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In April 2014, I attempted to climb Mt. Everest before an avalanche in the icefall claimed the lives of 18 Sherpa. A year later (May 2015), I returned to Mt. Everest only to witness a 7.8 earthquake while at camp 1. I am preparing to climb again in April 2018 but this blog is dedicated to my purposeful pursuits. Please be sure to check out the charities that I support and follow me on twitter (@pem725) or instagram (pem725).
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Now resting and relaxing at the Namche cyber cafe
Life is good here in the Khumbu Valley. I made it up from Lukla to Namche in 6 hours yesterday. Felt great and took my time. It sure helps to be acclimatized to 22,000 feet when you trek at 10-14,000 feet. Life is easy.
Today, I plan to rest here and let my body fully recover from a 6 hour day. I will eat well, sleep a ton, and drink 5 to 6 liters before I crash tonight. So far today, I had an omelette, home fries, toast, coffee, and bacon. Sounds like I'm really roughing it, eh?
Tomorrow, I plan to meet Sam and Alex in Dingboche. They had a puja in Pangboche yesterday and are hanging out there today and then head out to Dingboche in the morning. Will be great to see them - first time since last May. We should have a few rousing rounds of hearts tomorrow night. I can't wait.
Met a ton of really interesting people. All of them trekkers and each with great stories. I love this part of climbing. Meeting new people, hearing their stories, and telling a few of my own. I really feel fortunate to experience this adventure in great health.
Hello followers of Pat's climbing adventures! Thanks for following & supporting him. He's trained hard for this and if anybody has it in themselves to overcome the upcoming challenges & stand at the top of the world, its Pat. I know because he's my best friend & I see it every day, his passion, focus, & determination. Yes, sometimes it's rough to miss out on a Friday night movie because he has 9 hours of workouts on Summit Saturdays, and it can get really hard when you hear there's been an avalanche & conflicting reports about loss of life. But I wouldn't want him to be any other way. I get the passion & dedication to a physical & mental challenge. It can be selfish sometimes, but it also gives life to those around you who are ignited by your fire.
So I wasn't supposed to be writing all that but thats what came out! All I was supposed to do was tell you he's okay & making his way to Basecamp--on little sleep & less food. Once he gets to a comfortable altitude, just slightly lower than the one at which our plane flew today to Chicago (!) , he'll get a chance to catch up on sleep & get ready for the big push. Please send good vibes his way -- your good wishes will push him up the hill ☺
Thank you for following & supporting my adventurous, awesome hubby! From sea-level ,
Kat
So I wasn't supposed to be writing all that but thats what came out! All I was supposed to do was tell you he's okay & making his way to Basecamp--on little sleep & less food. Once he gets to a comfortable altitude, just slightly lower than the one at which our plane flew today to Chicago (!) , he'll get a chance to catch up on sleep & get ready for the big push. Please send good vibes his way -- your good wishes will push him up the hill ☺
Thank you for following & supporting my adventurous, awesome hubby! From sea-level ,
Kat
Check-in/OK message from SPOT PEM
PEM
Latitude:27.80439
Longitude:86.71041
GPS location Date/Time:04/18/2015 21:16:40 EDT
Message:Climbing in Mt. Everest right now. All is well; please check the map to see our progress.
Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/MwseQ/27.80439N/86.71041E
If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=27.80439,86.71041&ll=27.80439,86.71041&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
PEM
You have received this message because PEM has added you to their SPOT contact list.
Ready for Adventure
FindMeSPOT.com
Latitude:27.80439
Longitude:86.71041
GPS location Date/Time:04/18/2015 21:16:40 EDT
Message:Climbing in Mt. Everest right now. All is well; please check the map to see our progress.
Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/MwseQ/27.80439N/86.71041E
If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=27.80439,86.71041&ll=27.80439,86.71041&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
PEM
You have received this message because PEM has added you to their SPOT contact list.
Ready for Adventure
FindMeSPOT.com
Friday, April 17, 2015
Chilling out at the Shakti hotel.... Check-in/OK message from SPOT PEM
Yep, here I am. It is 3:06 local time and I am posting updates to my blog. I landed as scheduled last night without drama and crashed at 8am. After sorting my gear last night and repacking for my flight today, I managed to hit the rack at 8pm local time only to awake at 1:30am with no chance to fall back asleep. Additionally, my clocks on my cell phone and watch were completely messed up. So, I sit here waiting and ready to start my trek up the Khumbu valley. If all goes well, I will be in Namche by dinner time and ready for a long night sleep. All is well. Met some nice folks on the flight. Enjoyed the travel day immensely. See you soon....
