Manaslu 2013 – Trekking Through Time
After 10 days of trekking and travel we have arrived at Manaslu Base Camp on Saturday, September 7, 2013. The team is doing well and everyone is in good health and spirits. The trek can be described as I’m glad I did it but wouldn’t do it again in the monsoon season. I can only imagine how spectacular it is in November without the rain and low clouds. So let’s get this out of the way. The drive out of Kathmandu was slow and tedious with a lot of road construction and it got significantly worse as we transferred to a heavily modified high clearance bus to travel the extremely rough and muddy road to the small village of Arughat at 1,870’/570m. This is where our trek began. It rained intermittently, the heat was oppressive and the humidity was severe. These conditions remained for the next few days until we broke 9,000 feet. If it sounds uncomfortable, it was, but there was much more to the experience. Each morning we arose around sunrise, had a fully cooked breakfast before walking for 2 to 4 hours. Lunch each day was again a hot meal accompanied by local fresh vegetables picked from a teahouse garden. After another several hours of trekking we arrived at our camp for the night. Usually it began to rain around 3:00PM each day. But the Altitude Junkies (AJ) porters and Sherpas had the big dome tent set up with tables and chairs so the rain fell harmlessly. I often joke with friends about expeditions who only advertise their “delicious food” and I sometimes mock those dispatches who talk about the “great food” and not the actually climbing. So I’m about to join this crowd! I have been on a lot of treks and expeditions and have never eaten so well. I have absolutely gained weight. The meals are fresh, creative, balanced and nutritious. Considering the cook team had to trek along with us, set up their portable kitchen, cook, serve, clean and pack back up three times a day they are a case study in organization and leadership. Now that we are at Base Camp, it will only get better. By the way, the AJ cook is Da Pasang, a Sherpa cook who can compete with the from anywhere in the world for expedition cooking. The trek itself followed the Budhi Gandaki River. I have rarely witnessed such a powerful force of water over so many days. Of course all the rain is the driving force feeding it with streams and endless waterfalls. We started at a very low altitude of only 1,870 feet and are now at 15,750 feet at Base Camp. Just another 11,009 feet to the summit! The terrain started with open areas of rice fields nurtured by the Gurung farming villages. Soon the terrain narrowed into sharp, steep rock walls creating a canyon just wide enough for the river itself and a narrow trail carved into the steep walls. We followed the centuries old dirt trails that serve as the primary road way for the local villages. We crossed countless bridges from somewhat modern steel cable rigs to ancient wooden ones with rotten slats. No cars, motorbikes, bicycles allowed – nothing motorized – only feet and hooves. Each day brought new sights of the terrain and the culture. It was like moving through time, backwards. As the canyon narrowed, the waterfalls grew more impressive. I ran out of words to describe what I was seeing. The monsoon clouds hovered low above the narrow gorge obscuring the top of the rock walls but the waterfalls betrayed the drainage of the higher terrain. The falls ranged from trickles to raging torrents that exploded in a sparkle of water droplets illuminated by the filtered sunlight. Some waterfalls were quite wide, more like a falling lake than a rushing river. Nature put on a show that humbled anything man could render. One day, the low clouds broke long enough to reveal a jagged snow covered ridge line leading to a sharp summit. This “small” 6000m mountain reminded us of why we were here. The culture was equally impressive and revealing. The low areas reminded me of my early treks through the Khumbu. Given we are at the end of the monsoon season and the trekking seasons has not begun, often we were the only westerners on the trail. Our schedule is necessitated by the brutal winter snows on Manaslu that start in late October. Walking through the villages, we were met with smiles and greeting of “namaste” by the adults and children. Many children were in school uniforms, eager to practice their English. “Namaste! Where are you from? What is your name, My name is …” a dialog repeated often and with pleasure on both sides. As we rose higher, getting closer to the Tibetan boarder, the culture shifted from Nepali to Tibetan in the Bhotia villages. Long straight black hair adorned bronze faces with smooth features. The turquoise jewelry spoke to their heritage. They walked proud whether carrying a basket full of vegetables, or