We headed out this morning to hike again to 18,000 ft to acclimatize. Our destination was Base Camp of Mt Pumori but last nights snow made it too dangerous to hike with just trekking shoes. So we headed to another high point they called Preyer flag point. This allowed us to get a great view of Everest.

We got back and had a great lunch. I have been asked what we do when we are not training. For the most part we are in the mess tent drinking hot drinks, playing cards, listening to music, and most of the time debating if aliens made the ancient pyramids!

Most of the team are pretty wiped out from the days hike and most of them are heading to bed early. The rest of us will watch free solo on the projector we have set up in the mess tent.

Day three training on the ice and the team is getting stronger. Our guides set up another challenging obstacle course with repelling, ladder crossings, and ice climbing. It’s starting to feel like groundhogs day. Although I understand why we are here and taking our time, I’m definitely getting anxious to push ahead. But I found a way to keep our spirits up!

After our lunch we met in our Zen tent to plan out meals for our first push up to camp 1 and then on to camp 2. I think this got the group excited, although the last two weeks have not been easy, the real challenge starts when you leave base camp.

Tomorrow will be the 5 year anniversary of the earthquake that killed 18 Sherpa. Out of respect for the fallen, all teams will not advance tomorrow. Instead we will take a acclimatization hike to the basecamp of a near by mountain called Pumori.

As I write this a good storm blows outside our tents. It’s the coldest it’s been, the snow is falling fast. Glad I’m tucked away in my -40 below sleeping bag. The gear is amazing and warm. The only problem is when you need to use the bathroom.😬😬

Two weeks have gone by and it hasn’t been a walk in the park. Getting use to the cold and altitude again is not easy when you live in sunny Costa Rica at sea level. Battling a sinus infection as you reach 17,500 ft was not a pleasant experience either. That being said the adventure and friendships formed on big mountain expeditions quickly dissolves any of those negative memories.

After a second day of mountaineering training and another acclimatization hike (4 of us went). This time we hiked up to the end of the Khumbu Ice Fall to get a look at what awaits us. After the four of us took a minute staring at it a quote popped into my head from one of my favorite movies Armageddon. Owen Wilson’s character is getting strapped into the rocket and says: “ I’m 98% excited and 2% scared, or is it 2% excited and 98% scared! Either way that’s what makes it so intense!”

This labyrinth of moving ice is one of the more “technical” parts of the climb. Just entering this Tim Burton’s nightmare once would be bad enough, but to be successful in our quest to climb Everest we will have to go through it 6 times! I’m still deciding where I designate the 98%. 🤣🤣

Our team continues to grow in strength and unity. I continue to be impressed with fellow teammates resolve, drive, and guts. A fellow climber from Chicago, Art Muir is 73 years young and is keeping pace with the whole team. If I can be as active and as strong at 63 I will consider myself lucky, let alone 73. A picture of Art today practicing ice climbing.

We headed out on the glacier to practice general mountaineering techniques. Repelling, fixed lines ascending, and so on. Half the team is still fighting head colds so we kept it chill. After lunch two fellow climbers and I set out to hike up to 18,000 ft for acclimatizing.

The walk was cold and surprisingly hard so I was wiped out. I made it through dinner and just didn’t have the energy to write my blog. I headed to bed and slept 9 straight hours! I woke feeling great and refreshed. We will head out to practice the skills and techniques we will need to get through the ice fall.

Woke feeling better, but 2 or 3 teammates have come down with head colds, again it’s not if, but when on these large expeditions.

Before our Sherpa team will head up the mountain they need to be blessed by the high lama in a cultural ceremony called a Puja. They also want us blessed as well, so the whole team joined in. The lama reads from their prayer book asking the mountain god to grant us all safe passage. He then blesses many items such as our food, gear, and each climber. The people of Nepal are rich in culture and beliefs, it has been an honor to be included in their ceremonies. During the ceremony the sun popped out of the clouds and it had a halo around it. We all took this as a great omen.

After the ceremony we had lunch and then gathered in our Zen Tent to do a technical gear check ( harnesses, ascender system, and crampons). It’s been bitter cold and snowed most of the day. Unfortunately Lukla airport has lived up to its reputation as the most dangerous airport. One of the planes we flew in on, crashed into a helicopter. Three passengers died and three are injured. Our thoughts are with the survivors.