PEM
Latitude:27.71671
Longitude:85.31268
GPS location Date/Time:04/17/2015 16:42:58 EDT
Message:Climbing in Mt. Everest right now. All is well; please check the map to see our progress.
Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/Mv7vr/27.71671N/85.31268E
If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=27.71671,85.31268&ll=27.71671,85.31268&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
PEM
You have received this message because PEM has added you to their SPOT contact list.
Ready for Adventure
FindMeSPOT.com
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Already some difficulty with the new icefall route
Alan Arnette was gracious enough to post an update about the icefall route. Apparently, the icefall doctors experienced some problems with the ladders. Please consult his blog for the complete update. Be sure to look at the enlarged picture so you can see the trouble spot.
The internet must be working pretty well at basecamp. I read many updates from various climbers. Thanks to Alan for keeping us all abreast of the situation. Glad I stayed home and acclimatized in my own bed. Just another reason why I thank the good folks at Hypoxico and, in particular, Brian Oestrike for helping me with this whole process.
Expect updates as the roll in.....
Thanks for following.
The internet must be working pretty well at basecamp. I read many updates from various climbers. Thanks to Alan for keeping us all abreast of the situation. Glad I stayed home and acclimatized in my own bed. Just another reason why I thank the good folks at Hypoxico and, in particular, Brian Oestrike for helping me with this whole process.
Expect updates as the roll in.....
Thanks for following.
A few thoughts as I prepare to climb
Greetings. I am sitting here thinking about the past few years that I devoted to this one singular event. Last year, my climb got derailed by factors beyond my control. This year, I felt as if I did everything within my control to maximize a safe, successful climb. I trained hard, rested, ate well, and stayed healthy. Moreover, I climbed a ton and sorted out my gear with every climb. I sit here today thinking about the last few years and reminiscing about what I did and why I believe I am ready for the next two months. Below are a few thoughts on that topic...
1. Control the controllable. Climbing and preparing the climb both take a singular focus. Many times, however, that focus drifts to the "what ifs," "should haves," and "could haves." Given the nature of these big mountains and the costs associated with climbing them, I decided that I would put all my efforts into controlling what I could control and leave chance alone.
2. Prepare for the unexpected. As Louis Pasteur once said "chance favors the prepared mind" and I felt like I prepared by controlling every aspect of my preparation that I could control. Preparation for climbing takes discipline and dedication. In retrospect, I am very happy with what I was able to accomplish during those years. I controlled what I could control and feel as if chance will favor me and my preparation.
3. Accept adversity. I mentioned in a previous post how that "one thing" can often set the tone for an entire day, climb, or relationship. Adverse conditions - whether internally or externally generated - often create those moments that change the tenor or mood. Last year, that one thing consisted of many events that added up to a nightmare for many of us. Fortunately, the "many" were able to live past the event but my thoughts remain with those who were not so fortunate. I decided that this year I would allow myself to accept adversity and learn from it. More often than not, those adverse events or conditions simply show up unannounced and unprovoked. How we deal with them shows our true character. I must admit, I had many instances of not holding it together as the climb deteriorated last year. This year, I return with no ill-will nor with any agenda other than to climb. I accepted my fate from last year and moved on. Here is to adversity!
4. Stay focused. There were a few times over the past two years that I wanted to rest. I was done. The training slowly ate away at my resolve. Those times were quickly subdued by climbing, running, sleeping, drinking, eating, swimming, sailing, socializing or some other activity where I could reflect on my primary objective. It would be overstating the case if I said I were constantly focused. Training has a way of eroding that focus over time. Now that I am done training and completely rested, I have nothing to distract me. I stayed late at home to finish many of my projects, to guide my students through the end of their semester, and to spend more time with my family. Now that I did all that, I can leave with a clear conscience that I did all I could do for those other things and now I get to focus solely on this climb.
