SummitClimb Ama Dablam 2005: Ama Dablam and Everest Base camp

Dispatch Eight: Summitclimb International Ama Dablam Expedition 2005 Dispatch 7/Oct/05

Dear Everestnews Readers, We're writing to you from the village of Pangboche at 4000m. We've just returned from our Puja Ceremony at the Lama's house. I like the Lama. He's a very old, wise man who exudes power and spirituality. It's very difficult to come away from him and not feel moved in some way. I love the Buddhist religion. It's so dynamic, smoky and noisy! The Lama chants, rings a bell, beats on a big drum, and throws rice around the room - all the while a large rock of incense smolders in a bucket of coals. It certainly is a fantastic experience!

We are planning to make our way to Basecamp, some 600 vertical meters above us, later today. Right now, we are relaxing in the Sonam Lodge teahouse while our staff go ahead and set up Basecamp for us. If we were to arrive first, it would be a long, cold wait until our warm gear and tents show up. -Jay Reilly

Doug Sandok writing this next update. Yesterday we traveled from Namche Bazaar up about 450 meters to Pangboche. We had a beautiful sunny morning and caught our first views of the high mountains of the Khumbu: Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kusum Kangru...The trail was enjoyed by all with many nice tea stops and sunny rests until we reached Tengboche. The clouds came in for the afternoon, but cleared later on. We had a little fun in the evening with some music (Funky Town- Lipps, Inc) and even a bit of dance courtesy of Kongle, one of the Sherpas on the team, who played a mean harmonica later on.

It is good to be back in the Khumbu. I notice change and development every time I come. There are even a couple of Graduate students from Kathmandu doing research on tourism in the Sagarmatha National Park. We all filled in some questionnaires this morning after the Puja in order to give feedback and help them with their research. Some of the development is unquestionably good for the locals and for tourism, other forms seem very suspect. As far as tourists go, there seems to be a healthy start to the fall season here in the Khumbu.

The group seems to be in great sprits this morning with most members sleeping well last night.

The trekking group will split off from today heading higher up into the

Khumbu and to Base Camp. Elselien, Patty, Rob, Frank and David are eager to go up to Dingboche today in the hope we'll have clear views of Island Peak, Nuptse and Lhotse Shar in the morning. We'll then continue up the valley to Lobuche and Gorak shep from where we hope to visit Everest Base Camp and Kala Pattar which will then be our own summit at 5545m! So far all the members have been doing great, making good trekking times having no signs of altitude sickness. I'm sure we'll have a great trek without the Ama Dablam guys, but we'll miss them anyway! We hope they will be safe and succesful up there! Hopefully we can send our own trekking dispatch from higher up the valley, otherwise it'll be not until Namche on the 15th that we can get back to

you.

Thanx for following our trip!

Elselien te Hennepe.

The Ama Dablam team is packing up and hydrating as we move up to Basecamp. The mist has closed into the valley already and as the members head off into the distance we have the feeling that a new part of the adventure is about to begin - a counsciousness shift and the beginning of a much anticipated and prepared for physical and emotional journey.

Love to all our family and friends.

Thank you very much for following our expedition.

From all of us at Summitclimb.

ps. attached photo showing Ama Dablam leader Jay Reilly receiving a

specially blessed prayer scarf from the Panboche Lama during our Puja prayer ceremony.

Updates

AMA DABLAM: sometimes spelled: Ama Dablan, or Amadablam, or Amadablan

ASIA'S MOST FAMOUS TECHNICAL BUT CLIMBABLE ROCK-ICE-SNOW CLIMB

Leader: Daniel Mazur, Ama Dablam 4 time summiter, climber-leader-organizer of Everest, K2, and 12 "eight-thousand-metre-peaks", leading together with Jay Reilly, two time Ama Dablam and two time Pumori summiter

Our expedition offers an opportunity to climb this challenging semi-technical rock-ice-snow climb with an experienced team, at an affordable price. We have organized five previous expeditions to Ama Dablam, so our leaders and staff are very familiar with the climb. In October 2003, fourteen of our members and 5 sherpas reached the summit in all safety. It was our fifth successful ascent of the mountain. We were fortunate in that the weather was ideal, the team cooperated together well, our Sherpa climbing staff worked very hard, our equipment functioned well, the food and hot drinks were well prepared, and the route was in excellent condition. Please share in our congratulations to all of the team members and thanks to everyone who helped and supported us, including our generous sponsors. Nepal is indeed beautiful now and the pleasant weather and calm conditions in this very peaceful and happy region made our expedition especially enjoyable.

SOME FACTS ABOUT AMA DABLAM:  Ama Dablam is in the Khumbu valley, near to Mt. Everest, in the heart of the Sherpa area of Nepal, and is considered by many to be the most famous rock-ice-snow climb in all Asia. The name Ama Dablam means Mother’s Charm Box: the high hanging serac located just below the summit resembling the Dablam or Charm Box which unmarried Sherpa women used to wear around their necks. The first ascent of the mountain was by Ed Hillary's Silver Hut expedition in 1961 when Bishop (USA), Gill, Romanes (NZ) and Ward (UK) reached the summit, via the SW ridge, on 13 March after 20 days working on the route. Since then the mountain has received about 500 ascents (not including Sherpas) mostly via the SW ridge.

WHY THE SOUTH WEST RIDGE

Here is what one of our previous top climb leaders (Jonathan Pratt, from Essex, England) had to say about the route:  “The easiest way to the top of Ama Dablam is via the SW ridge, a semi-technical route, and considered to be the standard route. Although there are several other routes on the mountain, they are all very much harder than the SW ridge. The route has been considered to be a safe route, free from objective danger, such as avalanche. It is a varied and interesting route with loads of superb climbing - not just a huge snow slog, unlike other Himalayan climbs. On Ama Dablam, the rock and ice is not sustained but tends to come in short manageable sections.”

NOTE: Please don’t underestimate this climb. Although there is only one 6 metre, 20 foot section of grade British severe, or North America 5.5, (the rest of the climb is known as "scrambling" or "4th class") there are complicating factors which you may not find at home on your local crag and definitely not in the rock-gym. These may include: ice, snow, high-altitude, temperature, weather, exposure, and other factors.

Built to handle a myriad of different climbing pursuits, the Ultralight Universal is our best selling crampon. This crampon lives for trekking, glacier travel, or steep couloirs and snowfields. Totally adjustable Zytel straps make this crampon durable and easy to use. Fits everything from moon boots to flip-flops, our lightest crampon available. Weight: 590g Points: 10. See more here.

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