November 7 - "Nothing but air under your feet"

I’m calling you from Camp One at the end of the long, exceptionally satisfying beautiful mountaineering day. The sun is setting across these beautiful peaks.

Garry on "the corner"We moved across spectacular exposed rock slabs with the slopes dropping off below and tiny glacial lakes thousands of feet below. We moved around one corner in particular where there was nothing under your feet but air as you looked thousands of feet down into the Khumbu. You look down into those familiar, friendly villages we know so well and then we continued climbing up to Camp Two.

It was a spectacular day, a tiring day. Everyone is doing great. A good shakedown or wake up call day for us, a reminder of the thrilling climbing we have ahead in the next days and all we need to do to get prepared for it.

Between camp 1 and 2We’re back at camp now, tired, getting some hot drinks and a meal ready. Tomorrow we’re going to go back to Base Camp and recuperate. So we’ll check out for now from high on Ama Dablam at 19,000 feet. The world is beautiful here. We’re thinking about our families and friends back home. Everyone is safe and happy and we love being in these wonderful mountains.


Ama Dablam 2002
BAI team:


Wally Berg,
Canmore, Alberta
Brent Bishop,
Bozeman, Montana
David Burger,
Boulder, Colorado
Garry Porter
Olalla, Washington
Ryland Gardner
Edwards, Colorado
Doug Frost
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Our objective:

22,494 feet
6857 meters

First Ascent:

March 13, 1961
Barry Bishop
Wally Ramanes
Mike Gill
Mike Ward