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Share your story.  Sign the guestbook and tell us how the Everest Expediton has INSPI(RED) you.
  • May 11 7:19 AM
    Hello, I just want to say what a great way to live life. Lifes journeys are meny and I wish all of you a safe and happy journey to the summit. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY...
  • Pamela
    May 10 6:03 PM
    I'm feeling extra inspired today. Thinking of you!
  • May 10 8:39 AM
    My Prayers Are With You...
  • May 09 1:35 PM
    My concern is that the 'message' may be lost for the wrong reason.  What a powerful story this is!  It needs to be told well, and it deserves as much.  Extraordinary people, doing remarkable things... changing the World, making the differences that matter most.  Some editing of this web-site is badly needed.  Not to be harsh, or fail to recognize the far greater good being accomplished here, I need to offer some helpful advice.  The graphics are amazing! The concept is brilliant!.  The commitment and dedication should be apparent to all.  Fix the 'muggles'.  I and many others are willing to help.  The 'language' of the text is confusing.  Your message is far too critical to risk being lost... especially when you are so close to the summit!  Keep doing the wonderful work that you do.  Have the patience to listen, the grace to be helped and the strength to keep keep changing this World of Our's.
  • May 09 9:09 AM

    Sunday May 11 is Mother’s Day and it seems to me, although not a mother myself, the right time to take a moment to learn about, not only to the challenges of women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa, but to the stories of strength, hope and courage as well.

    First, some facts.

     Worldwide, it is estimated that more than 15 million children have been orphaned as a result of AIDS. More than 12 million of these children live in Sub-Saharan Africa, where it is currently estimated that 9% of all children have lost at least one parent to AIDS.  By 2010, it is predicted that there will be around 15.7 million AIDS orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa. The number of orphans in some Sub-Saharan African countries exceeds half a million, and, in some countries, children who have been orphaned by AIDS comprise half or more of all orphans nationally (Source: UNAIDS, 2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic).

    Another tragic consequence of the HIV/AIDS pandemic is mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. Mother to child transmission occurs when an HIV positive woman passes the virus to her baby. Mother to child transmission is the primary means by which young children become infected with HIV.  Mother to child transmission of HIV can occur during pregnancy, during labor and delivery, and after birth through breast feeding.

    Approximately 15-40% of children born to HIV positive mothers become infected.  Without treatment, around 15-30% of babies born to HIV-positive women will become infected with HIV during pregnancy and delivery. A further 10-20% will become infected through breastfeeding. Current evidence suggests that most of maternal-infant HIV transmission occurs late in pregnancy or during labor and delivery.  HIV transmission from an infected mother to her baby is estimated to be 21-43% in the less developed countries, with more than half of the transmission probably occurring late in pregnancy or during labor and delivery. (Source: UNAIDS, 2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic).

    But there is hope. Among other things, anti-retroviral pills, or ARVs, in Africa are making a real difference in the lives of many people. Many mothers, living with HIV/AIDS, are able to deliver healthy babies, nourish their children and contribute to their communities. In Africa it costs only about 40 cents a day to fund the two ARVs that can help keep a mother with HIV alive. 

    (RED) was created to meet challenge of supplying these lifesaving drugs to people in need. A percentage of each (PRODUCT) RED product sold is given to The Global Fund. The money assists women—many of them mothers—and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.  

    The members of Everest Team INSPI(RED) are doing what they can do. What are we INSI(RED) to do? I can shop (RED) for Mother’s Day, give my mom a (RED) Hallmark greeting card and make a difference.

     

  • May 09 7:36 AM
    You guys ROCK!!!  You have inspiRED me into buying product RED stuff not only for myself but also as gifts.  Thanks for opening my eyes to this cause.  Best Wishes on your journey.
     
    Lizeth
  • May 08 6:37 PM
    Jeff, Melissa and David, You are amazing and your we are inspired by  your Strength, courage and commitment to such a great cause. Thank you for making a difference in the world!     Leslie and Leigh Keno
  • May 08 2:38 PM
    i think that this is so cool what this is doing for all those kids
  • May 07 6:59 PM
    You are all very amazing people and it so loving and considerate what you are doing to raise money for the people in need.  This is an an amazing experience and I am so happy and lucky for the communication and updates through the website.  I wish you all good luck and good health, you guys look like you are doing great.  Melissa, I am so proud of you! You inspire me with this adventure and so much more.  I miss you lots and wish you the very best of luck and good fortune for the rest of the trip.  You are all in my thoughts each day, best of luck!
     
    Stephanie
  • May 07 4:22 PM
    Hi, team.

