Guide/Expedition leader in the Himalayas.
36.
Will be leading hikes and climbing expeditions in the Himalayas, including Island Peak, the Everest Circuit and yoga walks in Annapurna.
My black & pink sportswear (tights/v-neck functional T-shirt/lightweight running jacket). It’s great to exercise in, fits beautifully with no “flapping” and looks good! My T-shirts are smart,comfortable and feminine. The Everest Shell range of jackets and trousers is soft, comfortable, lightweight and flexible.
In early November, the mist hit Himalaya and we were several days completely embedded in the clouds. Flights to Lukla were cancelled and many people were stranded for several days. During this period, we saw just a glimpse of the white peaks. Therefore we got the opportunity to enjoy the misty forests in beautiful autumn colours during our hike.
After climbing Kala Pathar yesterday (11th of October) we walked down again and reached Dingboche in the afternoon. Here in Dingboche we live in one of the finest lodges. We will be staying here for two nights and get a proper rest before we walk to Island Peak base camp.
The walking to Chukkung that we were supposed to do today is so short that we are taking that tomorrow along with the walk to the base camp.
Tomorrow we’ll walk to the base camp and stay there for two nights. The day after tomorrow we relax, eat and drink as much as we can and get a feel of our equipment. Saran with the help of Sherpa’s will be mounting ropes on the mountain next to us. There he’ll have a walk-through of equipment and show how the climbing will happen.
The 14th of October we are walking to High Camp after lunch. On High Camp we’ll eat dinner and rest a few hours before we prepare the final push towards the top. After the climbing, we walk down to Base Camp and the 16th of October we pack and head down to Dingboche.
All happiness from us here in Nepal!
Island Peak Coffe Expedition 2011
After the big attention Island Peak has received, we now have a great season that includes Island Peak expeditions. Today. 29th of September participants are arriving for the Island Peak expeditions. The rest of the participants are arriving tomorrow, Friday.
The first expeditions start 30th of September 21st of October and 2 of November. The requests of our adventures are still great, which we are very happy about and we have invested in new equipment.
In July we went to the beautyful mountains in Dalarna, Sweden. We camped in the summer rain, fished, hiked, looked for mooses and raindeers and made a wonderful horseride.
We spent two nights next to Idre and one night at the lake Grövelsjön. Dalarna is really a wonderful place! Fishes are jumping in the rivers and on the misty land the noble raindeers grazes. Blueberries in the deep forest and glimmering cloudberries in the mountains.
We are used to walk by ourselves, but this time we tried something new – the mountains by horseback – what an experience! Östen and his horses took us on a fabulous evening ride up on Städjan and offered stunning views, exciting stories, and peace of mind.
We were put off at the foot of the Annapurna massif, twelve highly excited yoga hikers. Finally we were going to begin our trek and improve our yoga with our teacher Megan´s knowledge!
We had already spent a nice day at the hotel Barahi in Phokara. Had good food, bathed in the pool and enjoyed the small, picturesque and beautiful town. But now we finally we were on our way! Our bus took us to a small village named Khare were we started the hike. Today´s distance was short - a couple of hours to begin with. The trail went through villages and through a beautiful rhododendron forest, steep uphill. We reached Australian Camp at lunchtime already, where we were staying for the night. Unfortunately you could only guess that there where mountains on the horizon - The views from here can be magnificent with the whole massif laying like a beautiful painting right before your eyes. We had lunch and explored the area. High above our lodge there was a beautiful small white house. A buddhist monk from Korea had rent the house for a couple of months to meditate and reflect. We did not want to disturb him but we heard him blow his Dung-Chen - a long horn that many Buddhist monks play. Later that afternoon there was a thunderstorm with thunder and lightning for a couple of hours. It was raining all evening but it was actually quite cozy!
After dinner we made us prepared for bedtime. Brushed our teeth and put on soft comfortable clothes and gathered again in the dining room. We were the only group staying at the lodge so we turned out the light, got our yoga mats and together with Megan we discovered a comfortable relaxing exercise. We definitely fell asleep without lullaby on our first night!
Today we have reached Jinu. A small "village" of lodges on the top of a ridge, more or less surrounded by several rivers. The hike here was beautiful and went up and down between terraces, small villages and magnificent rhododendron forests. We started the day with a yoga class with the most fabulous views you can have. Snow-covered Annapurna South was surrounded by pink rhododendron and colorful prayer flags. It was SO beautiful that we got really emotionally involved when we finished our session with just sitting and enjoying the views for a couple of minutes of silence. What a morning!
