September | October 2005 Beyond the Green IN THIS ISSUE Dear Classmates, We are happy to report that we heard good and remarkable news from many of News you. Since we are a little bit late with this issue, you may have already heard many Dartmouth Athletics Online of the things we have to share with you. As always, we had a lot of fun putting this Katrina Blog issue together. We hope you enjoy it. Jesup Herbarium We look forward to getting your news, thoughts, observations. Take good care. A Margin of Luck — Gabi Sarhos and Simone Swink Big Green Everest Adventure Upcoming Events Homecoming 2005 Concert for Brain Tumor Awareness Blog for Dartmouth Alumni Washington DC Holiday Dinner News and Students Affected by Hurricane Katrina 'Round the Girdled Earth Amy Wolfe on the Farm Dartmouth Athletics Online In an effort to help all members of the Phoebe Suina at Los Alamos Dartmouth community connect with Dartmouth Athletics has a whole new one another in the face of this tragedy, Green Gossip range of interactive ways you can track the Office of Alumni Relations has Nicole Wiley from London your favorite Dartmouth team. made this blog available. It is entitled A Few Good Babies Gametracker, a software package from Hurricane Katrina-Messages from the Jamie Bedrin Reports CollegeSport.com gives access to a Dartmouth Family, Games and Things whole range of stats, scores, etc. The http://dartmouthkatrina.blogspot.com/ catch... it probably costs something. Fun Stuff (as time allows) Check it out. Around Campus: Jesup Herbarium http://athletics.dartmouth.edu/ot/ So, for those of you who are familiar gametracker.html with the Murdough Greenhouses on the fifth floor of Gilman Hall, here's a Dartmouth Sports Network, an ex- new tidbit. Did you know of the Jesup tension of Dartmouth Broadcasting, Herbarium? is available online free of charge and broadcasts football, men's and women's Named for Henry Griswold Jesup, hockey, men's and women's basketball. Dartmouth’s Chandler Professor of Natural History from 1877 to 1899, http://www.dartmouth.edu/~brdcast/ the herbarium contains over 10,000 sports/ >> News page 11 Beyond the Green September | October 2005 2 A Margin of Luck Big Green Everest Expedition Essay by Greg Vadasdi From April to June 2005, Greg Vadasdi expedition to Mt. McKinley (20,320 ner. He was the ideal mate for the ten and Dan Protz stood against the moun- feet) in May 2004 with Daniel Protz week journey and not just because he tain and became one with it. In the fol- ‘98 and David Mace ‘98, I felt that I was my only friend with the inclina- lowing pages, Greg shares his thoughts could mount a credible effort with tion, time and resources to commit on the mountain, his experiences and a ten months to train, prepare and gain to the venture. We had climbed Mt. friendship with Dan that carried them additional experience. I shared my Elbrus (18,510 feet) and Mt. McKinley both through the challenge of a lifetime. plan with some close friends and their together, and we were equally stubborn response was muted; they thought and aggressive. Most importantly, we I was mad. Privately, I was also were both fully committed, willing to In November of 2004 I stood at the apprehensive regarding the dangers do and endure anything required for top of Mt. Ama Dablam (22,494 feet) and difficulties of the path I chose. success, while climbing safely. We share in the Nepal Himalaya and looked a passion for tackling athletic challeng- My confidence increased as I complet- across the valley at Mt. Everest (29,028 es, and in March we completed feet). Hundred mile-per-hour jet winds ed milestones such as Ama Dablam, had scoured the snow form the upper the aptly named Epic Camp Australia mountain and the rocky, dark summit (a triathlon training camp), and the pyramid looked sinister. It was a breath- Ironman Canada and New Zealand taking view and at that moment all my triathlons. In a sense I had trained for hesitation vanished. I would return to Everest ever since I started hiking attempt Everest, despite its regularly with my parents at age five and rock tragic history. climbing at age thirteen. The idea of attempting Everest gradually In the summer of 2004 I wrote down changed from a far fetched dream an ambitious list of objectives for my into a reasonable proposition. I knew year away from the corporate world. August 2001, Baksan Valley, Russia I needed a strong partner to have a The list included some work related Summit of Mt. Elbrus, the highest peak in chance to summit, and sharing the Europe: Elevation 18,510 ft items, but in reality it centered on adventure with a friend would make it endurance events around the globe Mark Tucker a.k.a. “Big Mountain Tuck” (guide), much more enjoyable. Larry Santoro (Thayer’82), David Mace ’98, such as triathlons and mountaineering. Nikolay Cherny , Dan and Greg. Nikolay is legend- The plan, on paper at least, was to Dan was my college crew teammate, ary Russian alpinist and it was fun to meet up with him four years after we last saw him in Russia, climax the year with an attempt on a world champion rower, investment on the North side of Everest. He climbed to the Everest. After leading a successful colleague, and regular climbing part- summit this year at age 66. 