    Just wanted to send along a message and wish you good luck for the second half of the climb.  What you're doing is extraordinary, and I am sending my best wishes for a safe, healthy ascent and descent.

    Special shout-out to Melissa from everyone in Bellevue - great job!!!

    Andrew Turner

  • Sp(RED)ing the word!
    May 07 10:05 AM
    Am thinking of you all, wishing you a safe journey with smooth weather and smooth politics, too.  The needs in this world are many and great. Any step forward for some is a step forward for all. It is Mother's Day this weekend; I'm off to find a (RED) card for my Mom at a Hallmark store, with all the mothers and grandmothers of Africa in mind - and invite all readers here to do the same. After all, it is the mothers and grandmothers who are the ones left to cope in an AIDS-devastated society and economy - if "lucky" enough to escape the virus itself. Climbers: Be safe, be strong; thanks for trying to change this world.
  • May 06 4:18 PM
    Wow you guys are great.  How do you keep up such a strong will to accomplish what you are working towards.   I give you all a 10 for your courage.Smile
  • May 06 8:16 AM
    WE LOVE THE FACT THAT WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME TOGETHER AND MOVE THE WRONG FOR THE RIGHT OF MOTHER NATURE AND FATHER TIME. FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILDREN WE MUST STAND. JONI AND THE BROTHER WOULD LIKE TO DO A RADIO SHOW ABOUT THIS IDEA......Eye-rollingRainbowWinkIsland with a palm treeOpen-mouthed GET IN TOUCH WITH US. PEACE AND HAIR GREASESun
  • May 05 6:09 PM
    If I were not disabled, my dream would be to go to Everest and stand at her feet, gaze upon her splendor and praise God for his gift to us.  I can only do this through your courage to climb and share your experiences with all of us here.  My prayers are with all who climb, for the ability to reach the summit and a safe return.  Thank you for allowing what I can only imagine doing, become a bit of a reality through your pictures and postsSmile
  • May 04 4:51 PM
    You guys have inspi(red) me to forge ahead, both physically and mentally. I would love to find a local climbing, or hiking club in my area of North Carolina, Gastonia area. I am with you guys all the way, keep it going. "Friendship is Essential to the Soul."Red rose
  • May 04 3:53 AM
    We postponed our climb to Camp II (21000 feet) until tomorrow morning. We will depart at about 5am and climb for about 9 to 10 hours to reach Camp II.
     
    Please don't forget that Sunday, May 11th is Mother's Day in the US. I encourage you to visit Hallmark Gold Crown stores or www.hallmark.com/RED to consider the purchase of Hallmark's amazing (PRODUCT) RED cards and gift items.
     
    David, Melissa and I are very eager to return to higher altitude for the next 3 or 4 days as we acclimatize in preparation for our summit attempt likely after May 20th. This Everest summit expedition, like the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa requires patience, dedication and most of all - perseverance against all of the many obstacles in our path. With your strong support, EVEREST TEAM INSPI(RED) is up to the challenge!
     
    Thank you for learning more about (PRODUCT) RED and for making purchase decisions that can and do make a difference to those living with HIV/AIDS in Africa!
     
    Jeff
     
     
  • May 03 9:53 AM
    Melissa
    A Saturday afternoon in Manhatten seems a long way away and the pictures look great. Cant see the Jimmy Choo's ! It sounds like things are going well and we are watching your progress with regular interest....Off to Beijing for a couple of weeks but very much the corporate trip and the only adventures are likely to be snake eating. Good luck and we are all with you and remember you still owe me a trip to the top of Rainier. All the best Andrew & The Men's Journal Boys
  • May 03 2:07 AM

    Are you passionate about helping to eliminate AIDS in Africa? If you are, then (RED) needs you. AIDS is a real emergency and we want to harness the power of your campus to fight it. Which is why (RED) is so excited to announce its (RED) Ambassador program for the 08/09 school year.

    Since its launch, (RED) shoppers have generated over $100 million for the Global Fund. This is enough to pay for lifesaving anti-retroviral treatment for more than 630,000 Africans for a year. The potential to do more is huge. The need remains great. Every day 4,400 Africans die of AIDS. Of the 33.2 million people infected with AIDS globally, 68% are living in sub-Sahara Africa. More people die of AIDS in Africa every year than in all the other countries in the world combined. But, AIDS is a preventable, treatable disease. Two little pills that cost 40 cents a day can keep people with HIV/AIDS alive.

    So, help (RED) raise awareness and spread the (RED) message. With your help, (RED) can continue to get treatment to people in Africa who need it.

