http://blog.firstascent.com THE FIRST ASCENT BLOG Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:11:45 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/07/06/watch-makalu-by-first-ascent-guide-david-morton/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/07/06/watch-makalu-by-first-ascent-guide-david-morton/#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:01:38 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=8053 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/07/06/watch-makalu-by-first-ascent-guide-david-morton/feed/ 5 This past spring, First Ascent guides David Morton and Melissa Arnot attempted to climb Makalu, the fifth-tallest peak in the world. David produced this short film documenting their expedition. http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/06/04/melissa-arnot-recovers-and-reflects-on-makalu-and-everest-attempts/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/06/04/melissa-arnot-recovers-and-reflects-on-makalu-and-everest-attempts/#comments Sat, 04 Jun 2011 14:40:53 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=7730 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/06/04/melissa-arnot-recovers-and-reflects-on-makalu-and-everest-attempts/feed/ 7 After two months at altitude attempting summits of Everest and Makalu back-to-back, First Ascent guide Melissa Arnot reflects on her and David Morton's expedition in the Himalaya. Morton and Arnot Xrays http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/25/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-arrive-at-everest-base-camp/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/25/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-arrive-at-everest-base-camp/#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 14:30:50 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=7629 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/25/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-arrive-at-everest-base-camp/feed/ 3 Story and photos by David Morton Spectacular. Absolutely spectacular. Just can’t say enough about that helicopter flight. We landed in Everest base camp a few hours ago. We’re sitting in relative luxury, drinking tea. That is, compared with our minimalist set up at Makalu base camp. I think we’re enjoying it. I’m not sure yet. It’s quite a shock to [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/23/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-descend-makalu-safely-but-short-of-a-summit/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/23/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-descend-makalu-safely-but-short-of-a-summit/#comments Mon, 23 May 2011 18:06:13 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=7587 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/23/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-descend-makalu-safely-but-short-of-a-summit/feed/ 15 Story by Melissa Arnot and David Morton, photos by David Morton Melissa: It is sometime between 7 and 9 p.m. Today, May 20, we carried our camp up to our highest resting point, Camp 4 at 7,600 meters. This is as high as I have slept without oxygen, and I am feeling the effects. I can take about [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/18/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-set-makalu-summit-attempt-for-may-21/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/18/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-set-makalu-summit-attempt-for-may-21/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 15:08:44 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=7551 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/18/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-set-makalu-summit-attempt-for-may-21/feed/ 2 Story and photos by David Morton I’m sitting, drinking another cup of tea at base camp. Yep, still. I’ve had a lot of time to stare around at the majesty that surrounds us here. My head is tilted way back half the day, staring far into the distance where spindrift curls off a jagged ridgeline [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/17/melissa-arnot-and-david-morton-reach-peaks-of-anxiety-before-makalu-summit-attempt/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/17/melissa-arnot-and-david-morton-reach-peaks-of-anxiety-before-makalu-summit-attempt/#comments Tue, 17 May 2011 15:30:29 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=7535 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/17/melissa-arnot-and-david-morton-reach-peaks-of-anxiety-before-makalu-summit-attempt/feed/ 2 Story by Melissa Arnot, photos by David Morton The waiting game is not one I am good at. It seems that all the nervous energy of an entire expedition can be pushed into the days preceding a summit attempt. Each morning creates the same intense set of emotions: Will we rest today? Will we head [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/14/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-reach-camp-iii-test-patience-for-a-summit-bid/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/14/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-reach-camp-iii-test-patience-for-a-summit-bid/#comments Sat, 14 May 2011 16:00:06 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=7492 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/14/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-reach-camp-iii-test-patience-for-a-summit-bid/feed/ 7 Story and photos by David Morton Camp III? Check. The scorecard? Five rotations and one night above 7,000 meters (at Camp III). Not ideal, but we’ll take what we can get. While multitudes of people seem to be making the summit over on Everest, we’re counting our blessings having gotten to spend a good night [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/09/strong-winds-on-makalu-keep-camp-iii-out-of-reach-for-arnot-and-morton/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/09/strong-winds-on-makalu-keep-camp-iii-out-of-reach-for-arnot-and-morton/#comments Mon, 09 May 2011 16:50:11 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=7439 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/09/strong-winds-on-makalu-keep-camp-iii-out-of-reach-for-arnot-and-morton/feed/ 2 Story by Melissa Arnot, photos by David Morton As I sit in the tent at 6,600 meters, I cannot tell if I am having déjà vu or if I am just having the feeling of it because I really have been here before — actually four times before. Makalu is giving us no breaks right [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/07/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-make-rotations-to-camp-ii-on-makalu/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/07/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-make-rotations-to-camp-ii-on-makalu/#comments Sat, 07 May 2011 17:29:19 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=7433 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/07/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-make-rotations-to-camp-ii-on-makalu/feed/ 3 Story and photos by David Morton Calm. Sun. Something resembling warmth by 10 a.m. The pond next to my tent shows hints of a thaw. Are those signs of spring? Or is this just a sucker hole? It’s so hard to tell here, up high in the Himalaya. I’m choosing to file it as an auspicious sign, [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/02/melissa-arnot-and-david-morton-prepare-to-push-to-camp-ii-and-iii-on-makalu/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/02/melissa-arnot-and-david-morton-prepare-to-push-to-camp-ii-and-iii-on-makalu/#comments Mon, 02 May 2011 16:27:10 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=7370 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/02/melissa-arnot-and-david-morton-prepare-to-push-to-camp-ii-and-iii-on-makalu/feed/ 6 Story by Melissa Arnot, photos by David Morton and Melissa Arnot Paradox: noun; a situation, person or thing that combines contradictory features or qualities. Base camp on Makalu is a paradox of comfort and struggle. It is high, about the equivalent of being halfway up the icefall on Everest. It is lonely. There are only a [...]