Dear Fellow Climbers and Trekkers, We are sending you this email because you
have asked previously about our trekking and climbing programs. Please be
sure to tell all of your friends about what we are trying to do. Thank You
Very Much.
This is Daniel Mazur writing to you on behalf of everyone at
http://www.SummitClimb.com and http://www.HimalayaTrek.com . I hope that
your winter has been going well. What have you been doing? Are you keeping
fit? I have been traveling around Britain, Europe, and North America,
showing videos and slides about the Himalaya, in aid of charities assisting
the poor families living around Mt. Everest who need help to help themselves
build schools, hospitals, and conducting environmental preservation
projects. Along the way, I have been enjoying meeting many of you. Thank you
very much for your kindness and attending the presentations. You can view
our lecture schedule at: http://summitclimb.com/lectures.htm .
Our November service trek was a grand success. We trekked to the edge of
Mount Everest National Park, to an extremely poor village far from the
tourist track, and delivered medicines and helped local people help
themselves by inspecting a new health clinic the villagers had just built,
along with a water system that needed to be repaired. We also learned about
their dreams for a new school, with a playground, and were fascinated to
learn how they are trying to manage their land and resources, with the most
primitive of means, where there are no roads, no electricity and no
telephone lines, and the nearest health care was, until this year, a 4 day
walk. The local people were warm and friendly to us and they had obviously
been working very hard to accomplish these tasks with so little. We felt
welcomed by these people who have almost nothing but their own kindness to
give. Scenicly speaking, it was a rather beautiful walk through fragrant
hills with stunning views of Everest and we never saw another tourist the
entire time. We plan to return in June, if you would like to join us:
http://summitclimb.com/service_trek_nepal.htm
We are organizing and will be leading our 2005 climbing and trekking
programmes. By the way, one of our leaders, Daniel Mazur, has organized and
led fourteen 8000 metre expeditions, summitted seven 8000 metre peaks
(including Everest and K2), and climbed more than 22 Himalayan summits since
his first visit to Tibet in 1986. A 1st May, 2003 Climbing Magazine featured
article detailed Daniel’s experience.
We are excited about our new leader training programme, where we have been
trying to give back to the mountaineering community by working with aspiring
guides, to help them become qualified high altitude expedition leaders. You
can read more about it at: http://summitclimb.com/leaders_in_training.htm
THE DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION FOR OUR 2005 CLIMBING AND TREKKING PROGRAMMES
HAS ARRIVED. Now is the time for your decision. If you are unable
to attend this year, you will be missed, but please remember that you may
join us in 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well.
IT IS NOW TIME TO REGISTER FOR OUR CURRENT PROGRAMS:
*** FULL-SERVICE AND BASIC CLIMBS
PUMORI, “Nepal’s Climb-able” 7000 Metre Peak, Next to Everest: 1 March to 1
April (32 days). Cost from: $1750(dollars), £850(pounds), €1250(euros). Our
2004 climb put 8 members and 5 sherpas on the top. Jay Reilly and Daniel
Mazur will be leading again this year. 9 people are signed up and a few
places are left for 2005. http://summitclimb.com/pumori.htm
EVEREST – NEPAL The original first-ascent route. 4 April to 6 June (64
days). Cost from: $14500, £7500, €10500. 2004 climb put 9 members and 16
sherpas safely on the summit. Daniel Mazur will be leading again this year.
6 people are signed up and a few places are left for 2005.
http://summitclimb.com/everestnepal.htm
EVEREST – TIBET, The most coveted peak. 4 April to 6 June (64 days). Cost
from: $6950, £3550, €5050. 2004 climb put 9 members and 16 sherpas safely on
the summit. Ryan Waters and Arnold Coster will be leading again this year. 7
people are signed up and a few places are left for 2005.
http://summitclimb.com/everesttibet.htm
LHOTSE, the world’s 4th highest peak, climbed from the same route as
Everest-Nepal. 4 April to 6 June (64 days). Cost from: $2950, £1550, €2150.
