Stories Category: Trekking

Everest 2020 & Covid-19

In light of the coronavirus pandemic situation across the globe, on 13thMarch 2020 the Nepal government has closed its borders to visitors until 30thApril 2020. Effectively this has halted tourism for the coming Spring 2020 season, including all mountaineering expeditions and trekking trips.

 

Whilst we understand the actions taken by the government to protect the general Nepal population, unfortunately many who rely on the Spring season income for their livelihood will go without this year. We are saddened by the impact the closure will have across the tourism sector in Nepal, but in particular the impact this will have on expedition and trekking staff that are the cogs and gears behind all Nepal adventures. We are working to reduce the financial impact for some of our staff.

 

This is a difficult and stressful time for everyone, we wish you good health over the coming few months as this pandemic runs its course. We look forward to partnering with you again when Nepal reopens for business. We’ll be ready to hit the trails and peaks strong!

First Myanmar Everest summit and more

We report an awesome day on Everest today, good weather and a strong team effort from everyone. Our team from Myanmar summited Everest this morning at 7.15am, Win Ko Ko and Pyae Phyo Aung, are the first to represent their country on the top of the world today! They were followed by Brazilians, Carlos Santalena and Thais Amadei Pegoraro, who summited at 12.05pm. Both teams were supported by our tireless Sherpas, Lopsang Sherpa, Pasang Gyaljen Sherpa, Ngima Tenzing Sherpa, Fura Chettan Sherpa and Fur Gyaljen Sherpa. Congratulations to everyone!Everyone is on the decent back to EBC… for a very rowdy celebration party!

Ready for summit, waiting for a good weather window

Well we’re all set to go, our Sherpas have finished stocking the South Col and are now taking a rest at EBC. We’re aiming for a date soon after the 19th as the next good weather window for the summit. Everest was summited first this season by the Sherpa line fixers on the 11th, and there have already been a few summits after them. Next week we should be up there if all goes to plan. Everyone is well and healthy at EBC. We’ll update you on the summit push.

First summit of the season on Annapurna!

News just in that Lakpa and team have summited on Annapurna ! We will update more once the team is back at base camp.

We are also making steady progress on Everest, all the teams are out on the mountain at the moment on their third rotation. Some are currently sleeping at C2 and others are at C1. The plan is to touch C3 and to spend 5 nights acclimatising on the mountain. Sumit has just also arrived at base camp to support the final stage of the expedition.

First rotation to Camp 2 complete!

Our Everest team took a break on April 18. It was a resting day, we burnt juniper and quietly contemplated the events of 2 years past when we lost some good friends and guides. We miss you Ankaji.

On April 19 the Everest climbers set off for their first rotation cycle. First climbing and sleeping at C1, then next morning climbed to C2, returned to C1 for the night, and finally returned to BC. They are all safely back at BC, and every excited to climb higher. The days were good with some windy nights. The team will start their next rotation to touch C3 on the 28th. Lakpa and his team are patiently waiting for another chance at the summit at Annapurna base camp, which should be soon. Keep posted.

Everest and Annapurna update 17.04.16

After spending 2 nights in C3 on Annapurna, strong winds have yet again delayed summit aspirations for Lakpa and his team. They are safely back in BC waiting for another summit opportunity. Over at Everest BC, we held our main pujaon the 14th with all climbers and gear. Our Sherpas are busy now stocking C1 and C2, while our other climbers are practicing ladder crossings in preparation for their first foraythrough the icefall on the 20th.

Tomorrow marks the 2nd anniversary of the tragic ice fall avalanche. Our team will take a break tomorrow to remember the event and the men who died.

Annapurna and Everest update

Lakpa and the Annapurna team are currently healthy but are stuck at EBC due to bad weather.They are sitting tight waiting for the weather to be kind for their summit push. Our Everest teams start to arrive at BC today after enjoying lovely trekking weather heading up. The camp is all set up thanks to the hard work of Rabin and our climbing Sherpas.

