Post 4: Pictures of the Climb

Pika ceremony: Climbing gear piled up for the ceremony and lamas blessing

The offering included rice whiskey and beer

Yangie: She hurt my ego by carrying my 75lb bag up an icy hill to my tent when I was too trashed. She got altitude sickness on pumori and may not be allowed higher

Minima: Assistant lead Sherpa, strong and has been on top very experienced, also Yangie's dad

Jumbu: Sherpa boss (sidar) 11 times on top

Lockba: Assistant lead many stories of him doing amazing rescues young good leader

Kenzi: Camp boss, use to be climbing Sherpa and injury ended his climbing. He led us up to pumori and hoped in and out of the rocks like a Mercat

Post 3: Lobuche 16,200 Eco lodge tea house.

Our approach to Basecamp brings us through the Khumbu valley also know as the Sherpa kingdom we have been camping in the same villages that Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay did in 1953. We passed a Gupa dedicated to Norgay outside Namche at the point on the trail where you get the first view of Everest he passed away in 1986.  It is hard to believe they did this with the gear then and the unknown so far away from anyone that rescue was not a option.  The valley is still inhabited by several that make a living farming and selling supplies and services to Trekkers and climbers. The last few years have been bad with the accidents and season closed in 2014 and 15 it has hurt the local economy many have moved to make a living they call it Braun drain most of the strongest porters and farm hands are moving to places like Qatar to help build soccer stadiums for the world games working for 100 dollars a month.  The count is almost 800,000 Nepalis have left and are living in the Middle East.

The Nepalese people are very welcoming children are running to the trails to greet you with namaste.  The high lama that we got our blessing from and his brother are married to the same women which is common here.  The part that's funny is they had a son and couldn't determine who's it was so they named him "I don't Know" which was the wifi password in the resturant in town. Met two little girls on the trail reminded me of Mal and Jade hamming it up for my camera. It has been 11 days since I left and things like that remind me of home and make me a little homesick now with limited com will only get worst.    


I am a day away from the trek into Basecamp and 2 rest days. I am in Lobuche spent last last few days climbing from village to village the higher we go the more difficult it gets. I lost cell and wifi two days ago and sat phone only works outside and it is cold and snowing and much of my gear is at Basecamp. I had a day rest in Namche and another at Pheriche although we climbed up to 16,500 and back to 14,000 to acclimatize, I had a bad night sleep the day befrore the long training climb gave me a good nights sleep.  The trek has given us panaramic views of the mountain which are amazing the closer soon the peaks become hidden until we reach camp 3 at 23,500 ft.


Learning more about the team everyday they are from all over the world most speak good English. Unlike the others I am unfamiliar with the trails and stick by someone that knows the way.  We have Sherpa but most are at base camp getting tents and summit gear ready and a few are traveling with us cooking and helping guide.  I have a young female Sherpa Yangie that is right behind me every step I was huffing badly coming up a steep hill and she ask if she could carry my pack.  Her pack was 60lbs double mine I need the training and maybe my ego wouldn't let her carry for me. Her dad Mingma is one of the head Sherpa he had 3 daughters she is the oldest and hopes to be a Sherpa guide.  She is a trekking guide which is different than the climbing Sherpa that I meet tomorrow when I arrive at base camp and will be sharing a tent with above base camp.

We walked though the climber memorial a very solemn moment we saw the stone for Scot Fisher and many other climbers that died on the mountain, we run into Rob Hall tomorrow before we get to base camp.  Our leader climbed with both and had funny stories about them he brought his team the the summit and down safely in 96 and other than those 2 days said was one of the best climbing years.  He is planning to summit with the team but last few attempts he has stopped short for a rescue.  He is missing a few toes but is very safe and I know I am with the right person. he stops Everest exhibitions after next year to spend time with his young son and will do K2 instead #2 tallest  and more technical he has climbed it 2 times once with Fisher.

I know I have rambled but a lot has happened that I don't want to leave out.  My confidence is still good and I have good and bad days which will be the case for the rest of the expedition I think I get cell service in base camp which will help.  I will update everyone on our next rest day till then stay warm.

Memorials to fallen climbers they try to scare the hell out of you before you get to basecamp

Scott Fischer stone

Me arriving at BC climbing less than half of previous years there is rubble of tents and clothing frozen to the ground

Out of my tent Khumbu ice flows and a new batch of snow

Post 2: Day 5 Phakding 8,700 ft temp 70

Left this morning walked to the highest temple in the city the monkey temple now have been blessed by a Muslim in Doha, Hindu Sadi and Buddha leave 4 AM

Ka Ka Ka Ka Ka Kathmandu
Bob Seger sang it not sure why anyone would want to go there till now.  

I land in Kathmandu after a 28 hour flight including 12 hours layover in Qatar where I was welcomed into the prayer room at the airport in Doha.  Fighting off Jet lag I am up at 4am and spent early mornings visiting the Hindu and Buddhist temples in Kathmandu ( pic temples) the city is still devastated by the earthquake last year then spend the day working logistics getting gear checked by our Sherpas and safety briefings.  

There are 20 people on various expeditions through and various peaks in the Himalayans through  summit climb. Everest can be reached by both the south side which is what I am doing with 6 others or by the north through Tibet 12 people are signed up for this which requires lots of red tape from the Chinese government and unfortunately the north side expeditions are delayed a week and they are stuck in Kathmandu.  Some return home and a couple make the jump to the south lots of drama. The city is terribly polluted, crowded, loud  and beautiful. Probably one of the most dangerous things is the cab ride to the hotel or walking the streets with no sidewalks dodging cars and motorcycles.  I lay awake at night the city has scheduled power outages and the hotel goes dark after midnight.  No ac so you hear everything from 8pm to midnight is car horns honking then when they stop its the thumping of the many clubs in the city.  When they stop at 2 or 3 the dogs start barking there is about 2 hours of quiet from 4 to 6 and since I am jet lagged I get up look for coffee and something to do until our next meeting.  I don't think I would like to be stuck here for a week.