Last bit of the trek up here to Jinu was steep, but luckily it started raining a little which made the climbing a little less sweaty. It is Maree´s birthday today, so our guys made a cake and we had a present for her. The owner of the lodge made her a lei of flowers that she had around her neck, so she was really celebrated! The most of us in the group enjoyed the hot springs before dinner. That did the trick for some sore muscles!
What a weather! It seems like the monsoon is already here! But thank goodness the whole team seems to think that it is quite cozy to hike through the beautiful rhododendron forests in pooring rain :-D Many of us has Hi On Life's practical rain ponchos that protects both body and backpack, and some is happy with an umbrella. The forest is absolutely gorgeous and you naturally lower your voice. Many deep and private conversations has been shared today along the trail.
Tonight we slept in Chuile - A lodge laying high and freely. We got fantastic delicious food and fell asleep immediately after yesterdays, little longer distance. When we woke up this morning the sun was shining and it was perfect weather for yoga in the green grass. We got company, cows, hens and dogs at todays session - lovely! 8-)
Now we have reached Durali and are staying for the night. It is cold but the owneress of the lodge has put an enormous box of hot coals under the dining table with the long tablecloth. So now we put our legs under it and enjoy the warmth!
We have reached Ghorepani and managed Poon Hill!
Yesterday we had a marvelous hike to Ghorepani. The trail was unbelievably beautiful and we were surrounded by a pink forest almost the whole way there - pink rhododendron! Early this morning we hiked to Poon Hill at 3,230 meters above sea level, and was surprised how beautiful our world is. During the hike today we talked about how grateful we are that we get to spend a more than a week in this environment - only hiking, yoga, eat good food and get to know people who appreciate the same things that yourself.
Fill the days with life - Not fill the life with days!
Good news has reached us from Dingboche!! Our team has climbed Island Peak already and has left Island Peak Base Camp already.
They got up there a day earlier than they first planned, which was clever of our guide Saran -It is a snowstorm today, when they were going to climb up there. When they woke up this morning in BC their mess tent had blown away - Table and chairs where standing out in the open! Now they are safe at Ang Sonam Sherpa and his cute wife's place, in warm and nice Dingboche.
According to weather forecasts it was quite windy yesterday and there was almost no snow on the mountain which made the climbing harder. Kicki and Ulf made it with flying colors and many tears of joy were rolling down their faces at the top!
We once again congratulate them and wish them a nice hike down to Lukla.
/Hi On Life Adventures
Back in Namche!
We came here yesterday afternoon after a nice hike from Deboche. There was some ups and downs before lunch, but then nice and flat all the way until we reached Namche around 2.30 pm.
During the evening we all enjoyed a Yak steak and nice drinks and we watched an interesting documentary about the Sherpas of Mount Everest. Tried to update us on the chaos in the world during our hiking through some television watching. The news about Japan, Libya etc made most of us want to go up again, rather than go down to the "civilization" again.
We have decided to stay here in Namche for two days and then go directly to Lukla tomorrow. Today we are just relaxing - nice and much needed!
Raine and I have been talking on the telephone for a couple of times. He has had some exciting days with rafting together with our guide Bikram. Today they are going to Chitwan for jungle safari - sounds nice!!
We hope for good news from the hiking expedition within about 4,5 days. I promise to get back to you as soon as we get any information from them.
All good from Namche Bazaar 3,400 meters above sealevel
/Susanna, Jonas, Lynn, Pete, Christina, Nima with Sherpas
Now we are all back in the heat and the little bit of "heavier" air! We are staying as usual at the Ang Sonam Friendship Lodge. Ang Sonam came here himself the day before yesterday and his wife is still in Namche to plant potatoes.
There has been a crazy wind today - a real sandstorm! The air was totally brown and we could not even see Island Peak or the other mountains that surrounds us. The roof from a camp stove blew away and sometimes our lodge shook as if there was an earthquake. Ang Sonam, who has lived his whole life in this area had never experienced anything like it, he said. He also confirmed that it is unusually cold. The Imja river that runs through the village use to flow at this time of year, but now it is completely frozen.
A big congratulations to Susanna and Jonas who reached their goal Everest BC yesterday afternoon! And also to Ulf and Kicki who climbed Kala Pathar - now they are well acclimatized to their Island Peak climbing. Everyone is just fine except Pete who has got a bad cold.
Tomorrow Kicki, Ulf, Saran and a bunch of Sherpas heads off to Island Peak. I have had information that there are extremly little snow and ice on the mountain - hope the climbing goes well though.