Our last expedition placed four members on the summit in all safety. Daniel
Mazur leading again this year, with Shane Edmonds assisting. 8 people are
signed up and a few places are left for 2005.
http://summitclimb.com/lhotse.htm
MUSTAGATA – World’s easiest 7500 metre peak. 1 July to 23 July (23 days).
Cost from: $1690, £850, €1250. Our 2004 expedition put 5 members and three
sherpas on the summit. Jon Christian Otto will be leading again this year. 4
people are signed up and a few places are left for 2005.
http://summitclimb.com/mustagh_ata.htm
CHO OYU – 6th Highest, and one of the easiest 8000ers. 17 April-1 June, 4
September to 10 October (37 Days). Cost from: $5250, £2750, €3850. 9 members
and 4 Sherpas safely summitted in 2004. Arnold Coster will be leading our
climb again in 2005. 4 people are signed up and a few places are left for
2005. http://summitclimb.com/cho_oyu.htm
AMA-DABLAM, Asia’s Famous Rock – Snow – Ice Climb, “Easy-Technical”. 1 May
to 1 June and 1 October to 1 November (32 Days). Cost from: $1450, £750,
€1050. 28 members reached the summit safely in 2004. Jay Reilly and Daniel
Mazur will be leading again this year. 6 people are signed up, with room for
a few more. http://summitclimb.com/amadablam.htm
TIBET 7000 Metre Peaks – Easier: “Nojintangla” 9 April to 8 May, or 10
September to 9 October (30 days). Cost from: $3650, £1850, €2750.
http://summitclimb.com/nojintangladyoc.htm
*** TREKKING AND TOURS
NEPAL EVEREST TREK 1 to 18 March, 4 to 21 April, 1 to 18 May, 1 to 18
October (18 Days). Full Service Cost: $1450, £750, €1050, Includes return
round-trip domestic flights, cook, food, porters, guide, and everything for
your trek, even a multi-day visit to basecamp and a climb to 5545 metre Kala
Patar. We had three fun, relaxing and beautiful treks in 2004. Leaders:
Daniel Mazur and Ms. Elselien te Hennepe. 4 people are signed up, with room
for a few more. http://summitclimb.com/everest_trek_nepal.htm
TIBET OVERLAND TOUR TO EVEREST BASECAMP AND ANCIENT LHASA 3 April to 14
April, 1 May to 12 May , 9 October to 20 October (12 Days). Full Service
Cost: $2450, £1250, €1850. Price includes flight over the summit of Everest.
This will be our 14th Tibet Overland Trip!
http://summitclimb.com/tibettour.htm
SERVICE TREK TO REMOTE NEPAL, NEAR EVEREST NATIONAL PARK 2 June to 11 June
(9 Days). Full Service Cost: $690, £350, €490. Price includes
return/round-trip domestic flights. Our 2004 service trek was very rewarding
and fun. Leader: Daniel Mazur. http://summitclimb.com/service_trek_nepal.htm
MOUNT KAILASH TREK 21 days in Tibet, 4 April to 25 April, 1 October to 21
October. Basic Cost From: $1550, £750, €1150. A few places are left for our
2005 trek. http://summitclimb.com/mtkailash.htm
PLEASE BE SURE AND READ THIS EMAIL TO THE END AND UNDERSTAND IT FULLY. THANK
YOU.
Please ask as many questions as possible, so that we may understand one
another’s expectations. Informed team members achieve higher levels of
performance with greater satisfaction, and are better and safer “team
players”.
1. THE THREE GOALS for our expeditions and treks are:
a. Safety;
b. Fun, Friendship, and Teamwork;
c. Achieving our goals, getting to the top, and returning safely.
