Tight squeeze
Jon Miller seconding in somw marginal ice and snow. “Alpine is always in”
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Rest days, interviews and cards, oh my!
Well, today is one of our rare rest days. Yesterday we scoped the access onto the East Ridge and commited to it. Today is about gaining strength and letting the minor aches of the trip heal. A typical rest day involves naps, reading, eating and cards. M’Lin taught Josh & I a version of War before she left, and Ben has used his beginners luck to great advantage in games of Poker. Another feature of the day was doing interviews for the next series of the podcast . Sounds like Ben has shot a lot of good footage so far, I’m looking forward to seeing it, although nothing can possiblely capture the grandure of this place like your own eyes.
Jon
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Dispatch 12: You seek you find 5/04/09
Uncertainty plays a major role in every life. What direction do you head in? How do you proceed when there is no set path? Who and what are we accountable for? What will happen if you take a risk?
In this life and at this present moment…
Throughout my twenties,this being my last year of them, I’ve had to ask and answer those questions many times,in the mountains, in business and in life. Somehow they never produce a one dimensional answer. Sometimes the answer just continues to unfold daily…like here.
We have meandered a great distance to solve the one single problem that has luckily not generated much intellectual debate, much speculation or delusions of granduer. That can lead to serious disappointment. There can be so much satisfaction in black and white. It took Josh, Jon and me fifteen days to get to this point and just as we thought we had solved our very static riddle, the virtue patience took hold in the midst of a storm and we steadfastly returned again the next day to murder the obvious. Now we know something…something more incredible than a burst of excitement, rarer than a perfect day and more satisfying than success…the root of possibility.
We know now there is a gully that leads us to the East ridge of 23,390′ Baruntse and out onto the Northeast face!
Not exactly the theory of relativity or the cure for cancer, but to find it one year after hoping something would be somewhere in this vicinity,10 months of training in a gym, 15 days of sweat,dodging rocks and straining ankles across a boulderfield full of miles of desperate footsteps…it feels pretty damn satisfying. We came here, like we go to most mountains based on a photo. No matter what,we propose a line and hope that conditions will be safe enough to pursue it. If not, we come with enough enthusiasm and skill to find something else fun to do. That’s the beauty of mountains and great partners, the line is what you make of it. The summit just the middle of the destination.
The scale of this years climb had many holes that could have shut us down before even trying. Cost,time away from our jobs and family (Josh and I miss our wives!),then the more practical mountain based issues; it is 7000M tall, has rockfall, icefall, and the effects of receding glaciers amidst global warming. With a route that begins on one side of the mountain and ends on another one,you’re asking for a lot of the present. But you have to have something to drive you,eh? All that uncertainty and committent must equal something.
When you consider that the route begins on unexplored terrain,crosses the standard route for about a 1/4 of it’s length and then drops on skis into territory that has one recorded ascent…let’s just say that the options for discourse with experienced travellers of this terrain was not an option. Nor did we care. It would smell taste and envelop us just the same, we bought our plane tickets and set foot in Nepal.
Gazing at the broken and steep rock and snow filled gully that will give us access to begin this experience is other worldly yet very familiar. The terrain reminds me so much of a peak I’ve guided so many times near Telluride. Funny how it makes me happy to enter virgin terrain through a completely familiar trough. Albeit not my favorite one,but the old hand of experience is the best guide to safety and confiding in the mountain.
That very thought is comforting. In ten years of international expeditions, 12 in climbing, the mountains have began to present more familiar scenarios and spaces. Every now and then it all adds up. It’s only possible by consistently showing up and trying. We will begin in a few days when our multiple abrasions, taxed muscles and our gear can make the three hour climb still from here to the base of the route for the last time. There will still be a veneer of newness on every molecule of route we encounter, only our eyes have grazed it. The mountains are dynamic and active,the photo we had..only a tiny snapshot of history, a nugget of inspiration. We look forward to sharing our own with you.
For photos of the last few days and the next few before we begin this epic endeavor,please check in daily at www.skithehimalayas.com While we’ve been sussing it out, I’ve been uploading the process through photos. We’ll do the same while on the mountain, mixed with the occassional audio dispatch too.
Live the dream,
Ben Clark
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Passing the time
Playing cards is one way to stabe off boredom in basecamp. We shota lot of video this morning too. 8 hours of total footage now,the podcast series from Skithehimalayas will be awesome this year!
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Back at base
When we arrived back at basecamp,the storm at our backs began to clear. 27,776′ Makaku in the background got some weather today too.
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Crossing the morraine in snow
After we left some gear at the base of our access chute to the East ridge we continued the loose and insecure trek back to basecamp.
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The way
We found it. Looks like a classic loose kitty litter and wet snow slope, but it will get us to the Northeast face! Slope on the left in background.
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And the weather moved in…
Just as we got to the best vantage in the valley,the weather moved in quickly and clouded our view. What did we see? Looks like with one more climb up high on a 6000M peak above camp, we will know our line.
PS…We just want to climb some steep terrain! The skiing looks great.
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Scouting access
Scouting our access to the East ridge,NE face and SE ridge variation. Which route will go safest?
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Musings of a himalayan rookie
Well, the first thing that I have to say is that Nepal is someplace that can not be explained. I’d read the literature, seen the films, and had the conversations with people who have been here. None of it truly prepares you for the real thing. The sights and smells of Nepal overwhelm you from every side. You have to be here to understand.
I consider myself very lucky to be a part of this expedition. I’m here with my good friends Ben and Josh, and have been able to share the approach with my girlfriend M’Lin. And what an experience it has been!
When you think of Nepal, the first thing that usually comes to mind is MOUNTAINS. So even though I had been warned, it came as a shock when we landed our little Twin Otter on the grass strip of Tumlingtar in the middle of the jungle, with out a peak in sight.
One of the most striking features of Nepal are the people. It is almost like the people are genetically predisposed to be friendly. From the greeting of Namaste, to the rarely said yet deeply felt thank you of Dhanyabhad, the people I have met are kind and helpful.
This adventure has been a lot about perspective for me. It is difficult to get used to having people carry my gear, set up camp, and cook our meals. Yet as the trek went on, I realized that you can’t do a trip like this on your own, the scale is to large. In addition, this is their job, and it is a continuation of the daily reality here. There are few roads and few pack animals. If goods are to travel from place to place, it will be on the back of a porter. By using porters we add to the local economy, and more importantly have the opportunity to interact with some pretty cool people.
Now that we are at base camp, I can think about the climb we are going to undertake. If I break it down, it all makes sense. Base camp is just under 17,000ft. The summit of Baruntse is at 23,390, so a gain of 6,390ft or so. I’ve done that before. The ski will be something under that, conditions allowing. Big, but not too big. So intellectually, big but doable. That doesn’t stop me from looking out the tent door at Makalu, Lhotse, Everest, and saying Holy Sh–!
This was a bit of a ramble, but so much to say! Hi mom & dad!