way to let us know we needed to wait. I feel good, although a bit disappointed as we had all gotten pretty psyched up for the climb. But it is the north face of Everest and we will treat it with the greatest respect. It is going to take everything I have to pull this off. The moon will be coming out next week and we hope to get freezing temps along with it. Stephen Caption: The intended route of ascent and descent...the Japanese to Hornbein. |
| Aug 29 2003, 04.30 p.m. EST - Eric calling in from C1 - Team turn around
"It's 2.00 AM here (local time). Stephen has turned around unfortunately, due to localized snowfalls and not favorable snow conditions...produced a lot of drift...and unfortunate conditions. So they are on their way home and we will update you when we are back on the route in a couple of days." |
| Aug 29 2003, 02.30 p.m. EST - Eric calling in from C1
The team are held up by bad conditions. Audio MP3 |
| Aug 29 2003, 01.00 p.m. EST - Eric calling in from C1
Eric calling in from C1. Stephen, Jimmy, Lapka and Kami are at the beginning of Japanese couloir. Audio MP3 48 sec. |
| Aug 29 2003, Stephen calling in from Everest C1
Stephen calling in from C1. If weather and snow conditions look good they will start climb the face at midnight Friday Aug 29 (local). Audio: MP3 18 sec. |
| Oxygenless advantages...
As we pined away the hours in our Marmot Lair tent I reread our dispatch from the 25th and realized I failed to mention the advantages of not using oxygen after stating some of the disadvantages, or potential dangers, of not using oxygen. Some other considerations of not using oxygen, besides the ethical reasons stated earlier, are; knowing exactly what state your body is in (if the oxygen runs out or regulator malfunctions), carrying less weight, being more in balance for the snowboard descent by not carrying heavy oxygen bottles, being able to see my feet during the snowboard descent by not having a big rubber mask covering half my face, not getting claustrophobic from having a big rubber mask covering half my face (during both the climb and descent), no icing up of goggles or glasses from a big rubber mask covering half my face, being able to communicate better with my partners by not having a big rubber mask covering half my face, bragging rights (if successful), being part of a super elite group of mountaineers -under 100 (if successful), looking better in photographs by not having a big rubber mask covering half my face, and no funky tan lines from a big rubber mask covering half my face. - Stephen Koch |
 | The waiting game...
Caption: Hanging with the 'climbing' cave monk |
 | The waiting game...
Caption: Hendi gawking at the beauty of Tibet |
 | The waiting game...
Caption: Buddha painting near Shigar |
 | The waiting game...
On August 20th the three of us, with Mr. Zhao, headed north for the town of Shigar (14,200ft). We left ABC (18,475ft) in the care of Lakpa, and Kami for the four days we were gone. The goal of this mission downside and onto the Tibet Plateau, was to rebuild red-blood cells, eat and get some good rest (although, some of us drank more than our share of PBRs & Lhasa Brews). Our time was spent eating, eating, playing pool, dominoes, reading, getting a shave and hair wash, hiking casually up to the top of the Monastery, which was destroyed by the Cultural Revolution. The town of Shigar, located 7 kilometers off the highway, and subsequently doesnt see many tourists (we saw 2 other foreigners our entire stay). Shigar was filled with traditional Tibetan life. We were able to fly home-made kites with kids, help spin wool with older ladies and watch the slaughter of goats by men who did not waste a single part of the animal. One morning Stephen and Eric helped press dried flowers into some sort of cooking oil, followed by a mission to fix the tire and seat of a borrowed bike. The mayor of Shigar, Mr. Wang, an old friend of Mr. Zhaos, put us up in the Mayors compound for our stay. The relatively soft beds and endless thermoses of hot water were a treat to our minds and bodies. The freedom of the children was a refreshing site. We witnessed young kids, 1-4 years old, hanging out by themselves on the river, washing their own cloths, hair and bodies, while keeping a close eye on one another. It really made us aware of our cultural differences. Even though we were enjoying the fruits of Tibetan society no team member forgot the task at hand. When the 24th arrived we were ready to get back to our high mountain lifestyle. The Mountain was waiting, and we were eager to see her. - Eric Assuming the weather clears and another high pressure system moves in, we will move up to Camp