Friday, September 30, 2011

Khumbu Alpinist Course: Lukla

Landed in Lukla and all of our bags made it as well! So happy to start
trekking to Monjo today.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Khumbu Alpinist Course: Kathmandu Prep


There is a famous saying about both ends of the economic spectrum having a leisure class, unfortunately I seem to not fall into either group anymore. Yesterday was all about work, I went through all 12 barrels of equipment in storage; sorted food; finalized governmental paperwork, and dropped off a few things for repair. Had the delightful please of a chat with Miss Hawley - this time via phone as she is still recovering from a broken hip and I didn't have time to drop into her office at Dilli Bazaar. Then went to have dinner with an old friend, we didn't connect but instead had dinner with Tsedam who is an older friend. He owns International Mountain Equipment and Zamling Hotel in Namche. It was great fun to see him and relax a bit, came back to my new home away from home (away from home) - the offices of Cho Oyu Trekking and passed out by 9pm! Up at 4:30 am, time to start a bit more packing and hopefully soon find some coffee!   



To learn more about Khumbu Alpinist courses please check out my website and/or like my facebook athlete page.
My website

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Khumbu Alpinist Course: Kathmandu!

Kathmandu! The airport was crazy, many many people! It is the start of a major festival here, it is also very monsoon like, hot in the morning and then raining at night Beni from Cho Oyu Trekking tells me. Great to be back in the office! Lots to do, pack all climbing equipment, buy more food - already brought alot from Europe.
Beni has already booked and bought plane tickets, booked porters, lodges, permits and everything else that needs to be done.

I hear that Fire and Ice is open again too, everything is going great!

Khumbu Alpinist Course: Kyazo Ri and Pharilapcha and more...

I am off to Nepal!
The past month has been fantastic, but I am happy to be heading back to Nepal for some nice technical climbing. I am teaching an intermediate Khumbu Alpinist Course, lots of moderate technical climbing and even more skills training. I enjoy these trips, I get to do some fun climbing but more importantly get to introduce people to some real world helpful tactics for alpine climbing.

Kyazo Ri and Pharilapcha are in the Gokyo area of the Khumbu, beautiful trekking to get there and then views from the summits of all the things you would want to see up close in the Khumbu.

Might have something fun to report on at the end of October as well....I will keep posting.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Explorersweb.com interview, reading lists and off to Nepal this week!

http://explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php?id=20354

Check out an interview with me on Exweb...
Off to Nepal this week, very excited!!!
Packing again, it never stops.

Interesting reading list for this trip through:
Norman Davies, Heart of Europe: The Past in Poland's Present
John Irving, Last night in twisted river
Ryszard Kapuscinski, The Soccer War
I hope to get a copy of Bernadette McDonald's Freedom Climbers and Murakami's IQ84

Yes, it is alot to read, but that is what I like to do on rest days and evenings in lodges when trekking to Kyazo Ri and Pharilapcha base camp. I am guiding for October, then will have some fun personal climbing to talk about, more on that later.....

I love this Khumbu Alpinist course, we do some very fun, challenging and seldom visited ridges with amazing views. I get to teach skills and pass along tips on alpine efficiency. The climbing is fun for me as well.

OK, back to packing.....