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Dispatch #12 April 10th, 2001.  3:23pm, Namche Bazaar, Nepal.

Well the team has made it back to Namche Bazaar today, on the tenth.  We pushed hard yesterday to come all the way from Pheriche into Namche Bazaar specifically so we could have a full day here to, as I mentioned earlier, visit old friends and partake of all the commercial and culinary delights in this town.  The nine trekking members of this Everest Base Camp Trek could tell you in a minute that Namche Bazaar is basically all the civilization you would ever need:  this place looks bright and wonderful to them after the trip up high to Base Camp.

And tonight something that, if you followed our cybercasts of previous expeditions and treks, something you know about is going to happen, kind of a big traditional event:  Tonight is 'Momo Night' down at Ong Chu's house.  Ong Chu and his wife Padoma put on a big momo fest for us traditionally.  Momos as you may know are those wonderful Tibetan, you might call them stuffed dumplings.  And Padoma makes the best ones in Namche Bazaar and that is saying a lot because there are a lot of good momos in this town   So we will be down there tonight to enjoy the friendship and satisfaction together of having completed a really successful trip, being back home you might say in Namche Bazaar and of course tomorrow we are moving on down to Lukla to begin our journey home and Ill continue to report as we follow that along. Wally Berg

Dispatch #11 April 8th, 2001.  8:00am, Gorak Shep, Nepal.

Okay its the eighth, and I hope you can hear this okay.  It's a little bit windy up here still, but I want to report to you that we are on our way down from Gorak Shep back to Pheriche; which at this point of the game will be relatively speaking, the lowlands for us.  It's a beautiful day other than some wind.  I'm really proud of this group: as a matter of fact I should tell you that as they trekked into Base Camp yesterday, more than one of the teams that they had gotten to know trekking up, commented, "you guys look better than most of these groups that walk in here." And I'm pleased to say that our slow ascent rate, the excellent care from Ong; Chu and his Sherpa staff in the kitchen, and the prepared people that came on this Alpine Ascents Trek, they looked really good walking into Base Camp.  They will be able to report to you when they get home however, that it's no joke walking up to that elevation for a visit even, and as I said yesterday, I think that they have a new found respect for those people who are staying to climb.

Yesterday we were tired walking back down the glacier, but several people took time to do various that they wanted to remember others.  In particular I ought to tell you that Mary did put out her five prayer flags for Lansing Middle School.  Mary is the principal of that Middle school.  There's four grade levels there, and four of those grade levels took one of the colors of the flag and the faculty took another, and Mary did put that in a really special spot off the shoulder on Pumori yesterday. The rest of us are just kind of reveling in the views,  and the satisfaction of a great trip up to one of the most wonderful spots a mountain person can visit, That is:  Everest Base Camp and the beginning of a climbing community.  A lot of tradition, lore, memories of old friends, and excitement.  It's important for those folks who are off on their adventures this year.

We got a trip down the Khumbu coming up, and in particular beginning tomorrow afternoon, a reunion with all our friends in that wonderful and bustling city of Namche which to us seems like all the civilization we could want at this point.  I'll report to you from down valley as that gets closer. Wally Berg

Dispatch #10 April 7th, 2001: 1:00pm, Mount Everest Base Camp, Nepal. Okay its early afternoon on the seventh of April and I'm happy to report that all nine members of this first Everest Base Camp Trek of the season, along with myself and five sherpas, are at Everest Base Camp.  It's beautiful and very warm and we still have the afternoon to enjoy. We're sitting around on the moraine that's above most of the camps and have been watching for the climbers coming through the icefall. We've enjoyed a nice lunch and I think I can speak for all nine of these trekking members when I say that there is a new found appreciation among this group for the demands and the challenges of all these people around them that are going to be spending the next six or seven weeks at this base camp trying to climb this mountain.

You feel the altitude walking into this place, I guarantee you.  I'm looking around at some faces and I see some smiles: Holly is smiling at me saying "yeah you feel it. And Brian's doing the same thing.  And these folks had to really dig down and push just to get to this altitude today.  We found out all about changing layers with changing conditions we left Gorak Shep in a very cold brisk wind, wearing all our clothes and by the time we got to base camp we were very stripped down. 

We're going to enjoy a few more moments of this golden afternoon here and then we're going to walk back down to Gorak Shep, back to slightly thicker air, where we belong. And by tomorrow well be back down in Pheriche in what for us will be the really really thick atmosphere down at 14,000 feet.  I'll give you a call from down there. Wally Berg

Dispatch #9 April 6th, 2001.  3:30pm, Summit of Kala Pattar, Nepal. Its about three thirty in the afternoon on the 6th and man what a day we've had.  We woke up this morning down in Lobuche to completely cloudy skies and soon there was a soft snow coming down. We walked up to Gorak Shep in that snow, had our lunch, took tea, and then we decided:  well the sky looks like it might clear a little, we might as well start trying to climb Kala Pattar.