a tiny new born child. Women wove garments and rugs on centuries old looms so focused on their work that they were oblivious to our passing. Men cut lumber using long saws, one on each end to skillfully create the wooden planks used to build homes. The final day took us through a very primitive area. Building made of stone, no wood, created villages. The Tibetans who lived here smiled as we passed, pressing their hands together as they now said Tashi Dhelek instead of Namaste. One old woman sorted wool taken from sheep or perhaps one of the yaks we saw earlier that day. A group of women gently braided the hair of an elder woman showing her resect and admiration. They laughed easily with one another as we passed by, again seeming to not even notice us. Once at Sama Goan, the last village before base camp, we saw
Manaslu 2013 – A Morning with a Legend
Precisely at 9:30, the baby blue VW Beetle pulled into the hotel parking lot. The driver quickly came around to open the passenger door. He gently cradled her elbow as she first put her walking stick out of the car then slid herself out. Standing up with the authority of someone who belongs, Ms. Elizabeth Hawley had arrived. Before I go on, if you do not know Ms. Hawley, she is, how do I put this? She is a living legend in the world of Himalayan mountaineering. Born in the US, she came to Kathmandu as a reporter for Time Magazine in 1960. She never left. Over time, she honed a purpose and focus with tracking the summits of Nepal’s Himalayan peaks. Now at age 89, she is the definitive judge and jury as to disputes and has the final word on if you summited or not. Simply put, there is no higher authority in mountaineering. Her decades of knowledge is captured in the Himalayan Database she created along with Richard Salisbury whom I interviewed earlier this year. The book, I’ll Call You in Kathmandu: The Elizabeth Hawley Story is the story of her life. Phil Crampton moved over to walk along side her as she made her way to the simple wooden chair set up in the Hotel courtyard. We all took our places on the bench in front of her. Ms. Hawley took out her manila folder, and pen as she began the questioning. “OK, you are going to Manaslu. right?” she asked Phil as our expedition leader. “Yes ma’am.” he replied. “At least that is what I told the team.” he slyly added with a grin. Her eyes looked up from her papers though her stylish glasses. Her thin grin betrayed her as she provided a single “harrumph” acknowledging Phil’s attempt at humor. She continued. Using a form she had used for decades she now directed her attention to me. I straightened my back as I looked at my palms not sure if she had a ruler or not. I smiled weakly. “It says here you are retired.” “Yes ma’am” I offered. “From what? You just can’t say you retired as an occupation. What did you retire from?” she scolded as she now looked through her glasses locking in a piercing look of command over me. Thus began 10 minutes of me trying to explain what I did for 30 years, the roles I had, and what my company did. “I was a manager, you know attended meetings, asked questions, drank coffee” I offered without success. She did not acknowledge my humor. And on it went for each of us. The only profession she accepted from our team was the title of Psychologist. Finished with me team she went back to Phil. “When are you leaving? What route, Oxygen? How many Sherpas. When will you summit. Return? Anything special?” By now the mood had relaxed and the jokes were plenty. Ms. Hawley was doing what she did . Upon return, she would once again pepper climbers with questions. “What did you see from the summit? How long did it take? Any problems?” All trick questions to measure the accuracy of any summit claim. Sherlock Holmes could not do it better. She had just repeated this performance with other teams in Kathmandu the previous day, the previous year, the previous decade, She had more planned for later today and tomorrow and on and on. This is what she does. With the work complete, she closed her folder and looked up. I took my chance to talk to this incredible person. I wanted to get her thoughts on the changing Sherpa culture, the infamous 2013 fight at Camp 2, Sir Edmund Hillary, the “new” 8000m peaks Nepal had recently named, the future of mountaineering. For the next 30 minutes she politely answered my questions showing an encyclopedic knowledge of the Himalayan peaks, first ascents, routes, conflicts, and history. I sat in utter amazement totally captivated. She sometimes got lost telling a story. “Well, Ed really created the schools Sherpas go to today. He built 42, or was it 44, of them. You see the way it worked was that the Sherpas who helped them get to the top, You know he was the first? Well anyway, they carried their bags, then they learned a little English. But it was Ed who thought they should go to a real school. So he came here and built the schools.” She continued without taking a breath. ” The original dirt path from Lukla to Phakding to Namche was down by the Dudh Koisi river but it kept getting washed out, so Ed help get it moved to higher ground so the kids could get to school. Then more people used it, the trekkers and climbers. When someone got tired, they would go spend the night at a Sherpa’s house. Well, that became the teahouses. The Sherpas got rich. Relatively, you understand compared to the rest of Nepal. The Sherpa are proud people. They know what they are doing.” Ms. Hawley was real, authentic; candid and outspoken. Her opinions were based on facts. If she didn’t know, she would give you a look then say scoldingly “How would I know? She was refreshing. The world will miss her one day. Known to refuse to have her picture taken, I mustered the courage and moved into place. She giggled or sighed as we took few. As I walked her to her Bug, I could feel the energy of this world treasure. I felt tiny and insignificant in her presence. Like I did on the summit of Everest. As I sat in the courtyard, I felt drained, but there was work to be done on this last day before we left for the trek. I will be “off the grid” for most of the next week as we will not have a reliable internet connection and the sat phones cannot reach the satellites high
Manaslu 2013 – Memories of Kathmandu
The rush of memories was overwhelming. Each mile, each segment across the Pacific brought me closer to Nepal, and further from home. Connections between two worlds. Strong memories of each. At hour 18, I walked the empty spaces of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport passing the time between flights. Stoping dead in my tracks I stared at the sign – Thai Airways TG 319: Kathmandu. A smile crept across my face. I looked around to see if anyone noticed but I was alone. My previous flights were mostly on-time and uneventful, just as I like. I got my window seat on the right side of the Thai 777 jet and stared out the window dwelling in the memories from my previous seven flights. The first was in 1997. I didn’t know then what I didn’t know. But that trip changed my life forever, setting in motion all the return trips and climb after climb after big mountain climb. This flight, I knew what to do. 30 minutes before landing, there it was – a large snow covered massif. At first I thought I knew but then another appeared to the left. I said out loud to no one, “Everest!” My heart skipped a beat, my lungs contracted and a simple grin emerged – all involuntary – all in a blink. I stared at Makalu, Lhotse, Nuptse and Everest until the clouds regained control. My head settled back against the seat, my eyes closed, considering this new mountain which would be providing the challenge. The long travel from home was coming to a promising end as I started missing what I care about the most. As the door opened on the wide body jet, I could taste the warm, moist air of Kathmandu. A monkey sat quietly on the airport sign watching the throngs getting off the airplane. I wondered who was visiting whom. A few minutes later, I went through the visa ordeal passing my passport, application, photo and crisp new US money to a series of men, who worked diligently to fold, fondle, mutilate, stamp and process the documents. The last one pushed the pile back at me with no words. Welcome to Nepal. Standing in front of the “Absolutely no photos” sign, I took a picture of the room as it filed up with NGO employees, UN officials, returning Nepali, visiting Thai, tourists, trekkers, monks and of course, climbers. Everything happened so fast, I wondered if I had entered the wrong country. But my shoulders tightened as I took the escalator down to baggage claim. With four segments half way around the globe, there was a lot that could go wrong. But in all my years of expedition travel, I had never lost a bag. I walked quickly over to the decades old, noisy conveyor belt. From across the room, I spotted my big red duffle. I smiled. I looked ahead and behind Big Red to see the second one – the big black duffle. Two for two. My shoulders relaxed as one of the “trolley men” quickly sized me up, grabbed my bags and started carting them away. I followed in tow. We passed the x-ray machine without making eye contact, the two officials were engrossed with their newspaper. As is the custom in Kathmandu, and most airports around the world, a crowd of people massed together just outside the exits holding signs. I scanned them and another smile came to my face. “Alan Arnette. Hotel Courtyard. Altitude Junkies” That was all I needed to see. One of the Altitude Junkies Sherpas, Pasang Ongcho Sherpa, was my greeting committee. Along with an unnamed driver, we quickly navigated the streets of Kathmandu. I thought of my first time here 16 years ago, and last in 2011 – nothing had really changed. Traffic lanes, signs, signal (only one) and police continue to be more of a suggestion rather than a rule. The scooter occupants now wear helmets but the pedestrians walk aimlessly across the road along with the occasional cow. The car horn has kept its honored role as Nepal’s national song. The streets seemed a bit cleaner than before, a few newer buildings lined the large streets but once we entered the Thamel area, it was 1960 all over again. The multi-colored signs hawked “Himalayan Trecs” and ” Climbing Gears”. A pile of knitted shawls had a sign propped up on it claiming “Yak Wool”. The narrow streets felt even more congested than before, People walked shoulder to shoulder, motorcycles slalomed the course, cars hugged the road, dogs slept peacefully on the concrete store steps. I recognized the stores, shops, restaurants. We just passed Fire and Ice Pizza, on my agenda. There was the Hotel Garuda, the first hotel I stayed in for Ama Dablam in 2000. I still remember the barking dogs – all – night – long! The driver never signaled or stopped on his relentless mission to deliver us to the Hotel Courtyard. Passang and I were equally focused on talk of mountains. He just got back Peru with Phil Crampton. He had a great time. With four summits of Everest and three of Manaslu, we compared routes, conditions; what to expect this year. His gentle manner, and soft voice gave instant ease, reminding me of why I respect the Sherpa culture as I do. Leaving the car, I was greeted by the owners of the Hotel Courtyard. Calling me by name we connected once again. I remember being here in 2008. They had just started to renovate the hotel. Husband, wife – Pujan and Michelle – he is Nepali, educated in the US, she is from Seattle. Together they run arguably the finest “boutique” Hotel in Kathmandu. Not the big commercial approach like the Yak and Yeti or the budget version many expeditions use, but squarely in the middle with a personal approach often missing in this busy world. We sat in the “library” sipping simple ice water infused with mineral salts – they told
Manaslu 2013: Thoughts as I Board the Plane
Leaving home for an 8000 meter climb is always a time of mixed emotions. On one hand, s I am excited to return to the high mountains and expedition life but on the other, ed I am leaving home for a long time. Climbing Manaslu will be a series of firsts for me. I have never been to this part of Nepal. It is more remote and primitive than the Khumbu area around Everest. Also it will be my first 8000m climb after reaching the summit of Everest almost two and half years ago. The climb itself will be different as I have never been to Manaslu. While not overly difficult, there are a few sections that are, well, “steep” and the weather is known to be, well, “difficult”. Oh and did I mention it was high, as in twenty six thousand seven hundred and fifty nine feet high? And I start walking at 1,870 feet meaning I will walk up hill for 24,889 feet. Talk about sea to summit, I’m tired just writing this! The anxiety might also be upped a notch or two given the recent series of deadly avalanches that have plagued the world’s 8th highest mountain. But the familiarity of climbing at extreme altitude is what calls me back for more. As previously noted, this will be my eighth expedition to an 8,000 meter mountain with previous climbs on Cho Oyu, Broad Peak, Shishapangma and of course, Mt. Everest. This will be my 32nd major climbing expedition. Why? What brings me back is complicated and simple. Paraphrasing Thorton Wilder’s quote on adventure: “An adventure is when you are in it you pray to come home alive, and when you are back home, you pray to go back.” The contradiction can be simplified by saying it helps me feel alive by feeding something deep in my essence that is hard to explain. The dream of a high climb provides a purpose for training. The preparation keeps me sharp and motivated. The time away increase my appreciation for what I have. My life is enriched though my climbing partners. It is my fuel for memories. The trek to base camp is a long affair involving many hours of walking along dirt trails surrounded by trees, brush and simple villages. The highlight is making eye contact with the kids along the way, hearing them laugh and smile as they call out “Namaste” to us – tall strangers passing by in their world. We are guests and should never forget we are given a gift to walk in their world for a moment. Base Camp life is simple. My little tent becomes home. I carefully lay out my gear in the same order I have for over a decade of expedition climbing; pausing to reflect on why I brought each item, feeling the memories from previous climbs. Rituals are important. Each piece has its own spot. I can reach everything in the total darkness of the early morning hours. An order to life is part of the experience. It brings comfort; satisfaction. My teammates become my new family. Some of them become lifelong relationships continuing well after the climb, others are temporary. Secrets are told during the depth of downtimes. Hopes and fears; dreams and disappointments become the topic of long talks. Confidence is built, trust is established. The first climb above Base Camp is when the expedition takes on a new life. The purpose becomes real. Planning becomes reality. Each step is a new one. The uncertainty brings your senses to life in a way impossible back home. Pausing high on a snow slope, a look around bring focus to the purpose, a smile to a cold face. As the winds pick up, snow pelts your face and you feel a tingle in your toes, you think deeply about where you are, what you are doing. You are now a visitor in a world not designed for you. Your time is limited. Packing the Duffels I have my duffel bags packed; sitting on the floor ready to go. Each one weighs in about 55 pounds, a bit less than for previously expeditions. I have the usual assortment of high altitude gear from boots to sleeping bags, packs and snacks. One change for Manaslu was that I upgraded all my outer layers to reduce weight and improve flexibility. I have become fond of Patagonia clothes over the years. While expensive, I have found they are a great value and still use many items that are over ten years old. This time I have a new ensemble of layers starting with the simple Houdini wind shirt, followed by the amazingly light 7 ounce Down Ultralight Hoody. The final layer is the Tropshere Jacket that is water and wind proof yet extremely light. This combination will serve me well between Base Camp and the last camp before the summit. For the summit, I will rely on my 12 year-old The North Face down suit. This old friend has taken me to 8000m many times and to the summit of Everest. I know it is old and probably not working at 100% but like my 57 year-old body it gets it done. My secret weapon however continues to be my Mountain Hardwear Power Stretch suit. This Polartech fleece keeps me warm on the coldest days. Not to be left out, and I am picky about this, only pure merino wool goes next to my skin. Sheep are amazing. You never see them sweat or shiver! You can see my complete gear list on my site. Training I learned a lot while training for the 7 Summits. In 2010, the year before the climbs, I never went to a gym. My workouts were outdoors in my Colorado mountains. I climbed, hiked and walked with a 30 to 45 pound backpack for hours on end. I have never felt more physically fit than before my 10 months of back to back expeditions in 2011.
Manaslu 2013: An 8000m Expedition
Well it is time to climb again! A big climb that is: Manaslu 26, 759’/8156m. If you have been following me in 2013, I have been busy training. Back in January, I had knee surgery so was uncertain if I could get ready for Manaslu but after 25+ summits on Colorado 14,000 foot mountains, many with heavy packs, I feel ready and confident. This will be my fifth climb on a 8000m mountain (Everest, Broad Peak, Cho Oyu, Shishapangma and now Manaslu). Well actually, eight if you include all my Everest attempts. I will be climbing with Phil Crampton’s Altitude Junkies organization hoping to summit in early October 2013 after spending the previous month on the mountain establishing camps and acclimatizing. Manaslu Manaslu is the world’s 8th highest mountain at 26,759’/8156m. It is located in Nepal about 40 miles east of Annapurna, 150 miles west of Everest and 80 miles northwest of Kathmandu. The summit in the picture is far left. It is not as well known or climbed as many other 8000 meter mountain due to the remote location but also for a history of avalanches and deaths. As of 2012, the summit has seen about 672 successful ascents and 67 deaths, ranking it in the middle of the dangerous 8000m peaks. It has become popular as a training 8000m climb for aspiring Everest climbers similar to Cho Oyu in Tibet but without the political and logistical difficulties. It is climbed in both pre and post monsoon seasons but more often in the autumn. The Manaslu Circuit Trek has also become very popular as an alternative to the Annapurna Circuit. A unique aspect of a Manaslu climb is starting the trek very low, 1,870 feet, and walking through rain forest and dense tropical vegetation. The mountain is included in the Manaslu Conservation Area and is home to the protected snow leopard and pandas. The area has a strong cultural similarity to Tibet. History The Japanese pioneered the early climbs on