    To learn more, check out http://joinred.com/redu/

  • May 02 11:01 AM
    I'm inspired
  • May 01 6:11 PM
    Melissa:
    We miss you! The pictures and dispatches are wonderful.  We are so very proud of you our Turtle Girl!  Take good care of each other.  We love you.
    Mom & Dad
  • May 01 4:51 PM
    WOW! You guys are really lucky to get to go on such a trek. Happy trails.
  • May 01 4:48 PM
    Has really made me inspi(RED)! Smile
     
    Keep it up.
  • May 01 7:48 AM
    You guys are doing this for a great cause. Good luck and take some pictures of the summit Hot
  • (no name)
    April 30 11:37 AM
    Melissa,
    I got your message yesterday....I have been following this site, and tracking your progress!
    You are my hero!!!
    Good thoughts are sent your way!!
    Love, Meags
More...
May 10

Happy Mother's Day

Some of you may be wondering what kind of a connection exists between Everest Team INSPI(RED) and Mother’s Day. At first glance, it may appear to be an unrealistic leap: a climbing team attempts to summit Mt. Everest on one continent to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in another. The connection is simple: It is the unbreakable bond of our human community.

After all, we are all sisters and brothers, living together, on mother Earth.

The members of Everest Team INSPI(RED), global citizens all, could have answered the call to service in a myriad ways. Instead, they chose to raise awareness about the HIV/AIDS in Africa, shine their light on the stories of hope among men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS and inspire each of us to do what we can to help in the fight.

There are 33.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS. Africa—which has just over 10% of the world's population—is home to 68% (22.5 million). The disease is the leading cause of death in Africa, with approximately 4,400 people dying every day from AIDS. Women—many of them mothers—make up almost 61% of adults living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa and, as a result, women and children are the hardest hit by the disease. An estimated 11.4 million children in Africa have been orphaned because of HIV/AIDS already and this number is growing. More than 1,000 children, most within sub-Saharan Africa, are infected with HIV each day.

But every time an adult begins AIDS treatment including antiretroviral drugs, or ARVs, the survival of children becomes less precarious. It costs just 40 cents to fund the two pills a day needed to keep someone with HIV in Africa alive. Still, more than 70% of the people in Sub-Saharan Africa live on fewer than two dollars a day and can not afford this medicine. AIDS is a preventable, treatable disease in Africa if the means exist to buy and administer the medicine that is needed.

(RED) works with the world's best brands to make unique (PRODUCT) RED-branded products and direct up to 50% of their gross profits to the Global Fund to invest in African AIDS programs with a focus on the health of women and children.

Everest Team INSPI(RED) leader, Jeff Dossett:

Please don't forget that Sunday, May 11th is Mother's Day in the US. I encourage you to visit Hallmark Gold Crown stores or www.hallmark.com/RED to consider the purchase of Hallmark's amazing (PRODUCT) RED cards and gift items. Thank you for learning more about (PRODUCT) RED and for making purchase decisions that can and do make a difference to those living with HIV/AIDS in Africa!

Friends of Everest Team INSPI(RED)

This Stateside Edition dispatch, is brought to you by Dell and Windows, proud partners of (PRODUCT) RED™.

Everest Team INSPI(RED) 16

 

The crew heading to the base of the face Organizing the supplies for fixing the Lhotse face 

Life at camp II has been busy the past few days. Since the Chinese summated on the North side of the mountain, carrying the Olympic torch, on the 8th, we are now free to move above Camp II. As soon as we heard the news, camp became busy with Sherpa dividing ropes to begin fixing the route to Camp III. They worked all afternoon yesterday, allowing us the chance to climb about 1000 feet above camp today.

David's fixing partners- Willie and Sherpas

The fixing continued up to Camp III today, so tomorrow we will be able to climb the Lhotse face, and touch Camp III before heading back to Camp II for our nights rest. Tomorrow holds our most difficult and steep climbing to date, and the air is getting thinner, as we felt today. While Jeff and I took an acclimatization hike, Dave spent the day today on the Lhotse face fixing the ropes we will climb tomorrow. We are all feeling really well, and are incredibly excited to have a chance to move higher up.

We will check in again from Base Camp in a few days.

Melissa Arnot

Today’s EVEREST TEAM INSPI(RED) expedition dispatch brought to you by Dell and Windows, proud partners of (PRODUCT) RED™.

May 06

Everest Team INSPI(RED) 15

Today is a beautiful morning at Camp II, at 21,500 feet. After returning to base camp from our time spent at a lower altitude, we spent a few days resting and preparing for our big move up.