The rest of us - Susanna, Jonas, Lynn, Pete, me, Nima and a bunch of sherpas hikes downhill again. We will stay at a warm and nice lodge in Deboche tomorrow, to go on to Namche the day after that.
All good from Himalaya
Sitting in Lobuche writing. The Lodges up here has certainly got better since John Krakauer wrote Into thin air. The rooms here at Alpine Lodge is clean and spacious and the dining room is warm. The food is also totally ok, considering being at 4,900 meters above sea level.
Susanna, Jonas, Kicki and Ulf sits and plays cards and besides a little pain in a muscle, everyone seems to feel fine! The hiking here today was as beautiful as the other days - fantastic view with magnificent sunshine. A little cold though but the sun is warming nicely.
Pete and Lynn chose to go to Dingboche and wait for the rest of us when Lynn felt she had to save the energy for the climbing of Island Peak. Tomorrow we head up to Gorak Shep and on to Everest BC/Kala Pathar. We will see which it will be depending on the weather.
Everyone is feeling fine and sends their greetings to all of you at home!
/EBC & The Island Peak team
Now the first group of this spring has come up to the mountains! We are a happy team of ten people. Eight Swedish and a couple from New Zealand. After the mandatory days in vivid Kathmandu with a welcome dinner and guided tour we flew up to Lukla the day before yesterday. We had wham weather and was very lucky to catch the first flight.
After a nice hike we came to our lodge in the small village Benkar where we where spending the night. We had a quiet afternoon and enjoyed the view of mountain Thamserku. Britt and Hanse got in the small kitchen amazed how all of our dinner food was cooked over the open fire.
Yesterday we slept well and then took a relaxed walk up here to Namche. When Britt had got a mean stomach complaint from Kathmandu, Sarah got her a horse that came to meet her half way. Today she is feeling much better again.
Arriving in Namche we were met by Yak Hotels owner Chime and his wife. They had invited all villager to celebrate the Tibetan new year. Now it is 2138. New years eve was three days ago and they had been celebrating for three days. The Lodge was supposed to be closed but they were open to us and they served our dinner in their Gompa (temple) - a very interesting dining area.
The evening was holding dancing and singing by around 60 Sherpas, many of them dressed up in their traditional costumes - a marvelous experience! We got to meet legends, like participants of The Everest Expedition from 1953, when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay climbed Mount Evest. We filmed and took a lot of pictures! What a night!
Cloudy today in Namche so we skipped The Everest View Hotel and hiked to “The Army Head Quarter” instead. The clouds disappeared for a moment and we caught a glimpse of Ama Dablam and Lhotse Wall. The head quarter also has a little museum of the Khumbu region where we spend some time.
Some of us wandered up to Syangboche and some of us went back to the hotel to get some rest. After lunch we tried out shoes and did some shopping. We have picked up a real bargain and bought backpacks, soft shell jackets, gaiters, water bottle holders and our trainer Lars has bought a really cool fleece jumpsuit.
With us on this trip are:
As our guides we have Sarah and Christina, and then we have a whole bunch of lovely Sherpas and carriers: Nima, Om, Bopal, Dill, Dorje, Neem and others.
Tomorrow we continue to Tengboche. Now we really hope for good weather so the team gets to see the spectacular views. Right now the snow is pouring down - it looks like Christmas outside.
All good from Namche!
/The participants of the Everest Combination/Everest BC and Island Peak Expedition in March 2011.
Hello!
Sorry you had to wait for an update from us for such a long time. The internet is not always working as planned up here in the mountains. Now we (me Christina, Stefan, Nima and Nim) are back in civilized Namche where the internet café is both warm and working properly.
Both Stefan and Per Gunnar kept on going, strong as Sherpas, walking as if it was nothing from Pheriche to Lobuche, at 4,900 meters above sea level. The both had a good appetite and did not seem to have any problem with the altitude! Piece of cake to guide these guys.
After a night in Lobuche we went to Gorak Shep - Mount Everest's old Base Camp at 5,100 meters above sea level, and after some noodle soup we went on to Mount Everest's current Base Camp, just over 5,300 meters above sea level. Stefan, Per Gunnar and Saran managed the trail at record speed and when I, Nima and Dorje went to meet them with a thermos of Hot Lemon, they were already here. We thought that they would have at least more than 40 minutes left, and where definitely surprised. It was snowing during all afternoon and the evening, but it did not stop the Sherpas from playing volleyball outside the lodge - What a sight!
