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2013 Everest Expedition Recap

Thursday, June 13th, 2013

Our 2013 Everest Expedition has come to an end. We once again want to congratulate our team members Steve Whittington, Todd Pendleton and Daniel Branham. These men were away from home for two months for this expedition, they were a great team throughout and the experiences we shared will live in our memories forever.

The organization of an Everest expedition involves the efforts of a lot of talented and hard working people. We want to thank everyone who helped to make this year’s expedition a success.

Interested in climbing Everest? We’ve already begun planning Spring 2014 expedition – contact our office for details!

Enjoy this awesome recap of the Everest summit day from Steve Whittington. Read the entire recap on his blog. Also, check out the trip dispatches for more photos and details from the expedition.

Everest summit day – by Steve Whittington

It is Sunday May 26th as I write this. It has been nine days since 7:00 am May 17th when I stood on top of the world. It is a nice morning in Kathmandu. The sun is hidden by a grey featureless sky, but the air is warm and humid and my body after all these days still just wants to bathe in thick, moist air. There remain whispers of frost bite scabs on my face and my finger tips are numb, but that day seems so long ago.

Camp on a sunny day

Camp on a sunny day

The first night at the col is lost to me. We tried to rest, we tried to talk but mostly we just lay there lost in our own thoughts, listening to the roar of the wind. We hydrated and waited for the warming sun.

The next day passed quickly, we made our summit climb plan with Dawa the lead Sherpa. Daniel who had struggled between Camp III and IV was now ready to give the summit a go. Todd had been ready since the night before. I did not know. I had not been able to eat since Camp II. While I had rested for over 24 hours I knew having lost over 20 pounds to reach the South Col my reserves were growing thin…or not there at all. I never thought of not going and I was not worried about dying but I knew the risk was out there, between the South Col and the summit.

Dawa Nuru on summit day

Dawa Nuru on summit day

An hour prior to leaving we sat in our tent in a triangle facing each other with all our gear on. No one spoke, we were hollowed out, our faces were pale, grim but set with resolve. This was the final push. We sat and were rocked by the wind buffeting the tent until the final appointed departure time of 7:00 pm.

Todd and Daniel at the South Col

Daniel testing his gear

Daniel testing his gear

I remember the motions, one step in front of another, the stunted vision in the darkness and the blowing snow; the continual struggle for air and energy with every action. At first Dawa led, but about an hour into the climb Tashi and Todd sped past us. I watched their lights grow distant up high above as the storm wrapped us in a tighter embrace. I kept checking Daniel’s progress and his light faded as well into the gloom. At times Dawa and I could see no lights, at times we were alone on the mountain.

We had expected to be slow but we had not expected a storm. The weather was supposed to improve and the winds were forecast to drop. Now many hours later high on the mountain just below the Balcony I struggled to pick myself up. A powerful gust of wind had knocked Dawa and I flat. I pulled out my ice axe and switched to the lead. Rime ice coated us head to toe.

The Balcony is an aptly named flat spot on the route. Sometimes a turn around point depending on how you are feeling. If it has taken everything you got just to reach here, the rule is turn around. Teams stop, hydrate, change oxygen bottles and access whether to continue or not. Dawa and I had struggled hard just to get here. The storm did not seem to be going away or getting better. I thought for sure I had sucked back too much O2 but surprisingly I had a fair bit left. I pulled my nalgene bottle out of my suit, lifted my mask and gulped down some hot orange.

The ridge is not very steep at this point so I walked forward along it, planting my axe and breaking trail in the fresh snow. Dawa pulled the line and I continued to slide my useless ascender along it subconsciously…and then it hit me. I got mad.

Approaching the Hillary Steps

After 56 days on this mountain I was not going to let a storm turn me around. I was breathing well, moving well and I was firmly planting my axe in every step. At this point I knew Daniel and a lot of teams had turned around, I also knew I now wanted carry the torch and summit for Daniel. I wanted to summit from my friend Warren Thompson. I knew my wife believed in me. This wasn’t just about me anymore, I now climbed with renewed strength for them. Energy surged through me as I pushed back against the wind and climbed up the steeping ridge.