I, which we have already established. The hike to Camp I goes along the east side of the Central Rongbuk Glacier for about 1,500 above ABC. We hike through bizarre ice towers that we had fun climbing on earlier in the trip. This section presents little danger in the way serac fall or crevasses. We need no ladders to negotiate the glaciers we cross. The Rongbuk, compared to the much more dangerous Khumbu Glacier, which people climbing Everests normal South Col Route deal with, is tame. The reason is that the Rongbuk Glacier is less steep and therefore less broken, or jumbled. From Camp I, the climbing team (Stephen, Jimmy, Lakpa and Kami) will depart after spending several hours relaxing, drinking, eating and packing. We will leave in the evening, once the sun has left the face and the snow has set-up, or hardened, allowing for rapid climbing progress on the firm snow (the key to success). I will be carrying in/on my backpack or my body, my down suit, Rome 151 snowboard with plate bindings, Dynafit boots (good for climbing and snowboarding), Charlet-Moser crampons, 1 Life-Link ski pole, 2 Charlet ice axes, overboots, Petzl headlamp x2, glove liners, gloves, mittens, sunglasses x2, Anon goggles, Dermatone sunscreen, SoBe ballcap, warm hat, scarf, balaclava, heat packs, Ridgerest sleeping mat, 2.5 liters of water, 20 GU, potato chips, candy bars, hard candies, Ricoh 35 mm camera and film, a small Sony video camera with tapes and an extra battery. Most likely the down suit, overboots and mittens will not be needed until up high on the route, when the temperature drops with the increase in altitude. We will attempt to climb in alpine style&with no established camps on the face, carrying what we need on our backs. We will not be using bottled oxygen. We want to climb the mountain by fair means. With bottled oxygen, I wouldnt know what it would truly be like to climb this magnificent mountain, with no aids. I would rather fail by fair means than use the aid of oxygen. There is no doubt a greater risk by not using oxygen; frostbite, cerebral edema, pulmonary edema, hypoxia, acute mountain sickness, catching a crampon and falling, not having the energy to stop on ice if encountered on the snowboard descent, etc., etc., etc& but for me, fair, is the only way for me to attempt this, or any mountain. I decided to add two Sherpas to the climbing team to increase the margin of safety high on the mountain. They are incredibly strong climbing partners who know the mountain well. Neither Lakpa nor Kami have attempted this route or have attempted to climb Mount Everest in alpine style. It will be an adventure for us all. The plan is to climb the Japanese Couloir that first night after leaving Camp I, from 6,300 meters to 7,800 meters. This should take about 10 to 14 hours, depending on the snow conditions. We will then dig a platform (flat spot out of the 40 degree slope) in the snow, secure ourselves to the slope with ice axes, set up the MSR stoves and melt snow to make hot drinks and soups and lay out our mats for resting and sleeping. We will eat, drink and rest/sleep during the warmer hours of the day and then fill our water bottles before departing for the summit at around 8 pm. Towards evening we will depart again to climb the remaining 1000 plus meters of the Hornbein Couloir to the summit. It is imperative to summit at a reasonable hour that allows Jimmy, Lakpa and Kami to descend at least to our rest spot at 7,800 meters and for the snow conditions to still be suitable for a safe snowboard descent&Inshallah! - Stephen Caption: The Monastery above the town of Shigar with the remnance of the 'wall', destroyed in the Cultural Revolution. |
 | Getting High 5
Stephen leading out the last steep corniced headwall on the way to the summit of Chang Zheng. |
 | Getting High 6
Eric hiking the Glory Bowl of the Himalaya. |
 | Getting High 4
Jimmy and Eric laughing after some awesome late summer turns. |
 | Getting High 3
Stephen making turns near camp. |
 | Getting High 2
Acclimitization Camp on Chang Zheng. |
 | Getting High
