Everest Base Camp Trek Dispatch

April 3, 2008 – Namche Bazaar and Views of Ama Dablam

Our second day in Namche Bazaar and things are fantastic.  After being allowed to sleep in this morning (wake up call wasn't until 5:45am), our guides Temba and Min led us on an acclimatization hike, which took us to a beautiful scenic overview above 12,000'.  Despite dense cloud cover and hail storms, we were able to catch a view of the peak of Ama Dablam 22,494 feet.  In the early morning and around dusk when the clouds temporarily clear, we see that we are surrounded by massive mountains on all sides.

Today's observations:

• We are continuously blown away by the enormous loads carried by the local porters.  As there are no roads in the Khumbu, all transport of goods is laboriously undertaken by foot or dangerous and costly helicopter flight.  The Sherpa people of these mountains carry loads exceeding more than twice their own body weight, while we westerners struggle for air carrying nothing but a small backpack.  The body weight-load ratio would be the equivalent of Guy (220 pounds) carrying an oversized refrigerator full of Budweisers up a mountain on a daily basis.  We are in awe...
• Our hike today took us by an abandoned landing strip at 12,000 feet. The use of this landing strip was prohibited after several plane crashes in this storm-prone and mountainous area.

Yeti Watch 2008:

Still no visual confirmation of the scourge of the Himalaya.  One of our hunting yaks caught onto the scent of the creature and followed it into the hinterlands.  Unable to keep up with the limber-footed Yak, we awaited its return throughout the night, but to no avail.  This loss has damaged morale in the expedition, but hopes are high for tomorrow.