It did not take long for Dawa and I to reach Tashi and Todd. I asked Todd what was going on. He did not really know what to say other than Tashi thinks it is too dangerous. It was dangerous, with the storm blowing visibility was low and with everyone turning around you begin to question why you are still climbing. I kept looking ahead into the darkness. Todd asked how my eyes were. I said “fine”…”it is bad up ahead” he commented. We stood there for a few minutes, over the storm we did not really discuss anything. No one talked or wanted to make a decision. Another team came up behind us. Dawa talked to their lead Sherpa. Everyone stood still. I turned and yelled over the wind to Dawa ”We can still turn around ahead?” an unfinished what if scenario question. He understood “Ya”…”Well let’s go” I finished.

While the final sections are considered the most technical, I traversed the corniced ridge line and stemmed up the Hillary Step quickly. Soon it was a victory march on the last broad ridge to the prayer flag adorned summit. Every step was emotional and purposeful. They will stay with me forever. I reached the summit and stared at the world below. It was clear, it was bright, it was beautiful. I burned the moment into my soul.

Steve at the summit

Steve at the summit

Todd on top of the world

Todd on top of the world

Looking down from the summit

Looking down from the summit

View from the summit

View from the summit

While tiring, the way down was uneventful. I took my time and rappelled where I needed to. The weather had cleared and the day had turned out to be a perfect summit day. I stopped at the balcony, it was out of the wind so I did a dispatch call dedicating the summit success to my friend Warren Thompson. I still had a way to go to the South Col, but I knew another mask and more oxygen was waiting for me down there. When I reached the South Col I was quite hypoxic. I could not find the spare mask or additional oxygen. I admit for a while I grew quite frantic and only after finding them and a sat phone call to Wally Berg our expedition leader at base camp did I begin to settle down. Todd made it down shortly after I did. We were both exhausted and had frostbite on our faces which were also swollen from the beating the wind had handed out. Todd had also incurred frost bite on a finger and several toes. The summit had taken it’s toll. Considering the shape we were in we decided we needed to rest the night before heading down. The next day I reached Camp II and the day after base camp. After 58 days the climb was over. I could go home.

Wally Berg Reflects at Base Camp

Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013

Some things about climbing Everest change; some do not. Fifty years ago, the American Mount Everest Expedition met a Reuters correspondent named Elizabeth Hawley in Kathmandu. Throughout their expedition Miss Hawley tracked the news that the team sent out via shortwave radio – the messages were often sent in code and relayed by ham radio operators to a Father Moran who was monitoring on his HF radio in K’du.

By the time I got to Nepal to climb in the 1980’s Liz Hawley was already a legend. I was honored and somewhat awed the first time that I met her. Soon I was among those climbers who knew that every time I arrived at my hotel in Kathmandu for a new expedition the phone would ring – often as I was still checking in. Miss Hawley would want to know when we could meet so that she could gather information about team members and our objective. We quickly learned that Elizabeth Hawley just wanted the facts. Those of us who learned to set our egos aside for our Liz Hawley interviews, and get the spelling of team members’ names straight, became very fond of Liz and I can say that her consistent presence in Katmandu over the years since I first met her has meant much to me. I always look forward to those calls.

Steve Whittington, Daniel Branham, Elizabeth Hawley and Billi Bierling at the Yak and Yeti Hotel, Kathmandu, March 2013

Steve Whittington, Daniel Branham, Elizabeth Hawley and Billi Bierling at the Yak and Yeti Hotel, Kathmandu, March 2013

I am happy to report that Liz keeps up with the times. Within in 24 hours of Berg Adventures climbers reaching the summit on May 17, my Nepalese NCELL mobile phone rang at Base Camp. Miss Hawley was on the line to say, “Congratulations and when will you be in Kathmandu and when can we meet?” Don’t worry, Liz. We will make sure that you can find us. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.