We just arrived back to ABC after spending three nights (15th to 17th) at 6,600 meters on the shoulder of Changzheng Peak (6,977 meters). The end of the high pressure (beautiful sunny weather) that we had for the better part of a week ended a few hours after we set up our tent. This was a bit of a relief as we are working on our acclimatization and are not ready to attempt our climb and descent of Everest just yet. I guess this is one of the one or two breaks in the monsoon weather. We hope that we get another! We received 30 cm of new snow during our time on Changzheng and we took full advantage of it with multiple laps on the headwall above our camp. The conditions were great&turns in August! Eat your hearts out, boys and girls of Jackson and anyone else who gets that twitch when they hear about people making turns when they are not able to. The turns were GOOD! Chang Zheng offers some intense terrain. Weve skied some really steep and exposed (over 55+ degree) terrain that Eric, our token telemarketer skier, failed to make ONE telemark turn on. But he is forgiven, since dropping a knee at 6900 m is akin to running wind sprints with a ziplock bag over your head. Eric, Jimmy and I also climbed the peak (again for Jimmy and me) this morning. I was able to slide from just below the summit cornice, with the security of a belay from Eric. After hacking turns down the peak in near zero visibility, we met Lakpa and Kami, who were there to help us break down camp. Jimmy and I charged down the mountain, skiing and snowboarding and nearly breaking our ankles running down the final several thousand feet of boulder fields and scree trying to beat Lakpa down from our Chang Zheng camp to ABC. Sure, Lakpa was carrying much more weight than we were. Plus we rode our boards down 500 meters below camp&500 meters that Lakpa and Kami had to crampon down. But that is the deal with the Sherpas. They are so much stronger than us poor white folk, that even beating them with all the prior mentioned advantages feels good! Tomorrow we are going to head down to the bridge at 4,300 meters to spend several days. The purpose of going down is to rest and let our bodies build red-blood cells and wait for the face to come into condition. Unfortunately, we wont be able to bring the slack-line with us, but we have Frisbee, hacky-sack and bouldering shoes...no pads, so we will look for soft landings or easy problems. We will also stop by the Rongbuk Monastary again to visit with some of the monks we befriended on an earlier visit. |
 | Camp I
CAMP I Returning yesterday from Camp I at 19,300 ft, to ABC at 18,500ft I could not help but stop and feel the difference in air temperature and humidity at the lower elevation. We spent much of our time above 20,000ft during our stay. As I watched Jimmy and Stephen climb the last hill to ABC, I sat, caught my breath and chomped down the rest of my half eaten Snickers from 7am this morning. On August 11th we set out for Camp I on the flanks of the Central Rongbuk glacier. Here we set up two tents on a dry flat portion of the glacier, overlooking the west face of Changtse (North) Peak, and the north face of Everest. On the morning of the 12th Stephen, Jimmy, and I picked a route through the glacier and up to the base of the face. The weather conditions were mixed, with valley fog and various forms of precipitation. We were able to wand a good route to the base of the climb, avoid the man eating crevasses and negotiate the snow bridges. The following day we awoke to a clear and crisp day in the high alpine of the Himalaya. We quickly gulped down our oatmeal and headed out on the glacier. Our goal for the day was to tour up to Lho La Pass at 20,000ft. From here one can look into Nepal, and into the normally well traveled Khumbu Icefall, which is now vacant. During our ski tour, we had great views of Everest, Pumori, and several other amazing peaks. Upon arrival to the final headwall we were engulfed by a giant cloud bank rolling in from Nepal. This limited our views, yet we were sure we found the border. We took our team photo, and quickly shushed back to Camp I, where we knew a warm cup of tea would be awaiting us. The following morning (13th) the three of us got an alpine start and followed our wanded path to the base of the face. Arriving at the Japanese Couloir at 7am, I observed Stephen and Jimmy in a frenzy trying to get there. They were stripping all unnecessary clothing and gear in order to run partway up to the face before it got too warm. They needed to feel the pulse of the mountain and get a handle on the snow conditions. They climbed up to the base of the couloir and determined that conditions were good. With warm days and cold nights the snow was starting to freeze up nicely. The 1500ft descent back to Camp I was filled with GS (Giant Slolam) arcs, and perfect corn-snow conditions. After arriving back at camp we filled ourselves with ra-ra noodles and milk tea before heading down to ABC. As I finished my Snickers and gulped my final splash of water I looked up to see Stephen and Jimmy travel out of sight. If the weather continues to hold and we keep getting these deep freezes Chomolungma will be in condition for an ascent and descent of the North Face. I am off to pull food and fuel for the next three days. The three of us are heading up to the high saddle of Changzheng peak, 22,500ft. The goal here is to sleep and eat high, for Jimmy and Stephen to better acclimate for their attempt on Everest. Caption: Camp I below the 9000 foot North Face of Everest |
