A team that has moved into Everest Base Camp for 6 – 8 weeks needs a constant supply of goods. We burn fuel, eat food and use up supplies. We also generate rubbish and solid human waste – all of which is removed from Base Camp under the supervision of the S.P.C.C. – the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Commission. In the Everest Region, no roads – just foot paths. So with no wheeled transport, we rely upon other forms of transportation to get our goods.
PORTERS
Porters are an important part of our supply chain and waste removal system. In the old days we had “Sherpa Mail Runners” who carried letters and dispatch messages by foot to and from Base Camp. These days we tend to rely more on the internet to communicate, but it is still possible to get items delivered from Kathmandu by Sherpa Runner in less than three days. The items are flown from Kathmandu to Lukla where they are picked up by a “runner” and carried to us.
One of our porters arrives at camp
A runner with goods
YAKS
Instead of using runners, we use yaks when possible. Yaks are constantly moving in and out of Base Camp. Long an important member of the Berg Adventures team in Nepal is Nim Phuti who has been delivering supplies to us at Base Camp for well over a decade. Often when we trek in Nepal, Nim Phuti accompanies us with her yaks. If you have ever been on a Berg Adventures trip in Nepal, you will most certainly recall Nim Phuti and her beautiful smile. She is an important member of our Everest Expeditions and she plays a very significant role in allowing us to maintain our high level of comfort at camp.
A Yak load arrives
Nim Phuti joins us at camp
Some of the yaks arriving at Base Camp wear earrings!!
HELICOPTERS
We have helicopters at Base Camp every day – even on our bad weather days. They are flying for all kinds of reasons, but it is not impossible to get a much needed item of communications equipment or medical supplies on one of the flights. We have two separate landing zones at Base Camp now, one in the lower sections of Base Camp and one high, right next to the icefall.
A helicopter flies in to camp
Unloading the helicopter
