Total posting fail

Danphe

Well the end of last years climbing trip was hard. I got a productive upper respiratory infection and could not kick it at base camp. I descended and waited for Chad in Namche, staying sick the whole time. Still sick (coughing with fever and stomach cramps) we walked down to Lukla where Chad flew out so he could make his flight home. I have to say it was hard to be stoked for Chads awesome solo of Joe and I's line on Jobo Ringjang, in that I was so sick. I was afraid to go to Kathmandu to quickly (to much pollution) so I chose to hike out with Dawa. The first day was rough, but then the fever broke that evening. The hike out was beautiful and gave me much to be thankful for, reminding me how beautiful the earth is and are time on it. Hell just to have the opportunity to try and climb in the mountains is a blessing. This is why I was not in the mood to post about any of it. I simply wanted to move on to traveling with Julie and put climbing trip behind me.

Welcome,

 This Blog is dedicated to my family and friends who have said how much they like being able to follow along with my mountain travels. So if by chance you find yourself reading this and are not from the aforementioned group, welcome, but please understand that this is not a "professional" site(ya ya so why all the banners? Amazingly all the banners are from sponsors who also happen to be real friends).

 Fall 2012 finds me once again heading into the mountains of  the Nepal Himalaya. Joining me for this trip is the ultra fit bad ass climber Chad kellogg. The climbing objective is  the black and white picture above. In 2009 I climbed a peak on this mastif called Jobo Rinjang with Joe Puryear and had the opportunity to scout this wall after the climb. When I first laid eyes on this face I simply stared in total awe. Why had I never seen a picture of this? For the last two years I have kept this secret, originally planing on returning with Joe.

 My hart felt thanks go out to the American Alpine Club, My family, Puryear family, Kellogg family, Ang Teshering Lama, Dawa Yangzum Sherpa, Depa Gautam, Elizabeth Hawley, and Julie Hentrich.

Chad in Rowaling

Norbu Sherpa in front of his house in Bedding

Pasang Diki Sherpa and Furba Doma Sherpa

Chad in front of Kang Nachugo

More pictures from trek to Bedding

Heading up to Simigoan

Gaga Zangmu at tea house in Gogaon.

Sacred tree between Numari and Bedding

Out of Kathmandu

Chad can sleep anywhere.

 Chad and I have made a great trek to Namche via Tashilapsa pass and I have a few days to update the blog. I plan on getting as many pictures up as possible then working on the writing as time allows.

Street scene in Cherkot

Old world pleasures

Add caption

First day on trail.

View from bus

Graham asked for non climbing shots of his packs. Sorry a bit blurry.

Fearless in Nepal.

Chad and I are heading out by local bus in the morning for the Rowaling. It will take us at least ten days to reach Namche via Tashi Lapsa pass. I will post more when I get there.

Super Hard workers in Kathmandu

Sometimes I find myself complaining about work? I post this to help us all keep it in perspective. Enjoy

Nisha Gautam, Dipa Gautam

     I enjoyed a evening of catching up with my good friend Dipa Gautam and her cousin sister Nisha Gautam. I met Dipa on my first trip to Nepal and have been able to stay in touch threw FB. Many of Joe's friends have had rather emotional responses to seeing me. Its hard but also makes me happy to think about Joe's smiles and big hart. Here's to the friends that live inside us!

Thanks to Ms Elizabeth Hawley

 Another visit from the baby blue bug, and with it a interview from Ms Elizabeth Hawley. Ms Hawley's work seams to never end as a endless stream of climbers come and share there aspirations with her and in so doing there small part to help her fill in the datum that is the incredible " Himalayan Database". the Himalayan Database is a compilation of records for all expeditions that have climbed in the Nepalese Himalaya. Elizabeth has a no nonsense and get down to business approach mixed with a dry acerbic whit. Is this the foreign correspondent prototype? Simply put, without Elizabeth's hard work I would have no clue where to start looking for "real" climbing in Nepal.