 | Camp I.2
Caption: Stephen and Eric skinning to Base of North Face |
 | Camp I.3
Caption: Jimmy and Stephen finding a little inspiration from Hendrix after spending a little too much time at elevation. |
 | Camp I.4
Caption: Jimmy and Stephen feeling pretty small at the start of their intended route, the Japanese to Hornbein Couloir, on the North Face of Mount Everest. |
 | Camp I.5
Caption: Eric (front, on his wife's 165's) and Stephen (behind, on his 130 approach skis) ripping it up on perfect corn-snow below the North Face of Mount Everest |
 | Camp1.6
Eric and Stephen heading up to Lho La. |
 | Camp 1.7
Stephen and Eric taking a break on the way to Lho La. |
 | Camp 1.8
Stephen coming down from his first meeting with Chomolungma. |
 | Camp 1.9
Team at Lho La after an incredible ski tour around the base of Chomolungma. |
 | Chang Zheng 7
Stephen dropping in for his first turn. |
 | Chang Zheng 8
Stephen carving turns on Chang Zheng's north ridge. |
 | Chang Zheng 9
Eric about to drop a knee at 22,500 ft. |
 | Chang Zheng 10
Eric and Stephen (sitting far right) looking a little worked after a long day in the hills. |
 | Chang Zheng 6
Jimmy, still smiling, after breaking trail for the final several hundred meters and getting covered in snow chopping through a cornice. |
 | Chang Zheng 5
Eric nearing 22,000ft on Chang Zheng Peak. |
 | Chang Zheng 4
Eric and Stephen powering up on Eric's secret high altitude almond power paste recipe. |
 | Chang Zheng 3
Stephen and Eric breaking trail in a bit of weather. |
 | Chang Zheng 2
Stephen moving up the north ridge of Chang Zheng during a break in the weather. |
 | Chang Zheng
On August 6, Eric, Jimmy and I climbed Changzheng, 6977 meters, with Jimmy and I getting to the top, or at least as near to the top as we were comfortable. A massive cornice, no ropes or harnesses, meant we remained just a few meters below the beast. Jimmy, like a man possessed, pushed hard late in the day, punching steps the last couple hundred meters while fatigue relegated me to drafting. It is invaluable to have a strong partner to take over when necessary. The weather moved in and out on us during most of the day. We moved slowly, but steadily up through the snow and mist, trading leads when necessary. Occasionally, the clouds would lift and we would get a glimpse of the glacier far below and the endless peaks stretching to the horizon. We gained our new altitude record for the trip, but were certainly feeling the effects of the thin air. Eric, Jimmy and I skied and snowboarded from just below the summit on variable but generally good snow for over 2,000 feet. We had to avoid the heavily corniced ridge on our right, which wasnt easy with the poor visibility for most of the descent. Linking turns at 22,500ft was a bit of a workout, but I think we were all psyched about how we felt, and it was a pleasure to carve big turns in good snow. The bottom of the run was sketch with a few black holes (crevasses) in the glacier that we narrowly avoided. At the end of the snow we were all pretty wasted and still had to hike the 1,000 meters to ABC. Watching the sunset on the neighboring 6,000 and 7,000 meter peaks, we were realizing just how BIG Everest is&she was in full alpenglow as the lower peaks had faded away. On the final part of the descent to ABC we took our own routes, looking for scree to run down to both speed our descent and reduce the pounding on the knees. We knew Lakpa and Kami would have drinks and dinner ready. Two liters of water per person over the day, we got a little dehydrated. We were all worked, but still arrived in camp as the last light of day slipped away in the western sky. Lakpas mouth watering pizza was on the menu that evening. Liquid was what our bodies craved and we barely put a dent in the pie. After dinner, we put our tired bodies to bed after a very gratifying day in the hills. |
 | Tele Dreamin'
Caption: Eric negotiating the bizarre ice formations we encountered in the Central Rongbuk Glacier. |
 | Tele Dreamin'
Caption: Stephen enjoying his favorite form of acclimatizatioin |
 | Tele Dreamin'
