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Title image - BAI takes you to: Mt. Everest

Berg Adventures 2013 Everest Expedition Dispatch

April 2, 2013 – Lama Geshe of Pangboche Offers Blessing to Our Group

It’s the morning of April 2nd and it’s a beautiful morning in Pheriche. We’re 4,300 meters above sea level (about 14,000ft). The sky’s perfectly clear; I’m looking up at the big peaks all around, Cho Oyu, Ama Dablam, Lobouche peak, which is right up towards Base Camp. We’ll go right underneath Lobouche beginning tomorrow as we approach higher towards Base Camp.

We’re definitely in the mountains now. Steve made that comment to me as we approached Pheriche yesterday. The air is much colder. We’re all feeling the altitude, but this is a very exciting place to be.

Yesterday, the time we spent with Lama Geshe was memorable to say the least. It will stay with us throughout the rest of this trek and expedition and I think for all our lives. What a character! 79 years old, he’s meant a great deal to the Sherpa people for many, many years. Geshe is the something like PHD. Lama Geshe is an academic. He was schooled in Tibet before the Chinese occupation then he came to Nepal.

He’s been a very dear man to expedition climbers for years; certainly to Berg Adventures climbers and trekkers. We’ve had a very close relationship with him. His laughter, his wisdom, and just his joy of life stays with you as you walk out of a blessing by him and we all felt very, very fortunate to spend that time with him yesterday.

Audio of Wally's call Listen to Wally's call

Update from Wally Berg:

Joanne, Howard, Ed, and Ang Nuru climbed above Pheriche to the elevation of 15,000ft/4,572m to stretch their legs and enjoy the scenery. Then they returned by lunch time at 1pm. The rest of us spend the day in the sunroom, catching up on our journals and relaxing, continuing to acclimatize. Most of our group attended the lecture at the Himalayan Rescue Association Pheriche Clinic where they heard an explanation from the volunteer doctors there about acclimatization and physiology at altitude.

We had snow this afternoon also. That was particularly exciting for Katie Branham. She’s seen snow three different days on this trip so far. Being from Knoxville, she loves snow. She says it snows there a few times every year but not enough. Now evening time, the sky’s getting clear again. We’re getting ready to spend our last night in Pheriche. We’re going to Lobouche at 16,000ft tomorrow and we’ll keep everyone updated on our progress as we climb up onto the terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier towards Everest Base Camp.

We awoke to a beautiful morning in Pangboche.

We awoke to a beautiful morning in Pangboche.

Lama Geshe of Pangboche

Lama Geshe of Pangboche

We had fresh snow overnight.  After breakfast we walked to upper Pangboche, which is the location of the 500 year old Pangboche Monastery.

We had fresh snow overnight. After breakfast we walked to upper Pangboche, which is the location of the 500 year old Pangboche Monastery.

We went straight to Lama Geshe’s house, which is located near the monastery. We had the prayer flags which will fly at Base Camp blessed by Geshe.  Several of our team members had prayer flags to take home blessed as well.

We went straight to Lama Geshe’s house, which is located near the monastery. We had the prayer flags which will fly at Base Camp blessed by Geshe. Several of our team members had prayer flags to take home blessed as well.

Temba gave Lama Geshe each of our names, which he translated into Tibetan as he wrote a personal message to each of us.

Temba gave Lama Geshe each of our names, which he translated into Tibetan as he wrote a personal message to each of us.

A message from Lama Geshe

A message from Lama Geshe

Steve and Katie (left), who were married 6 months ago, and Daniel and Cassidy (right), just engaged, received blessings of happiness in their lives together.

Steve and Katie (left), who were married 6 months ago, and Daniel and Cassidy (right), just engaged, received blessings of happiness in their lives together.

The climbers got a special blessing from Lama Geshe.

The climbers got a special blessing from Lama Geshe.

Todd Pendleton blessed.

Todd Pendleton blessed.

Daniel and Geshe both crack up as he is being blessed.

Daniel and Geshe both crack up as he is being blessed.

Steve Whittington blessed.

Steve Whittington blessed.

Katie Ross  blessed.

Katie Ross blessed.

A medical doctor from Canada receives a blessing from a doctor of Tibetan learning.

A medical doctor from Canada receives a blessing from a doctor of Tibetan learning.

Joanne Howes blessed.

Joanne Howes blessed.

Katie Branham blessed.

Katie Branham blessed.

The bride-to-be, Cassidy Moran blessed.

The bride-to-be, Cassidy Moran blessed.

Ed McAlister blessed.

Ed McAlister blessed.

When we stepped outside Geshe’s home Ama Dablam rose gloriously above us.

When we stepped outside Geshe’s home Ama Dablam rose gloriously above us.