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/2011/06/04/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/2011/05/31/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-turn-back-from-everest-summit-attempt-at-camp-4/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/31/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-turn-back-from-everest-summit-attempt-at-camp-4/#comments Tue, 31 May 2011 12:39:28 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=7679 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/31/david-morton-and-melissa-arnot-turn-back-from-everest-summit-attempt-at-camp-4/feed/ 12 First Ascent guides David Morton and Melissa Arnot discuss why they turned back from a summit attempt on Mount Everest at Camp 4. arnot_homepage http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/28/audio-melissa-arnot-calls-from-camp-2-on-everest/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/28/audio-melissa-arnot-calls-from-camp-2-on-everest/#comments Sat, 28 May 2011 16:30:11 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=7674 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/28/audio-melissa-arnot-calls-from-camp-2-on-everest/feed/ 1 Transcript: Hi there, it’s David and Melissa calling to check in from Camp 2 on our way up for the summit bid on Everest. We’re resting, and we’ve had nice weather at Camp 2 today. Then we’re gonna head up tomorrow morning early, early from Camp 2 to try to make our way all the [...] http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/26/melissa-arnot-and-david-morton-set-their-pace-for-everest-summit-attempt/ http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/26/melissa-arnot-and-david-morton-set-their-pace-for-everest-summit-attempt/#comments Thu, 26 May 2011 19:46:29 +0000 First Ascent Brand Team http://blog.firstascent.com/?p=7649 http://blog.firstascent.com/2011/05/26/melissa-arnot-and-david-morton-set-their-pace-for-everest-summit-attempt/feed/ 5 Story by Melissa Arnot When this trip started in April, I knew I would have to work exceptionally hard to stay mentally motivated for the goals ahead. As Dave and I flew out of Makalu Base Camp (one of the most amazingly beautiful experiences of my life) I mentally buckled down, knowing that we would [...] 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/2011/05/17/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/2011/05/02/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 [...]