Everest Expedition Summit the world’s highest mountain

HIGHLIGHTS:

Summiting the highest mountain Stunning views from the roof top of the world Colourful Buddhist culture and the spirit of Sherpa people

www.himalayanascent.com OVERVIEW • Employing an experienced, strong, caring In 2020 Himalayan Ascent will be and professionally trained team of Sherpa undertaking our 10th expedition to Mount guides on the mountain, all with previous Everest, following the successes of past Everest experience/summits expeditions since 2010. The ultimate • Creating a small, cohesive team of dream of most mountaineers is to one climbers and Sherpas day take on the biggest mountaineering • Strictly vetting the calibre of expedition challenge possible – climbing Mount members Everest – and Himalayan Ascent is here to • Providing a comfortable base camp help you make that dream a reality! • Staying healthy

Of course, turning the dream into reality We will tackle via the requires a lot of hard work, and Himalayan and South East ridge route. Ascent will only accept climbers who have You’ll feel like you’re climbing through the requisite skills and level of experience. history as you pass through and across such infamous features as the Khumbhu The aim of Himalayan Ascent’s Mount Icefall, the , the Yellow Band Everest Expedition is to provide the and the Geneva Spur. Once you’re on necessary framework for expedition the summit push, you’ll look back in awe members to have a safe, enjoyable towards Makalu, , and when you’re trip, with the best possible chance of standing on the South Summit you’ll stare summiting. The key components of this across towards the and the framework include: true summit, and know that your dream is within reach.

Page 2 of 15 www.himalayanascent.com GRADE/FITNESS INCLUDES: This expedition requires excellent 4 nights Kathmandu accommodation, airport fitness and prior experience of a transfer to hotel and welcome dinner, all Himalayan expedition. You should necessary climbing and trekking permits, be able to carry at least 20kg, experienced expedition leader and base camp demonstrate strong endurance and manager, government liaison officer, flights to high mountaineering experience. and from Lukla, all meals and accommodation The South Col-South East ridge during trek to base camp and return, porter is the classic route that passes service to carry 50kg of personal gear to base through the Khumbhu icefall and camp, fully serviced powered base camp involves a steep climb on the (including personal tent, heated dining tent and Lhotse face. The maximum altitude communication tent, full satellite communication is 8848m. system (pay per use), all meals/snacks and hot

Page 3 of 15 www.himalayanascent.com showers), 2-way radio system for all guides early departure and mountain search/ to communicate between camps, team of rescue) and personal climbing gear. Sherpa climbing guides to set up and stock all higher camps, all meals and tents above OTHER OPTIONS: base camp, maximum oxygen allowance with the Summit delivery system (allows Optional limited services available: multiple summit attempts), 1:1 climbing • Base camp only service (no climbing Sherpa to client ratio, extensive high Sherpas or serviced higher camps) altitude wilderness first aid kit, porters to • Full service with limited oxygen carry group equipment, all group climbing • Climb through to Camp equipment, all other charges for route 2 only fixing and expedition duffels. • Trekking to Everest base camp

EXCLUDES: Optional helicopter services: international flights to Kathmandu, tips • Helicopter fly out of EBC to Lukla or and summit bonuses for Sherpa guides, Kathmandu tourist visa fees, meals in Kathmandu (USD 10-15 per meal), aerated and alcoholic Contact us for cost details for these beverages, personal items (e.g. phone options. calls, laundry), travel insurance (including

Page 4 of 15 www.himalayanascent.com ITINERARY exhilarating flight on a Twin Otter to Lukla Day 1-2 Arrival and in Kathmandu and (hopefully!) catch the first glimpses A Himalayan Ascent representative will of Everest from the plane. In Lukla we will collect you from the airport. It’s a free day meet our porters and other BC staff, and to recover from your international flight. after lunch walk to Monjo, a small village Later in the evening, there will be a group on the roaring Dudh Koshi river, which briefing and welcome group dinner. You can drains the bulk of the Everest region. The use the next day to explore the crazy, yet milky, glacier-fed waters of the Dudh Koshi wondrously beautiful city of Kathmandu. are the source of its name, which means (Swayambu and Boudhanath). It’s a city “Milk River.” We will stay in a comfortable that stimulates all senses, so be prepared lodge on the edge of the river. because Kathmandu is a city that demands attention. Day 4 Trek Monjo (2610m) to Namche (3440m) ~7 hrs Day 3 Fly to Lukla (2840m) and Today’s trek officially starts in the trek to Monjo (2610m) ~4 hrs Sagarmatha National Park, a protected Welcome to the Khumbu! We will take the area encompassing 1,148 km2, as we pass

