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American
Everest 2002 Expedition
With
a Ski Descent planned! |
22
December 2001: Here it is almost Christmas and our
expedition to Mt. Everest is only a few months
away. We have lots to do to get ready.
11
January 2002: Planning and preparations continue for
the trip.
28
February 2002: Our tickets are purchased, our deposits
are paid and we are finalizing equipment and clothing
needs with our sponsors. Our scheduled departure date
has changed to 3 April 2002.
March
25, 2002: We have received gear and food from our
sponsors and are busy doing the final sorting, packing
and many last minute things in preparation for our
expedition's scheduled departure date of 3 April 2002
(next Wednesday). We are eager to get started!
Due
to travel requirements, Adrian is scheduled to depart
Park City, UT for Kathmandu on Friday, 29 March and
will meet up with Jim and Scott at BC (Base Camp).
Jim and Scott will depart Denver the morning of
3 April. Correction
to above: Adrian departed Salt Lake City for Kathmandu
on Sunday, 31 March. Jim and Scott have sorted
and packed all their food and gear and tested all the
communications equipment. They depart
Denver Wednesday morning, 3 April. They are busy
doing last minute things necessary in order to be gone
for 65-70 days and are saying their good-byes to loved
ones.
April
3, 2002: Jim and Scott departed for Kathmandu this
morning at 9:40a MST.
Saturday,
6 April 2002 from Kathmandu, Nepal
Sunday,
7 April 2002 from Kathmandu, Nepal
Thursday,
11 April 2002 from Lhasa, Tibet: We arrived in
Lhasa on the 9th after a wonderful flight through the
Himalaya. We passed very close to Everest, Lhotse,
Nuptse, Cho Oyu, Kangchenjunga and so many others. It
was an awesome flight! We picked up Henry
Todd ...
Friday,
12 April 2002 from Xigatse (Shigatse): We
are in Xigatse now. We left Lhasa at 10:00am and
arrived here at 4:00p. It was a beautiful drive up a
valley surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Alex and I
visited the Tashilhimpo monastery.
Update
#5: Monday, 15 April 2002 from Everest BC (north
side): Jim and Scott arrived in BC on the 14th to find
a vibrant and energetic Adrian waiting for them.
He had arrived on the 13th and was acclimating very
well, although he still has a bit of the same
Kathmandu cough (from the air pollution) as Jim still
has.
Update
#6: Tuesday, 16 April 2002 from Everest BC (north
side): Today Adrian, Scott and Jim went for an
acclimatization hike, with Adrian leaving a little
ahead of the other two because they were fumbling
around camp.... Check here for
the full dispatch.
4/18/2002
Pictures
Saturday,
20 April 2002 from ABC: I received a satellite phone
call from Jim this morning to tell me the team arrived
safely at ABC on the 19th. The laptop battery is dead
and they are charging it so they can send a more
complete update with pictures later today. Check here for
the full dispatch.
Dispatch
#7: Sunday, 21 April 2002, from ABC: We have the
laptop PC up and running again at ABC now and should
be able to update every day we are at ABC. We have the
communications tent set up with the phone, pc, and
solar panels about. Now the updates for the past few
days... Check here for
the full dispatch.
Dispatch
#8: Monday, 22 April 2002, from ABC: From Jim: The
Puja was awesome as usual. This is always one of my
favorite parts of an expedition in the Himalaya. The
expedition does not officially begin until this
ceremony takes place and no Sherpa would dare venture
onto the mountain without it first.... Check here for
the full dispatch.
Dispatch
#9: Wednesday, 23 April 2002, from ABC: From
Jim: Yesterday, the 23rd, we woke up at 6:30 am and
had breakfast at 7:00. We left for Camp 1 at just
after 8:00 am. As we left ABC, 6,440 meters [21,130'],
we headed up the lateral moraine that runs along or
parallel to the glacier that ABC is on. We followed
this moraine (pile of rocks deposited by the glacier
as it melts) up a slight incline for about a mile and
a gain of a few hundred vertical feet. This was loose
and rocky terrain and was tough while wearing huge
Everest boots. It also undulates somewhat, making for
tedious travel up or down... Check here for
the full dispatch.
Update:
Friday, 26 April 2002, via Satellite phone call from
ABC: Jim called last night [which was actually 1:00 pm
on the 26th on Everest] for some phone support of a
laptop PC technical problem. Seems the laptop does not
like the cold temperatures and had crashed. They had
it back up, but needed my help with some email
settings. Check here for
the full dispatch.
Update:
Saturday, 27 April 2002, via satellite phone call from
Scott at ABC to his fianceé, Adrienne: I am sorry to
say the hard drive is apparently shot on Scott's lap
top computer. Big bummer! They think they may be able
to borrow another computer once and a while from the
other teams. Let us hope so! Check here for
the full dispatch.
Update
Monday,
29 April 2002: Our
team is very frustrated at this point. When their tent
blew away in the high winds at Camp 4 they lost all of
their stoves except one, as well as their cook pots,
several full Titanium fuel bottles and other important
gear they had stored inside the tent. They are
currently checking with several other teams in ABC to
see if they can locate one tent, at least one more
stove, a cook pot, etc... Check here for
the full dispatch.
Update:
Wednesday evening, 1 May 2002, The team is still
waiting out the bad weather. Adrian went down to BC,
but Jim and Scott remained at ABC. They hope to make a
carry to Camp 1 soon. Jim said he thinks there is a
good chance they will be able to replace some or all
of the equipment blown off the mountain at Camp 1... Check here for
the full dispatch.
Update:
Dispatch
May 3rd, 2002, Phone call from Jim at ABC: On 2 May,
Jim and Scott climbed back up to Camp 1 on the North
Col, carrying loads of 30-40 pounds each, to
re-establish Camp 1. They chopped out another level
place for the tent and erected a Bibler Fitz-Roy tent...
Check here for
the full dispatch.
Update
Wednesday, 8 May 2002, Voice mail message from Jim at
ABC: Jim and Scott were going up to Camp 1 today,
spend the night, then go to Camp 2 and set it up. They
also hope to carry some gear up to Camp 3 at 8,200
meters (26,900 feet) before returning to ABC and BC to
rest up for a summit push. Check here for
the full dispatch.
Update
14 May 2002, Phone call from Jim at BC: Jim and Scott
are ending the expedition and returning to the USA and
home. They have already brought all their gear down
from Camp 1 and ABC to BC and are leaving today to
return to Kathmandu. Check
here for the full dispatch.
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