Column: Climbing Everest – Leaving Base Camp

Mountaineer Martin (aged 64) and grandson Nanatuk Nathan (aged 10) are climbing Mount Everest, 200 stairs per day. They left Base Camp (17,600 feet) on April 14th and hope to reach the summit of Everest (29,029 feet) on July 17th. In total, it will take them 95 days including 4 Camp rest days. This is their journal:

Day 1 of 95: Tuesday, April 14th 2020 (Elevation 17,600 feet: Stairs 0: Vertical height climbed 0 feet)

Mountaineer Martin and Nanatuk Nathan left Base Camp at 8.00am. It was a blue sky but the bitter wind was howling however the journey must begin. There’s only 95 days to complete the climb and then we will be pulled off the mountain. There's no turning back now.

Day 8 of 95: Tuesday, April 21st 2020 (Elevation 18,600 feet: Stairs 1,600: Vertical height climbed 1,000 feet)

Mountaineer Martin: The first 8 days have been tough going for Nanatuk Nathan and me. We are tackling the Khumbu icefall which moves at such speed that large crevasses open with little warning, and the large towers of ice (called seracs) found at the icefall have been known to collapse suddenly. Huge blocks of ice tumble down the glacier from time to time, their sizes ranging from that of cars to large houses

Nanatuk Nathan: Papa Martin and I have left base camp and are continuing up Mount Everest. It was tough but we knew the only way was up. We were faced with huge snowstorms but Papa Martin and I are holding our ground. On our way up we also saw a snow leopard and had to find a way around it.

Day 15 of 95: Tuesday, April 28th 2020 (Elevation 19,475 feet: Stairs 3,000: Vertical height climbed 1,875 feet)

Mountaineer Martin: The weather has been getting worse and Nanatuk Nathan and I have been making slow progress. Fortunately we are through the Khumbu icefall and heading towards Camp I. On our journey we have been joined by Sherpa Jyamchang Bhote. He has over 20 years of mountain climbing experience, including 7 summits of Mt. Everest! He told us that he runs a Nepal based climbing company that employees dozens of local Sherpa mountain guides and porters.

Nanatuk Nathan: After meeting up with Sherpa Jyamchang Bhote we continued up the face of Mount Everest. After a few hours it got colder the higher we went, and avalanches were able to happen at any time. Plus we had to watch out for Himalayan bears. On our journey up we saw a group of Himalayan Tahr blocking the path and we had to figure out a way around.

While on their ascent Mountaineer Martin and Nanatuk Nathan are raising funds to support Sherpa Jyamchang and his fellow Sherpa’s who have lost their jobs and livelihood due to the closure of Mount Everest on March 15th. So far they have raised $200 of the $5,000 target. If you would like to help them then please go to www.martinparnell.com and hit the big, red “DONATE” button. Thank you.

If you want to participate in your own “Climbing Everest” then email me at [email protected] and I will send you a route map, tracking sheet and completion certificate.

Onwards and upwards!

© 2020 Martin Parnell [email protected] www.martinparnell.com