Page 5 of 15 www.himalayanascent.com through park gates just after Monjo. We days we will take along the way to foster continue up the Dudh Koshi under a forest this process. Today you can check out of mixed conifers and hardwoods, passing Namche market, rest, or take the optional through several beautiful villages. The hike up to Syangboche to take in your first real view of our objective. On a clear route crosses many suspension bridges day, enjoy the spectacular views of Ama high above the confluence of the Dudh Dablam, Lhotse, and Everest, as well as an Koshi and Bhote Koshi rivers, before we overview of the valley you will be headed head up the hill through a black pine up for the next few days. Visit the national forest to Namche Bazaar, the political and park visitor centre to learn about the economic centre of the Khumbu. natural, cultural, and human history of this region. You are part of a long tradition of Day 5 Acclimatisation day in mountaineers, both foreign and local, to Namche the highest mountain on earth. It is critical to the success of an expedition like this to let our bodies gradually Day 6 Trek Namche (3440m) to acclimatise to the altitude. This will be Tengboche (3860m) ~ 5 hrs the first of several rest and acclimatisation From Namche on, the terrain changes

Page 6 of 15 www.himalayanascent.com dramatically. We will trek along the Day 7 Trek Tengboche (3860m) to edge of a juniper-covered ridge, through Dingboche (4410m) ~2.5 hrs rhododendron and silver birch forests We will continue down into the wide on the north-facing slopes, ever deeper glacial valley from Tengboche, stopping into the heart of the Khumbu. On this to take in splendid views of Ama Dablam section of trail keep your eyes open for the from Pangboche. We then cross the river spectacularly colored Impeyan Pheasant— again before ending up in the lovely Nepal’s national bird, or for large mammals farming village of Dingboche at the head like the Jharal—a shaggy wild goat which of the Imja Valley. grazes in this area. After dipping once more down to the Dudh Koshi we climb up steeply to stay the night in the high Day 8 Acclimatisation in meadows of Tengboche. Tengboche is the Dingboche site of a working monastery and several We will take our second rest day in beautiful stupas. Time permitting, you Dingboche, where guides will facilitate may attend morning or evening services your acclimatisation by organising a and complete your own khora of the site. short walk to visit the Himalayan Rescue Association at Pheriche, or to take in the surrounding scenery.

Page 7 of 15 www.himalayanascent.com Day 9 Trek Dingboche (4410m) to Day 11-12 Acclimatisation in BC Lobuche (4910m) ~5 hr and puja Leaving Dingboche behind, we will For the next few days we will settle into continue along the path towards BC, our comfortable BC and get acclimatised. passing just below the edge of the Sherpas have a spiritual connection with before climbing steeply the Himalayas so we’ll perform a special up alongside the glacial moraine to the puja ceremony in respect to the mountains village of Lobuche. and to ask for safety, good health and success. Day 10 Trek Lobuche (4910m) to BC (5364m) ~5 hr Day 13-16 Optional climb Climbing up the trail 3 hours beyond of Lobuche or stay in BC Lobuche, we will reach the small outpost of acclimatising Gorak Shep (5140m), the BC for the 1953 For the next few days you can either climb expedition that first climbed Everest. From Lobuche, a trekking of 6110m located here, we walk 2-3 hr winding through the just behind the Lobuche settlement, or rubble and scree of the Khumbu glacier, to you can hang out in BC to allow your body reach BC at the base of the Khumbu Icefall. more time to acclimatise.

Page 8 of 15 www.himalayanascent.com Day 17-20 First rotation through 2 days to acclimatise at C2, and attempt to Khumbhu icefall and ladder spend one night at C3 as well. crossing training We will start moving through the icefall, Day 27-36 Rest and recover for practicing on ladders and testing our summit window equipment as we make it for the first time At this stage our preparatory work is over. to Camp 1 (C1, 5950m) at the top of the In this period we rest, fuel up on calories icefall. to wait for a favourable summit window. If the wait is particularly long, you can Day 21-26 Rotations through C1, relocate for a few days to lower altitude C2 and C3 (e.g. Pangbouche or Namche). For our first major foray up the mountain, we will spend two nights in C1, transverse Day 37-50 Preparation for summit the Western cwm and climb up to C2 and summit push (6400m), acclimatising in between. On When the summit window is known, we’ll our next rotation, we will aim to reach C3 make plans for our summit push. On the (7200m) which sits in the middle of the summit push we allow our climbers to Lhotse face, and sleep at C2 for at least 4 spend one full night at the South Col (C4, nights along the way. We will take an extra 7950m) sleeping on oxygen, rather than