First of all, thank you for all the well wishes and messages. I do feel like the meds are working and I’m recovering, slowly but none the less. Today we all took it very easy. Several of the team have the sniffles and we are all feeling the altitude to some degree. Just the simplest tasks can wind you. Over 3 miles above sea level is not the easiest place to live.

Garrett and his crew have been amazing and they keep surprising us with upgrades. The food has been top notch along with the living quarters ( tents ). I even have a little cot to sleep on and the dining tent has fake green grass making it feel cozy. Most of us sat around talking and playing cards while are bodies adapt to 17,500 ft.

We went for a short walk around base camp today to locate the doctors tent. Camp has three full time MD’s on staff to monitor us for any altitude related sickness. Unfortunately we lost a couple from Canada a couple days ago. I wanted to make sure they had returned safely to Toronto before I posted. They were a great couple that had climbed 6 of the seven summits. Unfortunately,

he had some altitude related issues and had to fly home immediately . Other than that the team is doing very well.

After 9 days we have arrived to Everest base camp 17,500 ft. The hike in was fairly easy with only 600 ft elevation gain. It was still a bit difficult being sick. I’m still only about 80% and tired. Luckily we will have a couple days of rest and I should be able to recover.

Internet is very limited and very expensive so I will not be able to share as many pictures. I wish I could as this place is amazing. Our camp is five stars for camping. We all have our individual tents and the dinning tent is very nice. We have solar for the days and a generator if it’s cloudy.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and I want to send a shout out to Mrs. Norris’s second grade class at Quail Run Elementary in Arizona. And to AFC’s 6th grade class in IL. I appreciate the support and hope you enjoy following along on this adventure of mine.

I woke with a pretty bad sore throat and sinus pain. We left Lobuche on our way to Gorak Shep. The walk was pretty easy and only about 600 ft in elevation. We checked into our tea house and grabbed some lunch. The lunch was ok but it didn’t like me and on top of my throat, my stomach started doing flip flop. We headed out after lunch to do an acclimatization hike to 19,000 ft. I made it to about 17,800 and my stomach said no more and my throat went into a full blown sinus infection. I snapped a quick shot of Everest and headed back to the tea house.

I quickly took a bunch of meds/antibiotics and crawled into bed. I didn’t sleep well with the ambient temperature being below freezing. But when I woke I felt much better. I still am only about 80%, but will take it slow up to Basecamp today.

After a great night sleep we woke to crystal clear skies. The mountains seem to shoot straight up to the heavens. As I had breakfast, I received a great message of encouragement and support from my love, Tracy. I just wanted to thank her for her words, they couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. Today we trekked through the Pheriche valley and all the shrines of the fallen climbers. Tracy your support is priceless!

The shrines were everywhere and although I knew it was going to be a sobering experience I was not prepared for the emotional response I had. I rarely get chocked up, but then again this place can do that to you. I told my expedition leader I preferred to move on on my own, to Lobuche. I walked the next three miles in silence reflecting on the reality of the expedition I have embarked on. (A fellow climber snapped a shot of me walking ahead of the group)

The risk of this adventure can be high, but it’s completely within my comfort zone. I have prepared, trained, built-up experience, picked a great team, and have the love and support of family and friends. That being said I am humbled by my experience today but extremely excited to push on. Not everyone will understand why I do this but I wouldn’t live my life any other way. Onward and upward!

Well the clear skies didn’t last long. We were fogged in and had snow showers off and on. We decided to do a acclimatization hike to 5,000 meters or 16,400 ft. Was a good 2 hour trek to our high point and 45 minutes back down to 14,500 ft to sleep low.

I walked the village of Dingboche in the afternoon and was amazed at the ingenuity and tenacious spirit they need to survive in such a harsh climate. They have solar tea pots that actually boil the water with just reflecting mirrors. Since they are above the tree line they scoop up the Yak dung and mash it into paddies on flat rocks to dry in the sun. They then burn it in the stoves to cook and heat the dinning rooms.

Since there are no roads, all goods must be brought up on yaks, mules, and on the back of men. The sherpas are super human, I have seen guys carrying all kinds of things. Below is a photo of a Sherpa that has carried his load 20 miles and gained 5000 ft of elevation.