Dispatch 1: Hong Kong And The Trip Ahead!
When I broke my ankle on May 1st last spring, I was at 17,600’ on 23,390 Baruntse, also known as my own personal Moby Dick for reasons you can research at www.skithehimalayas.com. Unlike Ahab, I was rescued by a vessel rather than doomed to one. Lifted into the skies, wrapped in bandages, worked over through weeks of PT and now here I am again today, returning to wrestle with ambition and not the ankle. Hopefully stronger, admittedly risk averse and yet still with an appetite for the unknown. The whale is gone though, off my range for a spell.
It’s a funny thing this trip to Nepal. In the midst of sat phone calls to Global Rescue and to all of those I cared about in the days after the break last May, it was the rally cries of those who knew how important climbing and skiing in Nepal was to me that were heard the most. My friends and backcountry partners. Their words melded me to a new goal, that’s right, a new goal. “Fun” is the “new” badass for me, attainable is also a word I like. Baruntse will lay on the shelf until Spring 2012. Today, we are sleeping like dirt bags on seats on the Hong Kong airport, tonight our crooked spines will rest easy knowing we have arrived in Nepal for great skiing in the province of Mustang. I’m beaming through blood shot eyes and a half grin mired by sleep deprivation.
“It doesn’t have to be fun to be fun” I’ve heard, but today, it has to be fun to get my friends out. It also has to be safe, really safe. I want to live a long life and one that is enriched by my relationships with not only my beautiful loving wife, but also the righteous experiences I’ve had with my boys in Telluride. Oh yea…it also includes multiple trips a year to ski Nepal…hmmmm, thankfully I have 14 years of climbing experience to let me tip toe that balance.
So she told me to go (my beautiful loving wife), and I am with the mightiest of friends in search of an attainable conquest. We hope to vanquish a misty summit hidden in a remote province and then ski down. The five of us. There really isn’t much more to that that words can express without gushing at how extremely grateful I am to have such supportive and wonderful partners at home that will join me at large. Well, I could say that Jon Miller has returned and that you will get to know these three additional folks as we write our way through this experience and blast it into your inbox with some photos to inspire.
Join us as we trek to the province of Mustang and climb and ski a 6000M peak named Saribung. This expedition promises to be unique, it’s actually the type of dream trip that I would have followed up Baruntse with had I summited this spring. Funny how that works, as a hopelessly committed explorer, it seems that the mountains will always call me back. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose but this: my fifth ski expedition to Nepal since 2007 will truly be the one I cherish most. Read the dispatches, feel free to e-mail us and stay tuned to learn why.
Live the Dream,
Ben Clark
Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 10
Ben Clark and Jon Miller are on a ski expedition to return to 23,390′ Baruntse, their second attempt. Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 10 shows how emergencies are handled in the remote areas of climbing expeditions. Ben has severely sprained his ankle and the team has to decide what to do next. Miller and Clark share the adventure as the pair view the expedition footage often sharing a story “not for air”.
p style=”text-align: center”>[vimeo 15651718 500 282]
Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 09
Ben Clark and Jon Miller are on a ski expedition to return to 23,390′ Baruntse, their second attempt. Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 9 finds the team fueled up and ready to begin up the mountain for an attempt at the summit. Then the unexpected happens and changes everything for the team. Miller and Clark share the adventure as the pair view the expedition footage often sharing a story “not for air”.
[vimeo 15448998 500 282]
Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 08
Ben Clark and Jon Miller are on a ski expedition to return to 23,390′ Baruntse, their second attempt. Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 8 finds the team on the mountain and climbing hard. They make it up above 20,000 feet to acclimate to the extreme altitude. Miller and Clark share the adventure as the pair view the expedition footage often sharing a story “not for air”.
[vimeo 15244724 500 282]
Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 07
Ben Clark and Jon Miller are on a ski expedition to return to 23,390′ Baruntse, their second attempt. Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 6 continues the journey towards base camp and sees the team catch sight of Baruntse for the first time.The crew finally reaches their objective, base camp, and say goodbye to the porters.Miller and Clark share the adventure as the pair view the expedition footage often sharing a story “not for air”.
[vimeo 15045591 500 282]
Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 6
Ben Clark and Jon Miller are on a ski expedition to return to 23,390′ Baruntse, their second attempt. Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 6 continues the journey towards base camp with a twist not often covered in contemporary expeditions to Nepal.
The crew actually acknowledges the weighty importance of hanging with the sherpa staff who make the trek possible.
Miller and Clark share the adventure as the pair view the expedition footage often sharing a story “not for air”. View this episode and learn about a Nepali Culture and find out why they “aren’t Bryan Adams fans”.
[vimeo 14469722 500 282]
Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 5
Ben Clark and Jon Miller are on a ski expedition to return to 23,390′ Baruntse, their second attempt. Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 5 continues the journey towards base camp with views that cause Ben to exclaim, “I come here for the mountains!”
Miller and Clark share the adventure as the pair view the expedition footage often sharing a story “not for air”. In this episode the trail winds through high mountain passes and into remote villages.
[vimeo 14307580 500 282]
Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 04
Ben Clark and Jon Miller are on a ski expedition to return to 23,390′ Baruntse, their second attempt.
Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 4 leads viewers on the Mera La trail to Baruntse.
Miller and Clark share the adventure as the pair view the expedition footage often sharing a story “not for air”. In this episode the trail winds through high mountain passes and into remote villages.
[vimeo 14134442 500 282]
Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 03
Ben Clark and Jon Miller are on a ski expedition to return to 23,390′ Baruntse, their second attempt. Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 3 ascends into the alpine mountains of Nepal.
Miller and Clark share the adventure as the pair view the expedition footage often sharing a story “not for air”. The team traverses a 15,000′ pass and begins the acclimatization necessary for success in the Himalayas.
[vimeo 13946151 500 282]
Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 02
Ben Clark and Jon Miller are on a ski expedition to return to 23,390′ Baruntse, their second attempt.
Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 2 glides the team to the pucker-inspiring Lukla Airport in the Khumbu Valley of the Everest region in Nepal. Miller and Clark share the adventure as the pair view the expedition footage often sharing a story “not for air”. The runway is short, the enthusiasm is high and the trail to Baruntse starts here.
[vimeo 13793922 500 282]