3 the New Zealand Ironman triathlon level, and we had a long, complicated would not let us part unscathed. On and climbed in the Southern Alps. descent ahead of us. summit day I suffered minor frostbite These were our final mental and physi- to my toes. Dan developed a serious Climbing at extreme high altitudes, cal preparations for our Everest expedi- chest infection a few hours after we even with the aid of supplementary tion. It is critical to have a compatible dragged ourselves into advanced base oxygen, is demanding and the margin team as nothing torpedoes an expedi- camp, shattered from our summit for error is razor thin. A climber can tion faster than personality conflicts. push. His lungs filled with fluid, nearly feel strong one minute and suddenly, drowning him. I scrambled through In January of 2005 we wired the fall apart the next, struggling to sur- deposit to Asian Trekking and ordered the cold night to find a doctor. At 2 vive. The four bodies we passed on A.M. Dan received an IV of antibiotics oxygen bottles from Russia. Asian summit day were a grim reminder of Trekking was our Nepal based expedi- and oxygen. He was weak, but able to this. One was of a Slovenian climber hike to base camp the next day. tion support agent. With their help who had run out of oxygen on his re- We were lucky on our climb of Everest. turn from the summit. He sat down, Any number of variables such as high too exhausted to continue and died. Climbing Everest winds, a faulty oxygen regulator, or a When we passed by two weeks later, was an unforgettable slip at an inopportune moment could he was still attached to the fixed rope athletic, spiritual, have derailed our summit bid or worse. I shudder to cultural and learning think of what could have experience. It was happened if Dan’s debili- a much broader tating infection had struck a day or even a few hours adventure earlier. There is virtually no than I expected. chance of rescue from high on the mountain. Our we acquired government permits, pur- margin of luck was just chased food, and hired two cooks and enough for us to summit two high altitude climbing Sherpas. and return safely. The staff, equipment and support pro- I hope the following pho- vided were excellent and essential to to-essay gives a feel for our our success. Despite the hardships of experiences. You can find living in Tibet and Nepal, the Sherpas more photos and informa- have a positive attitude, are sharp and tion about the expedition possess an immense work ethic. We at www.biggreeneverest. called ourselves The Big Green Everest com. The website will Expedition after the mascot of our alma soon incorporate our mater, Dartmouth College. foundation to aid Sherpa Climbing Everest was an unforgettable education. Tourism to the Himalaya brings money athletic, spiritual, cultural and learn- on the summit pyramid, his anguished and awareness of the region. High al- ing experience. It was a much broader face and clawed fingers were a terrible titude climbing Sherpas, who would adventure than I expected. On June sight. Thankfully, we had strength and otherwise be sustenance farmers, can second, after a ten hour climb from good health, spare oxygen bottles in our make a better living by working on high camp, I stood on the summit with backpacks, and great support from our Dan and our two indefatigable Sherpas, expeditions. However, many Sherpas Sherpas. Nevertheless, I have never felt Ang Mingma and Mingma Dorjee. I would prefer their children didn’t have as tired in my life as I did on summit felt joy and satisfaction, but these were to work in such a hazardous occupa- day, especially in the last hours of the tempered by my fatigue, cold feet and tion. The foundation will provide aid down climb to high camp. awareness of the precarious nature of for the higher education of Sherpa our position. At the summit the oxy- While we had been remarkably healthy children. gen in the air was a third of that at sea throughout the expedition, Everest >> Photo Essay pages 4-5 Beyond the Green September | October 2005 4 April 4, 2005, Kathmandu, Nepal Elevation 4,000 ft April 26 Dan and Greg spinning prayer wheels at the Elevation 23,000 ft April 15, Tibet Monkey Temple.