Yesterday morning we awoke at 4 o'clock am and started our long walk to Camp II. We decided to bypass a night of sleep at Camp I, and endure a longer day, getting us all the way to Camp II. The early morning walking in the ice fall was a really pleasant temperature. The sun came up, shining on the nearby peaks, while a cloud of fog sat over the top of base camp.

After we took a break at Camp I to shed some layers, we began the long, hot walk through the Western Cwm to camp two. This part of the walk is tough, with the heat and the altitude. Before the expedition, Jeff talked about how a big part of mountaineering is being uncomfortable for a long time...that was yesterday. It is hard to say how hot it was, but the sun was hitting us from every side and reflecting off the snow. After a few hours of walking Pemba Nuru, one of our Sherpa, met us with some cookies and cold juice. I think that was the best part of the day! We got into Camp II in the early afternoon, and have been making ourselves comfortable ever since, eating and drinking as much as possible. It is a little difficult to get a good nights sleep at this altitude, but we are all doing well and trying to rest and acclimatize.

Today we are going to work on making our tent platforms a little flatter, as the ice melts underneath them, and rest, rest, rest.

Today’s EVEREST TEAM INSPI(RED) expedition dispatch brought to you by Dell and Windows, proud partners of (PRODUCT) RED™.

Melissa Arnot

May 01

Everest Team INSPI(RED) 14

What a joy to be sitting at just below 14,000 ft. here in Pheriche. We’ve had a couple of enjoyable nights sleeping in the relatively thick air. In the morning we head back to BC in order to prepare for our next foray up to CII and hopefully beyond.

Dropping down the valley from Base Camp en route to Pheriche and rest days

Over the past couple of hours sitting in Ang Nuru’s comfortable lodge I’ve watched dozens of Sherpa heading home for the next 4 or 5 days. Because of the unusual season this year related to the carrying of the Olympic torch to the summit on the Chinese side of the mountain there have been rampant rumors about restrictions. The expedition leaders have been meeting every few days to try and clarify much of the confusion and we’ve been relatively successful. The schedule for TEAM INSPI(RED)’s climbing at this point has been based on the latest agreements and understanding between the expedition leaders, the military, and the Ministry of Tourism. That being said, as I’ve spoken to some of my Sherpa friends today, the agreements may change once again.

We came to Pheriche yesterday knowing that we would not be able to climb above BC on the 1st and 2nd of May. The plan now is to arrive back at BC on the 1st and then climb to CII on the 3rd or 4th. The rumors today from Sherpa friends is that climbing above BC may be postponed until a few days later. As with most information this season it is only speculation until something solid comes about which can happen at any moment. Regardless, we are sticking to a similar schedule that I’ve used during my other four summits, and letting the political cards fall where they may.

So, a wrap up as to our expectations of the next month, subject to change at any minute! We will head back to BC arriving either the 1st or 2nd of May. As soon as we are permitted- hopefully the 3rd- we will climb to CII and spend approximately four nights there. In a typical season the goal is to spend one night at CIII in order to complete an attempt at acclimatizing to 7000 meters (23,000’). This season the fixing of the route to CIII will likely be delayed longer than we can wait for an acclimatization climb. Therefore, we’ll spend the 4 or 5 nights at CII acclimatizing to that elevation and hopefully climbing above to CIII. After this next foray to the heights of CII we will drop back down to BC at 17,500’. Then again we’ll come to Pheriche at 14,000’ for one night and continue even further down to the lush creeks and greenery of Deboche at 12,500’. Just thinking about it makes me smile and relax! After a couple of wonderful nights of movies and cards in Deboche we’ll take two days to return to BC. That will put us back in BC around the 13th of May to gear up mentally for the summit push. With such a schedule I’ll be expecting a possible summit attempt between the 20th and 25th of May. There are many factors affecting this window including first and foremost the weather outlook. Another major factor is of course the health and readiness of the team. And this season we have the restrictions imposed on our movement because of the Chinese Olympic torch summit attempt.

The decision making regarding summit attempts on 8000 meter peaks is as much an art form as a scientific decision. In this day and age our resources for analyzing health of climbers and our resources for predicting weather trends have improved to a surprising degree. But if one is really to be honest there is a great degree of subjective information. Many of those decisions come down to a ‘gut feeling’ based on previous experience and previous processing of similar information. That is where the art comes in; balancing these factors in an attempt to make the summit while ensuring the degree of risk is sufficiently mitigated.

In the coming weeks we’ll be practicing our balance and tapping into that ‘art’.

David Morton

Today’s EVEREST TEAM INSPI(RED) expedition dispatch brought to you by Dell and Windows, proud partners of (PRODUCT) RED™.

