Another Puja for our Speed Ascent and Personal Sherpa Teams
Greetings from Nepal!
With everyone now at our Everest Base Camp, we celebrated with another Puja today for those who missed the first one, including our 30-Day and 40-Day Speed Ascent climbers and our Personal Sherpa team.
Meanwhile, our 1:1 Private Climbers and their guides are getting higher in the Western Cwm. Earlier today, they tagged Camp 2 and are now resting easy back at Camp 1 for the night. The team made great time, and tomorrow, they will retreat back to Everest Base Camp, wrapping their first rotation.
Our Personal Sherpa climbers head out early tomorrow for their first rotation up through the Khumbu Icefall to Camp 1.
We're always dreaming of the big mountains, even when we're at Everest Base Camp. (Photo Credit: Mike Hamill)
With one rotation complete, our Western Guided team enjoyed a well-deserved rest day today as they strategized for their next rotation window. They are looking at heading up for their second rotation on Monday or Tuesday with our 40-Day Speed Ascent team folding in.
CTSS's Everest Base Camp is glowing under the full moon! (Photo Credit: Mike Hamill)
Our Sherpa team is doing an incredible job and working incredibly hard for all our climbers. Today, they spent the day fixing lines to Camp 3 to establish camp and stock the upper mountain.
All is well and on schedule in the Himalayas, and happy Anzac Day to all of our climbers, friends, and followers from Down Under!
On Top of the World: Julie’s Seven Summits Journey
On Top of the World: Julie’s Seven Summits Journey
In the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, there’s a woman who embodies the spirit of adventure and resilience: Julie McKelvey.
With the 2024 Mount Everest season in full swing, we wanted to take a moment to look back at Julie's monumental achievements. Last year, Julie stood on the summit of the world’s tallest peak—Mount Everest—and just a few months later, she completed her journey to climb all of the Seven Summits with a celebratory jaunt up Mount Kosciuszko with friends, family, and a bottle of non-alcoholic bubbly in tow.
Julie’s journey stands not only as a testament to her own physical prowess but also as a narrative of personal triumph and transformation. Flooded with emotion, she reflects on her journey from addiction to standing on top of the world’s tallest peaks. She knows firsthand the transformational power of the mountains.
Like many of us, Julie wasn’t a born mountaineer. Her dream to summit each continent’s tallest peak started unexpectedly on the slopes of Mount Fuji just as the sun rose above the clouds. Her dad’s gentle nudge to climb Mount Fuji sparked something in Julie that grew into a grand goal to climb all Seven Summits in just five years.
However, as you might imagine, there were a multitude of expected and unexpected barriers and challenges for Julie to overcome.
- Climbing Mount Everest, let alone all Seven Summits, is expensive, but as Julie pointed out, “If you go on the cheap, you might not be alive.” Julie personally funded all of her expeditions through sheer hard work and perseverance. Beyond funding her own dreams, Julie also saw this as an opportunity to give back and garner more support. Thus, she launched a “Summit for Sound” campaign in conjunction with her Seven Summits journey. This campaign supported the Miracle-Ear Foundation and raised more than $250,000, giving hundreds of families the gift of sound.
- The team dynamic is just as important as your training plan. Julie attributes climbing with CTSS as one of the major keys to her success. During our conversation, Julie often remarked that she was taken aback by what she heard from other guides and outfitters on the mountain, which serves as a reminder of why CTSS has a No D*ckheads Policy. Going with the right company matters and Julie felt confident in choosing CTSS because she knew her teammates had been vetted and her guides were not only professional but also some of the best in the guiding world. We were honored to be the right fit for Julie and to have been part of her Seven Summits journey.
- Progress, progress, progress. You don’t wake up one day ready to climb Mount Everest, or at least most of us don’t! Julie understood that progression climbing was a key piece to her success, but she also had to trust the process. Julie notes that if she had tried to figure it all out before starting her Seven Summits journey, she wouldn't have done it. When it came down to planning and preparing, Julie was open to advice and taking it one climb at a time, continually training between climbs and slowly building her skills and experience base to move onto progressively bigger and bigger objectives. Here at CTSS, we specialize in individualized progression advice that is tailored to fit our climbers’ lives, experience levels, budgets, and work/life balance, and we are committed to helping them find a realistic pathway to their goal rather than offering one-size-fits-all advice.
