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Members taking photos at basecamp. AmaDablam while hiking in Khumbu valley. Photo Daniel

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19 October - Walk to GorakShep, at 5,160 meters/16,929 feet for lunch, then we plan to walk to Kala Patar, 5,545 meters/18,192 feet tomorrow early morning.

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Glacier Lake in EBC. Photo Haberern. Summit of Kalapather. Photo Keith B. 

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Team at Lobuche. Photo Keith Bailey. Member walking on the snow trail of lobuche. Photo Keith Bailey.  

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Keith Bailey & Lisa Smith is at Dhugla. Photo Keith Bailey.  Keith Bailey on the trail of Periche. Photo Keith.

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18 October - Today's Tweet from Expedition Leader Dan Mazur: Walk to the village Lobuche, 4,930 meters/16,175 feet.

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17 October - Today's Tweet from Expedition Leader Dan Mazur: Pangboche Lama blessed us. Evrst BC team went to Dingboche. Ama Dablam & Islnd Pk team in Mingbo @ 4550 m / 15000 f. Good weather!

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Lama Geshe advises Hannah R. Scary masks and a carved beam support in Pangboche Gompa. Hannah Rolfson Photo.

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Lama's library of prayer books in Pangboche Gompa. Hannah Rolfson Photo. Monks praying for the reincarnation of a local climbing Sherpa who died tragically. They will read all of the prayer books on the table during a week of praying. Photo Hannah Rolfson. Paining of Padhmasambhava Buddha in Pangboche Gompa. Hannah R Photo.

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Pangboche lama prepares to conduct his daily prayer. Hannah Rolfson Photo. Tall Juniper rees and a pile of prayer stones in old Pangboche Village. Hannah Rolfson Photo.  Green Tara looks over the Pangboche Temple. Hannah R Photo.

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16 October - Today's Tweet from Expedition Leader Dan Mazur: We reached Pangboche @ 3900 metres / 12,000 feet. Gorgeous views of Ama Dablam & Everest!

 

 

 

 

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Hiking and Trekking in Autumn season. Photo Felix.  Click for photo. Daniel. Big Prayer wheel. Photo Jessica.   

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Ancient vessels, butter churns, and chang pots on a shelf inside the Pangboche Monastery. Hannah Rolfson Photo. Elaborate prayer posted above the door in the Pangboche Gompa. Photo Hannah Rolfson. 

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An interesting name for a tea shop. Photo Hannah R.  Monks playing volleyball at Tyengboche Monastery. Hannah R Photo. 

Hannah Rolfson beside the Pangboche Lama's throne and ceiling umbrella in Pangboche temple. Brian Rolfson Photo.  Tea shop doorway in Pangboche. Hannah Rolfson Photo. Atop Pangboche hill is located a chorten memorial to a fallen climber.

Cute little child in Pangboche plays with the temple doors. Hannah R Photo.Enchanted forest near Deboche Village. Photo by Maggie N.

 A scholarly book written about Sherpa people, life, and culture, written by the famous Henri Sigayret. Photo by Brian Rolfson. Brian Rolfson poses in front of th altar at the Pangbaoche temple. Hannah Rolfson photo.

Donkey carrying rice to Namche. Maggie N. Photo. Donkeys are used to carry loads in khumbu valley. Photo Keith B.

Prayer wheel and a teahouse on the trail to Everest. Maggie N Photo. Sacred Lion statue at the Monkey Temple in KTM. Maggie N Photo.

Prayer wheels at the Monkey Temple in Kathmandu. Photo by Maggie N.  Yaks running down the hill in Pangboche. Mount Everest is barely visible behind. Photo by Mark van 't Hof.

Kongma birds, also known as Himalayan Snow Cocks, munch on grass surrounded by snow. Mark van 't Hof Photo.  Limi Sherpa and Maggie. Photo by Maggie Noodle.