April 30

Everest Team INSPI(RED) 13

After enjoying a breakfast of fried Tibetan bread and eggs this morning, we are all relaxing in the warm sun in a tea house in Pheriche. Yesterday morning, after breakfast at base camp, we decided that since we have a few rest days ahead of us, we should venture to even lower climates, and we decided on Pheriche, at about 14,000 feet, which we stayed at on our trek in.

EVEREST TEAM INSPI(RED) in good health and good spirits in Pheriche

The style that we are climbing Mount Everest in centered around staying healthy for a summit bid, but also staying strong. When we are climbing at an elevation above 18,000 feet, it is considered ‘extreme altitude’, and our bodies struggle to adjust. Most people think of the term ‘thin air’ and assume that there is a lack of oxygen up high. The truth is that there is a change in the pressure in the atmosphere, which allows the oxygen the spread out, or get thin, so that with each breath we get a little less. In addition to that, our bodies are adjusting and trying to adapt in subtle ways that we don’t even notice. As we trekked up to Base Camp, we spent almost two weeks so that our bodies could adjust from sea level to 17,000 feet. Once at base camp, we spent the first week just resting. As we are resting and adjusting, our breathing increases naturally, to help get more of the available oxygen. Also, though it isn’t something we can feel, we create more red blood cells, which are the carriers of oxygen throughout our bodies. While resting at base camp, we try to do some light activity every day, which helps the acclimatization process.

After the week spent at base camp, our bodies were well enough adjusted to climb to higher elevations. We climb only a few thousand feet each day, and then sleep there, giving us a chance to adjust before going higher. It is almost impossible for any human to permanently adapt to the pressure changes and ‘thin air’ above 18,000 feet. It gets difficult to sleep and eat, and you need more calories just to sustain minimal activity and keep warm. That is why we only spend a few nights up high and then return to Base Camp, to eat, sleep and rest, before heading up again. It takes weeks for our bodies to start adjusting to the altitude, and when we descend to Base Camp or lower, we retain the benefits of having been up high, so we are ready for the next trip up. Unfortunately the most important benefits don’t last much longer than a week, so tomorrow we will head back to base camp, well rested and feeling strong, and begin our acclimatization trips back up again.

Melissa Arnot

Today’s EVEREST TEAM INSPI(RED) expedition dispatch brought to you by Dell and Windows, proud partners of (PRODUCT) RED™.

April 28

Everest Team INSPI(RED) 12

View from Camp I up the Western Cwm toward the Lhotse Face 

We're sitting here in the late afternoon snow squalls at Camp I near 19,500 feet in the Western Cwm (pronounced “koom”). The Western Cwm is the large horseshoe shaped cirque that is created by the West Shoulder of Everest on the north and the Lhotse-Nuptse ridgeline on the east and south. Most of the time it is protected from winds and therefore becomes effectively an oven with the reflection of the sun coming from 3 out of 4 directions. It's hot, it's high, and it's an absolute visual marvel. It is difficult to describe the beauty of such an intense environment. It often feels as if one is in a world of black and white because the only physical landscape is snow, ice and shades of black rock. The man made clothing and tents dot the landscape like little dabs of paint in a monochrome world.

We departed base camp at 6:30am and we arrived here at Camp I yesterday around 11am Nepal time. The trip through the Icefall was smooth and uneventful - just as we like it to be. We were all feeling strong and relaxed. My voice is trying hard to return and every now and then I get an hour or so of a nearly normal voice. We all dozed off throughout the afternoon and escaped the heat of the direct sun by lying in our completely vented tents. The altitude and sun here are so strong that when you relax in your tent for the afternoon one's body and mind seem 'cooked'. It can be hard to read or write or be productive in typical ways. The most appropriate thing most often seems to be to just total relaxation.

It's now about 5 p.m. and TEAM INSPI(RED) is cooking up our second dinner here at Camp I. Tomorrow morning, we will climb to Camp II and spend the following two evenings there at over 21,000 feet. Camp II sits at the base of the massive southwest face of Everest. This season, the southwest face is looking unusually dry and bare. It would be helpful for the route to get some new snow between now and our summit push in late May. If not, we’ll deal with the dryness which mainly results in a bit more rockfall and slightly more difficult footing.

After enjoying a night sleeping in our -40 degree bags and trying not to think of the warming spring back home, we awoke at 6 a.m. to head to Camp II. The route to Camp II starts out rolling up and down through huge crevasses with a few ladders. After about an hour of walking, we crested a hill, which showed us a view of the tents at Camp II, unfortunately the Camp I tents look an awful lot closer! The terrain is really calm, not very steep or crevassed from here to Camp II, but it is slow going at 20,000 feet! We took about four hours to get to Camp II (except Jeff, who had a little extra motivation to move quickly, and let us just say, he was happy to see all the tents at Camp II, especially the toilet tent!).