- Being a woman on the mountain in a male-dominated sport is still a struggle. Climbers like Julie are demonstrating that representation in the mountains matters. They are shattering false narratives and showcasing that women, minorities, and other marginalized communities belong in the mountains. Julie’s attitude was to show up - just like any of her male counterparts - prepared, having put in the training and ready to perform. She held her own amongst the best of them. At CTSS, we recognize that having a space for women to grow and learn in conjunction with other women is empowering, which is why we offer both of our Alpine Academies in an all-women’s format in addition to our coed offerings.
At the end of the day, Julie overcame each and every obstacle and reached her dream.
Let’s take a little trip down memory lane and recap Julie’s Seven Summits journey.
In 2018, Julie climbed Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa – 19,341 feet), and it was during dinner when one of her guides suggested that she should climb all Seven Summits. She was already well on her way to tagging the first of the seven peaks! When Julie returned to the States, she took to Google, plugged in climbing the Seven Summits, and quickly arrived in the inbox of Mike Hamill, owner of CTSS.
With a progression mentality front of mind and the support of the CTSS team, Julie was off to climb Mount Elbrus (Europe – 18,510 feet) alongside Mike. During this 2019 summit climb, Mike and our team at CTSS showed Julie the ropes, quite literally. Julie learned to use crampons, how to navigate fixed-line climbing, and (one of our specialties at CTSS) techniques to climb efficiently and take care of yourself.
In 2020, Julie's pace started to pick up after her summit of Aconcagua (South America—22,841 feet), where she received the advice to “get in the groove, train, and GO!” And that’s exactly what Julie did. In 2021, Julie trained with Mark Postle from Evoke Endurance and worked with Rebecca Dent from High-Performance Dietitian, who helped set her up to summit Denali (North America – 20,310 feet ) and Vinson (Antarctica – 16,050 feet), but two weeks before her 2021 expedition to Denali, Julie badly hurt her foot during training. As you might have guessed, it’s pretty hard to cancel such a big trip and commitment at the 11th hour, so Julie pushed forward. However, between Camps 2 and 3, Julie couldn’t move her foot effectively on the steep ice. Her guide did what any great guide would do and turned her around. When Julie reflected on this moment, she smiled, knowing this was exactly the experience she needed to go through to remember to put safety above summits and to get to where she is today.
With plenty of time for her foot to heal, Julie had a successful expedition to Vinson in 2021, where she met Tendi Sherpa, who is widely regarded as one of the most respected guides in the world. During their 2021 Vinson expedition, Julie climbed right behind Tendi, and she remarks on how Tendi calmed her down and led with grace and strength. Julie learned one of the most valuable lessons that we hope all mountaineers discover: it’s not about conquering anything. It’s about finding a place within yourself where you are emotionally and physically ready to be one with the mountain. The mountain simply grants you passage, if you’re lucky! Your job is to make sure you are ready.
By 2022, Julie had completed four of the Seven Summits, leaving a second attempt on Denali, Mount Kosciuszko, and, of course, Mount Everest on the table. With much joy, Julie summited Denali in 2022 and used this peak to springboard her training for a summit bid on Mount Everest (Asia – 29,032 feet) in 2023. The story that unfolded on Everest in the spring of 2023 is a true testament to Julie’s spirit of adventure and resilience.
In March 2023, Julie caught her flight to Kathmandu, Nepal, where she came back together with Tendi Sherpa, her guide on Vinson, who had been such a powerful influence on her.
Along the Everest Base Camp trek through the Khumbu Valley, Julie felt sick but pushed through to the summit on Lobuche East with ibuprofen and rest. However, at altitude, a simple cough can turn any mountaineer around. By the time Julie reached the high camps on Everest, her cough had worsened significantly. Tendi helped Julie make a decision to call it off and head back to Everest Base Camp and eventually Kathmandu for further treatment. Julie came down with a laundry list of problems, including pulmonary edema and multiple infections in the lungs.
For many of us, this would be the point where we start making plans to head home and consider another attempt in the future. But as you’ve learned, Julie is resilient. She was ready for this, she trained, she prepared, and this was her season. With the support of CTSS to try again in the same season, and under the care of the doctors in Kathmandu, Julie was patient and let her body recover. While the doctor warned there was a 60% chance that her lung issues would come back at altitude, for Julie, those were good enough odds to make a second attempt. After more than a week in Kathmandu, Julie lost some of her valuable acclimatization, so the process started over again. But summit day finally arrived, and Tendi (who had also just fought off the same illness as Julie) was by her side. They left Camp 4 at 10:30pm facing the ferocious cold and wind. Julie recalls this moment with a hint of worry in her voice, but ultimately, knowing and trusting Tendi was her ticket to push forward. About halfway through the climb, she realized her Garmin had frozen, and it was just her, Tendi, and the summit. Julie shared, “A calm came over me, and I thought… oh my God, I am doing this!”
