It is official, I got my papers today. I am off to Everest in September for a 16 day trip. the adventure will get me through Khatmandu ,Lhasa with a final destination of Everest Base camp where I will stay for about 4 days.

This trip has been on my life's todo list for so long and I am stoked that I am finally able to realize this. I expect to be shooting several thousand pictures and write a travel blog detailing the experience.

Has anyone ever been?

Wow, you got more balls than me. Good luck on the trip and congrats on making it to such a huge goal!

Good luck!

Awesome dude - I too wanna see that mountain up close one day. Love that Everest show on Discovery the last few years.

Good luck and God speed. My buddy reached Kilimanjaro's summit last year.

K-K-K-K-K-Katmandu

I had to say that. Couldn't resist.

You are climbing to the summit Claus?

Have you gotten your justification papers from Wilmac in order? He might construe this sort of trip as "wasteful" or "gluttonous."

he said he's only going to Base Camp--I've got $5 that says he tosses his cookies before he gets even to that point--Have fun and tip the porters well!!

That looks like an awesome trip. If I got that close, I'd want to at least hit the first advance base camp.

I don't have the loose screws necessary to attempt to summit, but going to the very edge of what would be considered reasonably safe would be amazing.

By that time of year do they even have any camps above the base camp??

Climbing season on Everest is wrapping up very soon, right?

Anyone else read Into Thin Air? Great book. I thought climbing Everest was fairly easy until I read that thing.

Climbing Everest is very technically easy. The route most commercial outfitters use is a sidewalk, with the exclusion of the step, where a ladder system is used. The technicality of the route is not the issue, it is the ability of the human body to withstand such conditions. Most people going up there have never been in true climbs, never used crampons, never self arrested... it's a joke. I am suprised as few people die every year.

Today is the anniversary of the first ascent to the summit of Mount Everest.

Good luck on your trip. I've always wanted to go there.

Be safe and watch out for yourself. Seems like there've been some crazy things going on there in the last several years. I just read a book called "High Crimes" that makes Base Camp sound like the wild west with all kinds of nefarious things going on.

He's just driving to the bottom to hang out for 4 days isn't he?

No I am Hiking for a solid 11 days total. and it is no picnic, The main obstacle is the altitude. I have been as high as 15k ft and felt no side effects but for a prolonged amount of time it is not safe to say what would happen.

To even be able to get to camp one you have to have a climbing permit which is mega bucks.

There are 2 climbing seasons on Everest (Spring and early fall) I will be at Base camp October 02 with a New Zealand expedition. They accept 10 "trekkers" as guests. While there I will be assisting in various tasks, hauling gear, prepping etc.

I could never climb Everest, the 60 days it takes to reach the summit requires a mental and physical condition I would be able to reach when I was 90 if I started now. The trekking part is up my alley. I am doing a 3800 ft climb 3 times a week right now and are able to finish in about 50 minutes per climb which is ok considering the conditions.

I would not take the bet. I was known to puke frequently during ym army years, I still am able to command vomit, quite enjoy the feeling afterwards....NOT

Good luck in your adventures Claus. It sounds like an interesting trip.

Don't forget to update the other thread and let us know how much a pack of cigarettes costs at Everest base camp.

Costs about $200 per lb to trek supplies to base camp I think they said on that Everest show. So how many packs of Cigarettes in 1 Lb?

Claus-
Yeah, good luck, be safe, learn some climbing technique and skill and you will be heads above some of the "climbers".

We're doing a couple little known peaks out here soon (13ers), could have a few first ski descents, if it all works out. Wanna do some training.

How many pounds does Claus weigh? That's gonna be a pricey trip to haul his puking butt up there.

Used to be 241lbs but I am now weighing in at 201 (near my ideal weight), I have been on a boring diet of 5k runs, low cal shit and litle booze for months now

Yup, he's going to see if he can get closer to God to ask him for forgiveness for deleteing a certain thread.

God is Dead, were alone

I did Everest a couple of years ago.

Meh. No big deal.

sounds like a great trip - have fun!

I don't have much interest in high altitude stuff... I had to stop several times to rest just climbing from the trail at the top of Imogene up to the cabin on top (a bit over 13k, climbing 200 or 300 feet more on foot)

you Mean Mary Everest from down the street?. the Chick that turned out to be a Shim?...I knew you were a prev.