The morning after, early, it was time for our climbing of Kala Pathar and again my prayers for fine weather was heard, and we woke up to a shining Gorak Shep! Up on the high "hill", 5,545 meters above sea level - a lot of photos - some snacks - down again. The nice weather made the cheeks cold but both Stefan and Per Gunnar was really happy with the fantastic views from the mountain top! A big congratulation to Stefan who now has reached both his goals with this trip - Everest BC and Kala Pathar!
After that our long hike back to Dingboche started, at pleasant 4,300 meters above sea level. The lovely weather made us take our time and to take a lot of pictures, especially Saran - who was very engaged shooting pictures of us with the powerful mountains as a background.
In Dingboche we took a well needed day of rest and were just chilling out. We read a book, ate good food, checked our email (tried to write in the blog), had a little chat with the cute hosts at the lodge, bought some handicraft and enjoyed the day. Yesterday our ways where parted. Per Gunnar and Saran took Dill and Dorje up to Island Peak Base Camp, and Stefan, Nima, Nim and I went down here to Namche. It became a long day when we were late from Dingboche and we used headlamps the last 15 minutes. We also stopped for chocolate buns and drank cocoa on the way here - it made us warm in the cold fog.
Chime and his wife Yak took good care of us here at The Yak Hotel. We had a good dinner which I had dressed up as a real Sherpeni!!
Chime and his wife had made a dress (their national costume) for me that I got as a present when we arrived yesterday. I was really moved!
Pictures are coming up...
Today we are hiking down to Benkar - a little village about halfway to Lukla, where we fly from on the 24th of November, down to Kathmandu again. The same day as we fly, hopefully Saran and Per Gunnar will climb the Island Peak. Saran has our camera so you will have to hold on when it comes to pictures. I will post them as soon as Saran is back in Kathmandu (~30/11).
Now we hope for good weather on the 24th so that our flight down to Kathmandu leaves as planned and that Saran and Per Gunnar reaches the mountain top of Island Peak. Only the weather can stop them - Per Gunnar seems really strong!! They also have our good Climbing Sherpa Mingma with them so they seem to have a good chance of making it. Best wishes and we will keep in touch with some pictures and updates later on!
Hugs from us here in Nepal!
Stefan, Per Gunnar, Saran & Christina with team
Hello all of you at home!
Today we have a rest and acclimatizing day here in Pheriche. Arrived here yesterday after a fantastic hike with beautiful views. We left Namche Bazaar the day before yesterday in partly clouded weather, but got several glimpses of the great mountain tops during our hike up to the known monastery in Tengboche (at 3,800 meters above sea level). When we began to reach the destination of the day it was getting cloudier and it was a monastery in dense fog that we met up on the mountain crest.
Yesterday when we woke up the cloud had disappeared and we enjoyed sunshine and crystal clear views. The views from Tengboche is absolutely magnificent - Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kangtega, Kwongde, Nuptse, Everest, Lhotse…. Yes, we were really surrounded by mountain tops 6-8,000 meters above sea level. Stefan and Per Gunnar took the opportunity to visit the monastery during morning mass and experienced the buddhist monk´s morning ceremonies.
The hike here to Pheriche was beautiful and we took plenty of time. Besides of the view the lunch was a highlight! We tried a new lodge in Pangboche and was more than surprised in a positive way! The most of us had Dal Bhat and it was really worth waiting a little longer time for. Upon that they had pieces of pastry, cakes and pies, so Per Gunnar and Stefan took the chance of enjoying an apple pie each as a dessert. Me and Sarah bought apple pie and chocolate cake to go that we shared when we had our afternoon coffee, when we arrived here in Pheriche, yesterday afternoon. You can never eat too much when you are on expedition.
Here in Pheriche we stay at our Climbing Sherpa Nema Tendu's lodge. It is cozy as usual and Nima and his wife are taking good care of us. Today we had a nice and quiet morning and around nine o'clock we took a walk around 400 altitude meters up on a "hill" just above the village. We enjoyed the beautiful surroundings and Per Gunnar got his first sight of Island Peak - the mountain top 6,189 meters above sea level, that is his final destination. We got back just in time for lunch and we had another Dal Bhat. It seems like both Stefan and Per Gunnar have started to like the Nepal's national dish.
Tomorrow we are heading off to Lobuche (4,900 meters above sea level) and the day after that to Gorak Shep, that will be our base from where we start our hikes to Mount Everest Base Camp and Kala Pathar. Everyone is feeling fine and it is a couple of unusually strong guys we have along on this tour. We have kept a good pace during the hike and both Stefan and Per Gunnar has done it splendidly!