And Julie sure did. On May 23, 2023, Julie stood on top of the world at the summit of Mount Everest. The journey from Camp 4 to the summit and back took 15 hours,tent door to tent door, a testament to the training and the preparation Julie had done mentally and physically. And now, all that stood between Julie and the completion of her Seven Summits journey was a celebratory ascent of Mount Kosciuszko (Australia – 7,310 feet) with her family in tow.
On December 29, 2023, Julie stood proudly on the summit of Kozi in the midst of 50-mile-per-hour winds with a giant smile plastered on her face. Julie had done it in five years; she had summited the tallest peak on each of the seven continents. Julie’s Seven Summits journey was not just a culmination of physical training but a testament to her resilience in the face of adversity. It was a journey of self-discovery, where the true measure of success lay not in reaching the peak but in finding the courage to confront the unknown and embrace the challenges that lay ahead.
To all those aspiring mountaineers, Julie wants you to know…
There are so many things out of your control once you start an expedition, so controlling everything I could beforehand was a huge part of my success. Regardless of the busyness of my life, training was a priority, and I worked the rest of my life around that. Achieving this kind of goal requires an incredible investment in both time and effort, and because of how badly I wanted it, I had to become very efficient with my time, how it was spent & make sacrifices. My goal was to show up on each expedition as fit and ready as possible, and if it didn't work out due to one of the million reasons trips come unraveled, it wouldn’t have been because I wasn't fit enough. Throughout the journey, I’ve seen countless people on the mountain who simply weren't trained or ready to be there and ended up having to turn around because of that. Being a business owner, wife, and mother doesn't leave a lot of room to re-do any of these big trips where I’m away from so many people who depend on me. When I started this, I had absolutely no knowledge of climbing—zero. So, surrounding myself with the best people I could find who had more experience than me and who I trusted was critical - and through the CTSS community is where I met all of them who in some way helped me achieve this goal and, in the process, I’ve made lifelong friends which is a huge bonus!
Also, the summit only matters if you get home safely! On Everest, Tendi kept reminding me of the “true summit,” which is when I safely get back home to my family. That requires expert-level guides and the attitude of whatever they say goes, even if that means no summit.
This journey has transformed my life in ways I never expected, and after each expedition, I came home a better version of myself. There is something so powerful about the mountains and what they have to offer when we get quiet enough to listen…
All Summiteers are at Everest Base Camp
Today, our Private 1:1 climbers with their respective guides started their first rotation. The early morning alarm went off at 2am, and in no time, they were out of Everest Base Camp and moving strong. They will stay at Camp 1 tonight, tag Camp 2 tomorrow, and then retreat back to Camp 1 for a second night before dropping back to the comfort of Everest Base Camp.
Making moves in the upper mountain for our private climbers. (Photo Credit: Dorjee)
Nutrition is key for all of our climbers, especially on the upper mountain.
Our Western Guided team completed their first rotation and are back at Everest Base Camp to rest and recover.
The Western Guided team moving through the Khumbu Icefall (Photo Credit: Nani S.)
And the Western Guided team continues up (Photo Credit: Josh M.)
And up they go for their first rotation on Mount Everest. (Photo Credit Josh M.)
All is well for our Western Guided team. (Photo Credit Josh M.)
At Base Camp, our Personal Sherpa climbers have been refining skills and training on the glacier, and our 40-Day Speed Ascent team has been continuing their acclimatization with a hike to Pumori's Camp 1. Pumori is a mountain along the Nepal-Tibet border, just west of Mount Everest.
We have one climber joining our team for a 30-Day Speed Ascent. Earlier today, climber Jesse and CTSS guide Tomi arrived at Everest Base Camp and will begin preparations for their speed ascent.
Welcome to Everest Base Camp to our 30 Day Speed Climber Jesse and Guide Tomi
We bid farewell to our incredible Lobuche climbers & 3 Peaks team, who worked hard against challenging conditions and terrain in Nepal. A huge congratulations from CTSS to the entire team on their successes.