2. Would you like to speak with members who have been with us in the past
and are going again? Please study these links for further information:
http://summitclimb.com/prior_members_for_world.htm
or
http://summitclimb.com/prior_members_for_usa.htm
3. NOW is the time for the completion of your payment, and for posting of
all paperwork, if you have not done so already, for the following trips:
a. PUMORI: http://summitclimb.com/pumori.htm . Our last expedition put 8
members and 5 sherpas on the summit in all safety. Pumori is one of our all
time favourites. Although Pumori looks reminiscent of a small version of K2,
it is known as the easiest 7000 peak in Nepal. Its just across the valley
from Everest, so you will enjoy stunning all day views of the Western Cwm,
Lhotse-face, and South Col and summit of Everest. The climbing is
challenging but not too difficult. There is some rock scree walking, snow
couloirs, and a couple ice steps less than 5 metres high. We fixed rope all
the way to the summit this spring. The route is very safe in March, when the
weather is generally quite stable, and in five years of climbing the
mountain, we have never seen another team climbing the mountain at the same
time! Climbing Pumori could qualify you for Everest. Full Service Cost:
$4950, £2550, €3650; Basic Climb Cost: $1750, £850, €1250. The leaders are
Daniel Mazur (3 times Pumori summit), and Jay Reilly (2 times Pumori
summit). We have 6 sherpas, 3 cooks, 20 high-altitude tents, one tent for
each member in basecamp, 20 stoves, 200 canisters of cooking gas, 5
walkie-talkie radios, all medical equipment, 1000 metres of rope, 400 kilos
of food, and everything required. Currently, 9 people have signed on, and
the trip is going forward 100 percent as planned.
b. EVEREST: We are just finalising our plans for Everest 2005. We are doing
two expeditions to Everest in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Here are the sites:
http://summitclimb.com/everestnepal.htm
http://summitclimb.com/everesttibet.htm
Regarding Everest 2005, one trip has six people signed, and the other seven,
so we are 100 percent committed on both sides of Everst, with one expedition
from from Nepal and the other from Tibet. Our last expedition, May 2004, put
9 members and 16 Sherpas on the summit in all safety. The leader of the
Nepal expedition will be Daniel Mazur, who has summitted from that side
before. The leaders of the Tibet expedition will be Ryan Waters and Arnold
Coster. Both have led expeditions to the summit from that side before. On
both sides, we will have full support with high-quality leadership,
experienced climbing sherpas who have summitted from that side multiple
times, excellent equipment and provisions at altitude, in basecamp, and on
trek, top level experienced cooks and a full-service trek to basecamp. We
now include an individual tent for each climber in basecamp. We hope you
join us, and if you will, then now is the time to register for the trip.
Nepal Full Service Cost: $29500, £15500, €21500; Basic Climb Cost: $14500,
£7500, €10500. Tibet Full Service Cost: $19950, £10450, €14500; Basic Climb
Cost: $6950, £3550, €5050. We have 14 sherpas, 8 cooks, 200 bottles of
oxygen, 80 high-altitude tents, 40 basecamp tents, 80 stoves, 1000 canisters
of cooking gas, 20 walkie-talkie radios, all medical equipment, 2000 metres
of rope, 1800 kilos of food, and everything required. The trips are going
forward 100 percent as planned.
c. LHOTSE is the 4th highest mountain in the world, and lies on the shoulder
of Everest. Here is the site: http://summitclimb.com/lhotse.htm . Full
Service Cost: $7950, £3950, €5950; Basic Climb Cost: $2950, £1550, €2150. We
hope you will consider joining us. The route follows the Everest route up to
camp 3. The climb is an exciting mixture of snow and ice with a wee bit of
rock up high. We will fix ropes and have climbing Sherpas for the group.