Take care everyone and you will be hearing from us again in a few days!
Stefan, Per Gunnar, Saran & Christina with team
Hello all of you!
Today we woke up to a bleak Namche Bazaar. Our planned acclimatization hike to Everest View Hotel was cancelled when we hardly could see the house on the other side of the alley. Instead we enjoyed a long brunch with pancakes made of buckwheat and apples among other things -yummy!
Efter that we took a close look at Namche. As it is Saturday we took the opportunity to go to the market where all kinds of things is for sale. It is mostly lodge-owners and villagers in the neighborhood that comes here to fill up their store of food for the coming week. It is a crowd of people and goods -everything from chili, potatoes and live chickens to pots and sneakers are lined up in three small "terraces" - Namche lays in a steep hillside and not many big open areas exists here.
After the Saturday market we went on to the more constant "Tibetan market". The Tibetan people comes with their fully packed yaks over the well-known Nangpa La pass and sets up their camp of tents here in Namche. Then they live very simple in their tents until they have sold everything they brought with them. Then they go home again, just to come back again here a couple of weeks later with new stuff to sell - mostly cheap brand copies from China - clothes, shoes, blankets, thermoses etc.
We did not pick up any real bargain but continued to a couple of museums where we learned about the lives of the Sherpas and plants and animals in the area.
After a real Dal Bhat (Nepals national dish - made of rise, lentil and vegetables) lunch we did the last shopping for our hike. The rest of the day is going to be calm. Maybe we will watch a documentary about the Sherpas on Everest?
The fog is still dense but we have heard there were sunshine in Tengboche today so we hope the weather is still fine when we arrive there tomorrow. Both Per-Gunnar and Stefan is feeling fine and we all look forward to the hike tomorrow.
Everyone sends their best wishes to all of you at home!
/Stefan, Per Gunnar, Christina & Saran with Sherpas
Sitting at my computer here in Namche. It is early morning and the village has still not woken up just yet. The only thing you hear is the monks chanting from the monastery nearby. The heavy scent of incense is covering my lodge completely when one of all the climbing Sherpas in Namche has walked around in the area with an incense made of Rhododendron and juniper twigs.
When I woke up the sky was overcast but now it begins to break up and I can see the grand mountain top Thamserku, if I look through my open window.
I am sitting here with my down jacket and cap on me. The morning air is cool but I enjoy it! In a couple of weeks I am going down to Kathmandu again with the cars, exhaust gases and the totally unorganized chaos that exists there. I really enjoy the mountain air, scents, sounds and views up here and just can not get enough of it.
In a couple of hours Sarah arrives here in Namche with our next team. It is going to be so nice to meet them - I have heard so much about them from Sarah already! Now you have a nice one at home and do not forget to enjoy life! Look for those small, good things in life and catch them when you can!
Regards
Christina, Hi On Life
Hello all of you!
Have spent a couple of days here in Lukla and is now waiting for the next team who are on their way. We head up to Everest BC again. Lukla, one of the worlds most spectacular airports, is the entrance to the Everest region (if you do not choose to hike from Jiri, which means another week on the trails) and it is here where most of the hikers begins the hike up to the legendary Mount Everest Base Camp.
The latest two days there has been a lot of things going on at the airport. During the morning hours when the weather is good, it usually lands a couple of aircrafts in a period of five minutes, and the latest days has not been an exception. As soon as the plane has landed, the luggage is quickly unloaded, the passengers gets off and new passengers board the plane again. The landing strip is about 300 meters long, and leaning (upwards at landing and downwards at take-off).
Besides all the small aircrafts, it is also here all the helicopters makes their stopovers before they fly up to the mountain villages in the Mount Everest region. The air is so thin higher up so the tanked-up helicopters from Khatmandu lands in Lukla to empty the gas tank, so they have just enough to reach the destination for them, and on the way home to Khatmandu, they stop-over here to fill up the gas tank again. The concern is to be as light as possible when flying around here - you do not bring any heavy load here.
The pilots who flies the aircrafts and the helicopters is known as being some of the best in the world, and during several rescue missions from the great mountains in the area, many of the pilots is risking their own lives. It takes an advanced knowledge flying in this environment, over high mountain pass, narrow passages and near mountain walls with strong winds and thin air that can make the helicopter off course.
Unfortunately this is what has happened. One of the best helicopter pilots and his engineer where both killed yesterday in a rescue mission near Ama Dablam. Several helicopters searched all afternoon yesterday after the bodies and today around lunchtime they found them. They have now been transported to Khatmandu after a stop-over here in Lukla. Many here in Lukla are grieving here today, and I grieve with them.