We also waved goodbye to our Gokyo trekkers, who took an intrepid and exciting extension to the Gokyo region. This add-on extension is a great way for our Everest Base Camp trekkers to extend their time in Nepal, climb the famous Cho La Pass (5,420m), escape the madding crowds, and view the stunning Gokyo Lakes before rejoining the main trail at Namche Bazaar for the final day's trek back to Lukla.
All is smooth and on schedule in the Himalayas. And, the sunsets have been incredible!
Everest Base Camp at sunset (Photo Credit: Ruben Salinas)
Everest Rotations have Begun!
It's Monday, and we have a few updates from our teams in Nepal.
The time has come! Our first climbers, the Western Guided team, started their first Mount Everest rotation. They left before dawn this morning, climbing through the icefall, and are now at Camp 1. Tomorrow, they'll work toward Camp 2.
Our Private 1:1 climbers continued their training drills over the weekend. Today, they will pack and prepare for their first rotation, close behind the Western Guided team. Hot on their heels, the Personal Sherpa climbers have settled into Everest Base Camp and are working through skill drills near camp. Towards the end of the week, they'll start uphill on their first rotation.
Here are a few photos from our guide, Abiral, who is supporting our Private 1:1 climbers.
A birds-eye view of the skills training session with Everest Base Camp in the background.
There is nothing like swinging ice axes under perfect conditions on the Khumbu Glacier.
Training on the Khumbu Glacier was a success - well done, climbers!
The Speed Ascent team successfully summited Lobuche and are now at Everest Base Camp for drills, relaxation, and rotations. A huge congratulations to the summiteers:
- Brian J
- Ruben S
- Patrick M
Our Lobuche climbers will fly from Lukla back to Kathmandu with our 3 Peaks team headed that way shortly after!
And a quick note to the family and friends of climbers, guides, Sherpas, and other staff at Everest Base Camp: The Wi-Fi has been a challenge, so if you are getting fewer updates from your loved ones, that is normal. Please don't worry. They are working hard with the local provider to improve connection and speed.
Rest assured, all is well in the Himalayas!
Farewells and Arrivals in the Himalayas
April 20th
We hope you are enjoying your weekend. Here are some updates from our teams in the Himalaya.
Our Everest Base Camp team flew by helicopter back to Kathmandu and are all safely checked into the Hyatt, enjoying hot showers and the creature comforts of town. What a great group of adventurers. We'll be sad to wave farewell to such a great group as they head home in coming days but congratulate them on their incredible success and strength.
Our Gokyo trekkers reached Gokyo yesterday and explored the region today. Seeing the Lakes and Peaks in this spectacular region. They will begin their downtrek tomorrow.
Our 3 Peaks team have summited Island Peak (19th April) and in doing so rounded out an incredible 3 mountains in under 3 weeks. In a low snowfall season, the routes have been more technical and challenging and we are so impressed by all they have achieved. A special shout out to both Monika Z & Faris R who pulled off 3/3! Today they moved from Chukkung to Pangboche and tomorrow they will drop further down to Namche. We looking forward to seeing them in KTM in coming days.
Our Lobuche team did a big day with an 8.5hour down trek from Pheriche to Namche today. Tomorrow is their last day on the trail back to Lukla where they will fly back to Kathmandu to celebrate.
While we are preparing to say farewell to many of our climbers as they round out their trips, we welcome into Kathmandu our 30 Day Speed Ascender Jesse who arrived safely today. He is awaiting some delayed baggage but once that has caught up to him, he and Guide Tomi will heli up to Pheriche and move into Everest Base Camp.
Our Everest summit team have kept busy over the past few days keeping their acclimatization by doing hikes up Pumori and keeping skills current with lots of practice of ladder crossing, fixed line ascension and rapelling on the glacier by camp. They will now start preparing to head uphill on their first rotations now that the icefall route is fixed and open. A delayed start but not a big deal in the scheme of the expedition.
All is well in the Himalaya - we hope you have a great weekend.
Alpine Starts on Lobuche
Happy Friday! Here are the updates from our teams in the Khumbu Valley and at Everest Base Camp. We will be back on Monday with another update - stay tuned.
Our 40 Day Speed Ascent team will head to the summit of Lobuche tomorrow, kicking off with an alpine start in the wee hours of the morning. The route to the Lobuche summit has been challenging this year because of the low snowfall. These conditions present much more technical terrain. We wish the entire team all the best of luck!
