Summitted on May 23, 2009 Altitude 8,850m (29,035ft)
1Welcome to our Everest photo album Caroline made this banner with a photo of Mt Everest she took a few years earlier.
2Day 1 Goodbye at San Francisco Airport.
3Day 2 Overnight in Bangkok.
4Day 3 Arrival at Kathmandu Airport.
5Day 3 At the Yak and Yeti Hotel. North Face duffle bags are all the rage.
6Day 3
7Day 3 Everyone exploded their bags and the guides checked that we had everything we needed. First time I have done a gear check in a Grand Ballroom.
8Day 3
9Day 3
10Day 4
11Day 4 Dessert at the Yak and Yeti. Fattening up for the climb.
12Day 5 Kathmandu Domestic Airport. 6:30am and checking in for our flight to Lukla.
13Day 5 Jiban, pictured here, took care of us and all the logistics while in Kathmandu.
14Day 5
15Day 6
16Day 7 Another journey to the airport. Maybe this time we will get a flight out.
17Day 7 Back in the departure lounge. Again no luck today.
18Day 8 Success. Here Adam and I are happy to be on the bus being transported to our plane.
19Day 8 Our Twin Otter aircarft loaded and ready to depart.
20Day 8 In flight with our first views of the Himalayas.
21Day 8 Arrival at Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla. Lukla is 2,860 meters (or 9,380 feet) above sea level and a great place to start the 9 day journey to Everest Base Camp.
22Day 8 The runway, all 527 meters of it.
23Day 8 The runway is the main feature of Lukla. There are no roads to this mountain town.
24Day 8 Our first (of many) Tea Houses. Here we are having lunch in Lukla.
25Day 8 Our bags are sent up the mountain by Yak.
26Day 8 After lunch we head up the valley towards Phakding.
27Day 8 The trail with Chorten or Stupa.
28Day 8 Prayer Wheels.
29Day 8 More payers.
30Day 8 Phakding located at 2,610 meters (8,560 feet) above sea level. This is where we spent our first night.
31Day 9 Back on the Trail heading to Namche Bazar.
32Day 9 The official entrance to Sagarmatha National Park in the town of Monjo. Sagarmatha National Park is a World Heritage Natural Site established in 1976.
33Day 9 We crossed the river 7 times on these cool swing bridges.
34Day 9 Trekking up the Dudh Koshi river.
35Day 9 The trek to Namche took just under 5 hours and we gained 1,100 meters (or 3,600 feet).
36Day 10 Touring Namche district and our first glimpse of Mt Everest. It is the mountain in the centre of the picture with the cloud being generated off it.
37Day 10 Photo opportunity. The entire team. Back row, left to right: Mike H (Guide), JJ (Guide), Tom, Adam, Alex, Frank S, Chris, Lori, Frank H, Stephen (me). Middle row, left to right: Mike M, Vern (Expedition Leader), Phil, Kurt, Matt. Front row, left to right: Garrett (Guide), Kathy, Kay.
38Day 10
39Day 10
40Day 11 Namche to Deboche.
41Day 11 Anyone fancy a cup of tea?
42Day 11 Tengboche, home of the biggest monastery in the region.
43Day 11 Tengboche Monastery.
44Day 11 Home for the night.
45Day 12 On the way from Deboche to Pheriche we vistted Lama Geshi. He chanted and blessed us all for a safe journey and return.
46Day 12 Bright coloured jackets and grey pants are the style.
47Day 12 The trail to Pheriche.
48Day 12 Above the treeline with bad weather ahead.
49Day 12 Pulling into Pheriche with some unanticipated snow.
50Day 13 Pheriche located at 4,240 meters (or 13,910 feet) above sea level. Looking up the valley.
51Day 13 Looking back down the valley towards Deboche.
52Day 13 Himalaya Rescue Association giving us a talk on Altitude illness and prevention.
53Day 13 Out for a walk and over the hill to Dingboche.
54Day 14 Our intrepid guides lead us from Pheriche on an acclimization hike to Chhukhung.
55Day 14 Island Peak in the background.
56Day 14 Chhukhung at 4,730 meters (15,520 feet) complete with Internet Cafe.
57Day 14 Superior lodgings at the Himalayan Lodge.
58Day 15 On the trail to Lobuche.
59Day 15 Arrived at Lobuche. Located at 4,910 meters (or 16,100 feet) above sea level.
60Day 16 Rocket powered Yak, the best kind.
61Day 16 After 9 days trekking, our first view of Everest Base Camp.
62Day 16 On Arrival at Base Camp it was good to see our mountaineering equipment had made it safe and sound.