How We Get Things Delivered to Us at Everest Base Camp

Monday, May 13th, 2013

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

One of our porters arrives at camp

A runner with goods

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

A Yak load arrives

Nim Phuti joins us at camp

Nim Phuti joins us at camp

Some of the yaks arriving at Base Camp wear earrings!!

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

A helicopter flies in to camp

Unloading the helicopter

Unloading the helicopter

Thoughts about Camp II Quarrel

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013
The majestic beauty of the “Valley of Silence” from Camp III

The majestic beauty of the “Valley of Silence” from Camp III

If you have been following the international news this week, you may have seen a story about an altercation at Camp II on Everest. Wally has posted his response to this incident as a part of today’s dispatch. We have also posted a well-written report from Garrett Madison who spoke to many people involved in order to shed light on what really took place.

Meet the BAI 2013 Everest Climbers

Tuesday, April 9th, 2013

Everest team members Daniel Branham, Steve Whittington and Todd Pendleton have arrived at Everest Base Camp and are now preparing for their climb. Read their bios on our Meet the BAI Climber page and be inspired!

Follow the 2013 BAI Everest Expedition dispatches here.

Everest Base Camp Trek Spring 2013: What Makes It Special?

Wednesday, February 6th, 2013

This spring marks both the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest, as well as the 50th anniversary of the first American ascent. It will be an exciting time in Everest’s Khumbu region and we welcome you to join us in the celebration!

In April 2013, Berg Adventures alumni will attempt to summit Mt. Everest for themselves. YOU have the opportunity to trek with the team to Everest Base Camp where you will spend two nights enjoying the camaraderie as the team prepares for their ascent to the top of the world. What else makes our Spring 2013 Everest Base Camp Trek so special?

Trekking with a Berg Adventures Mount Everest climbing team is not inherently different from our other Base Camp treks; we follow the same trails, see the same remarkable scenery, stay at the same welcoming tea lodges and eat the same delicious home-cooked meals. What makes this trip different is that you get to experience the trek through the eyes of an Everest climber.

The Boudanath Stupa in Kathmandu

The Boudanath Stupa in Kathmandu

From the moment you land at the Lukla Airport, you will feel the excitement of the season upon you. The air is palpable with the feeling of anticipation and all hopeful eyes are cast upon the summit of the great Chomolungma. You will see the signs of expedition preparation at every turn: endless trains of yaks carrying climbing gear and supplies, teams of climbers gathered around maps, lamas offering blessings and locals offering well wishes, and the transformation of Everest Base Camp from a pile of moraine into a bustling city of tents.

Mist descends upon the village of Namche Bazaar

Mist descends upon the village of Namche Bazaar

Spending two nights camping at Everest Base Camp with the team will be an unforgettable experience that will give you one final glimpse into the life of an Everest climber. At camp you will get to see the challenges that the team faces as you stare up at the dramatic wall of the Khumbu Ice Fall, watch the snow blowing off of Mount Everest’s summit and feel the cool morning air before the sun reaches camp. With a bit of luck, you may find yourself at Base Camp for the traditional Buddhist ceremony called the pooja. Not until the pooja has been performed can the team proceed into the Khumbu Icefall.

Colorful tents reflect the vibrant atmosphere of Everest Base Camp

Colorful tents reflect the vibrant atmosphere of Everest Base Camp

On this trip you will receive all of the benefits of a Berg Adventures trek – excellent guides and support staff, a private team cook serving three hot, fresh meals and at least one snack per day, cozy nights in welcoming lodges and a level of service that will make you wish that everyday could be a Berg Adventures Day!

Register for the Everest Expedition Support Trek today!

Questions? Contact our office: info@bergadventures.com

Trip Dates: March 22 to April 12, 2013

Nepal 2012: Something for Everyone

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

Visit the stunning homeland of the Sherpa people and stand in the shadow of the mountain they call Chomolungma – Mount Everest. Whether you want to climb a 6000m peak (or an 8000m peak!) or you want to embark on a trekking adventure, we’ve got the perfect trip for you.