Meanwhile, our Everest Base Camp trekkers have successfully returned to Lukla, rounding out their trek. Congratulations to all! There have been some weather delays in Lukla over the last few days, which has created a bit of a flight back up. Our team has elected to take a helicopter back to Kathmandu tomorrow, which will be a scenic treat!
That's a wrap for our 2024 Everest Base Camp trek! (Photo Credit: Kat S.)
Our Lobuche climbers are tucked up in bed in Pheriche. Tomorrow, they will continue their trek down the Khumbu Valley to Namche.
Up at Everest Base Camp, our incredible Sherpa teams are ferry loads to Camp 1 and Camp 2 now that the route is open through the Khumbu Icefall. Once this is done, our summit climbers will begin their rotations! In the meantime, our summit climbers are happily training and hiking to keep active recovery.
The Khumbu Icefall is Open!
After a successful summit on Pokalde, our 3 Peaks team has reached Island Peak, the final climb of this expedition. Tomorrow, at 2 am local time, under the guidance of CTSS guide Tomi Ceppi, the team will start their summit bid of Island Peak (20,305 ft/6,189 m). Good luck to the entire team!
Here are a few shots of the 3 Peaks team on the summit of Pokalde.
A summit selfie for Guide Tomi Ceppi and the 3 Peaks team!
3 Peaks team on the summit of Pokalde (Photo Credit: Tomi C.)
Big news came in from Everest Base Camp today. The route through the Khumnu Icefall to Camp 2 has been opened for the season! A big thank you to the incredible work of our Icefall Doctors:
- Ang Sarki Sherpa
- Dawa Nuru Sherpa
- Pemba Tshering Sherpa
- Ngima Tenzi Sherpa
- Ngawang Chimmi Sherpa
- Dawa Chirri Sherpa
- Dawa Jangbu Sherpa
- Mingma Gyaljen Sherpa
Now that the route has been opened to Camp 2, our Sherpa team will be able to start setting up camps on the upper mountain. Shortly after this, our first summit climbers will follow their route on their first rotation.
CTSS guide Josh McDowell reports that our Western Guided team had another full day of training in the lower Khumbu Glacier, and he shared that everyone is doing well. With their skills training under their belt, this team is now ready for their first rotation on Mount Everest.
Skills training on the lower Khumbu Glacier for our Western Guided team. (Photo Credit: Josh McDowell)
Our Everest Base Camp trekkers, who are trekking back down the Khumbu Valley, have arrived in Namche just in time to witness a Nepali wedding at Camp de Base! What a treat!
CTSS guides Josh McDowell and Robert Jantzen at Everest Base Camp in our infamous Big House.
A Puja Blessing for our Expedition
On April 16th, the CTSS Everest team, including guides, staff, climbers, and trekkers, enjoyed a Puja at Everest Base Camp. A Puja is a Tibetan Buddhist ritual or blessing ceremony part of Sherpa life. During this ceremony, a High Lama, who travels from afar will ask the mountain deity for safe passage for our team.
The CTSS Team at the Puja earlier this week. Photo Credit: Kat S.
During the Puja, the Lama chants and blesses our expedition members, guides, staff, gear and equipment before our teams start climbing the upper sections of Mount Everest As you might expect with any celebration, there was plenty of good food and drink for all, including offerings for the mountain deity.
The Puja is always a chance for climbers, trekkers, and guides to socialize and celebrate with each other, Sherpa and non-Sherpa alike, and solidify our bonds before heading higher. The ceremony concludes with a traditional Sherpa dance, locking arms and forming a semi-circle before the Puja altar. The culmination of the ceremony is raising the Puja pole in the center of the altar and stringing prayer flags over our Base Camp, building a zone of protection for the team. When the flags blow in the wind, Sherpa believe they are sending out prayers. This is a sacred part of any Everest and Lhotse expedition, and the Sherpa, who draw no distinction between their daily lives and their Tibetan Bhuddist faith, appreciate and welcome us in this ritual.
Our Everest Base Camp trekkers enjoyed an ice climbing clinic on the Khumbu Glacier just outside Base Camp. They enjoyed learning new skills on the glacier and got a taste of what it would be like to be an Everest climber. After that, our trekkers who opted for a scenic helicopter return departed for Kathmandu and are now relaxing and celebrating at their hotel! The rest of the Everest Base Camp trekkers have begun their hike down the Khumbu Valley and are in Pheriche. Tomorrow, they will drop to Namche.