I want to honor all the heroes who work so hard here in the mountains, with this post. Thanks to them, we, the westerners, can hike, climb and enjoy all the fabulous things Himalaya has to offer.
Christina, Hi On Life
Namaste!
Back in Namche Bazaar after a fantastic hike to Everest Base Camp, Gokyo and over the fabulously beautiful Renjo La mountain pass. Lovely weather that includes a heavy snowfall during our night in Macherma. We woke up with a lot of newly fallen snow that made the hiking to Gokyo even more beautiful than usual if possible.
We have stayed at slightly bigger "hotels" this time, but also at small cozy family-run Tea houses among other, in Phortse and Lungden. It is always extra fun to be able to come close to the locals and that is often possible at the small lodges.
The hike between Dingboche and Phortse was one of the highlights during our 18 day long journey. You hike high high up on a quite exposed trail and the views are spectacular. We had lunch in the small nice village "Upper Pangboche" and Ron & Saske took the opportunity to visit the small monastery that lays up there.
We went over the Renjo La mountain pass in fabulous sunshine and despite the 5,400 meters above sea level in the beginning of November, we where wearing t-shirt, had lots of sunblock and glacier glasses on! The views where crystal clear and we enjoyed the view of mountains like Everest, Lhotse and Makalu -everyone over 8,000 meters above sea level.
On our way down we stopped in Thame which is a beautiful village, well known for it´s fantastic Climbing Sherpas, like Apa Sherpa, who holds the world record with 20 climbings of Mount Everest.
Now we have reached Namche again, and tomorrow we hike down to Lukla. The Island Peak team went down already today. They had to stop their attempt to reach the top because of the heavy snow-fall. They seemed to keep up the good mood when we met them yesterday evening here in Namche and they showed us pictures of a white and beautiful Base Camp, with great enthusiasm. They all agreed to come back to island Peak in the future.
Hope you feel fine at home and we will get back to you shortly from the next hike!
Christina with hikers, Sherpas and carriers.
Hello to all of you!
Today we have a resting day in beautiful Gokyo. The night before yesterday it was snowing a lot so Gokyo is really beautiful right now. Today we have been chilling out. Taken a walk along the mountain ridge near the Gnzompa glacier and took a lot of beautiful pictures. I have been studying Cho Oyu, 8,201 meters above sea level, and took a really close look, dreaming of climbing the gorgeous mountain top!
Tomorrow we head off to Renjo La mountain pass. A tough mountain pass, but according to what many people say, you have the best views in Nepal from there. You can see some pictures from our hike here, and some from the views from our lodge.
Hopefully today Sarah has climbed Island Peak again with this autumns second team. The weather has been to their advantage so I hope for some positive information when we reach Namche Bazar in a couple of days.
So long!
Christina, Ron, Saske, Om & Nim
Hello all of you at home!
Sorry for posting this so late but the merrier it will be! On the morning of the 19th of October, all of us who left Base Camp one day earlier, stood on the top of Island Peak - 6,189 meters above sea level.
The weather was magic and the climbing was quite fun and enough challenging. First to reach the top was Jenny and Emelie who had really decided to reach the top! For Emelie it was the second time, last year she had to quit trying and go down again because of the altitude. -This year nothing could stop her - not even a really bad cough that surely would have stopped most of us.
After Emelie and Jenny came Andreas and Ina bravely struggling. Andreas is the only man this time and Ina, who we gave the honour "most stubborn of the year". She has been struggling with an infection in her body since Arlanda and almost gave in after ten minutes after we left High Camp. But no - I have seldom seen someone fight that hard, and she got up there!
Overwhelmed and happy we stood there on the top and enjoyed the sun and the superb views! It is an exceedingly feeling that is hard to beat. The first tears came when Jenny and Emelie reached Crampon Point and they started to sense that they probably would make it.
As usual we have our fantastic Climbing Sherpas there to help us. They set up the fixed ropes and assisted us during the climbing - A big thank´s to Mingma Sherpa and Nima Tendu Sherpa!
The days in the base camp was a little different this year - Is was snow almost all the time, beautiful but a bit more cold and raw air. Unfortunately this made Cecilia and Peter choose to go down when they felt that their cold could not be cured in the tough environment. The day that the rest of us went for High Camp they chose to go down to Chukung and the day after that they went down to Dingboche - to the warmth and the "oxygen". Much healthier environment for bronchitis - and the mountains will still be there...
