Everest Base Camp Trek Dispatch

April 14, 2008 – Everest Base Camp - Altitude Taking its Toll

The last two days have been an insane roller coaster of highs and lows as our trekking team braved a sleepless night at 17,000 feet, an exhausting hike across glacial moraine to Everest Base Camp and various illnesses that have challenged each individual physically and mentally.

However, at the end of the day we then once again find ourselves in the ‘sky room’ of Ang Temba’s lodge. The oxygen rich environment here at 13,000 feet allows us to view the peak of the highest mountain in the world out the window, as well as to reflect upon the fact that we achieved our goal of summiting Kala Patar and reaching Everest Base Camp. The probability of a group of four accomplishing these goals together is approximately 25%.

Recent highlights:

• The six plus hours round trip icy rock scramble across the world's longest glacier; The Khumbu Glacier, to Everest Base Camp.
• The base camp is a functioning tent city of 500 plus climbers plus support staff surrounded by the looming and dangerous icefall, where frequent avalanches can be heard and seen.
• As we were all struggling with the altitude on base camp day, we decided to add 3 hours hiking to descend to 16,000 feet for the night. The thought of another sleepless night in Gorak Shep at 17,000 feet, appealed to none of us, including our all-Sherpa, Everest summitter, head-guide Ang Temba.
• Inevitably at these extreme altitudes, the human body is at a weakened state and unable to fight off viruses. Three out of the four of us have been on antibiotics at various points of the trip. Joselyn vomited last night at 2am, 4am and 6am. At 7am head guide Ang Temba ordered a horse and by 8:30 am, with Cipro as her breakfast, Joselyn was descending on this Khumbu ambulance. Having recovered enough after an hour in the saddle, Joselyn did join her team mates on foot for the remaining 6 hours.

Yeti Watch 2008:

After careful analysis of all the available clues, we became the first research expedition in history to successfully locate the Yeti’s lair. Well armed, we approached the Yeti’s snow cave hoping to solve the greatest mystery in the Himalayas once and for all. Much to our surprise it was not the Yeti that answered our knock on the door, but instead a human caretaker. Apparently the Yeti had left for a vacation for the winter, he can be found in Maui at the Grand Wailea Hotel and Resort. He was last spotted sipping Mai Tais at the pool. Foiled again, we returned to camp empty handed.