Our Gokyo Lakes Extension trekkers are excited for what’s to come. Tomorrow, they will stay at Lobuche before heading over Cho La Pass.
Everest Base Camp trekkers enjoyed their time at Everest Base Camp. The team has now split into three groups: scenic helicopter crew, trekking crew, and Gokoy Lakes Extension crew. Photo Credit: Kat S.
Our Everest summit climbers are training, doing drills, and honing their skills for what lies ahead. Guide Josh McDowell reports, “We had a really amazing day of training on the glacier today. Nani and I set up a great course for the crew, and everyone got a lot of quality reps. We are going to do another half day of training tomorrow.” The team is highly positive and makes excellent use of their time.
Western Guided Team just outside Everest Base Camp completes drills, including fixed line climbing, rappelling, and ladder crossings. Pics by Josh McDowell
Team Drills: Rappelling
Team Drills: Fixed Line Climbing
Team Drills: Ladder Crossings
The Khumbu Icefall has been challenging this season. The icefall doctors are working hard to fix the route, which will allow access to the upper mountain for both climbing Sherpas to carry and climbers to begin their rotations.
Meanwhile, our Lobuche climbers, Private Camp 3 climber Andrea, with CTSS guide Robert, and our Personal Sherpa Everest climbers Aga, Lee, and Darragh arrived in good style this afternoon at Everest Base Camp. Guide Robert checked in with a short and sweet “Great set-up as usual! All is well.”
Our 3 Peaks team has been hard at work. They’ve summited their second peak, Pokalade (19,049 ft/5,806 m) on April 17th. They are in Chucking and are making great progress, toward their next objective – Island Peak.
Congratulations to the following climbers who summited Pokalade:
- Mr. Tim P.
- Mr. Scott Y.
- Mr. Faris R.
- Ms. Monika Z.
- Ms. Julia H.
- Ms. Vanessa N.
- CTSS Guide Tomi C.
Here are a few photos from guide Tomi C. of our 3 Peaks team on Pokalade earlier this week.
Our 40 Day Speed Ascent team is acclimatizing and doing skills training at Lobuche High Camp ahead of their summit push in the the coming days. After that, they will head to Everest Base Camp and fold in with the rest of the team at Base Camp.
That’s all from here, friends and family! We are excited to share more as our teams start rotations on Everest and get into position to take their summit bid.
Lobuche East to Everest Base Camp
Happy Monday! All of our climbers and trekkers were busy over the weekend. Here's a little recap of what's been happening in the Khumbu Valley.
As mentioned last week, our Western Guided team summited Lobuche on April 12th. CTSS guide Josh McDowell reported that the route was strenuous, but everyone did well, and the group's movement skills were sharp. Congratulations to:
- Mr. Bert Snarr
- Mr. Michael Fortune
- Mr. David Keating
- Mr. Terry Ledgard
- Mr. Jared Harris
- Mr. Josh McDowell (Guide)
- Mr. Nani Stahringer (Guide)
The evolution of a summit through the eyes of our Western Guided team. Thank you to CTSS guide Nani S. for sharing these photos from their summit of Lobuche:
Trekking Up
Roped Up
Getting Closer to Lobuche
Hello, Lobuche Summit!
Since then, our 3 Peaks and Western Guided teams have arrived and settled into Everest Base Camp for the season. Here's the note that CTSS guide Josh McDowell shared:
"We rolled into EBC, and everyone is stoked to be here. We are all super impressed with the CTSS camp, and everyone is enjoying some well-deserved downtime today. Showers and connectivity are on the schedule for the day."
While our Western Guided team gets the hang of camp life, our 3 Peaks team won't be in for long. They are headed out soon to climb their last two peaks, Pokalade (19,049 ft/5,806 m) and Island Peak (20,305 ft/6,189 m).
A bird's-eye view of CTSS Everest Base Camp with our famous Big House in the middle of camp!
All smiles from Everest Base Camp for our climbers, trekkers, guides, and support teams!
On April 13th, our 1:1 Private climbers summited Lobuche. Congratulations to the following climbers:
- Mr. Marc Baumgartner with Guide Naren
- Ms. CJ Baumgartner with Guide Naren
- Mr. Aseem Chawla with Guide Ashish
- Ms. Susan Agar with Guide Pega
- Mr. Randall Ebersole with Guide Dorjee
- Mr. Chen (Blake) Li with Guide Abiral
- Ms. Riki Jones with Guide Lhakpa
- Ms. Pascale Soubrane with Guide Astani
- Mr. Christopher Bramwell with Guide Dawa
Marc B & CJ on top of Lobuche with Guide Naren.