Now I'm looking down the way, we are over 18,000 feet.  Pat just walked up onto the summit and here comes Holly.  I'm looking down just below and I see that very determined, confident, face that Mary always has.  She's almost up here, and Mike is almost here as well.  Dan & John are close and Mike has the biggest grin I've seen all day. We got up here just a few minutes before the others.  Karen, my flight nurse who has probably been the best medical help I've had on the trip in a long time, measured her pulse ox at 68% before we left Gorak Shep and decided she's just as soon do a little more acclimatizing before we head to base camp tomorrow.  And Brian, who I mentioned a couple of days ago as having that great sense of appreciation, on the hike between Tengboche and Pangboche, also has our strongest case of the Khumbu cough and he's taking it easy for the base camp trek tomorrow as well.

So that's the report from 18,000 feet plus, from the top of Kala Pattar. Beautiful day, although not a very clear day up here right now, and a little bit windy.  We'll call you from Base Camp tomorrow.

Older Updates Below:

Dispatch #1 March 27th, 2001.  10:20am, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Wally Berg Here, underway here. We're underway with ten members including myself, this first Alpine Ascents International Everest Base Camp Trek of the season.  We're all together and what better place to begin this than where I am right now: I am at Swayambhu, "the monkey temple" we sometimes know it as, overlooking the Kathmandu Valley.  We're standing here in this place that is older than actually anyone knows; Chinese Pilgrims mentioned it more than 2,000 years ago.  It is known as the 'self-existed' or 'self-existing' Stupa because it is really without history.  And in this storied and legendary place it probably epitomizes the mystery of this valley and the history and richness of it.

We're of course here to go Trekking and beginning tomorrow, I'll describe our flight out to the mountains and being underway with our Sherpas and our journey to Everest Base Camp. But it does always begin here in Kathmandu.  I'm with Krishna Dhakel who for sometime we've used as our city guide here.  Krishna is retired, and probably the most experienced, learned and scholarly certainly, of the guides who work in this valley helping people understand the religion and culture.  A wonderful man, Alpine Ascents trekkers who have been with me in past years remember him dearly and the insights and knowledge he gives us of this wonderful fascinating place today will stay with us as we go trekking out in to the mountains and then of course eventually return to the Kathmandu Valley at the end of our trip.

We left the Yak & Yeti Hotel about nine o'clock this morning, drove through the narrow, busy, bustling streets of Kathmandu, and are now enjoying the peaceful view out across the city from here at Swayambhu.  And before the day is over we're going to see a lot more sights, and in a very weary and jet-lagged state we're going to drag ourselves back to the Yak & Yeti and pack for the flight out to the mountains tomorrow. And I will call you once we're out in the mountains and let you know how our flight went and what it feels like to be actually on our way trekking to Everest Base Camp.

Dispatch #2 March 28th, 2001.  2:28pm, Lukla, Nepal.

Okay it's Wally Berg calling in from Lukla, we're definitely underway now, its about 2:30 in the afternoon on the 28th. And we, as some of you may know, we're getting out here under the new system that's temporarily in place based on the improvements to the runway that have been going on here in Lukla for some time and will be going on for a while.  I'm sitting here looking at the tarmac believe it or not, the hard pavement on the Lukla runway here a very different scene than those people who have come to Lukla over the years remember.

Fixed wing aircraft are not flying in here this season;  we actually flew to that beautiful village called Phaphlu down lower in Solu today in the twin otter, kind of the normal way we leave Kathmandu and then we were shuttled up to Lukla in Japanese Kawasaki helicopters. So two legs of the flight today.  It was a hazy day and one that caused some concern about whether the visibility would allow us all to get out here together.  In fact those are nine-seater helicopters and the expeditions are all approaching base camp, so we are right in the midst of that. So we got mixed up a bit as we knew we would, and we came finally into Lukla on two different helicopters but we got all our bags here we were met by Pasang Rita, Sirdar, Ongchu, who Alpine Ascents climbers and trekkers know well from years of Everest Base Camp, cooking and trekking working as a cook on treks as well. These guy's smiling faces were standing there when the helicopter landed  and we've been welcomed by these guys and here we go.  We're off to Phakding tonight on the Dudh Kosi River.  

I'm looking at a lot of wonder and awe and excitement on each of these trekking members faces today.  In particular, I am hearing comments about the wonderful building here: the dry wall, chinked rock walls in the buildings here in Lukla.  These folks are going to see a lot more of that as we trek up the Khumbu Valley and enjoy being in the home of the Sherpas.  I'll report to you from Namche Bazaar where believe it or not we'll already be by tomorrow. Namche has been our home base for the Everest region for all these years and for this trekking group as well Namché as you will see over the next few days and next period of time Namché will be our home base and we will spend two nights there and acclimatize as we get ready to go higher up into the Khumbu 

Dispatch #3 March 30th, 2001.  9:11am, Namche Bazaar, Nepal.

