The official results have been posted on the Everest Marathon website. Leo Power finished 61 out of 93 competitors. Among the 52 foreign runners, Leo finished 20th. Great job Leo!

For full marathon results visit http://www.everestmarathon.com/article-2011_race_results

Yesterday, Canadian Leo Power crossed the finish line of the Tenzing–Hillary Everest Marathon. Despite the thin air, rough terrain, changing temperatures and steep trails, Leo completed the high altitude race in 8 hours 23 minutes, 29 seconds. Congratulations to Leo!

The race is held on the anniversary of the first summit of Everest by Tenzing and Hillary on May 29, 1953. It is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s highest marathon beginning at Everest Base Camp 17,500ft/5,333m and ending 26.2 miles / 42 km later in Namche 11,319ft/3450m. Don’t let the elevations fool you, this race is far from a downhill road race. Instead it is an up and down, winding trail on rocky, mountainous terrain. It’s so challenging in fact, that it was named one of the World’s 10 Insanely Hard Marathons: http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-over-the-top-marathons.php

And Leo wasn’t the only successful Berg Adventures runner: Crossing the finish line with him was Berg Adventures talented cook, Jheta Rai.

Read more about Leo’s spectacular journey in his poetic dispatches here: http://www.bergadventures.com/v3_cyber/2011/2011-05-13-everest-base-camp/main.php

Whether you’re a marathon hopeful or not, you can learn more about trekking to Everest Base Camp here: http://www.bergadventures.com/v3_trips/asia/everest-basecamp-description.php

Anyone who followed the dispatches for our 2011 Spring Everest Base Camp Trek knows that eleven year old Mathes was a true superstar on the trail. Mathes joined her grandfather (“PaPou”) and Berg Adventures veteran, Woodie Vaughan, for this special and unforgettable trek through Nepal’s Khumbu Valley. It is no secret that Woodie has been planning this trip since his granddaughter was less than a year old and one of her sayings as a little girl was, “I’m going to Kathmandu with my PaPou.” While many worried that she would face difficulties acclimatizing and coping with the challenges of trekking for more than two weeks, Mathes proved that age means nothing when you’ve got the right attitude. She acclimatized with ease, stayed incredibly healthy and didn’t complain once. It was such a joy having Mathes on our trek and it was a pleasure to see Mathes and her grandfather bonding in a way neither of them will ever forget.

Before we left Khumjung, Mathes visited with a Tibetan refugee monk who is studying at the monestary above Khunde.

If you would like to read about the trek from an eleven year old’s perspective, you can find Mathes’ lovely account here on her school blog: http://wordpress.lovett.org/mathes/2011/04/19/getting-ready/.

You can also read our dispatches complete with many great photos here: http://www.bergadventures.com/v3_cyber/2011/2011-04-23-everest-base-camp/main.php.

If you’re interested in trekking to base camp with us, please visit our Everest Base Camp homepage here: http://www.bergadventures.com/v3_trips/asia/everest-basecamp-description.php.

We quickly wanted to share this gorgeous photo that we just received from our dear friend and Berg Adventures Director of Operations Nepal, Ang Temba Sherpa. Everest’s Khumbu Valley awaits our arrival and we can hardly wait to get there. Our spring trekking team will be meeting in Kathmandu next Monday, April 25, for three exhilarating weeks in one of the world’s most breathtaking places.

Follow along our dispatches as we trek through the Khumbu Valley to Everest Base Camp.

“We are experiencing classic October weather that has made this the most popular month for trekking to Everest Base Camp; clear blue sky mornings with afternoon clouds that make the lodges cozy and the mountains around us seem mystical.”

– Wally Berg, 2009 Fall Everest Base Camp Trek Dispatches

The long summer rains have been good to Everest’s Khumbu Valley and the people are joyful as they enjoy the festivities and surpluses of the harvest season. It is October and the rains have come to an end leaving behind them a sea of green. Fat and healthy yaks carry loads of fresh produce and trekking gear up and down the trails with little effort. Excitement and anticipation are in the air as the seasonal trekkers arrive at the Lukla airport and begin their migration towards Namche – the Khumbu Valley’s center of commerce and activity.

October and November are the busiest months for trekking in Nepal, and rightfully so. The weather is fantastic, the scenery is unmatched, and the general mood of the valley is festive. While some may worry the business of the season could detract from the experience, most people who have trekked in the fall would argue the contrary. Trekkers and locals alike enjoy the camaraderie of the fall season and even the busiest of times in the Khumbu are not that busy. You will find plenty of time for solitude and reflection, especially because we stay in small, quiet, and friendly lodges, travel with our own cooks, and take you to some of favorite places off the well-trodden paths.

With 25 years of experience in the Everest Region, Berg Adventures offers the best there is any time of year.

Upcoming Trip Dates:

• October 8 – 31, 2011
• April 22 – May 15, 2012
• October 7 – 30, 2012

To learn more, visit the Everest Base Camp Trek home page or call our office at 403-609-4148.

Read about past trips in our Everest Base Camp dispatch archives.

Or follow along as we trek next month! Once our adventure begins we will post dispatches here.