A classic Sherpa village surrounded by towering peaks

A classic Sherpa village surrounded by towering peaks

All of our adventures in Nepal begin in the colorful city of Kathmandu where the historic sites, the restaurants and the shopping could keep you occupied for days on end. After two days in the city, we fly to a place that so greatly contrasts Kathmandu – the land of the Sherpa’s, Everest’s Khumbu Valley. Our classic trip, the Everest Base Camp Trek, is offered twice a year and it is truly spectacular. This year we are also offering a shorter trek through the Everest Region over the Christmas holidays. This trip is designed to be family friendly, so bring the kids! In the next few months, we will also be introducing a trek to the remote Dolpo region of Nepal. Stay tuned to the newsletters and Berg Adventures Blog for more on this exciting new adventure!

Ama Dablam – quite the sight

Ama Dablam – quite the sight

If you have never done much trekking before, the Everest Base Camp Trek is a great introduction. Days are long and you’ll often find yourself walking up hill, but the pace is relaxed and you will be well looked after. We stay in comfortable tea lodges in spectacular locations all along the route, and have arguably the best cook in the region whose specialties include roasted chicken, “sushi” and chocolate cake.

If trekking to Base Camp doesn’t sound challenging enough for you, ask us about our High Passes of Everest adventure or about climbing one of the renowned peaks in the Everest region such as Lobuche Peak, Island Peak or Ama Dablam. Each of these adventures travels to base camp with the trekking team before branching off to further explore the beauty of the Everest Region.

A beautiful view of Everest from Gokyo on our High Passes Trek

A beautiful view of Everest from Gokyo on our High Passes Trek

We are also excited to announce that we have an Everest Expedition in Spring 2013. For more information visit the Everest page on our website or contact our office to arrange a time to discuss your Everest climbing ambitions with Wally Berg, world-class mountain guide and Everest expedition leader.

Everest Base Camp 2012 Dates:

  • April 22 – May 15, 2012
  • October 8 – October 30, 2012

For more information about our Everest Base Camp Trek click here.

For more information on our Christmas Trek click here.

Travel Reading Series: Two Books about the Seven Summits

Friday, December 16th, 2011

Anyone with any interest in mountaineering today has heard of the infamous Seven Summits – the highest point on each of the seven continents. But just 30 years ago, no one had ever heard of such a concept and only a few had even thought about it. No one had achieved the feat.

To learn more about the seven summit climbs, I read two books this month. The first is Beyond Everest: Quest for the Seven Summits written by Pat Morrow and published in 1986. The second was Seven Summits: The Quest to Reach the Highest Point on Every Continent edited by Steve Bell and published in 2000. Both books were fascinating and helped me to understand just how difficult these climbs can be.

To read the full book review click here.

Start your own quest for the Seven Summits and join one of our upcoming expeditions:

Aconcagua, Argentina, South America

View trip description.

  • January 14-February 3, 2012
  • January 12-February 1, 2013

Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa

View trip description.

  • January 20 – February 2, 2012
  • July 13 – 26, 2012
  • September 1- 14, 2012
  • December 21, 2012 – January 3, 2013
  • December 28, 2012 – January 10, 2013
  • January 18-31, 2013
  • February 8-21, 2013

Mount Elbrus, Russia, Europe

View trip description.

  • June 29, 2013-July 14, 2012
  • June 28, 2013 – July 13, 2013
  • June 28 – July 13, 2013
  • July 12-27, 2013

Mount Vinson, Antarctica

View trip description.

Travel Reading Series: The Writings of Sir Edmund Hillary

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

Over the course of his life, Sir Edmund Hillary published 10 books and countless articles. This month, we chose to read Hillary’s first and last books as a part of the Berg Adventures Travel Reading Series. His first book, High Adventure (1955) tells the exciting story of the successful Everest Expedition of 1953, and his last book, an autobiography called View from the Summit (2000) covers everything from his first encounters with mountaineering to the last years of his life.