Once at Camp II we relaxed with soup and lunch made by Ang Tsering (one of our Sherpa staff), who will stay at Camp II to support us for the majority of the season. Time passes slowly up here, and we mostly try to just eat and breathe. After dinner, we sat in the dining tent for as long as possible (which amounted to a few minutes at best) and then headed for the warmth of our sleeping bags. After one day of rest and acclimatization at Camp II, it was time to head down to the tropical lower regions of base camp. We woke up around 6 a.m., to try and finish all of our walking before the heat of the sun would hit us, which worked a little too well, as we walked down a little chilled in the wind. We arrived back at base camp at about 11:30am, just in time for lunch and showers! It is good to be back lower, though we are very thankful to have spent a few days up higher, with all of TEAM INSPI(RED) feeling healthy and strong.

David Morton, Melissa Arnot and Jeff Dossett

Today’s EVEREST TEAM INSPI(RED) expedition dispatch brought to you by Dell and Windows, proud partners of (PRODUCT) RED™.

April 24

Everest Team INSPI(RED) Climbing Route

 
This entry is brought to you courtesy of Alpine Ascents the expedition leader for Everest Team INSPI(RED).
 
At base camp, our climbing leaders and Sherpa will be well on the way to having the lower part of the mountain (the Khumbu Ice Fall) already fixed with ropes and ladders. We will establish four camps on the mountain. The first, at 19,500ft, is situated at the top of the ice fall. This camp functions as an intermediate camp until Camp II (advanced base camp) is established at 21,000ft. 
 
 
 
 Nepal 1 
 
Camp II will consist of large tents for cooking and dining and several smaller tents for sleeping. Camp II will be our base during the placements of Camp III and Camp IV (23,500ft and 26,300ft respectively). Camp III, which stands at the head of the cirque on the Lhotse face will consist of three and four man tents. This camp serves as an intermediate camp which climbers will use to reach Camp IV (high camp) on the South Col. 
 
Nepal 2
 
Most of our Sherpa are able to carry directly from Camp II to Camp IV, so large amounts of gear are not needed at Camp III to establish Camp IV. Oxygen will be used above Camp III to help aid climbers in reaching high camp before attempting the summit. From Camp IV, we travel along the South East Ridge to the South Summit. From here we traverse for a few hundred meters before reaching the Hillary step and then onto the main summit.

To view an interactive map of the Mount Everest area click here Live Search Maps


 
April 21

Everest Team INSPI(RED) 11

It’s an intensely chilly early afternoon here at Base Camp on the 21st of April.  The sun begins to close in on the Pumori ridgeline around 5 p.m. each day and things really begin to cool down.  Today there have dark gray clouds consistently swirling around Pumori’s summit and the temperature drop commenced too early.  We’ve spent the day taking showers and relaxing around a somewhat empty camp.  The team that we are sharing our Base Camp with headed up to CI this morning so the volume around ‘town’ has been lowered.  It’s made for a wonderfully serene day.

Yesterday we journeyed up through the Icefall and nearly to CI in order to do some acclimatization.  I (David) lost my voice a few days ago due to an extremely sore throat and yesterday was the first time it seemed appropriate for the team to push it up to CI.  Melissa and Jeff took over the radio duties as I literally couldn’t get a peep to come out of my typically over used mouth.  We left Base Camp around 6 a.m. and were back into camp for a late lunch.  It was wonderful to get moving up high again.  I always seem to gain energy through the gaining of altitude.  As long as there is a bit of rest to adjust I seem to gain rather than lose strength so despite my lack of vocal power my body is feeling stronger today.  It some ways this physiological response doesn’t make any sense though I think it’s more psychological.  My spinning wheels and pent up drive gets completely tapped as we ascend and in turn I feel a sense of energy and vitality return.

The Icefall is relatively good shape this season.  There are some spectacular pitches which ascend vertical seracs including one section where four ladders are lashed together.  Despite the incredible inherent danger every season in the Icefall I feel generally good about the route this season.  Last season there were an unusual number of immense but thin seracs which the route wove in and out of.  At point there was even a spot which the climbers had nicknamed ‘Darwin’s Corner’ for obvious reasons.  Any nicknames for the route this season hopefully won’t have such depressing overtones.

Our plan is to take another day here at Base Camp in order for the three of us to feel fully rested for the multi-day push when we leave on Wednesday.  Our sights are set on a 4 night stretch where we’ll adjust well to the higher altitudes and gain strength in the thin air!