Page 9 of 15 www.himalayanascent.com the couple of hours that most companies Day 51-57 Pack up BC and trek to take. This allows you to get enough rest and Lukla energy to be ready for the final push to the After returning safely to BC we will take top. We start early in darkness from the a day or two to rest, pack up camp, and South Col, climb to the balcony and reach return back to Lukla for a much-needed the South summit by dawn. From here, the shower and celebratory beer! route is exposed along the summit ridge to the Hillary step. Straddling the boundaries of Nepal and Tibet up the ridge, we then Day 58 Fly to Kathmandu From Lukla we will fly back to Kathmandu, finally reach the Summit! The view from where the comforts of your hotel await the rooftop of the world highlights the sheer scale of Everest as it dominates you. over other regional 8000m peaks (Lhotse, Makalu, Kanchenjunga, Shisapangma, Cho Day 59 Depart Kathmandu Oyu) seen from its summit. We return Fly back to your home country. See you on along the same route to C4 to rest. The another Himalayan giant. journey back to BC breaks at C2.

Page 10 of 15 www.himalayanascent.com WHY HIMALAYAN ASCENT? Himalayan Ascent is a family owned a guiding team of personnel who business managed by local Nepali, actively enjoy the outdoors and Sumit Joshi, who has more than 20 love sharing the experience. The years of guiding experience in Nepal, philosophy of Himalayan Ascent India, Pakistan, Tibet, Bhutan and is simple: showcase the best of Argentina for reputed international Nepali culture and landscape with organisations. comfortable service. From trekking in remote areas to high altitude 8000m Our guides have been raised in the expeditions, Himalayan Ascent has outdoor wonderland of the Himalaya the experience to provide a type of and they are passionate adventurers. service that’s desired by internationals The Himalayan Ascent difference is outdoor lovers. WHY HIMALAYAN ASCENT TO EVEREST? Himalayan Ascent runs small sized Everest expeditions, 76% of our expeditions on Everest. You’ll get to clients have summited safely. know your Sherpa guides and team mates personally. Building a good We have a reputation for having the rapport with your team is critical for best managed and most comfortable summit success. Our Sherpa guides base camp, and a camp cook known are formally trained through the for making some of the best food at Nepal Mountain Guides Association BC. Want to speak to our past clients? and many are also internationally Contact us for the contact details of accredited. We have a 100% client our previous Everest clients. safety record and to date after 9

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Sleep and Food rooted in Buddhism, Sherpas have Whilst on the trail you’ll sleep in a strong respect for the mountains local friendly teahouses. These and its spirits. First employed as high provide basic accommodation (twin- altitude porters on early Himalayan share), common toilets and a large mountaineering expeditions, common dining hall. Teahouse Sherpas are now by their own kitchens cater for international rights, well regarded accomplished and local tastes, from pizzas/ climbers. pastas to typical Nepali favourites. Other facilities including showers, Health Tips internet, battery charging and It’s vitally important to protect your laundry are sometimes available health on an Everest expedition, for an extra cost. Your Kathmandu and Himalayan Ascent Director, accommodation is a midrange Sumit Joshi, is an experienced high- 3.5 star hotel, but we can adjust altitude medical provider who according to your budget (i.e. has trained under legendary high- budget to 5-star). Note that meals in altitude practitioner, Dr. Jim Duff. Kathmandu are not included in the Sumit’s knowledge is an invaluable cost. Plan for USD 10-15 per meal on resource, especially higher up on the these days. mountain, without such easy access to base camp ER facilities. Sherpa Culture Known as “Eastern People” in Tibet, Our staff are also well-trained in Sherpas were nomads who migrated all aspects of hygiene, to ensure and settled in the Solukhumbu that you don’t come down with a region around 500 years ago from stomach bug the day before you Tibet. Their dialect, dress and food is leave base camp for the summit. very similar to Tibetans, more than Having a smaller team also assists in the Hindu majority ethnic groups this regard. in Nepal. With a culture deeply