High Adventure is a rather humble retelling of the first successful summit of Mount Everest. From the reconnaissance mission of 1951, to the Himalayan training exercises of 1952 and finally the successful 1953 expedition, the book traces his long road to the summit. Hillary tells his story in a very straight-forward manner with a degree of nonchalance. The events of the story are often dramatic and the accomplishments great, yet he writes as though he is describing his morning routine rather than the climb of an 8000 meter peak. However, the intensity and difficulty of the 1953 Everest Expedition is not lost, and the book will leave you with respect for Hillary, Tenzing, the 1953 Everest team and high altitude climbers today.

An informative, and at times, page-turning read, High Adventure lacks a personal element and tells the reader little about Hillary himself. In contrast, View from the Summit, reveals much more about Hilllary’s personal life and experiences in a thoughtful and honest way. Though his writing-style does not change much, he lets down his guard and reflects upon his life with a hint of nostalgia. While reading the book, I often felt as though I was sitting in a cozy den listening to Hillary recount his life’s joys, hardships and adventures.

The book begins with a concise, colorful, and ultimately, more interesting retelling of the 1953 Everest Expedition. It is more opinionated too. To start, he admits that he was not John Hunt’s biggest fan and he describes his anger about discovering that Eric Shipton would not be leading the expedition. Perhaps the most interesting addition to the story of the Everest climb was the description of his realization that he, a simple bee-keeper from New Zealand, had become a celebrity overnight and his life would never be the same. It took him a few speaking tours to figure out how exactly to handle the publicity and he soon learned to embrace his status and to use it to help improve the lives of others. He started the Himalayan Trust in order to raise money for development projects throughout the Himalayas and the organization is still going strong today.

Many people know about Hillary’s summit of Everest and his humanitarian efforts, but most now little else. View from the Summit tells the untold stories of Sir Edmund’s life. He led a team of tractors to the South Pole (a much more difficult endeavor than it sounds), led an expedition to search for the yeti in Nepal, and jet boated up the Ganges River making it all the way to the headwaters. After summiting Everest, Hillary did not have much luck with high altitude climbs – in fact, he suffered from cerebral edema several times and avoided death only by relying on the rescue efforts of his fellow climbers. Also, he lost his wife and youngest daughter in a plane crash and sunk into a dark period of guilt and sadness. He remarried in the late 80s and became the New Zealand High Commissioner to India in the 90s. Up until the last months of his life he was still visiting his friends in Nepal, building schools, hospitals, dams, and other infrastructure to improve the lives of the people there. Now that is a life well-lived!

If you’re looking for an account of the first successful summit of Everest, then consider reading High Adventure, but if you’re more interested in learning about the life of a fascinating and inspiring man, then View from the Summit is the book for you.

A Closer Look at Lukla Airstrip

Saturday, September 4th, 2010

If you have been following the international news, you have likely heard about the recent crash at Lukla Airport in Nepal that occurred on August 24.

Thousands of trekkers and mountaineers fly into the Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla every year to begin their journey through the Everest region. To hear of a crash at Lukla is not surprising to many anxious flyers who are wary about what the History Channel has listed at the top of its “Most Extreme Airports” list. However, historically, incidents at the Lukla airport are rare. Very few planes attempt travel there during the monsoon season. Because of this, there have only been six previous incidents in the entire history of the airport, and only two of those involved fatalities.

Also, to clarify a little, the fateful flight on August 24th did not crash at the Lukla Airport. Due to heavy rains, the pilots had decided to turn around and head back to Kathmandu, rather than attempt a landing at Lukla. It was outside a small town about 50 miles from Kathmandu that the plane unfortunately went down.

All of us at Berg Adventures would like to send our thoughts out to the families and friends of the passengers and crew at this sad time.

Lukla airstrip

Lukla airstrip