Daniel Mazur, will be leading the climb in April and May. Last time he
climbed Lhotse it was very fun, 5 people made it to the top and back down in
all safety, and the route was in excellent condition. We hope you will
consider joining our Lhotse team. We have 5 sherpas, 2 cooks, 20
high-altitude tents, 16 basecamp tents, 22 stoves, 300 canisters of cooking
gas, 10 walkie-talkie radios, all medical equipment, 1000 metres of rope,
900 kilos of food, and everything required. There are now eight people
signed up, so the trip is going forward 100 percent as planned.
d. CHO OYU: http://summitclimb.com/cho_oyu.htm . We have a Cho Oyu
expedition twice each year, once in April-May, and again in
September-October. We have just added a new Cho Oyu expedition, from 17
April to 1 June. Full Service Cost: $7950, £3950, €5950; Basic Climb Cost:
$5250, £2750, €3850. It takes a little more than a month to climb Cho Oyu,
the sixth highest mountain in the world, and what is considered to be the
most accessible of our world’s fourteen 8000 metre mountains. Cho Oyu is
very high, but not so difficult. It is basically a non-technical snow climb,
except for one 5 metre ice step, and another 3 metre rock step. Ropes are
fixed on these. The leader is Arnold Coster, who lead our succesful 2004
expedition, with 9 of 11 members and 3 Sherpas reaching the summit in all
safety. From the summit of Cho Oyu, you can gaze at Everest, Pumori, and the
entire Khumbu Valley. A big benefit of our Cho Oyu expedition is the
opportunity to travel through exotic Tibet and experience the medieval
conditions of this out of the way corner of the Himalaya. Climbing Cho Oyu
qualifes you for Everest. We have 4 sherpas, 2 cooks, 20 high-altitude
tents, 16 basecamp tents, 22 stoves, 300 canisters of cooking gas, 10
walkie-talkie radios, all medical equipment, 300 metres of rope, 400 kilos
of food, and everything required. There are now four people signed up, so
the trip is going forward 100 percent as planned.
e. MUSTAGATA: http://summitclimb.com/mustagh_ata.htm . We have had a lot of
success on the peak. Our last expedition (July 2004) put 5 members and 2
sherpas on the summit in total safety. Full Service Cost: $3450, £1750,
€2550; Basic Climb Cost: $1690, £850, €1250. July is the best time to
climb, as its not so snowy as in June and not so icy as in August. Its a
very high mountain, but known as the easiest 7500 metre peak in the world.
For such a high mountain, it is very safe. The average slope angle is
between 10 and 20 degrees. Its not a technical mountain. Its mostly a snow
climb, with a few crevasses. We travel roped together, just in case. July is
the best month to climb the peak. Everyone on our team is either on
snowshoes or skiis, for additional safety. Its a great way to test your
ability to cope with high altitude in a relatively short period of time. The
leader is Jon Otto. He has been on top of Mustagata 5 times. He is a very
accomplished leader, a real gentleman and a strong climber. Its a fantastic
bonus that he speaks fluent Chinese. Climbing Mustagata could qualify you
for Everest. We have 4 sherpas, 2 cooks, 20 high-altitude tents, 16 basecamp
tents, 22 stoves, 200 canisters of cooking gas, 10 walkie-talkie radios, all
medical equipment, 200 metres of rope, 400 kilos of food, and everything
required. 4 people are signed up and the trip is going forward 100 percent
as planned.
f. AMA DABLAM: Our Ama Dablam expedition twice each year, in May and October
is one of our favorites. Daniel Mazur and Jay Reilly will be leading the
expedition and climbing together with you. Both of them have summitted the
mountain many times before and know it intimately. Here is the website:
http://summitclimb.com/amadablam.htm . Full Service Cost: $4450, £2350,
€3350; Basic Climb Cost: $1450, £750, €1050. Our last expedition placed 15
members on the summit, with 5 sherpas, in 100% safety. Ama Dablam is known
as the most famous rock, ice and snow climb in all Asia. At 6800 metres, it
is considered a technical peak, but not difficult. The hardest move is a 3
metre section of British Severe, French 5, or US 5.6 . The rest of the climb
is barely technical, but there are incredible views of Everest, Cho Oyu,
Makalu and many others. We fix top quality safety rope from camp 1 to the
summit. Up to camp 2, you can enjoy wonderful solid granite rock climbing,
and then put on your plastic boots for some very exciting and beautiful
mixed snow and ice climbing. The view of Everest from the summit is
unforgettable. Ama Dablam has the unique benefit of a warm and relaxing
grassy basecamp inside Everest National Park, with wild animals, birds, and
a pristine environment. Climbing Ama Dablam could qualify you for Everest.