Carved mani prayer stone along the trail to Everest. Mark van 't Hof Photo. Chortens and mani stones along the trail mirror Mount Ama Dablam. Photo Mark van 't Hof.

Leonard and his porter trekking back down to Lukla. Mark van 't Hof photo. Yaks, drivers, and trekers in deep snow on the way to basecamp. Mark van 't Hof Photo.

Woman carrying grass along the trail to Everest Basecamp. Photo by Mark van 't Hof.  Lama Geshe the high priest of Pangboche and the upper Khumbu Valley, reads a book. Photo by Mark van 't Hof.

Nima Lamu and Sangeeta prepare Dal - lentils for the team at Mingbo Lodge. Maggie Noodle Photo. Sangeeta prepares Dal - lentils for the team in Mingo Lodge. Maggie Noodle Photo.  Forest and River in Fungki Thangka on Everest Trail. Photo by Maggie Noodle

 

 High School in Khumjung, just Above Namche Bazar. Mark van 't Hof Photo.  Picturesque Khumjung Village above Namche. Maggie Noodle Photo

Comfortable hotel courtyard in Kathmandu. Photo Mark van 't Hof.  Lukla pilot reviewing his checklist before takeoff at KTM airport. Photo Mark van 't Hof. 

Team attends the briefing at Shakti Hotel. Photo by Mark van 'T Hof.  Aerial view of golf course and city upon takeoff from KTM airport. Photo Mark van 't Hof.

 Construction of a new teahouse along the Everest basecamp trek. Photo by Mark van 't Hof. James Barrit standing in front of the gate at the famous Tengboche Monastery. Photo by Maggie Noodle.

14 October - Rest day at Namche (3740m.), Mt. Kailash Lodge Namche, centre of Sherpa land for traders (also from Tibet), sellers, trekkers and climbers. We arrived yesterday with rain and mist. It’s still raining now on Monday afternoon.

But that brings you to new adventures. I found myself back last night at a snooker table in Café Danphe Bar – Rock, Blues & Beer. Dan and other fellows of the trek invited me to play and with the push of music of Rolling Stones and a can of Tuborg, whilst I had my first attempt of playing snooker. My name is Mark from Holland (NL, together with my brother Leonard who brings me to base camp) and I’m here for that free standing mountain Ama Dablam, the Matterhorn of Nepal (famous Swiss Mountain, Google on both and see the similarities). With me for this summit are also Saz (UK), Tim (Aus), Jim (UK), Maggie (Aus, UK). With different backgrounds we’re already sharing our adventures of climbing and what we expect of Ama Dablam, ’Lady with Necklace’.

Together with members that have an eye on Island Peak or on Everest Base camp we are 16 in total, from a variety of countries including the above as well as India, Thailand and United States. That gives us stories to tell in the sitting end dining room of our Lodge overlooked by a poster of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, like in most Tibetan houses in and outside Tibet.

The weather forecast has our special attention of course. It tells us (like www.mountain-forecast.compeaksAma-Dablam ) that there will be rain tomorrow, but not so much as today. On Wednesday, when we all walk together from Pangboche to base camp Ama Dablam the rain should be finished. But as it is said, expectations of weather are right or wrong 50 percent of the time. So you can choose what you want to believe.

13 October - Phakding to Namche Bazaar - Early breakfast and 8 am start under overcast skies.  What began as a warm but cloudy day turned into a light rain by late morning increasing to steady downpour by noon.  Some were better prepared for the unrelenting rain which made rocks slippery  and sent rivulets of muddy water down the trail.  We didn’t understand why Dan showed us his umbrella when talking about the equipment to take with us. But after this day we all know why and will look for our own one in Namche.

Monkey Temple in the morning. Photo by Maggie Noodle. Buddha statue at Tengboche monastery on EBC trek. Photo Maggie Noodle.

One monkey grooms another at the Monkey Temple in KTM. Photo by Maggie Noodle.  Shoppers in Kathmandu. Photo by Maggie Noodle.

