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Mountain Experience Everest 2001
Expedition
The
Mountain Experience Everest 2001 expedition will have
3 guides and 6 climbers on the team.
The team, led by Jason
Edwards, will attempt to Summit Everest
from the South Side via the Standard Southeast Ridge
route. The expedition will attempt to put a Canadian
father and son team on the summit of Everest, with the
son being the youngest
Canadian to reach the Summit if successful.
EVEREST
DISPATCH: Get
ready, Set...Go...Again!
Date:
May 13, 2001 Time: Afternoon Location: Everest BC
Temp: Sunny & Warm
This
is a big day for our team...at least we hope it is.
After reviewing the weather, watching what other teams
are doing, and taking stock of our own team and
logistics, we've decided to send up our first summit
team tomorrow, on May 14th. It's always a tough
decision when to send up a team, since there are so
many unknowns...mainly the weather and how many other
teams will be attempting the summit at the same time.
While it works to have a few teams climbing along side
of us, too many people on the same day can make it
quite dangerous. We feel that we're kinda between a
few teams, and with some luck we'll "thread"
our way through the teams that are there. Our second
team will leave for the summit on May 16th. All
climbers and Sherpas are feeling well, and everyone's
ready to "get the show on the road."
For
those who are interested, here's our summit attempt
schedule:
May 14 Team 1 leaves--BC to C2
May 15 Team 1--Rest C2
May 16 Team 1--C2 to C3: Team 2--BC to C2
May 17 Team 1--C3 to C4: Team 2--Rest C2
May
18 Team 1--Summit?: Team 2--C2 to C3
May 19 Team 1--C4 to C2: Team 2--C3 to C4
May 20 Team 1--Rest C2 : Team 2--Summit??
May 21 Team 1--Pack C2 : Team 2--C4 to C2
May 21 onward: Depending on our summit success, we may
start packing up our camps and descending the
mountain--and then head home. If for some reason we
were unable to succeed in our quest to climb Everest,
we will mount a second attempt. Only time and luck
will tell which course of action we'll take after the
21st.
Review
of teams:
T1: Jason, Dave, Deryl
T2: Tuck, Max, Francois, Rob
Each team will be accompanied by five Sherpas, who
will assist with carrying oxygen, handling ropes and
kicking steps in the deep snow. In addition, we will
have one Sherpa who will be stationed at Camp 4 during
the summit attempts to assist with cooking chores and
melting water for the return of our climbers.
We
have a very strong group of Sherpas, and all total,
amongst the 12 Sherpas on our team, they have a total
of 32 successful Mt. Everest summits. Our Sherpa teams
are as follows:
T1:
DaNuru, Norbu, Tshering Dorjie, Nwang Tenzing,
Pemba Gyalzen, and Da Sona in C4 support
T2: Lahkpa Rita, Passang Kitar, A Rita, Tenzi, Dorjie,
and Palten in C4 support
Today our team one climbers were occupied with last
minute details and preparations. We all checked our
gear to make sure we had what's needed, including
radios, oxygen masks, regulators, food, medical kits,
and lots of other things. There also a
"ritual" of taking a show in our make-shift
show tent, since we don't know how long we'll be above
Camp. For some of us, it's a matter of shaving so that
our oxygen masks don't freeze to our faces. Lot's of
little details, and with each "false start,"
where we don't leave, it's amazing that we keep
thinking of things to do before the next
"effort."
Over
the past month we have been working very closely with
the National Federation of the Blind
Expedition (as well as many other teams*). Eric
(the NFB sightless climber) and I have been in touch
in regard to his climbing aspirations since 1990 or
so. He's a great guy and very strong climber, and
we're pulling for him in many ways. We hope to see his
success on Everest soon!
Today
I happen to see a May 4th article in the Kathmandu
daily newspaper that had a front page article on Abu
Chori's return to Kathmandu. He was honored by a city
wide memorial celebration, where thousands of locals
walked down the streets in memory of "Everest's
greatest climber." It was very pleasing to see
him honored in such a way. Many memories of Babu's
smiling face came to mind...as he we always be
remembered.
I've
enclosed a couple more Lhotse Face photos [We hope to
post soon]; hope they turn out well on your screens!