We have 6 sherpas, 3 cooks, 25 high-altitude tents, 19 basecamp tents, 27
stoves, 300 canisters of cooking gas, 10 walkie-talkie radios, all medical
equipment, 2000 metres of rope, 1100 kilos of food, and everything required.
There are 6 people signed up, so the trip is going forward 100 percent as
planned.
*** TREKS
g. EVEREST BASECAMP: Would you like to join us on this amazing trek? Here is
the website: http://summitclimb.com/everest_trek_nepal.htm . Its a kind of
mountain paradise trek along well built and basically snow-free trails,
through beautiful mountains with rhododendron forests, icy peaks, potatoe
fields, and tiny terraced villages. Full Service Cost: $1450, £750, €1050.
The trek leaders are Ms. Elselien te Hennepe and Daniel Mazur. We will be
going on the March, April, and October Treks with you, and will look forward
to walking to basecamp with you, and if you feel well enough, seeing you a
little higher up the mountain, maybe even up at the “advanced” basecamp.
Here are the available dates: 1st to 18 March, 4 to 21 April, 1st to 18
October (18 Days in Nepal) 2005. We usually have 6 people in a group, and it
could be a few less or a few more. All of our treks are going forward 100
percent as planned.
h. SERVICE TREK TO HELP THE POOR HIMALAYAN FAMILIES TO HELP THEMSELVES:
Please keep in mind our Service Trek to the just born health clinic in
Patale Village in the hills near Everest, an economically poor but
environmentally and culturally beautiful Sherpa and buddhist tribal region
not far from Mount Everest National Park. Full Service Cost: $690, £350,
€490. The price includes return/round-trip domestic flights. You would be
welcome to join, and the dates of our service trek are 4-10 June, 2005. The
leader of our service trek is Daniel Mazur. Here is the website:
http://summitclimb.com/service_trek_nepal.htm . We will be visiting the
remote clinic (2-3 days walk from any airport or road) and delivering needed
medicines to this seldom visited area which lies at an elevation of around
2000 metres, 6500 feet in forested and grassy green slopes between clear
flowing streams. It will be a chance to walk the rugged hills during warm
pleasant weather and meet the lovely local Sherpa families, who are always
so welcoming to us as they see so few foreigners during their isolated
lives. Our last service trek was a smashing success.
i. KAILASH: We offer it during the spring, early summer, and autumn. Here is
the website: http://summitclimb.com/mtkailash.htm . Basic Cost From: $1550,
£750, €1150. This trip allows a sampling of two of the most exotic Buddhist
cultures in the world, surrounded by the Himalaya, and crowned by Mt.
Everest, our planet’s highest summit. Mt. Kailash is the most sacred, to
both the Buddhist as well as Hindu peoples. Our journey visits the ancient
city of Kathmandu, then sets off into the hinterlands of the high Himalaya,
skirting under Mt. Everest, onto the barren heights of the Tibetan plateau,
where we encounter revered Mt. Kailash, the holiest of all summits,
monolithically set next to crystal blue Manasarovar Lake. Our trek follows
the pilgrim’s ancient footsteps around the mountain, where a three-day
“Kora” trek is reputed to forgive a lifetime of sin. The Basic Cost includes
a self-guided trek, which includes driving from Kathmandu to and from
Kailash, as well as the three day self-guided “Kora” trek around Kailash
itself.
4. The following discounts apply to your membership: You may combine these
discounts for LARGE SAVINGS:
a. 5% for returning members;
b. 5% for groups of 2-3 people, 10% for 4-8 people, 15% for 9 or more;
c. 5% cash “referral-fee” for telling your friends, and larger commissions
for recommending a group, or multiple referrals in the same calendar year;
d. 5% trip-combination discounts. For example, climb Pumori, then climb
Everest, and receive a 5% discount on both.
e. 10% Physician’s discount.