Well we made it to Namché Bazaar and we did something this morning early morning on the 30th that I like to do with the Everest Base Camp trekking groups, the island peak groups:  From the Panorama Lodge we got up early, had our bed tea and we hiked five minutes up to the national park overlook just above Namché Bazaar and we were rewarded with crystal clear skies amazing views of Everest of course, Lhotse, Ama Dablam the other great peaks in this area.  I think people in the group were pretty astounded they were almost speechless to finally be looking up at Everest.  We didn't see Everest in a couple of little spots on the trail where you can sometimes see it as we trekked into Namché yesterday, because it was raining really hard as we approached Namché.  We got in here fairly soggy and cold from hiking in the rain and of course the warmth of the Panorama Lodge felt great after that.

Here we are getting to know Namché Bazaar today this will be our home base really as we explore the Khumbu and do our trek to Everest Base Camp.  Tomorrow is the Namché market and I'll call you and let you know some of the impressions we have of that the famous Saturday Namché Market and of course tomorrow we'll be heading out to Thame as well.  The entire group, all ten of us, are doing great.  The Sherpas are happy to be back under way, its great to see old friends as the expeditions all approach Everest Base Camp.  We're right in the middle of all that commerce at this point; the yak traffic is very heavy on the trails this week as the expeditions for the season are approaching Everest Base Camp.  I'll give you a report tomorrow from the market and we're going to enjoy the sun the rest of the morning here in Namché and have a good time being in one place.

Dispatch#4 March 31st, 2001.  2:44pm

Thame, Nepal. OK, on the afternoon of March 31st, I'm sitting here at Thame. This team the Alpine Ascents Everest Base Camp team, they call themselves the "Pagan Baby Team."  The Pagan Baby Team arrived at Thame a little while ago. I'm watching a soft very beautiful snow come down. Thame's about yak pastures, potato fields, big open spaces, with really nice Sherpa homes kind of spaced broadly in a big flat area with big mountain walls around and of course the Thame monastery just above town.  And we will go to the Thame monastery tomorrow early tomorrow morning, hopefully see the Rinpoche and definitely if its clear at all see the view north to Cho-Oyu.

A lot of friends in this town: the other things besides yaks and potatoes that Thame is famous for is very strong climbing Sherpas as you probably know.  We stopped to see a few friends along the way and especially we stopped just before we got into Thame proper today, and  had lunch with our Sirdar, Pasang Rita's family.  His son Nima Tsering has joined us now as a junior guide you might say and we have a bright smiling eight-year old Sherpa face walking along the trail with us along with the rest of the crew most of whom are from this area.

Great to be in Thame, the Pagan Babies are looking like they're showing a little bit of signs of the altitude now that were at 12,500 feet but they're very happy and having some tea right now and relaxing inside the lodge, the tea house, and our tents are just going up and were looking forward to a beautiful evening here and a visit to the monastery tomorrow morning.

Dispatch #5 April 1st, 2001.  9:56am

Thame, Nepal. OK today's cybercast is coming to you from the Thame monastery.  It's about ten o'clock in the morning, beautiful clear sky I'm looking up at the prayer flags at the huge peaks around here the giant glaciers coming off these big mountain walls around here and the beautiful colors of the monastery.  I'm standing here with Nigma Rita, who's home we stayed at last night in Namche.  Nigma Rita is Lhakpa Rita's brother-in-law and along with a lot of other people in Thame he has made us feel really at home and welcome here.

Today was really special because we walked up to the monastery and we found  the Rinpoche was praying in  his upper sanctum as we were down below in the main part of the monastery.  And he, Nawang, the Rinpoche here, did agree to give us an audience. We went up into his upper chamber and we were received by him.  We gave him the silk Khata blessing scarves and he returned each of those to us as a blessing around our necks.  So now we are outside the monastery.  I have to say  it was a very moving and peaceful experience: I saw some teary eyes as this group walked out of the monastery back into the sunlight and the beauty of the mountains around today.  There is a really peaceful strong powerful feeling here at this monastery as we continue on with our trek.

So that's today's story were going back to Pasang Rita's house for lunch and on to the village of Kunde tonight, and well report to you sometime tomorrow along our trek.

Dispatch #6 April 2nd, 2001.  9:18am, Tengboche, Nepal.

Okay its about 20 minutes after nine on Monday morning and I can report to you that life does not get much better than this:  We are on the back deck of the Everest View Hotel in brilliant sunlight drinking tea from this nice china that they have here, and we're looking up the valley at brilliant views of all the places that lie before us on this trek.  I'm looking across at the Tengboche Monastery, where we will be later today and beyond that of course a great view of the summit of Everest in really still blue skies today, Lhotse Ama Dablam and I could go on and on about all these other big peaks around here.