5. Ready for a change. I spent the last few years really focused on climbing Mt. Everest. Now that I am close to reaching that goal - weather and conditions permitting - I feel ready to shift gears for a little bit and embrace a little change. Perhaps I might train for another climb, another endurance event, or just go sailing. Regardless, I need a new objective. Everest has been a great goal and I am really excited about the prospects of reaching that goal. What is next? Who knows. First things first....climb that big hill.
Thanks for following along. I'll have more posts shortly. The climb starts soon. Stay tuned....
1. Control the controllable. Climbing and preparing the climb both take a singular focus. Many times, however, that focus drifts to the "what ifs," "should haves," and "could haves." Given the nature of these big mountains and the costs associated with climbing them, I decided that I would put all my efforts into controlling what I could control and leave chance alone.
2. Prepare for the unexpected. As Louis Pasteur once said "chance favors the prepared mind" and I felt like I prepared by controlling every aspect of my preparation that I could control. Preparation for climbing takes discipline and dedication. In retrospect, I am very happy with what I was able to accomplish during those years. I controlled what I could control and feel as if chance will favor me and my preparation.
3. Accept adversity. I mentioned in a previous post how that "one thing" can often set the tone for an entire day, climb, or relationship. Adverse conditions - whether internally or externally generated - often create those moments that change the tenor or mood. Last year, that one thing consisted of many events that added up to a nightmare for many of us. Fortunately, the "many" were able to live past the event but my thoughts remain with those who were not so fortunate. I decided that this year I would allow myself to accept adversity and learn from it. More often than not, those adverse events or conditions simply show up unannounced and unprovoked. How we deal with them shows our true character. I must admit, I had many instances of not holding it together as the climb deteriorated last year. This year, I return with no ill-will nor with any agenda other than to climb. I accepted my fate from last year and moved on. Here is to adversity!
4. Stay focused. There were a few times over the past two years that I wanted to rest. I was done. The training slowly ate away at my resolve. Those times were quickly subdued by climbing, running, sleeping, drinking, eating, swimming, sailing, socializing or some other activity where I could reflect on my primary objective. It would be overstating the case if I said I were constantly focused. Training has a way of eroding that focus over time. Now that I am done training and completely rested, I have nothing to distract me. I stayed late at home to finish many of my projects, to guide my students through the end of their semester, and to spend more time with my family. Now that I did all that, I can leave with a clear conscience that I did all I could do for those other things and now I get to focus solely on this climb.
5. Ready for a change. I spent the last few years really focused on climbing Mt. Everest. Now that I am close to reaching that goal - weather and conditions permitting - I feel ready to shift gears for a little bit and embrace a little change. Perhaps I might train for another climb, another endurance event, or just go sailing. Regardless, I need a new objective. Everest has been a great goal and I am really excited about the prospects of reaching that goal. What is next? Who knows. First things first....climb that big hill.
Thanks for following along. I'll have more posts shortly. The climb starts soon. Stay tuned....
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Getting ready to climb with Olivia
Hi all. My final preparations began in earnest today as I finalized my packing and got ready to head out. Things came together nicely without any problems. The one thing I am really psyched about is my new Olivia pennants. Dorothy and Steven sent me a really nice North Sails pennant that works really well on the water but it absorbs water on the mountain and then freezes. A frozen pennant weighs about 2 lbs (almost 1 kg). I intend to bring that original pennant since it accompanied me on my previous climb in Nepal and on my Aconcagua trip. The summit push up Everest mandates that I slim down as much as possible - not me personally but I ought to reduce the weight as much as humanly possible. So, with the help of Karen Friedman, I am now the proud owner of two new rip-stop pennants with the Olivia logo. Thanks to Karen for helping me at the last second. She did a wonderful job. I also want to thank the Olivia Constants Foundation for letting me climb with Olivia.
It is truly an honor and one I take seriously. For those of you who are new to my blog, I ask you to consider giving to this great cause. The link to the right takes you to their website.
Below is the before and after pictures of the pennants (top before, bottom after):
Thanks everyone for the continued support. I can't wait to head off to Nepal.
It is truly an honor and one I take seriously. For those of you who are new to my blog, I ask you to consider giving to this great cause. The link to the right takes you to their website.
Below is the before and after pictures of the pennants (top before, bottom after):
Thanks everyone for the continued support. I can't wait to head off to Nepal.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Hey, look what came in the (e)mail today....
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| My 2015 Everest Permit |
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