Hello everyone. It has been a little while since I sent an update. I have three announcements: a recap from Shisha, a new climb and a new opportunity for educators during my 2008 Everest climb.
Shisha Pangma 2007 Recap Plus a New Climb!
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Nov 192007
Back Home!
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Oct 162007
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Well, another Himalayan expedition is complete. I was able to change my return flights and got back home a few days ago. The rest of the team should be in transit today or tomorrow from Kathmandu. I have posted on my site many of the almost 2000 pictures I took. They are organized by: Climbing Shisha Pangma Faces of Tibet (my favorite) Scenes of Tibet (a close second) Lhasa My Teammates and I You can navigate to them via this link or the images below. Next will be a trip recap where I will review the entire expedition in some continue reading
The Expedition is over
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Oct 052007
The weather has turned bad once again. The team at the highest camp was prepared to leave early this morning, Friday October 5th, but never left camp as clouds shrouded the ridge to the Central Summit. They are returning to ABC. Several others at camp 1 are now preparing to return to ABC. Some may leave early and return to Kathmandu but most will be back there around October 15. To my knowledge no one summitted Shisha Pangma this season. It has been one of the snowiest in recent memory. There is one climber on another team still on the continue reading
Summit Time!
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Oct 022007
The good thing about the weather is that it changes often. After three days of bright sun and moderate winds, our routes seem in much better shape than previously believed. On the other hand, the Spanish team targeting the Main Summit, have decided to leave all together. Our team is the last of the major expeditions here plus a few independents. We are targeting the Central Summit.
A Big Thank You and Choices
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Sep 302007
It is very difficult to express what I felt when I saw the email from Katie at the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. She told me that we had a record number of donations this week. I read the words and the names of some the donors: Paula, Troy, Nicki, Paul, Renee. I put the PDA down and sat crossed leg in my tent. I re-read the message. My eyes took on the thousand yard stare towards the snow covered hillsides. What is the emotion beyond appreciation? What is the feeling beyond satisfaction? How do you describe motivation and encouragement? How can continue reading
Random Thoughts and a Plan
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Sep 282007
My eyes lock onto my heavy boots and sharp crampons as I take another step up the steep snow slope towards camp 2 on Shisha Pangma. Then another and another. The pattern continues. My breathing is controlled yet sounds like a steam engine. My stare is unbroken. Then something changes, the snow underfoot becomes less steep, the angle lessens, I feel the relief of the mountain on my gait. I look up.
Sep 252007
There was an error in the link for Alan’s latest dispatch. I have been able to go in and grab it and get it posted. You will just need to look to the right where there is a blue box called ABOUT and click on the underlined – The Waiting Begins. That should take you to Alan’s latest dispatch. You can also view it by going directly to the website. Cathy
The Waiting Begins
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Sep 252007
Everyone is back at Advanced Base Camp except for Jamie who wanted to stay at Camp 1 and monitor the snow conditions. Every other team has also returned to ABC. The snow and low cloud moved in on Sunday night and we have experienced light to moderate snow since then. So with our acclimatization climb complete to 7000 meters, we are ready for our summit bid but ….
Update from Cathy
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Sep 252007
I spoke to Alan this morning (Monday) and he has asked me to post an update since he is unable to send out any dispatches. There is a problem with the communication equipment at advanced base camp and they are not sure when it will get fixed. They are unable to send or receive any emails. Alan wanted all of the family and friends of the climbers to be aware of this problem so you would not be worried when you did not hear anything. Everyone is safely back to ABC. It is snowing heavily and the temperatures have dropped. continue reading
Shisha Pangma Audio Dispatch – at 7000m!
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Sep 222007
Alan describes what it is likea t 7000m on Shisha Pangma. To hear this Shisha Pangma 2007 audio dispatch, just click on the play button. Thanks for listening and following Alan on The Road Back to Mt. Everest: Memories are Everything. This is about more than just climbing mountains…. Climb On! Alan
Shisha Pangma Auido Dispatch: At Camp 1
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Sep 202007
Alan describes being at Camp 1. To hear this Shisha Pangma 2007 audio dispatch, just click on the play button. Thanks for listening and following Alan on The Road Back to Mt. Everest: Memories are Everything. This is about more than just climbing mountains…. Climb On! Alan
Glacier Soldiers
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Sep 172007
The Ravens glided over ABC using the updrafts like the experts they are. Soon there were ten or more staring down as the Sherpas spread four strings of prayer flags in each direction from the central alter. It is said that Ravens are good luck at a Puja. One by one each team member arrived as did the cooks, yak herders and any one else associated with our expedition.
Advanced Base Camp
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Sep 152007
The snow gently fell on my tent as I quickly crawled in after dinner. Off with the down jacket, then the fleece jacket and next the polypro top. On with the clean soft wool top. Now, off with the down pants and the trekking pants and the dusty trekking socks. On with my cherished merino wool socks I bought in New Zealand a decade ago. They are only worn on expeditions inside my sleeping bag. Now for my wool cap to keep me warm and into my down bag. Ah. In spite of the rocks under my tent, it felt continue reading
A Look in the Eye
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Sep 132007
What does a look in the eye mean? We have been at Base Camp for four days now and I have gotten to know the local Tibetans fairly well by now. There is the quiet yak herder who looks you in the eye hoping to sell his knife or yak collar. The young girl who is famously shy and avoids the camera. The little one who joyfully plays jump rope with us and then the others.