Now we have been celebrating here in Namche Bazar with yak steak and red wine / Everest beer - well earned for all of us! Today we head off down to Lukla again and then on to Kathmandu.
Everyone is just fine and we want to say thank you for this latest week with a bunch of pictures from us. Watch and enjoy!
Hugs from Andreas, Cecilia, Emelie, Peter, Jenny, Ina, Saran & Christina with the team
Hello again!
Now we have spent a night in Dingboche, 4,300 meters above sea level, and everyone seems to have got their strength back again after a few days on around 5,000 meters above sea level. Cecilia came to meet us with a light step yesterday afternoon - she is feeling splendid again - nice!
Yesterday began with a tough rising in level, 400 meters up, to the top of Kala Pathar at 5,545 meters above sea level. The views from the top where fantastic and gave us a magnificent view over Mount Everest with its Base Camp and Icefall, and over other tops covered in snow that surrounded us. We where at the top for quite some time and took some pictures and got some of the high air to acclimatize, something we need so well for our climbing of Island Peak.
The way down to Gorak Shep was a piece of cake and then we got here to Dingboche. We have stayed at Sonam Friendship Lodge as usual and they have been taken good care of us. Everyone has taken a luxury shower, warm and nice so now we start to feel like humans again! Today we are going our separate ways. Joakim and Rikard has gone down again together with our sirdar Nima and Sherpa Om - our secure friends, while the rest of us is heading out to Chukung 4,700 meters above sea level. A short hike of about two hours. After a night there we are off to our Base Camp and our climbing of Island Peak. We will not be able to update you until we get back here in Dingboche after the trek. Be patient and you will get more pictures then also!
Now keep your fingers crossed so all of us can be at good health and the climbing goes well.
Thank you all for the greetings on the homepage!
Hugs to all of you at home from us here among the white Himalaya mountain tops!
Wham weather today! Not a cloud in the sky and 360 degrees of mountains is surrounding us. We have reached Gorak Shep - the old base camp to Mount Everest. It is about 5,100 meters above sea level. We are doing fine considering the circumstances but is not feeling great because of the altitude of course. The most of us is resting here at the lodge while Sarah and Joakim has gone to Everest Base Camp - a long and rough climbing over a glacier totally covered in gravel and rocks.
Once they get there they will have perfect views of the notorious Khumbu Icefall, the most challenging part of a climbing Mount Everest, and all along the trekking they will of course feel the history of all earlier expeditions that have gone the trek all the way since the beginning of the 20th century.
Cecilia has unfortunately left us to go down on lower level. She was feeling fine considering the circumstances -was happy and felt good but her oxygen content in her blood was a little too low to let her to go on up here. Better safe than sorry. She has walked down to Thukla where we had lunch yesterday together with our sirdar Nima and a carrier. We will meet her again in Dingboche tomorrow.
My radio just made a noise and Sarah left a happy message that Joakim had reached Everest Base Camp - the destination of his journey! Tired but extremely happy he now has turned back to Gorak Shep. Congratulations Joakim!
Tomorrow we are going up to Kala Pathar before we go down to Dingboche again. See you later!
Greetings from EBC & Island Peak team
The team has reached Lobuche today. We got here at 3 pm already and the hike here went well. But many of us can feel why they call Lobuche the cottage hospital. Several of us has a splitting headache and feels the altitude sickness.
We also have had a glimpse of what Nepal can be like - our booked rooms had been given away to someone who got there before us, this we had not experienced before luckily. We are not homeless though but have got two dorms - feels like a mountain lodge.
Peter and Cecilia are out taking a walk in the neighborhood. Joakim, Rikard, Andreas, Ina, Jenny and Emelie is chilling out here in the dining room. Now is the time to drink as much as possible and rest, but sleep is something that has to wait until tonight.
It is very common to feel altitude sickness here in Lobuche, hopefully and usually you feel better after a good night's sleep. Emelie has a cough like last year but Andreas feels strong again. Everyone is doing a terrific job!
During the hike here we got to see spectacular views like Ama Dablam, Tawoche, Cholatse, Nuptse and Pumori. We have got straight into Khumbudalen towards Everest and tomorrow we reach Base Camp!
Now it is dinner time - Feel fine and we will get back to you!
Namaste!
We are sitting in a hazy Tengboche (3,800 meters above sea level) but here in the lodge it is warm and joyful. We have had a lot of tea and discussed topics like accents, weird dreams etc.
