Blessings in Pangboche

At our blessing today in Pangboche!

After spending a day in Namche Bazaar acclimatizing, the Madison Mountaineering Himalayan expedition teams hit the trail again today towards Pheriche. The team made a stop at the Pangboche Monastery where they received blessings before continuing toward their next destination. Situated below Ama Dablam, the views here are magnificent and the team looks forward to hopefully having more Himalayan views tomorrow during an acclimatization hike. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from the Himalayas:

Hey! This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest (8848m/29,032ft) climbing and trekking team. Today we made it to Pheriche (4371m/14,340ft). We had an easy walk up the valley after a wonderful blessing this morning in Pangboche Monastery (3985m/13,074ft)!

The team’s looking good! Everyone’s very strong and healthy, and we’re very excited for our acclimatization hike tomorrow. Hopefully, we’ll get some great views of some of the 8,000-meter peaks surrounding us!

All is well here in the Khumbu Valley of Nepal and we’ll check in soon!

All smiles while trekking up the Khumbu Valley.

All smiles while trekking up the Khumbu Valley.

Trekking up the Khumbu Valley in the fog.

Trekking up the Khumbu Valley in the fog.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

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Arrived in Namche!

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering Himalayan expedition teams have arrived in the exciting town of Namche Bazaar! Namche serves as the main hub in the Khumbu region where climbers and trekkers from around the world can enjoy the comforts of comfortable lodges, cafes, bakeries, restaurants, and more! The team had a spectacular day trekking along the Dudh Koshi River, crossing multiple suspension bridges along the way high above the river below. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Namche Bazaar:

Hey! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering Everest (8848m/29,032ft), Lhotse (8516m/27,940ft), Nuptse (7861m/25,791ft) expedition! Today is April 15, Monday, and today we arrived in Namche Bazaar (3440m/11,290ft)! We trekked up the beautiful Khumbu Valley along the river, across some suspension bridges, and made our way into Namche this afternoon. (We) had a wonderful, restful afternoon, got hot showers, had a nice dinner, and now we’re off to bed. So, we’re looking forward to spending another night here, and fun hike tomorrow up to the Everest View Hotel, and continuing on our way!

Everyone’s doing well, we’re happy to be here, and we’ll check in soon!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Hello, from the Khumbu Valley!

The team making their way up the beautiful Khumbu Valley!

Hello, from the Khumbu Valley! The spring, 2024 Himalayan season is underway and our team has begun their trek towards Everest Base Camp. After traveling from around the world and arriving in Kathmandu, the team settled into their hotel rooms before conducting a gear check, orientation, and enjoying a nice welcome dinner as a team! The following morning after a big breakfast at the Yak and Yeti hotel, our team gathered on the helicopter pad and awaited their lift to Lukla – the starting point for where we’ll begin the trek to Everest Base Camp. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison checks in with this dispatch from Phakding:

Hello! This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering Mount Everest (8848m/29,032ft), Lhotse (8516m/27,940ft), Nuptse (7861m/25,791ft) expedition team! Today is April 14, Sunday, and today we flew from Kathmandu (1400m/4,600ft) to Lukla (2860m/9,383ft) by helicopter to start the trek. We trekked to the first village, Phakding (2610m/8,562ft), where we had an afternoon lunch and dinner. We had beautiful views today – so nice to be up in the Khumbu Valley where the air is fresh, the views are magnificent, and the people are wonderful.

So, we’re excited to be in the mountains heading uphill towards Everest Base Camp (5364m/17,598ft) and beyond. Everyone’s doing well and we’ll check in soon tomorrow from Namche (3440m/11,290ft)!

Team photo outside of our team hotel, the Yak and Yeti!

Team photo outside of our team hotel, the Yak and Yeti!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Summit Push Coming!

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archives. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering mountain cleanup project expedition team has crawled into their tents for the evening in Camp 3 on Annapurna. Today the team moved up from Camp 2 and is eyeing a summit push soon! Tomorrow will be used to rest and prepare for their summit day, with hopes of getting an alpine start late tomorrow evening to set forth towards the summit. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Camp 3 on Annapurna:

Today we moved from Camp 2 to Camp 3 at about 6,500m on the north face of Annapurna 1. The weather was generally excellent, with a clear, sunny morning, a few snow flurries in the afternoon, and then a still, sunny evening as we moved into our tents, ate dinner, and drank many cups of tea. Tomorrow we plan to rest all day, with an eye toward starting our summit push late tomorrow evening. We’ll be in touch.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Camp 2 on Annapurna

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archives. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Blue skies made for a great day of climbing up to Camp 2 on Annapurna for the Madison Mountaineering mountain cleanup project expedition team! The team took in great views all around of Annapurna 1’s North Face and the surrounding area. With more good weather in the forecast, the team plans to move up to Camp 3 tomorrow, which positions them to make a summit push! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Camp 2 on Annapurna:

This morning we moved to Camp 2 under cloudless skies with excellent views of Annapurna 1’s North Face and the dramatic glaciated terrain of the surrounding cirque. For the past several days, daily convective buildup has brought afternoon snow showers, but we’re expecting that pattern to taper off in the days to come. We’re expecting summit winds to die down, as well. Given all of that, we’re hoping for good climbing conditions as we move to Camp 3 tomorrow, then prepare for our summit push! The team is in great shape. We’ll be in touch!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Summit push is underway!