Base camp is bustling, we are expecting more than 300 climbers for the big 3 mountains this season. The vibe is positive and morale is high to have a good season this year. Whilst waiting for our Everest teams to arrive, our Sherpas have already taken a break back to their homes and have returned to camp. As advised by a local lama, we conducted a small puja yesterday. Once the teams are settled in, we will conduct our major pre climbing puja on the 14th.

2016, here we come!

We’re on the cusp of opening up our 2016 spring season, and we’re super excited to build and move on from the past events of Nepal. It’s a fresh season and we can’t wait to get up into the mountains. Lakpa is leading the pack with his Annapurna team departing tomorrow. Last year’s attempt on the 8091m giant was cancelled because of the earthquake. We wish the team good luck and great climbing. The Everest base camp support team have spent the last weeks madly shopping and packing. Containers of food, tents and supplies will depart shortly with the climbing Sherpas and Everest base camp crew next week to set up camp ahead of our Everest team. The rest of the team will start trekking up to Everest base camp at the end of March. Watch this space for updates.

Remembering Ankaji and Pem Tenji

Today a year has past since the tragedy of April 18, 2014, a day that forever changed us at Himalayan Ascent. We remember Ankaji often; random events and moments often trigger his face in our minds.

That tragic day in the icefall, Ankaji left behind 6 children and Pem Tenji, 2 children. Today they are marking their father’s one year passing with a special puja. Fortunately, we can report that the children are doing well.

Ankaji’s 2 eldest daughters, Chhechi and Phinjum, are about to sit their major national board examination for their grade 12 qualification. All going well, they will continue to tertiary education later this year.  His third daughter, Sumi, is just about to start grade 9 at Alpine Valley School. First son, Ang Temba continues his lama training at a monastery. Ankaji’s youngest sons, Ang Ngima and Ang Sumba, will soon start grade 6 and 5, respectively, sponsored by the Himalayan Trust at HIMS in Kathmandu.

Pem Tenji’s children, 5 year old Dachhiri and 3 year old Furli are still located in their village in the Makalu region.
We were overwhelmed by so many who contributed towards the education of Ankaji’s and Pem Tenji’s children. We were especially touched by those who generously donated without having known these two men. This post is a tribute to thank you on the anniversary of their deaths. We raised just under US $14,000 over the past year. Now that our fundraising efforts are over, we will transfer this into a fixed deposit savings account. Our plan is to use this education fund later for the children’s higher-level education.

Donations were received from: Laurelyn Sayah, Bibiana Cujec, William Marriot, Peter Lark and Carling Chan, Douglas Frost, Emma Linke, Zoe Marston, Erika Martinez, Atle Johan Bull Lund, Natalie Nguyen, Noel Clough and Thomas Rogerson, Amy Hankinson, Meridith Simms and Matt Scholes, Margaret St Hill, Daniel Munnik, Katie Peichel and Steve Froggett, and Smilyen Pavlov.

We would like to thank Allan and Sharon Cohrs (EverestOne) for facilitating the donations in Australia and for their ongoing support. A special thank you to Patrick Hollingworth, and a very special thank you to Simon Alsop from Mountain Equipment (Sydney, Australia). Simon organised a donation on behalf of Mountain Equipment generated from ticket sales of their Reel Rock screening last year.

The Juniper Fund and the amazing work of David Morton are supporting Ankaji’s and Pem Tenji’s families as part of their larger effort to help the surviving families of deceased mountain workers.

This year Himalayan Ascent is taking a break from Everest. We wish everyone climbing this season success, but importantly also great adventure and a safe return home to loved ones.

Lakpa, Chirring and Chris summit K2! 6PM

Yesterday 26th July at 2.15pm (Pakistan time), Lakpa, Chirring and Chris Burke stood on top of K2, the second highest mountain in the world. Chris was the first Westerner to summit the mountain this season. Not just that, she’s now the first Australian woman to have summitted this Himalayan giant!!! Congrats to the whole team. K2 was a personal goal of Lakpa’s. They are making their descent back to base camp now.