Today’s EVEREST TEAM INSPI(RED) expedition dispatch brought to you by Dell and Windows, proud partners of (PRODUCT) RED™.

David Morton and Jeff Dossett

Everest Team INSPI(RED) 10

After the past few days of training around base camp, we awoke this morning and decided to head out of base camp to a lower elevation.  Where, you ask?  Maui, Sydney…or perhaps Gorak Shep!  After much debate, we settled on Gorak Shep as our destination for the day, which is at about 16,800 feet and a few hours from Everest Base Camp, but being the climbers that we are we actually ended up higher than base camp, summiting a nearby peak, Kala Pathar, at about 18,500 feet.

After breakfast we navigated our way through base camp and headed back out the direction that we recently came in.  The trail between base camp and Gorak Shep (the last ‘village’ prior to base camp) is very rocky and was dotted with trekkers, climbers and porters all headed for base camp.  After a little more than an hour, some tents and tea houses appeared, like a mirage across a dry lake bed.  We took the opportunity to enjoy the sandy “beaches” of Gorak Shep with hand-stands and improvised yoga, under the strict supervision of the wandering yaks, of course.

As we sat on a warm rock, enjoying a carbonated beverage, we had the feeling that the air was a little too thick, and we should head for higher ground.  Kala Pathar is a trekking peak that is cradled by the much larger Himalayan neighbors all around.  After a few hours of hiking, we sat together on the summit, with our best view of Everest to date, and feeling quite thankful for where we are right now.  It is so easy to trivialize the experience of sitting at 18,500 feet, when our current objective is more than 10,000 feet higher.  As the wind blew the prayer flags posted on the summit and the sun shone down on us, we looked around to see friends in the mountains and each other, and it was very clear why we are here.

We headed down and enjoyed a candy bar and soda on that same rock, then headed home, with a little less energy but a much greater appreciation of the things that surround us.

Today’s EVEREST TEAM INSPI(RED) expedition dispatch brought to you by Dell and Windows, proud partners of (PRODUCT) RED™.

Melissa Arnot and Jeff Dossett

April 17

Everest Team INSPI(RED) 9

We’ve been settling into our new “luxury” accommodations and routines here in Everest Base Camp for about 6 days. We’re pleased to report that EVEREST TEAM INSPI(RED) is acclimatizing very well and we are excited about the prospect of beginning our push to higher camps shortly.

For the most part, we are relatively healthy. I say “relatively” because at this high altitude (17,600 feet), it is common for all expedition members to experience some combination of altitude-induced headaches, upper respiratory illness (e.g. the “Khumbu cough”) and other gastrointestinal symptoms (and that’s enough said about that)!

Most days begin at about 8am with a hearty breakfast of eggs, French toast, bacon and cereal and an ample supply of our favorite coffee blends transported all the way from the US. Most mornings, the sun shines brightly and the temperatures are much higher than most would expect given our high altitude here at Everest Base Camp. In fact, it’s really too hot to lay comfortably in our tents during the intense morning sunshine, so we generally get geared up for a skills training session on a nearby glacier “fin” at the base of the Khumbu Ice Fall.  We don our specialized mountaineering clothing, climbing harness and a variety of other mountaineering “tools of the trade” (e.g. glacier glasses, ice axe, fixed rope ascenders, carabiners, rappelling devices, ropes, etc.).

Although all members of the climbing EVEREST TEAM INSPI(RED) expedition team have considerable high altitude experience, we never underestimate the importance of refreshing our essential climbing, safety and rescue skills prior to embarking on our first ascent through the treacherous Khumbu Ice Fall. Both David Morton and Melissa Arnot are professional mountain guides with extraordinary climbing and training resumes, so I am particularly fortunate to be sharing this amazing experience with such talented and experienced team members.

We awoke this morning to a thin layer of fresh snow.  During the night there were a few thunderstorms and an hour or so of solid snowfall.  It couldn’t have been a better morning for our puja day today.  The puja at Base Camp is a traditional ceremony performed before moving up the mountain.  The shining sun made our bathing for the ceremony a bit more comfortable than it would have been in other weather but the bathing is an essential pre-puja ritual.

During the blessing we are essentially asking for permission to climb the mountain as well as safe keeping while climbing.  We’re lucky enough to have a few climbing Sherpa that were monks when they were younger. It means we actually have our own staff for blessings.  Phura Kancha Sherpa, one of our young and strong climbers, is still a monk at the Thame Monastery.