Also enclosed is a photo of our dining room area,
where we spend a lot of the day passing the time
eating, visiting and playing cards. Favorite games are
hearts and gin.
Some
Mother's Day wishes for our "mums:"
Deryl & Leo: Hi Mama, Happy Mothers Day! I Love
and Miss You. Don't worry to much about me 'kay! We're
coming to the end of the journey, and I'll be soon
home to pester you as much as always. Also, Happy
Mothers day to Elaine Binges, from Super Sheri
and I! Mother's Day Greetings to Theresa Kelly
of PEI from her son Leo at Mt. Everest Basecamp...and
all the Mothers of Kelly's Cross Parish.
Dave: Hang in there, Rita...we're almost
there--and we'll be home soon! Can't wait for
the first weekend in June & visiting in
Saskatoon...and looking forward to next year, when we
can celebrate this in person! Sharon &
Dianne: have a super day! Sally Adams:
wish I was there to wish you a Happy 40th
birthday...you don't look a day over 30! Jen:
it'll be your turn soon!
Rob: Happy Mothers Day Mom, I miss you very much and
look forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks.
Happy Mothers day to my wife Clarissa - the mother of
my two wonderful children, and Happy Mothers Day to
all the Kennedy moms - Kathleen, Lisa, Karen, Dianna.
Francois: Hi Mamie, I wish you the happiest mother's
day. I am very proud to be your son. I will see you
soon. Salut Papa. Je t'aime beaucoup. On se voit
bientot. Francois
Tuck: Mom, I love you very much, happy Mother's day.
Brothers please call Mom and relate my message (no
computer); Grant-Miss you alot, and can't wait to stop
by for a meal, anything but what I have been eating.
Craig-Lots of time here to think about how lucky a son
I am, you worked harder raising us than this little
old climb. Kent-Looking so forward to seeing you soon,
I love you !
Jason: Happy birthday too, Mom. I love you! See
you soon! --j
Max: Hola Noralinda! Te deseo que este dia sea muy
feliz por favoe dile mis saludos a mi Mama , que lo
quiero mucho. Nuevamente , te quiero mucho
y nos veremos muy pronto.
When visiting the Lama Geshe, a Buddhist priest from
Pangboche Monastery, he blessed our team and is
praying for us while we are on Mt. Everest. Here's one
of his favorite prayers that he left us:
"Give us all intention to not harm others from
your heart
And do your best to benefit them all
If each and everyone feels the universal
responsibility to do so,
we will all enjoy the feast of peace!"
Here's one of my favorite Robert Service quotes that I
feel captures some of the "quest" for
Everest's summit. It's from memory, so I might mess up
some:
"The Quitter"
"When you're lost in the wild and scared as a
child, and death looks you bang in the eye, and you're
sore as a boil it's according do Hoyle to cock your
revolver and die, but the code of a man says fight all
you can, and self dissolution is bared, in hunger and
woe oh it's easy to blow it's the hell served for
breakfast that's hard. You're sick of the game, now
that's a shame, you're young and you're brave and
you're bright. You've had a raw deal, I know, but
don't squeal, buck up and do your damnedest and fight!
It's the plugging away that'll win you the day, so
don't be a piker ol'pard, just draw on your grit, it's
so easy to quit, it's the keeping your chin up that's
hard."
Well,
we'll keep plugging away, and we'll do our best to
keep our chins up. There's no doubt we'll give Everest
our best shot, and no matter if we succeed or not, we
feel fortunate to at least have the opportunity to
try. Thanks to all who have made our attempt on this
majestic peak possible.
Well that's it for now from the Mountain Experience
Mt. Everest Base Camp. The next ten or so days are a
pretty exciting time for us. We also realize it's also
a pretty intense and possibly scary time for those
loved ones at home. We'll do our very best on the
mountain and will make all efforts to contact you with
news as soon as possible. Please note that if for some
reason we are not able to get right back to you, that
NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS. Hang onto that thought and it'll
be easier during those times when there's no
dispatches coming from our team.
Thanks
much to all for following our expedition, and we'll be
in touch ASAP!
My best to all,
Jason Edwards
Expedition Leader
Mountain Experience <<< Dispatches
>>>