I told Lisa I have been blessed by a Muslim in Doha, Hindu on the streets of Katmandu, and a high Lama in at a Buddhist monastery in Pangboche and I know she has almost burned the church down in Morganfield Ky, lighting candles for my safe return. 

The journey began up 2 days ago started with a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla the most dangerous airport in the world.  It has a runway that ends at the base of a mountain and only one way to take off and land on a short 20 degree sloping runway (Of course I would love to land on it)We are on 3 different flights and wait for about 4 hours for our luggage load it on Yaks and start our 9 day walk to base camp.  We cross hughes suspension bridges that bounce and sway with the wind making it even more interesting is when you meet a oncoming Yack. arrive at our first tea house which are small rooms with 2 single beds no heat but electricity and wifi.  For the next 9 days my biggest risk is getting sick from the food or stepped on by a Yak trails are narrow but the views are breath taking. 

I appreciate all of the good luck emails,FB, text, it's kind of overwhelming and know all I have to do is to be safe and get back home if I make it to the top that's a bonus. I will try to keep things updated but limited com till base camp which is day 10.

Tenzing memorial

Cutting Yak steaks they tell us to not eat due to its been carried up unrefrigerated

Blessing from lama

Me and Yangie on climb to 16500

My watch showing my altitude

Dal Bhat and potatoes Sherpa food, lentils and rice which is what we will be eating for a while

Post 1: Sturgis, Kentucky - Elevation 390 ft, temp 60F

I am packed can you find my dog two times, did I forget anything? She doesn't want me to leave.

Feeling anxious as the weather is bad, I'm leaving my family, questioning if I trained hard enough, did I forget anything, can work survive without me, will my body hold up? Everything and almost everyone is telling me they don't know why I do this but I get closer as to"why" every mountain I climb. It is difficult to describe what I see and you have to feel it, the beauty the emotion is overwhelming. The days alone having time to think helps me reset my life and every time I return I am better from the experience. My wife, Lisa, is supportive and gets it but the closer from the time I leave the more she worries she has been exposed to it and has to listen to me non stop when I get back high from the experience. Her faith keeps her anchored. I have an abscess tooth that adds to my worries and will need to be pulled when I get back and hopefully not on the mountain by a Sherpa with channel locks. Tomorrow I leave and will start focusing on the climb it is always sad to leave I miss my family and friends but the excitement of the next few weeks will begin to kick in when I get to the mountain.

My climb leader Dan Masur is the best on the mountain made famous in 2006 when just a few hundred meters from bring his team to the summit he abandoned his push when he found a climber left by his team and passed by 60 other climbers getting him down alive.

I walk almost 2 weeks before I get to base camp with a yak carrying most of my load. Then cross the Khumba ice falls 10 times carrying gear to high camps. My route is from the south Nepal side, made famous from the book Into Thin Air and movie "Everest" which are both fiction. Weather is bad -27 wind chill -60 on the 7th, hoping for a warmup before summit push my first summit window is day 43 second day 53. Invested in additional o2 and will be carrying 7 bottles. Packed and unpacked multiple times pruning my pack every time I repack. Today is a day for goodbyes and being with loved ones. I am getting texts/calls/emails from friends and well wishers telling me to kick the mountains ass or conquer the mountain. I am superstitious about taunting the mountain if I get to the top its because the mountain let me and God smiled on me again. I also respect the risk and will turn and stop my climb if thinks don't feel right, the experience of the last few years has taught me just how far to push.

I am 12 hours from leaving Tim is OK my dad and me are still shaken and the reality of what can happen is even more real than yesterday. I have my kids and friends calling saying goodbye, so what do I do? Tim's answer when I told him I will be OK climbing Everest he said he thought he would be OK drilling a hole in his front yard and almost died. I move forward and choose to climb the mountain and pray to God I make the right choice. Most are worried because it is Everest they don't know Aconcagua or Elbrus were just as dangerous but not as well known. The next two weeks will be just getting to base camp safely. I will be in villages along the way and hope I can update everyone on my climb, I measure my risk and will return home a much better person for the experience.

I wrote this this morning and spent the rest of the day in the hospital with my family and my brother Tim. He almost died in a farm accident less than a mile from me my dad was there and cut him from the auger saving his life. They couldn't life flight because of the high winds and as I talked to him he was not sure if he would make it he tells me not to go as I am to important to the family to take the risk. He knows me better than anyone and is right and to be telling me this makes me question even more.

I still am asking myself "Why" I have more answers than last year and every mountain gives me more reasons. I also for the first time will be climbing for a cause "Les wrestles MS". My college wrestling teammate. Fraternity brother, CMSU alum was diagnosed with MS a few years ago and a group of friends have reunited to help, the past year we have seen him push back the effects of MS in his words "without drugs but with a bike and friends"we created a fund raiser that raised over 40,000 dollars for the wrestling program and MS society, rode several trips on the Katy trail, and rekindled old friendships and even changed some people's lives. I am climbing these mountains everyone thinks is hard but it is easy compared to the mountain Les and people with MS have to climb every day . Every time I start listening to the pain or the cold I think to myself how blessed I am to be able to do this and how people with MS will trade me spots any day. Follow this link to go to the fundraising page at https://www.fundraise.com/everest2016#donate