Dispatch 8.5.2003 Today we rested after our attempt yesterday of Tele peak, a 6300 meter mountain that we wanted to climb and descend. I say attempt because we were not even half way to the BASE of the peak when we realized our predicament. We did not have bivuac gear (tent/stove/sleeping bags/pads), because we thought little tele peak would be an easy day, with us arriving triumphantly back in camp well before dark. The three hours it took to navigate the first of three glacier crossings left us amazed at their chaotic beauty but determined to continue for another hour, until we realized the futility of our situation. Eric fortunately had the foresight to wand the glacier so that our return journey was completed in half the time. With the sun shining and Chomolungma looking favorably upon us from far above, we took advantage of the fine weather with a much needed washing. It is alternately raining and snowing as I write. On the next clear morning we plan to climb Changzheng Peak, 6977 meters. Changzheng Peak is part of the ridge from Bei Peak or Changtse at 7583 meters down to the splitting of the Central and East Rongbuk Glaciers at 5386 meters. It is accessible directly out of ABC where we have already hiked half way up the face on an earlier outing. We plan on bringing our ski and snowboard gear for some turns along the ridge and down the face but must be careful not to go too far down the glacier as it ends in a hanging serac. Caption: This is about when we realized the futility of our situation and turned around with 'Tele' peak still hours away. |
 | Dukpa Chechi
Caption: Stephen finding his way out of the labyrinth. |
 | Dukpa Chechi
Caption: Another night of Sex and the City, courtesy of Kim Catrall and Conan O'Brien...Kami and Lapka force us to watch... |
 | Dukpa Chechi
Caption: Our ABC companion, Mr. Gorak, enjoying the view... |
 | Dukpa Chechi
Caption: ABC and Everest. |
 | Dukpa Chechi
Caption: ABC with the summit of Chomolungma behind. |
 | Dukpa Chechi
Caption: Eric and Stephen taste testing the fineries of the 'dueling chefs'. |
 | Dukpa Chechi
On Saturday we awoke to 15cm of fresh wet and heavy monsoon snow. Ginger milk chai in hand, the five of us layered up to face a monsoon snow storm. It was a holy holiday in Nepal, which made it a perfect time to hang our prayer flags and perform a puja to the mother goddess, Everest. We hung the flags in the four cardinal directions, and offered food, drink, and smoke to the Goddess. The snow was falling in large flakes, yet the ceremony was filled with warmth and good vibes. Lakpa lead the blessings, while the rest of us were caught in our own thoughts of this sacred place. After a few hours of weathering the storm we found shelter back in our cozy lair and spent the rest of the morning reading and passing the time indoors. After a warm lunch the weather broke and the three of us headed out for a hike to 20,000ft. The views were amazing and our bodies told us we were finally acclimating to life at 18,500ft. The following day, Stephen lead a charge to the glacier for a morning of ice climbing on the giant ice tours. We found great climbing and bouldering. The dry glacier below ABC, has miles of amazing blue ice tours that form an endless labyrinth to explore and climb in. After a great day on the Glacier Stephen, Jimmy, and Kami sat down to another episode of the Everest Iron Chef. Over the past few weeks Lakpa and I have been dueling in the kitchen. We have a one day on one day off rotation. In a friendly game of one upmanship, we try to out do each other everyday by showing off every camp culinary trick we know. &. pizza, cinnamon rolls, biscuits and gravy, tuna casserole, French toast, Thai curries and Stephens favorite, 18 bean stew. Stephen and Jimmy are enjoying the dueling chefs. The weather will dictate our plans for the week. Caption: Team in front of Lhapso after Puja ceremony. |
 | Yak Trains and ABC
We arrived into our Advanced Base Camp (ABC) on the 27th. We are blessed with a high pressure that persists with only an occasional afternoon shower. The trip from base to ABC took seven hours, instead of the normal four, due to an exciting river crossing and the fact that the yak drivers work on Tibet time, which is even more lax than Jackson time. Yesterday, the morning was spent building our toilet. The throne has an amazing view of Chomolungmas north face. Lakpa and Kami think it is over engineered for a latrine, but we were having fun building it and got fairly ambitious with the design. The afternoon was spent building the kitchen and best of all, buffing out our Marmot Lair Dome tent which will act as dining room, communications HQ, library, movie theater, yoga studio and temple all rolled into one. We are waiting for the remainder of our gear to arrive later today via yak train. Our plan is to continue to acclimate and in a couple of days climb and descend on skis and snowboard Xi Lingehain, 6396 meters. This peak is located off of the Xi Rongpu Glacier which is located west-southwest from our ABC and across the Rongbuk (a.k.a. Rongpu) Glacier. The peak looks skier friendly with a northwest facing glacier leading up to the summit at an average angle of 40 degrees. Today dawned cloudy with a light snow falling but has cleared up nicely. The slack-line is going up now, so I have to run to help with the building. Caption: Stephen hanging out in the den. |
