Climb Mt. Everest with Berg Adventures – Trip Itinerary
Berg Adventures specializes in post-monsoon Everest expeditions. By going
in the autumn, we have the world’s highest mountain much
more to ourselves. We prefer to avoid making Everest attempts
during the springtime climbing season with its hundreds of climbers in Base
Camp and the route to the summit jammed with too many expeditions.
Autumn is a different story, though, and a much different experience for Berg Adventures climbers. The post-monsoon season has always been good to us. Wally Berg himself made his first climb to the Everest summit on October 9th, 1992. His friend Laurie Skreslet, the first Canadian to stand atop Everest, completed his ascent on October 5, 1982.
Members of our 2009 autumn Everest expedition will arrive in Nepal in
late August and acclimatize while enjoying a gradual trek
up the Khumbu Valley. The Berg Adventures Sherpa staff will
have left long before of us and will already 
have
established our Base Camp and will be hard at work building
the route through the Icefall.
We will reach Base Camp on about September 9th and rest a few days as we continue to become accustomed to the altitude. When we are ready, we’ll begin our journeys into the Icefall.
Climbing Everest’s South Col route during the post-monsoon season requires the same time, dedication and effort as do springtime ascents. In 2003 Berg Adventures climbers entered the Khumbu Icefall on September 14th and were on the South Summit November 2nd. In 2006 we began our trips into the Icefall on September 13th and had the great satisfaction of reaching the summit five weeks later.
We suggest that you carefully read the archived dispatches from the Berg Adventures Everest Expeditions of 2003 and 2006 to get a clear picture of your team’s likely schedule for approaching Everest, becoming acclimatized, and ultimately reaching the top.
Our target summit date in 2009 will be between October 10th and October 20th. Everest presents itself differently during every climbing season, and so we will be prepared to adjust our schedule to ensure ourselves the greatest opportunity for safety and success. With years of Everest experience to draw upon, Berg Adventures is committed to climbing Everest in the right way, at the right time, and with the determination and ability to make the most of what the mountain has to offer.
Expedition Schedule for BAI Everest 2009
August 23 – Most team members will depart from their homes.
August 25 – Arrive in Kathmandu and relax while enjoying the color and energy of Nepal’s capital city.Duffels of personal climbing gear and high-altitude clothing will be collected for the cargo flights to Khumbu.
August 26 – Continue to enjoy Kathmandu and attend to any governmental and media affairs involving teammembers.
August 27 – Passenger flights to Lukla.
August 28 – September 6 – Trek to Base Camp, taking plenty of time to acclimatize and to visit the Sherpa families and support facilities that will become increasingly important during our expedition. We will spend several days in Namche ahead of most of the post-monsoon trekkers, and will visit the Buddhist Rinpoches at the monasteries in Thame, Tangboche and Pangboche. Additional acclimatization days are scheduled at Pheriche and at other critical elevations.
September 7 – Projected team arrival at Base Camp. The camp will be fully established and operational. Climbers will be reunited with their gear and extra clothing and can organize their personal tents for the duration of their stay.
September 8 - 11 – On the day that the lamas choose to be most auspicious, we will hold a traditional Buddhist ceremony called a pooja to bless the team. Following the pooja, climbers can begin their journeys into the Icefall. 
September 12 – Possible first trip to Camp I at the top of the Icefall.
September 14 - 19 – “First Rotation”—two nights at Camp I, three nights at Camp II, and the return to Base Camp.
September 20 - 23 – Rest days at Base Camp.
September 24 - 27 – “Second Rotation” with nights at Camp I and Camp II, and a day trip to Camp III.
September 28 - 30 – Rest at Base Camp.
October 1 - 5 – “Third Rotation” including nights at Camp I and Camp II, and a night sleeping at Camp III.
October 6 - 10 – Rest days. Some team members might elect to descend to lower elevations to recuperate before our summit attempt begins. Others may choose to remain at Base Camp. Depending on the individuals and the events of the season, both methods can work well and both options will be fully supported by BAI staff.
October 11 - 16 – Likely first summit attempt. We will spend two nights at Camp II, one night at Camp III, and a short night at the South Col before climbing to the top of Mount Everest. The descent will include a South Col night after summit day, and a night at Camp II during the descent to Base Camp.
Weather and route conditions will affect our schedule. They always do. We could reach the top earlier than October 11, but it might just as easily take an additional 20 days to achieve the summit.
Climbers coming down Mount Everest are often eager to continue descending into the forests and villages of the Khumbu and then make their way quickly to Kathmandu and beyond. To accommodate that need, team members are not obligated to wait for the Icefall route to be removed or for Base Camp to be disassembled. On the other hand, climbers are also welcome to linger at Base Camp and further down the valley as they savor the camaraderie of the BAI Sherpas and take in the culture and warmth of the people of the Khumbu.
October 31 – Make your international plane reservations to leave Kathmandu on this date. As the Berg Adventures Everest Expedition unfolds and our schedule becomes clearer, the BAI office in Kathmandu will help adjust your reservations to match the actual date of your departure.