     I had a accomplished day, then met up with my good friends Ang Tshering Lama and Dawa Yangzum Sherpa for a delicious dinner where Ang plied me with three large fresh ginger lemon drinks, piping hot for my Kathmandu cough. I have to give Ang props as its his motorcycle that I'm riding. Ang is a guide that specializes in unique treks and adventures in Nepal and Tibet (hell if you got the money, anywhere). The one that I want to do most is his fully supported bicycle ride from Lhasa to Kathmandu staying in hotels the whole way and just soaking in the riding on the stellar empty friendship highway. Dawa Yangzum Sherpa is one of my longest lasting friends in Nepal. I met her on my first expedition here in 2008. Most recently she just spent the summer volunteering as a Climbing Ranger at Mount Rainier with me. She has also climbed to the summit of Everest and is a Sherpa Adventure Gear athlete.

Ang dai

Dawa bahini

National dish, dhal bhat done right at Thakali Bhanchha (minus the curd).

    A busy day of bureaucratic BS, but it got me out on the bike allot which was fun. I am going forward with my best food of Kathmandu posts in the hope that if you come it will make life better. It has taken me many trips to dial it in.

Endless refills

Traditional style.

The elusive entrance.

When I got here to fill up on gas I was shocked to see a orderly line.

For some reason the line turned back into the normal mob scene.

Pictures of Kathmandu

 

Anywhere Kathmandu.

              Yes its dusty, dirty and crowded, its also beautiful ancient and mysterious.   

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Kathmandu (its off new road)

Giant paper masala dosa (skip the kurd thank you) at Rameshwaram.

OK, this is a five minute long video of my ride from the Sherpa Adventure Gear Store front in Kathmandu to the Bhatbhateni super store about a mile and a half away. Don't watch this if you have slow internet.

Garret Madison (head field man for AAI and total rogue), Tseten Chamatsang Sherpa (all around queen pin and "fixer" for Sherpa Adventure Gear) Lakpa Rita Sherpa (premier high altitude bad ass guide)

I showed up this year with my own "burner" (Julie got me a cheap cell phone) and jumped right into getting things sorted for this expedition. First I had a meeting at the ministry of tourism to make an appointment to make further appointments. If I'm lucky I will have things sorted out by Tuesday before the next round of festivals. Also on order is visiting old friends and new.

Dawa Yangzum Sherpa (AKA Zum Zum for her incredible endurance in the mountains)

Welcome 

Another journey to the Nepal Himalaya has started well. This time I am honored to be joined by Chad Kellogg for the next two months of trekking and climbing.  My plan is to take a car to Singati and hike into the Rolwaling to acclimatize and do our puja .  After that we hope to hike over Tashilapsa pass and meet our friend and cook Dawa in Namche. From there it is off to the base of the mountain behind the small village of Chule  where I plan on setting up base camp. The mountain we hope to climb is called Pangbuk  Ri.                    

Pangbuk Ri is the center mountain, I believe the left summit is the highest.

Bivy in crevasse on summit ridge

This is a four minute unedited video that I took while waiting for the sun.

Pangbuk Ri Summit View

Awesome

This is a unedited movie I shot mid climb with my point and shoot camera. Enjoy

The route

This is the basic route, with are last high camp site as the black triangle. We descended to the left of the flag and down the basin behind the left sky line

Pangbuk Ri, climbed

2:00am wake up, 4:00am start

Its is time for me to get some pictures from are climb out, Chad wrote a nice peace at his site and I plan on giving it more with time, but for the moment I will give out the images and work on the story later when my batteries are recharged. Thanks to all who have waited. One other thing, we burned out on taking pictures as it got dark and on the nerve racking decent (see last shot in post for a idea), so you will see shots from the first day and the following morning on the summit. The rest will have to be shared in word.

Heading up to the up the day before to climb the waterfall and leave ropes set.

Chad climbing water ice to leave set up for following morning (the ropes got frozen in and I spent at least a hour re-climbing it and chopping out the ropes in the dark on the summit push).

We soloed above the waterfall for about 300m before roping up.

Many hanging (OK leaning) belays on this climb

Chad leading very typical terrain on the climb.

We mostly found Ice, but ran into some long run outs on the way.             Photo C Kellogg

Chad reaches a dead end and we rappel down the other side into another runnel.

The runnels just kept coming.

Ice fall in a shoot off to my left.    Photo C Kellogg

Sun setting on Everest.

My last picture before night fall.

This and the above shot are from the next morning on the summit.