Page 12 of 15 www.himalayanascent.com Climate expeditions. During the trek to base camp in early April, the weather will mostly Small Cohesive Team be dry with some periods of snow. Everest is a big mountain, and these Below Namche (under 3000m), days there are crowds to match temperatures can reach ~24oC in its stature. You’ll find a number of the day. In BC (above 5000m), day large expeditions on the mountain, temperatures can range 10oC-15oC. with as many as 30 climbers and Nights are cool and can drop to 40 Sherpas in a single team. For -10oC. Above 7000m, temperatures a multitude of reasons, that’s not will range from -40oC to -10oC at our style. By having a small team night. of climbers, we are able to move more efficiently on the mountain, Experienced Sherpa Guides and we have the capacity to allow Our Sherpa guides are passionate input from team members regarding climbers who live and breathe decision making. You’ll get to know their sport. Our entire team have everyone, both fellow climbers and graduated from the Khumbu Sherpas, intimately throughout Climbing School. Many of them are the course of the expedition. You fully-qualified UIAGM guides. certainly won’t find yourself being introduced to your personal climbing Calibre of Team Mates Sherpa on the South Col, Camp When you’re climbing Everest, 4, just hours before your summit you don’t want to be in a team push! With Himalayan Ascent, your with a climber who doesn’t have climbing Sherpa will guide you the necessary skills to tackle throughout your rotations, so by the mountain. We require all summit push time in May, you’ll our climbers to have a solid practically be family! climbing resume, preferably with an 8,000m expedition already under their belt. This ensures to us that you’re prepared to face the extreme weather challenges that can sometimes affect Everest

Page 13 of 15 www.himalayanascent.com PACKING LIST powerful beam) and plenty of extra Familarity and comfort using your batteries • Climbing helmet (adjustable, equipment is paramount to summit climbing-specific) success. We recommend that you test drive your equipment before Hands: joining this expedition, ideally on a • Gloves (snug fitting wind stopper, 7000m expedition. Keeping feet and and a few pairs of thin liners) hands warm in reliable gear during • Big Mountain gloves (Gore-Tex storms above 8000m will make or with removable liner, warmest available) break your Everest dreams. This is • Big Mountain mittens (warm and a list of recommended items you should fit over your wind stopper should bring with you. Please email gloves, must be able to operate a us about specific brands or models Jumar wearing them) we know works well on 8000m peaks. FFeet: • Down booties There are a number of branded • Base camp shoes (comfortable, waterproof and warm) mountaineering equipment stores • Hiking shoes (good low to mid-cut, now open in Kathmandu. To save Gore-Tex lined) some check-in luggage allowance, • Light-weight mountaineering boots contact us about what’s available (e.g. leather mountaineering boot locally for purchase. for acclimatisation climbs up to Camp 2) Head: • 8000m mountaineering boots (in- • Baseball cap tegrated gaiter, double boot with • Balaclava (comfortable tight- warm insulation) fitting, which covers as much skin as • Liner socks (4 pairs) possible) • Hiking socks (4 pairs) • Warm polar fleece or wool hat • Warm mountain socks (4 pairs) (beanie) • Glacier glasses (category 4 lens, must wrap around your face well) • Ski goggles (snug fit with good ventilation and anti-fog) • Headlamp X 2 (bright LED with

Page 14 of 15 www.himalayanascent.com Upper Body: • Sleeping pads (full length, • Base layers (breathable and insulated inflatable and closed cell moisture wicking, few different foam pads with repair kit) weights, e.g. silk weight, mid-weight • Sleeping bag X 2, -20oC to -40oC and expedition weight) rated (800+ goose down fill, correct • Warm jacket (fleece or polarguard) length for your height, one for base • Softshell jacket (with wind camp and one for higher camp) stopping properties) • Harness (light weight alpine with • Gore-Tex jacket (breathable belay loop and gear loop) waterproof with good hood that fits • Carabineers (4 screw gate and 4 over a climbing helmet) snap gate) • Synthetic fill Jacket (e.g. primaloft) • Belay device (easy to use and • Down suit (comfortable fit 8000m lightweight) down suit made by a well known • Prussik cord (about 8 meters of brand) 6mm and 5 meters of 4mm) • Down jacket (800 fill, lightweight • Ice Axe (for alpine use and right with hood) length for your height) • Crampons (semi auto with heel Legs: bail, good anti-balling system and • Base layer (breathable and steel) moisture wicking, mid-weight and • Jumar (large handle to fit your expedition weight) gloved hand) • Soft shell pants (comfortable for • Trekking poles (lightweight with everyday wear) good snow basket) • Gore-Tex pants (heavy duty with reinforced crampon patches and waterproof zippers) • Insulated pants (down or primaloft) • Shorts (quick dry)

Equipment: • Small day pack for trekking and city use (comfortable, 15-20L) • Backpack (50-70L, fitted for your back length and internal frame) • Duffel bags to transport your gear to Nepal

Page 15 of 15 www.himalayanascent.com P.O. Box 3885 Bansbari 3, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: +977 1 4379509 Email : [email protected] www.himalayanascent.com

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