Ama Dablam Expedition Summits Island Peak!

Con­grat­u­la­tions to Per and Tul­si for reach­ing the sum­mit of Island Peak! Per post­ed a report of their past week on Face­book. Next time we hear from them, they will be com­ing off the sum­mit of Ama Dablam. Let’s wish them luck and good weather!

Per jumar­ing on the ice cliff on the Chhukung Glac­i­er. Per Ost­berg photo

Tul­si fix­ing ropes on the 14 meter ice cliff on the Chhukung Glac­i­er. Per Ost­berg photo

Trekking in the Khum­bu with Ama Dablam in the back­ground. Per Ostberg

“After leav­ing the rel­a­tive com­fort of Ding­boche, we spent two days in Chhukung at 4730 meters. One day was spent climb­ing on the Chhukung Glac­i­er where Tul­si Gurung found a 14 meter ver­ti­cal ice cliff at 5280 meters. We scaled the cliff with axes, jumars, with and with­out back­packs, etc. Four hours of great fun! On the way back to the lodge, we had to once again strip down to our jocks and wade across the thigh deep Imja Riv­er which drains the glac­i­ers around Island Peak and sur­round­ing moun­tains. BRRRR!

Meet­ing with Lama. Per Ost­berg photo

On the way to Island Peak. Per Ost­berg photo

Tul­si on the sum­mit of Island Peak. Per Ost­berg photo

“After a day of well-deserved rest, we moved up to Island Peak’s Base Camp at 5070 meters. The camp was pret­ty busy with lots of groups attemp­ing the peak. After a break­fast of Chap­pati with choco­late and a cheese omelet, we moved up to high camp at 5400 meters in glo­ri­ous weath­er: sun­shine, light wind and not too cold.

Per’s tent at Island Peak Base Camp. Per Ost­berg photo

On the head­wall of Island Peak. Per Ost­berg photo

Per on the sum­mit!! Per Ost­berg photo

“We were wok­en up with hot tea at 1am, pitch dark out­side and a howl­ing wind — where did that come from?? What hap­pened to our still and clear nights? Dressed in warm clothes with all of our gear in our packs, we head­ed for the sum­mit at 2am. With our cram­pons on and onto the glac­i­er at 4am towards the ice slope that leads to the sum­mit ridge. By 6:20 am we were on Island Peak’s sum­mit at 6138 meters!! I felt like a beached whale but we man­aged a cou­ple of pic­tures before we head­ed down in the icy wind. We reached Ding­boche and the lux­u­ry of the Khum­bu Resort at 4:30 pm. 13.5 hours after we start­ed our sum­mit climb from high camp! A cou­ple of beers lat­er, i crashed in bed know­ing that a rest and wash­ing day waited!

Next up, Ama Dablam in the back­ground! Per Ost­berg photo

Anoth­er sum­mit shot. Per Ost­berg photo

Tul­si gear­ing up. Per Ost­berg photo

“Tomor­row we head up to Ama Dablam’s base camp for the final stage of this expe­di­tion which has so far been amaz­ing and very excit­ing! There is prob­a­bly no inter­net access there, so we will be on line again after our Ama Dablam sum­mit attempt!”

~ Per Ostberg

Prayer flags wav­ing in the wind in Somari. Per Ost­berg photo