 | On the Road 6
Photo Image: Eric after seeing his first 8000 meter peak, on the drive to Tingri. |
 | On the Road 5
Photo Caption: Our escorts for an evening in Tingri. |
 | On the Road 4
jimmy at work |
 | On the Road 3
Photo Caption: Stephen spinning the prayer wheels at the Nyalam Temple. |
 | On the Road 2
Photo Caption: A quick view of the road carrying us up to the Tibetan Plateau. Hundreds of waterfalls cascaded out of the sky. The gorge was over 4000 feet deep in places. |
 | On the Road 1
19.07.03 We finally headed out of Kathmandu after a longer than expected wait. En route we were abruptly stopped 52 KM out of town by a large mudslide that occurred the night before. There was no word when it would be cleared. This was an unusual place for a slide and the dozer was no where in site. Local entrepreneurs were making some extra money by ferrying motorcycles across the muddy blockage for 300 rps, about $4. We met a local man, La Lama, who invited Eric and me to his home for lunch. I was impressed with how clean the mud floor was downstairs, where the kitchen was located. In the upper loft were the bedrooms where we sampled Racksy, a homemade rice brew. La and his family grow rice and corn, eating what they need and selling what they can. They live an uncomplicated life and arent distracted with advertisements and the wanting of the latest greatest thing, which is so common in western society. I admire their contentment. With our hands we ate dal baht and fresh ox yogurt, which they were kind enough to share with us. The dozer worked its magic and cleared just enough space for our bus to hammer through the muddy ruts that remained. We were happy to once again be on our way. We spent the night in Kodhari, the last town before the Friendship bridge which spans China and Nepal. It was near total mayhem as porters were fighting to get one of our loads to hand carry across the bridge to China. After a painless border crossing with the assistance of our Liaison Officer, Mr. Zhao, and our first meal in China we drove in a 94 Toyota Landcruiser up many switchbacks through an amazingly steep and high gorge with thousand plus foot cascades. Nyalam was our home for the next two days where we adjusted to the ever increasing altitude. Being here took me back to 1995 where I was with a team riding mountain bikes to Shishapangma base camp. There has been some growth but the town still retains its western character and gritty feel with mostly Tibetans living here. It seems that everyone in Tibet knows the word hello as many say it with an upturned hand, waiting for a treat. Our Liaison Officer, Mr. Zhao is a friendly man with a quick smile, expressive face and good demeanor who has been on over 30 expeditions to this region. He is looking out for our best interest, which is key as he can make our lives hell if he chooses. Many an expedition have been thwarted due to tensions with their LO. We have met many people on their way to and from Holy Mount Kailash. Deep snow has thwarted the circumambulation efforts of many pilgrims. Today we went for a 2,500 foot hike past prayer flags dispersing their magic into the sky for the world to enjoy and benefit. Between the scratching sounds of big rats running overhead, the smell of the toilet wafting into the window and constant knocking on our door by other group leaders trying to rally their troops for breakfast, we struggle for sleep. Next we will be in Tingri at a height of 4200 meters and a day closer to base camp. Stephen Photo Caption : Prayer flags blowing in the wind at the 16,500 ft Ngenamthong Pass. This was our first glimpse of the Himalaya. |
 | Leaving Kathmandu
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 | Leaving Kathmandu
