Everest Base Camp Trek Dispatch

April 9, 2008 – Acclimatization Day at 15,000 feet

Today the Expedition team finds itself acclimatizing in the newly reached high altitudes above the treeline. Our base is the 14,000 ft. town of Pheriche, a seasonal yak grazing outpost as well as common stop for Everest Summit expeditions.  We are generally coping well with the altitude gains, but sleeping and maintaining an appetite is becoming more challenging. Due to the thin air containing less oxygen, efficient breathing is something you must always concentrate on, even when resting.  Today's acclimatization hike took us about 15,000 ft., where we had a 360 degree panoramic view of the surrounding 8,000 meter peaks.

Tomorrow is Nepal's national election day, and to our surprise the locals in Solu Khumbu are not very engaged in this important moment in the country's history.  The Nepalese vote only for representatives to the constitutional assembly (not heads of state), and in this area there is very little campaigning. Candidates rarely come to this region as it is very difficult to reach (no roads or airports at this altitude) and only 5,000 of this voting district's 75,000 voters live in the Solu Khumbu.  The consensus is that the Sherpas of this region are primarily concerned with a return to peace after years of civil war between government and Maoist insurgent forces.

Yeti Watch 2008:

Our scientific research has uncovered various new and useful findings:

• The Yeti typically inhabit caves between 12,000-15,000 feet.
• The Yeti's favorite color is blue.
• The Yeti's favorite television show is Desperate Housewives, but only on Tivo so he doesn't have to watch the commercials.
• Though rarely tested, the Yeti's chance of prostate cancer puts him in the lowest risk category, with a PSA generally below 2.
• The Yeti enjoys long romantic walks on the beach and candlelit dinners.