Last night the kitchen staff was up late making the tsampa and traditional Tibetan bread that are part of the ceremony.  Tsampa is barley flour and an essential part of Tibetan life as it is one of the main staples.  Tibetan Buddhist monks consume tsampa daily.  Chhang, a Tibetan beer made from rice, is also an important part of the ritual.  We imported the Chhang from Pheriche- a couple villages back.  The monks read from Tibetan Sanskrit scrolls and chant prayers that are used for safe travels.  Putting up the prayer flags is part of the ceremony and we now have seven strings coming off our central chorten.  The entire camp is covered above by prayer flags.  It’s a beautiful site.

Over the past couple of days our Sherpa staff have been patiently waiting for the Icefall up to Camp I to be ‘fixed’.  The Icefall Doctors are the brave souls that fix lines up the Khumbu Icefall each season.  They string rope up the route by attaching it to the ice with ice screws and pickets.  If the spans over crevasses are too large to cross they also attach ladders.  After speaking to Ang Nima yesterday, the head ‘Doctor’, it sounds as though there are already 40 ladders in place and still a small push remains to arrive at Camp I.  I can’t think of a more dangerous job than being an Icefall Doctor.  Ang Nima and crew spend an inordinate amount of time in the line of fire making sure the route is in good shape.  They deserve much more than the limited kudos they typically get.  As of this afternoon the route up to Camp I should be finished.  Tomorrow morning our crew will begin the long project of moving our gear up the mountain.  In a couple of days Camp I should be stocked well enough for us to make our first overnight foray above Base Camp.

Today, we wanted to share some additional information regarding anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs for short). ARV medicines are not new. First introduced around 1987, these “miracle” drugs help to block or thwart the assault of HIV on a person’s immune system. Over the past 20 years, ARVs have improved significantly. They are less toxic, easier to take (e.g. fewer pills with less frequency) and have less harmful or uncomfortable side effects. In fact, the availability of these newer generation ARVs in the Western world have shifted a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS from a certain death sentence (often with a life expectancy less than 10 years) to a still unfortunate but manageable disease.

In the developed world, an HIV/AIDS patient requiring ARVs would incur a cost of about $10,000 - $12,000 for a year’s supply of medicine. While clearly a very high price to pay for treatment, many HIV/AIDS patients in the developed world have reasonable access to some form of health care insurance or other forms of financial support that make treatment a more manageable financial hardship. However, in Africa where the average income is less than $2 per day (and often below $1 per day), the high cost of ARVs meant these life-saving medicines were out of reach for most Africans in need.

Sometime around 2003, a broad-based, non-partisan coalition of activists lead by then President Bill Clinton fundamentally changed the economics of ARVs for Africa in a manner which today remains one of the most significant and positive changes in the history of the battle to end HIV/AIDS suffering in Africa. Working together, these concerned and passionate activists persuaded four manufacturers of ARVs to make these medicines available to developing countries (including Africa) for about $140 per year per patient – a far cry from the $10,000+ previously charged for these medicines. Why? Well, the premise was all about volume. There was no question about the need for these drugs in Africa (for patients numbering in the millions), but at $10,000+ per year per patient, no drugs were being purchased. At $140 per year per patient (and with growing support from financial sources such as the Global Fund), the case was made that millions more would be able to afford these life-saving drugs. Remember, over 22.5 million people in Africa are living with HIV and at least 15 to 20% of them are in desperate need of these ARVs. So, in the end, the business case was made and today millions more Africans have more affordable access to ARVs than ever before.

So what does all of this have to do with EVEREST TEAM INSPI(RED) and (PRODUCT) RED? For all of the progress made during the last 20 years, the need remains as significant today as ever. The numbers remain staggering:

·         22.5M people in Africa living with HIV/AIDS

·         68% of all people infected with HIV live in Sub-Saharan Africa

·         61% of the people living with HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa are women

·         76% of all AIDS-related deaths in 2007 occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa

·         Within Sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Africa is the worst-affected, where national adult HIV prevalence exceeds 15% in 8 Southern Africa countries (Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe)

As (PRODUCT) RED’s website states,

“(RED) is not a charity. It is simply a business model. You buy (RED) stuff. We get the money, buy the pills and distribute them. They take the pills, stay alive and take care of their families and contribute socially and economically in their communities. If they don’t get the pills, they die. We don’t want them to die. We want to give them the pills. And we can. And you can. And it’s easy.”

So please, as (RED)’s manifesto encourages…go buy (RED) stuff and help make a difference. EVEREST TEAM INSPI(RED) was inspired to make an attempt to reach to the summit of Mount Everest to raise awareness of (PRODUCT) RED and to inspire others to do what they can to help end