Base Camp Life
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Sep 112007
It takes a few days to really appreciate the life at Base Camp. Once you arrive, there is the buzz of meeting new people, figuring out the tent situation and of course, staring at the objective. From BC we have a clear view of Shisha Pangma.
Finally: Shisha Pangma Base Camp!!
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Sep 092007
We made it! We left Shegar around nine for the last leg of our journey to BC. It was a great leg! The scenery was amazing as was the trip back in history. We left the semi reliable cell phone coverage – yes we were having cell phone coverage all the way from Lhasa – no idea what the roaming charges will be – to a land where they built 10 story signal towers out of mud and straw to stay in touch and to warn of impending attack.
From Tourist to Climbers
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Sep 092007
Today’s, September 7th, drive from Shigatse to Shegar can best be characterized as speed up, slow down. While the Chinese have invested tens of millions into improving the road systems, the roads were riddled with deep – 5 feet – holes marked by rocks. Landslides created more blockages with house size rocks strewn across the highway and then there were
The Friendship Highway: Shigatse
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Sep 092007
Yesterday, September 6th, was a travel day towards Base Camp. We left Lhasa around 9:00 AM taking the paved Friendship Highway to Shigatse. The altitude is 12,795, a nice gain from Lhasa at 11,000′. The road was mostly smooth but huge potholes had the driver making quick moves. Also the oncoming traffic seemed to view the center line as a guideline not a rule so luckily there was a decent shoulder to use as an additional half lane when needed. Finally we shared the road with tractors, the ubiquitous Toyota Land Cruiser, tourists buses, goats and cows. It was a continue reading
To hear this Shisha Pangma
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Sep 072007
To hear this Shisha Pangma 2007 audio dispatch, just click on the play button. Thanks for listening and following me on The Road Back to Mt. Everest: Memories are Everything. This is about more than just climbing mountains…. Climb On! Alan
Lhasa: a city of multiple faces
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Sep 052007
Another great day in Lhasa. After a rainy night the air was cool and fresh as we left for our last day of sightseeing. Today we visited the Jokhang Temple and the Sera Monastery. The difference being that a Monastery teaches all subjects from religion to geography to science where a Temple focus on mostly religion. Both were great visits as well as seeing more of the people of Lhasa. Again, it is not possible for me to share everything I saw and learned but here is a brief overview.
The Potala, Home of the Dalai Lamas
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Sep 042007
What a day! This is why I wanted to come to Lhasa. We made two visits to scared places: Norbulingka, the summer home of the Dalai Lamas and the Potala, the winter home of the Dalai Lamas. Both places were inspirational and gave me new insight into the culture of the Tibetans and the Buddhist religion. It is completely impossible for me to share with you via this dispatch what I saw and learned so I encourage you to research these places on the web or even better plan a visit here! However, here is a brief overview and some continue reading
Lhasa, Tibet
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Sep 032007
We made it to Lhasa! After an early morning start we made the short trip to the Kathmandu airport for our 10:30 flight on Air China to the capital of Tibet. I guess it is a commentary on modern times and Jamie’s organizational skills since our travels went quite smooth. The 2 hour flight on an Airbus 320 was punctuational and comfortable. It was somewhat cloudy over Nepal so we had limited views of the Himalayas but one 8000m Hill was poking through the clouds. I was excited to see Lhasa since it has so much history. To be honest, continue reading
What Time Is It, anyway??
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Sep 022007
Kathmandu! What a city. After leaving Colorado early Thursday morning, I finally arrived in this wonderful city. Nothing has changed. The last time I was here was in 2003 for Everest. The arrival at the airport was what I expected – organized chaos. I had checked my bags through from Denver to Kathmandu via United and Thai airlines. Yes, I live dangerously. But one was 63lbs and the other 55 so I really had no choice. In Bangkok, they assured me my bags were on my Thai flight but the anxiety was still there until I saw the red one continue reading
Aug 262007
Later this week, I depart for Kathmandu to meet up with the rest of the team for our Shisha Pagma expedition. I am very excited about this climb for a number of reasons. First, this is the second climb of The Road Back to Mt. Everest – Memories are Everything journey. Second my health is excellent and I have checked out 100% after Denali. And third, this is a great mountain with only a couple of hundred summits thus far. Now for some details of the climb.
It has been four weeks since I became sick on Denali. A lot has happened since then. This dispatch is to update everyone on my status and plans as I continue the Road Back to Mt. Everest. Climbing has many similarities with so many other difficult endeavors in that when something goes wrong, you must take a philosophical approach. I have never been a medical researcher but I can imagine that after you work on a theory for a long time and it does not prove out, you take a step back – consider what might have gone wrong, what continue reading