03.07.16 After six days in Kathmandu, we are finally leaving for Tibet, China. The past six days have been filled with a patch work of tasks. Together as a team we have explored the religious make up of Kathmandu, ridden in countless rickshaws down unknown streets, and pushed the limits of our bellies. Only one case of the Mandu belly to date. Kathmandu is a place of peace and organized chaos. Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and Christians living together in a well balanced state of harmony. As one walks down the street it is hard not to become captivated by chanting monks, swirling incense and loud ass car horns. This morning as the city awoke we met with Lama Thulkhu, a seventh generation reincarnated Lama, who blessed our team. He performed a puja on our prayer flags and gave us all a personal blessing. We are ready for the next stage of the journey. As the cook on this expedition my days have been filled with wandering down mysterious streets looking for the best shops, with the best products. Lakpa Sherpa and I have been packing two months worth of food and supplies. Plus enough kitchen supplies to run a small noodle house in Victor, Idaho. Everything is packed and ready to be loaded into the land cruisers. We were ready for departure two days ago, but there is always something that comes up. In this case it was a hold up with the Chinese visas for our two new team mates. Kami Sherpa and Lakba Sherpa who are both veteran Everest sum miters, with a wealth of knowledge. They will be helping out at basecamp. We now have the visas, and plan on leaving in the morning light. Kathmandu has been wonderful but this not why we are here. The team is ready for our five day acclimatization drive through the Tibetan landscape, and eager to get into the big mountains. Stand by for our next few days of yak tea, and slow climb to elevation. |
| Dispatch 03.07.15
We are still in Kathmandu waiting patiently for the unending visa and permit paperwork to get churned through the bureaucratic machines. We have a lot of exploring to do in the city to keep us entertained, but our hearts are on their way to Tibet. Hopefully, we will be on the road north soon. |
 | Kathmandu
Stephen shopping. |
 | Kathmandu
After a sleepless week of pre departure madness in Jackson, long lines in the airport with massive bags of gear, endless flights and an unexpectedly crazy night in Bangkok, we finally arrived in Kathmandu a couple days ago. We have been running around making last minute purchases and finalizing the endless list of logistical details. I have been cruising around town on a motorcycle trying to remember that I need to stay on the left side of the road. We are dialing in everything and should be getting out of town soon. It has been ten years since I first imagined a snowboard expedition to Everest and I am way stoked to finally be on my way to the North Face with Jimmy Chin and Eric Henderson. |
 | Kathmandu
Jimmy at the Pashupati Hindu Temple. |
 | July 7, Test to remote server
In July of 2003, Stephen will lead a team of mountaineers to Everest's North Face for a two month odyssey; to climb and snowboard the Complete Hornbein Couloir, the most direct line on the mountain. The team will ride mountain bikes from Lhasa, Tibet (China) over two 17,000 foot passes. This ride will leave the team acclimated to the Base Camp altitude of nearly 17,000 feet / 5178 meters. From Base Camp the team will travel 13 miles to the base of the North Face at 19,680 feet / 6000 meters. In July of 2003, Stephen will lead a team of mountaineers to Everest's North Face for a two month odyssey; to climb and snowboard the Complete Hornbein Couloir, the most direct line on the mountain. The team will ride mountain bikes from Lhasa, Tibet (China) over two 17,000 foot passes. This ride will leave the team acclimated to the Base Camp altitude of nearly 17,000 feet / 5178 meters. From Base Camp the team will travel 13 miles to the base of the North Face at 19,680 feet / 6000 meters. Video clip |
 | Test to remote server
test to remote server |
 | July 7, Hornbein direct
In July of 2003, Stephen will lead a team of mountaineers to Everest's North Face for a two month odyssey; to climb and snowboard the Complete Hornbein Couloir, the most direct line on the mountain. The team will ride mountain bikes from Lhasa, Tibet (China) over two 17,000 foot passes. This ride will leave the team acclimated to the Base Camp altitude of nearly 17,000 feet / 5178 meters. From Base Camp the team will travel 13 miles to the base of the North Face at 19,680 feet / 6000 meters. |
 | July 6, Seven Summits Snowboarding Quest
In July of 2003, Stephen will lead a team of mountaineers to Everest's North Face for a two month odyssey; to climb and snowboard the Complete Hornbein Couloir, the most direct line on the mountain. The team will ride mountain bikes from Lhasa, Tibet (China) over two 17,000 foot passes. This ride will leave the team acclimated to the Base Camp altitude of nearly 17,000 feet / 5178 meters. From Base Camp the team will travel 13 miles to the base of the North Face at 19,680 feet / 6000 meters. Video Live! Storm Everest Camp 3 |