63Day 16 Our Base Camp dining room. We spent many many hours in here.
64Day 17 Rest Day 1 at EBC. We spent the day practicing our knots. Here is a picture of my disorganized tent.
65Day 18 Rest Day 2 at EBC. Spent many hours practicing walking across ladders.
66Day 19 Rest Day 3 at EBC. Practicing crampon, glacier travel and ice climbing out on the glacier.
67Day 20 Rest Day 4 at EBC. We meet our Sherpa staff at the Puja ceremony.
68Day 20 Raising of the prayer flags.
69Day 20 Beautiful weather.
70Day 20 Enjoying the sun and the Puja ceremony.
71Day 20 I was given a bag of rice to protect me while in the mountains.
72Day 20 And then we all got doused in Samper (which is like flour).
73Day 20 The Sherpa crew.
74Day 20
75Day 21 Rest Day 5 at EBC. More fixed line, ladder and ice climbing practice.
76Day 22 Rest Day 6 at EBC. More ice climbing.
77Day 23
78Day 24 Test run into the Ice Fall. Good to get out on the trail after a week in Base Camp.
79Day 24
80Day 25 EBC to Camp1 on our first rotation. Located at 6,040 meters (or 19,800 feet) above sea level. The climb from EBC took 6 hours and 11 minutes after a brutal 2:30am wake up.
81Day 26 Rest Day at Camp 1. This is a view of Camp 1 from the trail on the way to Camp 2. As it was a rest day, we turned around and headed back to spend the night at Camp 1.
82Day 26 Red Team on the Western Cym between Camp 1 and Camp 2. Left to right: Stephen (me), Adam, Mike H (Guide), Phil, Tom, Chris, Frank H, Matt.
83Day 27 Camp 1 to Camp 2. Another beautiful day. The hike from Camp 1 to Camp 2 took 3 hours and 17 mins ascending 445 meters.
84Day 27 Arriving at Camp 2. Located at 6,450 meters (or 21,100 feet) above sea level.
85Day 28 Rest Day at Camp 2. We hiked up to the base of the Lhotse Face as part of our acclimatization. Camp 3 is about half way up the face behind us.
86Day 29
87Day 30 Rest Day 9 at EBC. Were getting introduced to our oxygen systems.
88Day 30 Time for a shower.
89Day 31 Rest Day 10 at EBC. Went for a hike around Base Camp.
90Day 31 Rest Day 10 at EBC. Went for a hike around Base Camp. We found a rock to sit on.
91Day 32
92Day 33
93Day 34 Rotation 2, EBC to Camp 1 through the Ice Fall. Made it to Camp 1 in 5 hours and 16 mins which was about 1 hour faster than last time.
94Day 35 Camp 1 to Camp 2, with me at the back and Phil at the front.
95Day 35 View looking up the Western Cym towards Camp 2 with the Lhotse Face up the valley and in the distance.
96Day 35 Camp 2 with a light dusting of afternoon snow.
97Day 35 Our oxygen pile. In total the expedition had 220 bottles!
98Day 36 Rest Day at Camp 2. Spent almost the entire day in the tent reading.
99Day 37 Camp 2 to Camp 3. At the base of the Lhotse Face.
100
101Day 37 We spent close to 7 hours on the Lhotse Face before we pulled into Camp 3. Mike H (Guide) is leading, followed by Tom, Stephen (me) and Frank H.
102Day 37 Rest stop and enjoying the fine weather.
103Day 37 Lower Camp 3. Only 1 hour to go to Upper Camp 3.
104Day 37 Camp 3 located at 7,270 meters (or 23,800 feet) above sea level. This was my new high point being 300 meters higher than Aconcagua in Argentina. Tired but very happy to be at Camp 3.
105Day 38 Camp 3 to Camp 1 with lunch at Camp 2.
106Day 39 Camp 1 to EBC via the Ice Fall.
107Day 39 Back at EBC for just the night.
108Day 40 EBC to Pheriche. As we departed EBC a massive avalanche released from the mountain into the Ice Fall. This is one of the reasons the Ice Fall is so dangerous and why we travel in the Ice Fall at night.
109Day 41 Pheriche to Deboche. Nice to be back down amoung the trees and the birds. We dropped down in altitude to eat and gain strength before attempting the Summit.
110Day 41 While the Blue Team was trekking to Deboche, the Red Team had returned to EBC and two climbers were being prepared for medi-evacuation. Alex in the center of the picture suffered from High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and was placed on oxygen. Kurt in the lower right of the picture suffered frost bite on his fingers and decided to catch the helicopter ride out to Kathmandu. The trip was also over for Kathy who was having hip issues but was able to walk out.
