Ama Dablam Update

< Newer | Older > Wed, 03/14/2007 - 14:36 — Gavin
It's been a cold month here in Darjeeling! 

Hi Everyone!
Thanks for the comments you've made over the last couple of weeks, and for all of the encouragement and support for this website and my plans for this year. The website is a work in progress, but it's getting there.

I have also been making progress with my plans for Ama Dablam. I will be climbing Ama Dablam with DCXP, an Adelaide based outfit. I am really happy with my decision and I am also excited about the "winter" status of this expedition - I will be going for the summit in the middle of December.

You can read more about the expedition - the route from Kathmandu to the summit, my acclimatisation and high altitude considerations - via the Ama Dablam link at the top of the page. I will be adding more information over the coming days, so please be patient!

Here in Darjeeling we are preparing to leave after having been here for one month. The students are excited to be on the move again and to be getting out into the mountains. We were planning to leave this Friday for the Kangchenjunga trek in Sikkim, but were advised today that there is too much snow up there right now - apparently most of the route is closed. So we are rethinking our plans - as of now we are leaning towards a remote trek in the Ganesh Himal region in Nepal.

Either way, we will be going into the mountains soon!

Namaste from Darjeeling,
Gavin

Messages

Is there a lot of snow in Nepal at the moment?

Paul Adler — Thu, 03/15/2007 - 11:24

Hi Gavin, Reading with interest that there is a lot of snow around Kangchenjunga. Do you think that it's likely that there will be a lot of snow in Nepal for the trek in or will that have melted? Also I am interested to know if you think that there has been more or less snow this year? Last year there was a lot of snow cover on the Lhotse face and on the Triangular face up to the balcony and I think that this makes it easier compared with old, hard glacial ice or exposed rock.
Rgds, Paul.

An unusual winter in the Himalayas!

Visitor — Thu, 03/15/2007 - 14:04

Hi Paul,
Yes, there has been an unusual amount of snow this year in the western Himalayas. Looking at Kangchenjunga today from Darjeeling, I noticed how low the snowline is right now.

The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute is based here in Darjeeling (Tenzing Norgay was born here). I was there yesterday to enquire about the route conditions and one of their senior Instructors told me that their groups are stuck in the mountains right now, unable to get to their normal training locations.

My information is that Nepal has also been hit by a long winter. In fact, I can confirm that it snowed in the Kathmandu valley this year for the first time in 62 years. While I haven't actually spoken with anyone who has been in the Khumbu, my guess would be that they have also received a lot of snowfall late in the winter.

I would imagine that by the start of April - when you are heading into the Khumbu - that much of the snow would have melted. Maybe around Lobuche there may be some snow, but chances are with some good spring sunshine it will melt by then.

On Everest itself I would imagine a good snow covering this year, which should be of assistance to those on the mountain this Spring.

Hope this is useful,
Gavin

Sleeping bag liner

Visitor — Tue, 03/20/2007 - 04:05

Hi Gavin,

This is Tim - one of Paul's brothers. Good luck with your expedition - I will be following closely.

I am accompanying Paul on the trek into base camp. I need to pick up some gear in Kathmandu before the trek. Do you know if sleeping bag liners (silk) can be purchased in Katmandu?

Thanks in advance & best wishes,
Tim.

Sleeping bag liners

Visitor — Wed, 03/21/2007 - 14:15

Hi Tim,
Good to hear from you. You must be getting excited for your trek into base camp.

I arrived in Kathmandu from Darjeeling yesterday with my group. It is very pleasant here during the days. There has been a lot of snow fall this winter throughout Nepal, so I am predicting that you will encounter snow before base camp, maybe around Lobuche - who knows, maybe earlier.

In terms of liners, you should be able to get a silk liner from Shonas - a well known gear store in Kathmandu. Personally, I have always gone for a cotton liner, and have been using one I bought from Paddy Pallin for years. Cotton or fleece liners are widely available here.

Something else you might like to consider is bringing both a closed cell foam pad as well as a thermarest for your time at base camp. The two together really help to keep you both warm and comfortable. The foam pad does the insulation next to the ground, the thermarest provides the comfort on top of the foam pad. Try it out, you won't be disappointed!

Send me a note when you arrive here.

Cheers
Gavin