
Greetings from Kathmandu, Nepal for the beginning of the
Summitclimb 2006 Cho Oyu Expedition Tibet.
This is Ryan Waters reporting in from a beautiful morning in
Kathmandu. I must admit that the news on CNN was anything but promising as I
waited in Thailand for the flight to Nepal. As if the aspect of Himalayan
climbing expeditions is not adventurous enough, recently the added bonus of
spur of the moment strikes, maoist road blocks, and shoot to kill orders in
the streets of Kathmandu has added a bit of a twist to the term "adventure
travel!"
All that said, Mark and I had a smooth transition from the
airport to our Hotel via one of the authorized airport Tourist Buses that
dropped us off remarkably close to our destination. We hurridly toted our
100lb duffels along a deserted street to the hotel gates and were rewarded
with a remarkably quiet evening (for Kathmandu) perfect for catching up on
rest.
Today, it is business as usual in Kathmandu. So far there is
no curfew for today and it is nice to be able to walk through Thamel and see
the usual sights. Shop-keepers opening up for the morning, the odd street
peddler hawking Tigerbalm or necklaces, and the morning cup of coffe at
Charikusa, the best in town!
Reinhold is already here so that brings our team to 3 already
in town. Liga will arrive tomorrow and the rest of the members arrive on the
25th. Our plan is to leave for Tibet on the 27th. We are fortunate to
already have much of our gear in Tibet which should allow a smooth
transition and travel.
It is nice to be in Kathmandu and every street I walk down
seems to bring back a happy memory of past trips. The Nepali people are as
nice and welcoming as ever and we look forward to sharing another expedition
here in the Himalaya.
Thanks to all of our friends, families, sponsors and
supporters and once again thanks to everestnews.com, Dan Mazur, and Murari
Sharma at Everest Parivar Expeditions.
P.S. To my friend Cristina Prieto, the first South American
woman to climb an 8,000 meter peak (Cho Oyu) and the first Chilean woman to
summit Everest, who leaves this week for the Chilean version of Survivor,
good luck and try not to get voted off!
Ryan Waters
Expedition Leader
Team Roster
Mr. REMCO
BERENDSEN, Expedition Doctor
Mr. BRAD CORR,
Team Member
Mr. PHIL CRAMPTON,
Expedition Manager
Ms. LIGA HARTMANE,
Leader in Training
Mr. REINHOLD
KRAUS, Team Member
Mr. MARK MERWIN,
Leader in Training
Mr. DAVID O’BRIEN,
Team Member
Mr. JAMES VILES,
Team Member
Mr. CARLO WAMBEKE,
Team Member
Mr. RYAN WATERS.
Expedition Leader
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Millet One
Sport Everest Boot has made some minor changes by adding
more Kevlar. USES Expeditions / High
altitude / Mountaineering in extremely cold conditions / Isothermal to
-75°F Gore-Tex® Top dry / Evazote Reinforcements with aramid threads.
Avg. Weight: 5 lbs 13 oz Sizes: 5 - 14 DESCRIPTION Boot with semi-rigid
shell and built-in Gore-Tex® gaiter reinforced by aramid threads, and
removable inner slipper Automatic crampon attachment Non-compressive
fastening Double zip, so easier to put on Microcellular midsole to
increase insulation Removable inner slipper in aluminized alveolate
Fiberglass and carbon footbed Cordura + Evazote upper Elasticated
collar.
Expedition footwear for
mountaineering in conditions of extreme cold. NOTE US
SIZES LISTED. See more here. |
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A cold
weather, high altitude double boot for extreme conditions The Olympus
Mons is the perfect choice for 8000-meter peaks. This super lightweight
double boot has a PE thermal insulating inner boot that is coupled with
a thermo-reflective outer boot with an integrated gaiter. We used a
super insulating lightweight PE outsole to keep the weight down and the
TPU midsole is excellent for crampon compatibility and stability on
steep terrain. WEIGHT: 39.86 oz • 1130 g LAST: Olympus Mons
CONSTRUCTION: Inner: Slip lasted Outer: Board Lasted OUTER BOOT: Cordura®
upper lined with dual-density PE micro-cellular thermal insulating
closed cell foam and thermo-reflective aluminium facing/ Insulated
removable footbed/ Vibram® rubber rand
See more here. |
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