A few photos from our Lobuche climbers and Everest Base Camp trekkers who were at Lobuche Base Camp this weekend. Thanks to CTSS guide Kat S. for sharing these photos.
Everest Base Camp trekkers and Lobuche climbers are feeling strong in the Khumbu Valley!
The world's highest bakery? Yes, please!
One of our favorite stops along the trek to Everest Base Camp is the Tengboche Monastery. Our Everest Base Camp trekkers and Lobuche climbers visited last week.
A new wave of climbers arrived (and departed) Kathmandu. On April 14th, we welcomed the 40-Day Speed Ascent team to Nepal. After gear checks and guide briefings, the team took a helicopter to Pheriche. The team is excited to have their expedition underway, and they will soon join the rest of the climbers at Lobuche and Everest Base Camp.
Our 40-Day Speed Ascent Team with Guide Pasang and Expedition Leader Mike Hamill in Kathmandu
Pumori (23,494 ft/7,161 m) rises up along the Tibet-Nepal border and lies just 5 miles west of Mount Everest. (Photo Credit Tomi Ceppi)
Vinson Advice from Mike Hamill
Personal advice on climbing Aconcagua from Mike Hamill
Aconcagua is a unique climb bringing you into the realm of true high altitude mountaineering. As the highest peak outside the Himalaya it is bound to challenge and excite you.
Some people say that Aconcagua is an ‘ugly’ mountain because it is not your typical snow and ice covered peak as it is more of an arid, desert-like environment. Personally, I find it one of the most beautiful places for its unusual character and the rare juxtaposition of high glaciers, rock and earth. I liken it to the Southwestern United States when it still had glaciers. Its sunsets are phenomenal with condors flying above you and the sky turning fiery red and orange.
To help you on your Aconcagua journey here are just a handful of things I’ve imparted to my clients over the years (and used myself!) that have helped them be successful – tips that I hope will contribute to your summit, too.
Best wishes,
Mike
- Don’t underestimate the cold on summit day on Aconcagua. Combined with the thin air the ambient temperature will feel much lower, which makes the pace slower than you might expect. It’s likely your feet will feel the cold more than they otherwise would so I recommend investing in a triple boot, especially if you are planning on doing other high altitude, 8000m peaks or cold weather climbs like Vinson or Denali in the future. Triple boots will ensure you aren’t fighting to keep your feet warm all summit day.
- Even on the best weather days on the summit bid, there is almost always a fierce wind crossing the Gran Acarero so make sure you have a thick face mask on hand and ready to put on. In fact, having a good cover up system of layers (buff, sun hoodie, goggles, etc.) is important everywhere on Aconcagua. If it is not the wind, it’s the sun and the dust that you need to ward off.
- Taking care of yourself is essential on Aconcagua, particularly making sure you don’t get dehydrated. Whenever you are at altitude you need to drink more water than at sea level because of the dry air, but this is even more so on Aconcagua as you move through the desert-like environment. Drink before you are thirsty and keep sipping water throughout the day. Your urine should be clear. The same goes for calories. Being at 7000m means you need plenty of fuel and quick calories so you don’t bonk. I like Shot Bloks or Gu packs in my pocket and down them as often as I can. Bring your favourite snack foods from home that you know will tempt you even when you don’t feel hungry.
- Commit early to Aconcagua. If you are able to plan 6 months to a year in advance and lock in your goal by booking a spot on a team, you will give yourself a greater opportunity for success. Being financially and mentally committed means you are more likely to stay physically committed, too. Having a good runup is very helpful in terms of making training a daily habit. Get fitter and stronger than you think you need to be. Aconcagua is an enormous physical undertaking. A strong foundation of specific ‘pack carrying climbing fitness’ will also ensure you enjoy the ‘type 2 fun’.
- Be a great teammate. Ruck in and do your part. Aconcagua is truly a team mountain. In order to be successful, you will need to shoulder your share of group gear, be organized and ready to build and break camp almost daily. Make an effort to help your guides wherever you can. Be eager. Remember your guides are the ones who get you to the top so helping them helps you, and on a mountain like Aconcagua it won’t go unnoticed.