111Day 41 The helicopter landing at EBC.
112Day 42 Rest day in Deboche and enjoying the thick air.
113Day 43 Rest Day 2 in Deboche. And after 43 days I was very pleased to see Caroline who had trekked up from Namche that day.
114Day 44 Rest Day 3 in Deboche. Red and Blue Team preparing for lunch. The decision was made to recombine the two teams.
115Day 45 Rest Day 4 in Deboche. With a visit to Tengboche Monastery.
116Day 46 Trekking from Deboche to Pheriche. Caroline and her guide Aman.
117Day 47 Rest Day in Pheriche and time to catch up on some Internet.
118Day 48 Pheriche back to EBC. A long day which aggravated the terrible flu I had. Not ideal just before a push to the top of the highest mountain in the world.
119Day 49 Our 13th rest day at EBC. Oxygen school for everyone.
120Day 50 Rest Day 14 at EBC. Tomorrow we start our push to the summit. Here Caroline and I are just relaxing in the nice weather.
121Day 51 EBC to Camp 2. We set off at 4:00am in the morning for our last ascent of the Ice Fall. It took 11 hours and 30 mins to get to Camp 2.
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123Day 52
124Day 53 Camp 2 to Camp 3. Seemed like our Team was not the only team heading to the Summit!
125Day 53 Stephen (me) and Lori on the Lhotse Face.
126Day 53 Made it to Camp 3 and on Oxygen for the first time. Oxygen is wonderful stuff.
127Day 53 View from Camp 3 of the Western Cym shrouded in cloud.
128Day 54 Leaving Camp 3 on the slog to Camp 4.
129Day 54 Crossing the Yellow Band, which is a famous rock formation in the Himalayan region.
130Day 54 Our first view of the South Summit of Everest. The true summit is behind the summit shown in this picture.
131Day 54 Heading up the Geneva Spur. The last bit of climbing before we pulled into Camp 4.
132Day 54 Me just above the Geneva Spur and only 30 minutes away from Camp 4.
133Day 54 At last, Camp 4. It took us 7 hours and 30 mins to climb the 700 meters from Camp 3.
134Day 54 Camp 4 or the South Col located at 8,010 meters (26,300 feet) above sea level. Pity about all the rubbish left up here.
135Day 54 View from Camp 4.
136Day 55 Spent the day in the tent just chilling. The climb to the Summit was going to start at 10pm.
137Day 55 Heading out from Camp 4 and starting the Summit bid.
138Day 56 Above the Balcony on the way to the South Summit.
139Day 56 Weather looking good so far. It was about 5:30am.
140Day 56 Looking back down the South East Ridge.
141Day 56 Another photo of the South East Ridge.
142Day 56 Wonderful views.
143Day 56 The weather was starting to turn and we were still several hours from the summit.
144Day 56 Looking towards the Hillary Step from just past the South Summit.
145Day 56 Looking back at the South Summit from the Hillary Step.
146Day 56 Success on Everest!! Me and Lakpa on the Summit around 8:20 in the morning.
147Day 56 Lakpa presenting his Lama Geshi card to the mountain. And I was having a little sit down and rest. Weather was not so good at this point.
148Day 56 Final Summit photo opportunity before heading down. I spent less than 10 mins at the top.
149Day 56 Heading down to Camp 4.
150Day 56 Back at the tent after a very long day. It took just over 10 hours to reach the summit and another 5 hours 30 mins to get back down. I was going to sleep well that night.
151Day 57 Getting ready to depart back to Camp 2.
152Day 57 Taking in the View. I was just above Camp 3 here.
153Day 58 Camp 2 to EBC. And the weather was really turning on us now. We spent the entire day hiking in snowfall.
154Day 58 Back at EBC. Good to see Caroline again.
155Day 58 Summit Cake.
156Day 58 And summit champagne.
157Day 58 Celebrating with the entire team and thanking the Sherpa staff for getting us up and down safely.
158Day 59 It snowed 2 meters (5 feet) over night. Time to head back down the valley. We hoped to make it to Gorak Shep, but in the end made it all the way to Pheriche.
159Day 60 Woke up to a wonderful morning in Pheriche.
160Day 60 Enjoying the moment.
161Day 60 Phil is on the Sat-phone to find out where our helicopter is.
162Day 60 Caroline and Stephen (me) boarding our ride to Kathmandu.
163Day 60 View from the helicopter.
164Day 60 Just past 10am and back in Kathmandu.
165Day 61 Celebrating the end of the trip back at the Yak and Yeti Hotel.
166Day 62 We made the newspaper. (first column, 2nd line from the bottom).