Ama Dablam Expedition Dispatch

November 2, 2015 – Our Puja Ceremony at the Base of Ama Dablam

A well-deserved late morning brunch in Pangboche, followed by an easy two hour climb, found us in Ama Dablam base camp. The walk is quite steep from the Imj River and weaves through a small rhododendron forest, a number of high rolling yak pastures, before cresting a small ridge and opening up into a high meadow where base camp is situated. The meadow is quite large and surprisingly flat, with a small stream running through its middle. Yaks are grazing about and the sound of the bells around their necks is ever present. Of course Ama Dablam frames up this picturesque scene, since we are literally encamped at its base. Expeditions from all around the world are here this season and their neat rows of tents dot the meadow. If we thought the Lobuche Base Camp was spectacular, our new camp takes it to the next level. Our Sherpas placed our tents at the Norwest edge of the meadow, nestled up against a large boulder field, giving us a feeling of protection. This will be our home for the next few weeks as we climb higher on the mountain.

A Lama from the Pangboche monastery walked up to our base camp this morning to bless the expedition with a puja. Buddhist prayers were chanted, juniper burned, change drunk, sampa thrown into the air, foods consumed, and prayer flags strung up on a rock Chorten built for the occasion. Red Billed Chuffs flitted about and argued over scraps of food. Even a Himalayan Weasel made a brief appearance in the rocks behind. The sun was shining, with the mountain crystalline in the background. At the end of the puja, we saw two climbers descending the summit snowfields through binoculars; this, we took as a good omen. Any expedition to a major peak in Nepal conducts a puja to bless both the mountain and climbers, and these ceremonies mark the beginning of the real climbing ahead. For our team, we could not ask for a better send off.