BRIGANTES EVEREST EXPEDITION DAY 1
Hi, I’m the communications officer for the expedition and I’ll be keeping you updated on our progress.
The great news is that today the weather was good and clear and we’re off – a wonderful feeling! We arrived at Lukla yesterday – the flight and landing wasn’t nearly as scary as some people say – and spent the rest of the day sorting and packing the heavy equipment and supplies. Then this morning we met the Yak and donkey team, loaded the gear and set off!
Stranger way to start an ascent of the highest mountain, though – the first day’s 6 miles is actually downhill by some 800 feet!
A nice, gentle start on a paved roadway past plenty of prayer wheels, stupas and tea houses. The highlights were a couple of narrow and bouncy suspension bridges, and the lush but steep-sided valley of the Dudh Khosi, or Milk River, named for its chalky colour that comes from the glaciers high up in the mountains. In less than three hours we all arrived safe and well at Phakding where we pitched camp.
Luke N Brightside
And, for my sins I’m the head porter. To be honest I don’t hold out much hope. Never have I seen an older, more unfit bunch of mountaineers. I reckon half of them would struggle to climb the stairs to bed! If this expedition succeeds I’ll eat my Rimjhim (hat).
Sherpa Dowting
more Everest, but not as you know it !
more A summary of our virtual Everest trek
more Back At Base Camp, What A Relief !
more Despite everything our President has made it to the top of the world.
more Onward and upwards to the south col and camp four.
more About our friend in Nepal, Major Lil
more Held back again.
more Camp 3 rest day.
more Ever upwards !
more Here we are at Camp two.
more In the valley of silence.
more Not much to see through the whiteout.
more Climbing the Ice Fall
more A taste of the real thing.
more Settling into base camp
more Finally reaching base camp.
more On to Gorak Shep
more Getting up amongst the real Himalayas
more Our yaks on the trail.
more Onwards to Dingboche.
more Onwards and upwards
more Leaving Namche
more A rest day in Namche
more We move on towards Namche
back We are staging a virtual climb of Mount Everest to raise money for Wellspring, Carers Resource and Covid relief. All the previous daily blogs can be read here.