The sherpa's getting ready to go.
The runway we flew in on, not much there!
Yup, there are Starbucks everywhere (it wasn't real though...)
Looking back over Lukla, the first town we flew in to. Notice the clouds....
Prayer stones on the trail. Buddhist beliefs prescribe that you walk to the left side of these on the trail (clockwise).
One of the first suspensions bridges we went across.
Buddhist temple up the hill from Phakding, our first night. Mingma, our "playful" sherpa tied our climbing boots together here and blamed it on the 12 yr. old monk!
The entrance to the buddhist temple.
Cool pic of a waterfall outside Namche Bazaar, our 2nd and 3rd nights. Notice it still isn't sunny...
This is how the Nepali dry yak pies to use as fuel.
I know I've posted this one before, but I love it. Ed, Jason and Emma with our final purchases in Namche ready for the climb!
Yak train!
One of my favorite pics of the trip. I used a 15 second exposure to take this pic at about 10:30 at night. This was looking across the valley from Namche Bazaar to the Kongde Mountains. Notice the clouds seem to be gone...
The next morning, basically the same pic, no clouds, we might actually see something!!
Heading out of Namch Bazaar, having a little fun with our sherpa guide :)
Mountains!!
Holy cow real mountains!! Khumbotse, Everest, Lhotse, Lhotse Shar, Ama Dablam.
Jason and I with Khumbotse and Everest in the background.
The big group with the first Everest view.
Everest, Lhotse, Lhotse Shar, and Ama Dablam. I never got tired of this view...
Closeup of Ama Dablam. The reason I took this is to see how crazy the climbing route is on this mountain. See just a bit under the summit the big snow outcropping that looks ready to plummit down the mountain? The climbing route just skirts that to the right side...that, my friends, is insane.
The reflection in the windows of the Everest view hotel.
Ed on the trail with Lhotse and Ama Dablam.
I call this "Guide and the Mountain" :)
Me with Ama Dablam and a prayer stone. Again...this day was awesome.
We finally arrived down to KhumJung, and look, even the Sherpa's need a cell tower!
Statue to commemerate Sir Edmund Hilary. Not only was he part of the first 2 people to summit Mt. Everest, he also became great friends with the Sherpa people, and started the Himalaya foundation, which build schools and hospitals in the mountains of Nepal to help out the Sherpa people and other climbers who trekked through. A truly great man.
The first high school built in the Everest region by the Himalaya Foundation.
Yaks are cool
A better view of the Ama Dablam potential for disaster...
Ah yes, our guide hard at work on the trail...
Our crew at lunch in Mong La with Ama Dablam behind.
Quick explanation: This article is from the Tri-City Herald, where I grew up and my parents still live. A sherpa lives there, and they had sent this to me a few weeks before I went on the climb. Turns out the owner of this teahouse was related to him and he was going to be there in 2 weeks!!!
Jason does the Heisman in Phortse....
Karma relaxes on the trail outside of Phortse.
Jason, Emma, and myself on the trail with Ama Dablam behind.
I love this pic of the valley. Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam here, along with the glacier drainage from Ama Dablam. Also you can see on the left side the trail that we trekked along.
Me on the trail. Still no clouds....this was a really, really great day.
um, WOW!
ReplyDeleteTo learn more about the Sherpas of the Mt. Everest region, read Beyond the Summit by Linda LeBlanc. Sherpas are the true heroes of Everest. Without their assistance, very few would reach the summit. Details of Sherpa culture and religion are interwoven in a tale of romance and high adventure. The story has something for everyone: a love affair between an American journalist and Sherpa guide, conflict between generations as the modern world challenges centuries of tradition, an expedition from the porter’s point of view.
ReplyDeleteBelow are selections from reviews. To read the complete ones and excerpts go to www.beyondthesummit-novel.com
Beyond the Summit, is the rare gem that shows us the triumphs and challenges of a major climb from the porter’s point of view. The love of two people from diverse cultures is the fiery centerpiece of a novel that leads its readers through harshly beautiful and highly dangerous territory to the roof of the world. Malcolm Campbell, book reviewer
Conflict and dialog keep this gripping story of destiny, romance and adventure moving from the first page to the last paragraph. LeBlanc has a genius for bonding her readers and her characters. I found I was empathizing in turn with each character as they faced their own personal crisis or trauma.
Richard Blake for Readers Views.
A gripping, gut-twisting expedition through the eyes of a porter reveals the heart and soul of Sherpas living in the shadows of Everest. EverestNews.com
A hard-hitting blend of adventure and romance which deserves a spot in any serious fiction collection. Midwest Book Review
LeBlanc is equally adept at describing complex, elusive emotions and the beautiful, terrifying aspect of the Himalayan Mountains. Boulder Daily Camera
LeBlanc’s vivid description of the Himalayas and the climbing culture makes this a powerful read. Rocky Mt News Pick of the Week
A rich adventure into the heart of the Himalayan Kingdom. Fantastic story-telling from one who has been there. USABookNews.com
This is the book to read before you embark on your pilgrimage to Nepal. The author knows and loves the people and the country, and makes you feel the cold thin air, the hard rocks of the mountains, the tough life of the Sherpa guides, and you learn to love them too. This is a higly literate, but also very readable book. Highly recommended.”
– John (college professor)
Memorable characters and harrowing encounters with the mountains keep the action moving with a vibrant balance of vivid description and dialog. Literary Cafe Host, Healdsburg, CA
This superbly-crafted novel will land you in a world of unimaginable beauty, adventure, and romance. The love story will keep you awake at night with its vibrant tension and deep rich longing. Wick Downing, author of nine novels
Such vividly depicted images of the Everest region and the Sherpa people are the perfect scenario for the romance and adventure feats narrated. It’s a page-turner, so engrossing you end up wanting to visit Nepal! Not just novel, but perfect for those seeking to get acquainted with the culture of this country.
By Claudia Fournier (América, Bs. As., Argentina)
Available through Barnes and Noble, Borders, amazon.com, Chesslerbooks.com, and the web site
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ReplyDeleteYou have a ton of great pictures Ed, looks like a fabulous day or two! What an experience of a lifetime, I look forward to more stories over a beer later.
ReplyDelete-- Jeff H