Shishapangma

After a great puja ceremony yesterday we are itching to get onto the mountain. All have coughs and colds but the weather is excellent and not to be wasted. Neil made an equipment carry to camp 1 today and will…

Its that time again. Sitting in the Bangkok airport awaiting my connection to Kathmandu, I finally have time to write a quick despatch. Its the post monsoon season and I'm heading back to the hills. After putting off the expedition…

Well I'm sorry to say that I've had to cancel my Shishapangma expedition this season. To date we've been unable to secure a climbing permit and Hector and I decided that we just didn't have enough time left to give…

Sitting in a flash new coffee shop in Kathmandu checking my emails with free Wi-Fi internet. Boy has this place changed since my first visit in the '80s!! For those who are new to my despatches, my hope for this…

After returning from a night at camp 1 the day before yesterday, the latest forecast offers little hope for a summit attempt. Originally it indicated a chance on the 6th October but it now predicts 30+ knots (around 60 kph)…

Well we are having to work hard to make any progress on the mountain this season. Once again the weather has treated us harshly. On our intended trip to camp 1, heavy conditions obliged us to stop at depot camp…

Now in basecamp for almost a week but not much progress apart from a load carry to camp 1 and back on Friday. Julie is suffering from bad headaches, probably altitude related, and I have developed a nasty head cold…

We arrived in ABC yesterday after a series of delays. The late monsoon ensured plenty of landslides and our route from Kathmandu into Tibet and on to Nyalam was blocked in several places obliging us to spend extra nights in…

We've arrived in Kathmandu to find a late monsoon, sweltering temperatures and humidity like standing under a shower. Still, nothing a couple of dozen Everest beers won't fix I'm sure. Off tomorrow for the drive to Kodari on the Nepal/Tibet…