The hike to here was quite easy until the lunch in Phungi Tenga but then there was a couple of hours striving uphill to the top of the mountain crest. It has been partly clouded today and now, late afternoon, so it is totally white outside our window.
We hope for beautiful views tomorrow when we wake up. Everyone is feeling fine and no one has had any altitude sickness.
Greetings from Himalaya
Andreas, Cecilia, Emelie, Joakim, Jenny, Ina, Peter, Rikard with guides, Sherpas & carrier
Expedition to Island Peak & Hike to Everest Base Camp + Annapurna Circuit.
The 12th of November starts two expeditions; Ama Dablam Base Camp and Annapurna Circuit.
Ama Dablam Base Camp is believed by many to be the most beautiful base camp and one of the most beautiful places in the Solo Khumbu area. The maximum heigh is 4800 metres above sea level and the length of the walk is 88 km. This sums up to a total of 15 days.
Annapurna Cicuit is a 23 days walk there we’ll start on high vegetation ground and end on a more alpine ground. Amazing views is something that we know we’ll see, maximum height is 5416 metres above sea level. Total walk is 228 km.
It’s going to be exciting!
Finally the season has started and our hikes and expeditions are at full steam. This autumn the season has begun with three tours.
With us on the tour are:
In a few weeks we are on our way!
The days are filled with expectations, more and more. The longing for the white Himalaya mountaintops is so strong it almost hurts. This autumn I have a brand new camera - lovely! A little bit heavier and ungainly to carry, but it is going to be soooo much fun to shoot pictures! 14 sharp megapixels will create fantastic pictures that will leave a desire in the chest for those of you who are still here at home, and wonderful memories for those of us who will be there on the tours this autumn.
Packing list is neatly updated since last time, shopping-list is begun; "Will I buy this things here, or in Thamel?" is the big question... Right, the vaccine Dukoral must not be forgotten! Should I have been out running again this evening? Am I strong enough for autumns adventure? And then there is all these things that needs to be finished at home when you are gone for such long time. Need to fix all bills on the internet bank, pack up and clean my home and make sure someone is taking care of my mail.
There is so much you have to think about at home and so little you have to think about when you are in Nepal...
At the nature trails you forget time and space. You own what is in your backpack. You hike, eat, sleep and hang out with the others in the team all you want. Above all you enjoy. You enjoy all the beauty and the simplicity. All the fabulous freedom and calmness that the soul finds among these majestic mountains. You relax, leave the worries you might have behind and the stressful everyday life at home.
Many does not have a clue whether it is tuesday or thursday and after a couple of days you have learned that it is the yak bells that rings and not your cell phone. The topics for conversations are about earlier experiences and interesting human stories. You talk about the fantastic culture of Nepal and tries to get to know the lovely Sherpas. Several times it has happened to the team members, that when they come down to Kathmandu again, they still do not know what several of the others work with at home. There, on a hiking trail in Nepal it does not feel relevant.
In a few weeks I get to hear the sounds, smell the air and wonder about the views again - I long for it!
Christina
Hike with a rucksack (about 5-6 kg) two or three times a week in as hilly terrain as possible. Preferably 1-2 hours at a time.
Cycle to work and OF COURSE take the stairs instead of the lift! A good level of general fitness is better than masses of muscle, so skip the gym and train out on the jogging trails instead (muscles eat up the essential oxygen that your brain needs on the trek).
Eat well and consume healthy, varied food. An extra kilo here and there is no bad thing when trekking at high altitude.
Make sure that you get all the important vitamins and minerals you need. Maybe treat your stomach particularly well in the final week before you leave and eat a portion of probiotic yoghurt every day to build up strong defences against any unhealthy bacteria.
The rule of layering is just as valid here as it is at home. A functional shirt and tights are always good when it’s warm out. If it gets a bit cooler, you might want a merino wool T-shirt. In cold weather, you can add a running jacket and in the winter you might find that you need merino wool underwear under your tights and jacket.
The key is to plan ahead and do it well. It is certainly worth following a packing list and ticking everything off as you go. Packing things in smaller bags of different colours makes it easier to find things in your case. Another practical tip is to buy travel packs of all the toiletries that you need.
Think – you might be better off taking an ordinary razor instead of your electric one as the power supply is unpredictable, and maybe you don’t need full boxes of all your medicines or vitamins, just enough for your trip. Don’t forget good sunglasses and sunscreen.
Make sure that all your clothes and shoes are in good condition before you go – clean, undamaged and well waterproofed. Take a few very good items rather than loads of OK stuff. You can always wash them.
People usually pack too much. The most important items for a trek in the Himalayas are:
