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