Manaslu in the 1950s and some Japanese may considered it their 8000m peak today, similar to how the British view Everest. The first ascent of Manaslu was in 1956 by Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu on a Japanese expedition. The peak was not climbed again until 1971 when another Japanese team made the second ascent. The first American ascent was by Charlie Mace in 1997. There are a half dozen established routes on the mountain today. Challenge The biggest issue facing most Manaslu expeditions, altitude notwithstanding, is the weather. It is known to snow several feet at a time at Base Camp. Also avalanches are a concern on the upper mountain. In 2012, 11 climbers were killed by an avalanche that hit directly on Camp 3 where many teams were sleeping. In 1972 15 members of a South Korean expedition were killed by an avalanche, 10 were tragically Sherpa. Route The normal route is from the Northeast Ridge. Overall the climbing is not exceedingly difficult except for the extreme altitude. We will follow a direct line on snow slopes with a few steep sections that are set with fixed lines. The base camp is comfortably nestled between high ridges with a running stream nearby. We will establish four camps: Base Camp: 15,750ft/4800m: amazing views of the Himalayas Camp 1: 18,700ft/5700m: mixed terrain from Base Camp including a few crevasses and short ice sections – 3 to 6 hours Camp 2: 21,000ft6400m: From C1, this is considered the technical crux with 40 degree snow slopes and a brief steep ice section – 3 to 4 hours Camp 3: 22.310ft/6800m: From C2 the terrain eases but is known for high, cold winds – 1 to 3 hours Camp 4: 24,445ft7450m: from C3 it is a physical climb with a few steep sections at extreme altitude – 4 to 8 hours Summit: 26,759ft/8156m: summit day is about 6 to 8 hours passing a false summit to the true summit via an exposed ridge. Sometimes the snow conditions prevent reaching the true summit. Schedule This is our approximate schedule: Days 1-2: Kathmandu – 4,386’/1,3337m Day 3: Drive to Arughat – 1,870’/570m Days 4-9: Trek to Sama Gaon: Soti Khola – 2,395ft/730m Machha Khola – 3,050ft/930m Jagat – 4,495ft/1370m Philim – 5,150ft/1570m Deng – 5,050ft/1540m Ghap – 7,105ft2165m Namrung – 8,730ft2660m Lho – 10,435ft3180m Sama Gaon – 11,565ft/3525m Days 10-11: Sama Goan Day 12: Trek to base camp Days 13-37: Rotations through high camps for acclimatization Days 38-41: Summit Bid Day 42: Trek to Sama Goan Day 43: Helicopter to Kathmandu Day 44: Kathmandu Day 45: Depart Kathmandu Follow Along I will post updates during the climb on my Blog. Also you can follow from the Altitude Junkies website. Also, a full trip report will be available after the climb. As usual, my climbs are to raise awareness and research funds for Alzheimer’s Disease. Please learn more at this link. Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything
2010 Team List
My coverage of Everest benefits Alzheimer’s research. If you enjoy this coverage, please donate generously today. 100% of all donations go to research – zero to me. I summited Everest on May 21, 2011. The reports can be read on my Blog On this page you will find the 2010 team’s final statistics based on their public information and an overview of this season’s most recent stories. Click on any headline to read the full story. See a list of all Everest 2010 Posts. 513 total summits South Col Route TEAMS BC C1 C2 C3 C4 Summit: 347 Adventure Consultants (5) e 4/10 Alpine Ascents Int. (12) e 9/11 Altitude Junkies (7) e 5/5 Asian Trekking Eco e 5/9 Australian Everest (5) e 5/5 Canada West (NGJG) (6) e 2/2 Exploradus e Dream Guides (5) e 4/2 Extreme Everest (20) 6 Finnish Everest-Lhotse (2) 1 Hanesbrands Everest (2) e 2/3 Himex (23) e 16/17 IMG Main (19) e 15/18 IMG Hybrid (9) e 5/4 Jagged Globe (6) e 7/8 Malta Everest (4) e 5/5 Mountain Trip (5) e 7/12 Patagonia Brothers (10) e 8/5 Peak Freaks (19) e 10/15 RMI (9) e 7/6 Summit Climb (9) e 2/3 others 31+/44+ 157/190 Northeast Ridge Route TEAMS BC ABC C1 C2 C3 Summit: 165 Adventure Peaks (21) e 5/6 Adventure Dynamics (8) e 6/7 Chessell Adventures (10) e 8/8 Project Himalaya (4) e 3/2 Jordan Romero (3) e 3/3 Summit Climb (20) e 6/2 WRET (3) e 1/2 7 Summits (12) e 10/10 others 83 e= climb ended, stuff x=last reported location, x+ = on summit bid, -x = descending h=high point. Summit number = member/sherpa Locations are estimates derived from public websites I climbed Everest four times – 2002, 2003, 2008 and last summited in 2011. This section of my website is devoted to my personal coverage of the 2010 Everest expeditions. I did similar coverage of the 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 seasons. I try to provide insight and interpretation of the activities ranging from routes to weather to the challenge of climbing Everest.