So we're feeling pretty good, we have this pattern of weather that's really fine with us: it snows every afternoon and then during the night as people get up to relieve themselves during the long night they notice that the brilliant stars have come out usually by the middle of the night, and we have absolutely clear skies in the morning.  So that pattern's been just fine with us.  

Each day is an adventure, meeting folks.  I ought to report that yesterday at lunch after I last talked to you, (we run across friends all the time up here and) we were really fortunate to run across my old friend Apa Sherpa.  He was heading back to his village with his wife and we spent some time talking and it was really a neat time to run into Apa because I had read in the paper, I knew that two days before, that he and Babu Chiri Sherpa had been awarded medals by the King of Nepal.  This is a big deal you might not know just how uncommon that it is for the royal family to acknowledge the Sherpas in Nepal in this manner and certainly Apa for his eleven summits on Mt. Everest really had that coming.  He's still the humble gentle, unassuming man that we've always known him to be and it was really a treat to be able to spend a little time with him yesterday.

We will report to you from somewhere up the valley. With good luck today we'll be in the Tengboche monastery.  Who knows what we'll run across, what we'll learn, what adventure we'll encounter what experiences we'll have there, but we will let you know.

Dispatch #7 April 4th, 2001.  3:28pm, Pheriche, Nepal.

OK, this call is coming to you on the afternoon of the 4th from Pheriche.  We are taking yet another acclimatization day.  This group is really evenly matched in terms of trekking: when we walk up the trails we are always right together, our ages are from 36 to 67, but we seem to be very compatible hikers.

We went right through Tengboche the rinpoche was down in Kathmandu this time and of course as I have already described to you we had a wonderful experience. Enjoying a much more peaceful and secluded setting at the Thame monastery visiting with Nawang the reincarnate Llama out there.  Here in Pheriche we continue to enjoy just hanging out with some of the expeditions that are approaching the mountain.  In particular today, here in Pheriche, at the Himalayan lodge where I have stayed personally since 1989 (the first time I came to Everest) we're hanging out with the Italian team. We got to know these folks last year, the same climbers as when my Island Peak team was here, and these same climbers were attempting Ama Dablam in preparation for their South Col expedition this season.  So we're enjoying the peace of Pheriche and rest day activities.  We took a little walk up the hill to see Makalu from the top of the hill between Dingboche and Pheriche.  And we've enjoyed a lot of the sunshine, still the afternoon clouds are starting to build, I don't know if we'll have the snow today that we've been having.

But I can report that the entire crew, Brian, John, Mary, George, Dan, Karen, Holly, Mike, and Pat all of this Alpine Ascents Everest Base Camp crew is doing very well in terms of their health, extremely well in terms of their spirit and we're right in the midst of what's going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  It was Brian who commented to me as we walked that fabulous walk from Tengboche up to Pangboche yesterday, he was just beside himself and looking up at Ama Dablam before him and the huge imposing south face of Lhotse right up there in front of him. He said "You know this has to be the greatest mountain walk in the world" and I totally agree.  I can't imagine a better setting.

Dispatch #8 April 5th, 2001.  12:02pm, Lobuje, Nepal.

Well, we finally made it to 16,100 feet.  Most of us have the Khumbu cough. This reaction to the dry, thin air has affected most of the team. This is not surprising, kind of business as usual as you approach base camp. You've probably have heard many accounts of this dry irritated cough that some people get up here in these altitudes.  The scene here is spectacular. I'm looking up at Lobuje Peak and the Lobuje glacier, actually an icefall of the Lobuje glacier, spilling down towards me, and I am at that infamous Italian Pyramid, its called the 8000 Meter Inn now, by far the most deluxe accommodations since we left the Yak and Yeti in Kathmandu. It's a bit of a strange situation, given the altitude we're at here, but were not complaining.

You hear a lot these days about the posh living and even about the parties and wild life at Everest Base Camp, in nine seasons of climbing there I actually never saw any of that:  we were usually too tired.  But I guess it does go on. I'm not going to kid you we live pretty well here at the Italian Pyramid.  Our group arrived in the middle of the afternoon, having trekked very slowly into the pyramid as we get to these higher altitudes.  We had tea of course, and the fellow who runs this place put Led Zeppelin on his stereo. Ong Chu's staff, those wonderful Sherpanis, we call them the "kitchen girls" served a smoked salmon that Patrick Cook had packed up for us back in Seattle. We've been carrying this along with us and enjoying it at certain occasions along the way.  So its a serious world up here at 16,100 feet. We're trying to take good care of ourselves and we're excited about our approach to Everest Base Camp and Kala Pattar.  We hope we make it, but we're enjoying the soft life as much as it can exist at the 8000 Meter Inn as well.

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