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archives. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering mountain cleanup project expedition team has set off on their summit push! With good weather today, the team moved up to Camp 1 and is settled into their tents for the night. With hopes of moving up to Camp 2 tomorrow, the team will evaluate weather and route conditions before continuing on. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this brief dispatch from Annapurna:

Hello from Camp 1! We started our summit push today. We hope to move to Camp 2 tomorrow, weather-dependent. All is well. We’ll be in touch!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Ready for the summit push!

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archives. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Having wrapped up the majority of their cleaning efforts on Annapurna, the Madison Mountaineering mountain cleanup project expedition team is shifting their focus to the upcoming summit push! The team will patiently wait for a weather window, with hopes of leaving base camp in the next few days. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this brief dispatch from Annapurna Base Camp:

Hello from Annapurna 1 Base Camp (4130m/13551ft). Having wrapped up the bulk of our cleaning effort here, we’re keeping an eye on the forecast and hoping to start our summit push within the next few days. All is well here. We’ll be in touch!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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300 kilos of trash cleaned up!

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archives. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

We’ve just received word from the Madison Mountaineering mountain cleanup project expedition team that in total, they have cleaned up over 300 kilos of trash and waste so far! These cleanup efforts have taken place throughout the trek into base camp and as high as Camp 2 on Annapurna. After a well-deserved rest day tomorrow, the team will continue these efforts and look to make their next rotation up the mountain! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Annapurna Base Camp:

Today we continued our cleanup effort here on the north side of Annapurna 1 (8091m/26,545ft). After an early breakfast, we hiked down the Miristi Khola trail, which is the famous, historic approach route to this side of the mountain. Annapurna was the first 8000m peak climbed, via the north face by the French in 1950. The Miristi Khola gorge was notoriously treacherous back then. Today the trail is well-maintained and very scenic, with waterfalls and towering rock walls. We hiked most of the way to the trailhead while picking up trash, making sure to cover the areas where we saw the most waste on our walk-in. Then we returned to base camp (4130m/13551ft) for dinner and a cozy evening playing cards.

In total, we’ve now collected more than 300 kilos of waste from the approach trail, base camp, and the climbing route as high as Camp 2. We’ll continue collecting waste as we go, but on the whole Annapurna is relatively clean. So we don’t expect to find a lot more. We’ll transport all of this waste out of the mountains at the end of our climb.

We’ll be in touch tomorrow, during our well-earned rest day!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Cleaning up Base Camp!

Efforts from phase 1 of the Mountain Cleanup Project last fall (photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering mountain cleanup project expedition team kept themselves busy in base camp today, cleaning up much of the trash in and around base camp! Of the cleanup efforts so far on Lobuche East, Ama Dablam, and Mera Peak, today’s effort amounted to our largest cleanup day to date! The team will continue to remove trash and waste tomorrow in surrounding areas. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Annapurna Base Camp:

Hello from Annapurna I Base Camp (4130m/13551ft)! Today we organized our largest cleanup yet here at the planet’s 10th highest peak. Our five-person cleanup crew was assisted by our guide and camp staff and, of course, our climber Nelly Attar, with whom we’re collaborating for this climbing and cleanup initiative. We wrapped up today’s cleanup late this afternoon as snow was starting to fall. Tomorrow morning we’ll wake up early and set out down the Mistri Khola drainage to pick up trash along the historic approach trail to the north side of Annapurna, which is now also a somewhat popular trekking route. From there we’ll send our first batch of waste out of the mountains to be recycled and otherwise disposed of. We’ll be in touch tomorrow!

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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Back in Base Camp

Efforts from phase 1 of the Mountain Cleanup Project last fall (photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering mountain cleanup project expedition team has safely returned back to the comforts of their base camp. With a successful first rotation under their belts, the team plans to continue their cleanup efforts in and around base camp, rest up, and recover before looking to move further up the mountain. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Annapurna Base Camp:

We descended to base camp (4130m/13551ft) this morning through a dusting of fresh snow, under clearing skies. Now we’re taking showers, doing laundry & looking forward to a few rest days. During our rotation, we cleaned trash and old fixed line from the rocky terrain around Camp 1 and the route up to it. Tomorrow we plan to pick up trash around base camp and along the approach to base camp up the Mistri Khola Gorge. All is well. We’ll be in touch.

In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

– Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.“

– Instagram:

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