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.