The eyes of the Monkey Temple in KTM. Photo by Maggie Noodle.  Tiny red berries sprinkled by dew along the trail to Everest base camp. Maggie Noodle Photo.

Rosemary and David typing the blog. Sangeeta Sindhi Photo. A large pile of mani prayer stones along the trail to Everest base camp. Hannah Rolfson Photo.

 Team on the path in Jorsalle. Photo by Ron Haberern. Zopkioks being loaded. Keith Bailey Photo.

Lisa and Dee on the suspension bridge. Keith Bailey Photo. Waterfall on the Everest Trail. Photo by Keith Bailey. Mark and Maggie having a natter in a teahouse in Lukla. Sangeeta Sindhi Photo.

Dee Haberern treats her water with a Steripen. Ron Haberern Photo. Hillary and Tenzing summit Everest. Sangeeta Sindhi Photo. Trekkers on a suspension bridge on the trail to Everest. Photo by Ron and Dee Haberern.

 Carved prayer stone beside a table and chair along the Everest Basecamp Trek. Sangeeta Sindhi Photo. Waterfalls and grist mills along the trail to Everest. Photo by Ron and Dee Haberern. 

Zopkioks on the trail in Lukla. Ron and Dee Haberern Photo. Porter carrying a load of kitchen equipment. Photo by Ron and Dee Haberern.

12 October - Leaving Kathmandu, Everyone up for a 6:30 am breakfast, and 7a.m. departure for the airport. Traffic very light – it’s the Nepalese holiday, called Dashain, where everyone goes home for many days ,perhaps months of  celebration; so the airport was a picture of chaos. According to Island Peak team member Sangeeta Sindhi, in Nepal it is called Dashain, but In India it is termed as Dusserah where Good overcomes the evil . The story goes back to the King of Ayodhya, Dasarath who had 3 wives and four sons, namely Ram, Bharat , Shatrughan and Laxman. Kaushalaya was the first wife of the king whose son Ram was the heir to the throne. His favorite queen Kakeyi wanted her son Bharat to ascend the  throne.   One day , to please his queen the king promised that her son Bharat would ascend the throne. He banished his eldest son Ram to the jungle for 14 years. His wife Sita and younger brother Laxman accompanied him. During Ram’s stay in the jungles, the king of Ceylon Raavan abducted his wife Sita and kept her confined to his palace in Srilanka. His two brothers  helped the king to keep Sita in the palace .To win back his queen, Ram  fought many battles and killed the ten headed king Raavan,  by piercing a poised arrow into his navel. Dusserah is celebrated by burning an effigy of Raavan and his two brothers all over India. It is to celebrate the good that has overcome the evil each year.

Back to the trek: airplanes are so small (only 8 seat each) that the team had to take 2 planes.  The first took off about noon with an American pilot who assured us the weather in Lukla was perfect for flying and landing. (often it’s not)  Beautiful views of Everest from the left side of the plane.  Landing in Lukla 35 minutes later felt a bit like threading the eye of a needle.  It’s built on the side of the mountain so the hillside seemed alarmingly close when landing - quite exciting.  After a 90 minute wait for the rest of the team – and the luggage - to arrive we had a leisurely lunch.

After sorting thru the luggage before it got loaded on the yaks - everyone took off only to be stopped ½ hour later at a checkpoint.  Another wait (these checkposts occur at regular intervals we found) everyone took off once again along a beautiful rocky and rugged trail interspersed with tiny villages which took us down from Lukla, dropping 200 metres / 600 feet. By now it was mid-afternoon and the completion times due to the differet pace levels varied by a few hours. Couldn’t be done without the wonderful help and support of the Sherpas.  Wonderful hot dinner and an early night for all.

Team at the ktm airport- Jim, Saz, Mark, Maggie, Tim, Sangeeta, Rosemary, David. Airport attendant photo. Team boarding the aircraft in KTM airport for the flight to Lukla. Ron and Dee Haberern Photo.