Everest South Side Expedition: American Commemorative Expedition

 Current Nepal Time

Dispatch Group One: Getting caught up! Read the dispatches here.

Dispatch Two: The ice fall is in bad condition and thanks to our expedition leader, Bob Hoffman, we were the first to file a formal complaint with the group (SPCC) responsible for maintaining of the ice fall (now other team leaders are also filing complaints). The SPCC is working to improve the anchors and ladders across the crevasses, but they need more people to do the job effectively. Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch Three: Brian O'Connor, Brett Shepard, Mimi Vadasz, Tom Burch and Bob Boice just arrived mid-day today after two nights at Camp 2. Winds were forecasted to 180 kph. That's right over 100 mph. With these wind speeds, the wind passing over the ridge tops and summit sounds like a 747 airplane taking off, even from Base Camp. Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch Four: Waiting for the Best Summit "Window" Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch Five: Now we just wait for good weather Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch Six: Heading Up the Mountain May 15, 2003: I spoke with Bob this morning. He said all eight team members were together at base camp now; everyone is healthy. Three members of the team are going to leave tomorrow (May 16) and the remaining five members the next day (May 17) to begin their way to the top of Everest! They are going to take it slow, giving other teams who are in a big rush a chance to get out of the way.  Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch Seven: Expedition News from Camp 2 May 20, 2003: Team members will listen to the radio transmissions from base camp with eager anticipation today, as the first expeditions of the year are within striking distance of Mount Everest's summit. The Everest 2003 Commemorative Expedition continues the waiting game with seven expedition partners at the second of four camps - Camp 2 at 21,000 feet. The team will evaluate climbing conditions based on reports received from other teams higher on the mountain, as well as weather reports received from various sources via satellite phone in Base Camp. Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch Eight: Continued High Winds Delay Progress May 22, 2003: Continued high winds and foul weather have kept our team at Camp 2 today, rather than continuing higher on the mountain as previously planned. The team feels that the promised improvement in the weather was too short-lived to justify the risk involved in proceeding for now. Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch Nine: Team Moves to Camp 3! May 23, 2003: The team moves to Camp 3!! The window of good weather is now but a peephole, but nonetheless, the team braves forward. Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch Ten: An Hour Away From the Summit of Everest May 25, 2003. It's 5:10 p.m. 25 May here in Belmont, 6:40 a.m. (or so) 26 May in Nepal. I just got a call from Angie at Base Camp and she said the team is very close to the summit - about an hour away! Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch 11: Team Members Reach the Summit!!! May 25, 2003 SUCCESSFUL SUMMIT! Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch 12: American Summitteers Return Safely to Camp 4 May 26, 2003 Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch 13: Mr. Appa Sherpa (42 yrs), Sirdar from Namche - 7, Thame, Solukhumbu, Nepal has been successful to hold the World record of Climbing 13 times on Summit of World highest Mountain Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) on 26 May 2003 at 3.41 AM. Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch 14: The following 4 members & 7 Sherpas of "Everest 2003 American Commemorative Expedition" team have been successful to climb 8848 Meter high Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) on 26 May 2003 from 03:41 AM. to 07.40 AM. Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch 15: Returning to Base Camp May 27, 2003. We have received word from Gyltzen Sherpa, our Base Camp Sirdar, that all of the team members are fine and were together at Camp 2; they will be back in Base Camp tomorrow (Wednesday, May 28). Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch 16: Latest Expedition Status June 1, 2003: Following is a brief summation of the events of the past week. There are many stores yet to be told, and we will get them out to you as soon as possible. Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch 17: Waiting in Kathmandu: June 4, 2003. The weather here in Kathmandu is warm and muggy, building up to the monsoon season which will be here shortly. All of the expedition team members have returned from the mountain, and are starting to head home to friends and loved ones. Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch 18: Leaving Kathmandu! June 5, 2003. Dodging a thunder and lightening storm which signals the beginning of monsoon, our expedition helicopter was able to fly from Shangboche and land in Kathmandu late on the evening of June 4. On board were all of the Sherpas who were part of the team, as well as the team and personal equipment of the climbing members. Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch 19: Back in the USA June 8, 2003: Expedition members have all arrived back in the good old USA to the welcome relief of their family and friends. Now begins the huge task of unpacking, sorting, cleaning and storing the mountain of clothing and equipment that had been taken on the great adventure of climbing the highest peak in the world. Check here for the full dispatch.

Dispatch 20: We Meet Again at 50th Everest at Fairmont, San Francisco June 10, 2003: So I think for everyone it is finally sinking in that we were on an expedition to Mt. Everest, the mountain of our dreams, for all our team members. Whether we submitted or not, we had a journey of a lifetime and are all so happy to be home with family and friends, and to appreciate life for what it is. I personally have never felt so happy and alive. Check here for the full dispatch.