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SKIING THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA PART 1
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GETTING INTO WINTER CLIMBING SHAPE WITH FA GUIDE CHAD PEELE
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CARSTENSZ PYRAMID THE HEROES PROJECT EXPEDITION IN THREE ACTS
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KYLE MILLER ON FIRST FILM PREMIERE AND TRANSITIONING FROM SKI BUM TO PRO ATHLETE
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BE FIRST RECIPIENT JON TURK RECAPS HIS EPIC, FIRST CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF ELLESMERE ISLAND
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TAHOE GUIDE MEETING DAY 2 THE GUIDE BUILT PROCESS
Everest Dispatch #27
April 19, 2009
Everest Basecamp…….. 17,530 ft.
By Seth Waterfall
Another beautiful day at Everest Basecamp. The weather so far this season has been really great. We’ve had traces of snow some nights but most days have been warm, sunny and the climbing conditions have been, as my friends say, ‘splitter’.
Dave, Erica and I took advantage of the conditions today and went for an acclimatization hike. We went down the Khumbu, out of Basecamp and towards Pumori a ca. 23,000 foot peak located across the glacier from Nuptse. The trail below Basecamp was moderately busy with climbers, trekkers, porters and yak trains. Hiking the trails around here with Dave is always fun because he invariably runs into some one he knows, usually several people. Today we ran into a British gent who had done some scientific work on several of the artifacts that Dave and team had recovered when they found Mallory’s body on the North Ridge of Everest in ’99. They had never met face-to-face but had known of each other for a few years. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate place for the two to meet.
On our hike we passed through Pumori Basecamp and then walked out across a rocky ridgeline. At a high point on the ridge we were rewarded with spectacular views of Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. After getting the requisite photos Dave and Erica headed back to camp for lunch while I continued on to Camp 1 on Pumori. From there the views were even more spectacular. I could see all the way from Basecamp, up the icefall, through part of the Western Cwm (although Nuptse blocks most of this), up the Lhotse Face to the South Col and then I could follow parts of the South East Ridge of Everest to the Summit. It was very cool to be able to see almost the entire climbing route. It also gave me a great visual representation of why it takes about two months to climb this mountain. It’s a long way from basecamp to the summit!!!
The rest of the team is doing great as well. Ed and Peter had spent last night at Camp 1 and today they moved up to Camp 2 (Advanced Basecamp). They called on the radio in the morning and reported that all was well and they called again when they had reached ABC. Melissa made her way through the icefall in the early morning hours, climbing her way from Basecamp to Camp 1. Everyone took advantage of the great weather today.
The team is spread out on the mountain for the next few days but that’s neither unexpected nor a bad thing on a long expedition. Our schedules will overlap again soon and we’ll all be together and that will be great. But for now it’s nice to have a little extra room in the dining tent.
-Seth Waterfall
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Comments 
Good to see the gear so prominent in these set of pics….I got a sneak peek at some of the gear a few days ago and it is stellar!!!! I am going to feel so proud to be selling this in our store in the fall!! Thank you all for being such an inspiration to me to stay healthy and active!
The technology you are using to post these video blogs is amazing. I’m following your RSS feed and hope for the best on your trip!
My students and I are eagerly following your Everest adventure and wish you the best of luck!
Good Luck Erica and hope that ankle feels better.We are all routing for you and Melissa. Girl power!!Sorry guys we couldn’t resist!!Glad to know the team is doing well.
We look forward to the next installment.
Ed, Dave, Peter, and Seth. What things are you telling the “rookies”? Pace and breathing, learn to handle this type of pain and that kind head down immediately are examples that come to my mind? Listen for that sound it means danger and that sound I haven’t been able to explain. Can you guys describe your feelings as they change during this project/climb/guide trip etc. What access to the outside world do you have available and are you guys using it etc?
I can’t express how cool this is and I appreciative that we are allowed to have this kind of daily briefing of what you guys are doing. Thanks to EB & WM and others for sponsoring this expedition. The guy that is editing is doing a great job. It would be nice to see what has been edited out but I know it must be very tough to pick the theme and or story each day. Stay safe and we’re thinking about you guys.
Way to go Seth!
I heard about this from my dad. Our dads are cousins…I’m not sure what that makes us…but it’s really cool what you’re doing.
I live in Telluride and even your base camp dwarfs our pride by almost 4 thousand feet! AWESOME.
Larry Forsythe Jr