5. Please print out the application forms at:
http://summitclimb.com/registration_forms_for_world.htm
or
http://summitclimb.com/registration_forms_for_usa.htm
and send them in with your payment immediately to the address listed on the
forms. Thank you.
6. We need the following information from you now. We use this information
to obtain the permit, and it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK THE LIST BELOW
CAREFULLY and make sure that we receive any missing items immediately. DELAY
IN RECEIPT OF ITEMS MAY RESULT IN THE DELAY OF YOUR DEPARTURE FROM
KATHMANDU!
[ ] Signed Participant Release and Acknowledgement of Risk,
[ ] Signed Terms and Conditions of Booking,
[ ] Signed Conditions of Climbing Expeditions, Treks and Tours,
[ ] Signed Medical Form,
[ ] 2 Passport-Sized Photos (name printed on back side),
[ ] Exact photocopy of passport identification pages,
[ ] Exact photocopy of complete flight itinerary,
[ ] Proof of mountain rescue and repatriation insurance,
[ ] Proof of travel, accident, and repatriation insurance (cancellation
insurance is advised).
If you are not sure if your file contains this information, please email us.
7. We need you to inform us of your exact flight arrival, so that our staff
can personally meet your flight at the Kathmandu airport. Do we have your
exact arrival (and departure) information, including: airline, flight
number, arrival date, arrival time, coming from where? If you have sent the
above, thank you very much. When you leave the airport, please slowly and
carefully look for the sign bearing your name (usually your last, or
surname, but occasionally your first, or given name). In case we miss you,
please take a 200-300 rupee taxi to the hotel. We were able to meet all of
our team members in October of 2003.
If you still need to book your flight, please be sure not to arrive after
the published starting date of the expedition nor to depart before the
published ending date of the expedition. Here is more information about
flights: http://summitclimb.com/faq.htm#international%20flight
8. All members are requested to be present on the first day of our
expedition, if possible, as we do quite a bit of intensive orientation and
training
before setting off for the mountains.
9. Our hotel is:
Hotel Nepa International
Jyatha Kantipath, Near Thamel
Kathmandu Nepal
tel: 9771-4251368, 4251369
fax: 9771-4256306
web: http://www.hotelnepaintl.com/
Manager/Owner: Bidya Sagar Tuladhar
The hotel costs $20, £11.50, €16.50 for a single and $30, £17.50, €25.00 for
a double, when you are staying as part of our team. These prices include
breakfast. If you would prefer not to have it, please take away $5, £3.00,
€4.00. They accept credit cards, with a surcharge. It is a good quality
clean, hot water hotel in a central neighborhood, near many tasty
restaurants, and excellent mountain equipment and gift shopping. Hotels and
food in Kathmandu only, but not out on the road, trek, or expedition, are
your responsibility.
10. Our agent is:
Mr. Murari Sharma
Parivar Trekking (inside Nepa Hotel):
Jyatha Kantipath, Near Thamel
Kathamndu, Nepal
office tel: 9771-4249825, 4248813
residence tel: 9771-4418210, 4428110
fax: 9771-4249835
mobile: 98102-3985
email: parivar@htp.com.np
Manager/Owner: Murari Sharma
PLEASE PRINT OUT ITEMS 9. AND 10. AND CARRY THEM WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES
(ESPECIALLY ON ARRIVAL) IN CASE YOU BECOME LOST.
11. Do you have your proof of travel and mountain rescue insurances?
Remember, you need to be covered for all mishaps, including both in town,
enroute, and during climbing. If you have sent the above, thank you very
much. If you can’t buy insurance in your country, you can use a credit card
authority letter, to be completed in Kathmandu. Please read more about
insurance at: http://summitclimb.com/faq.htm#insurance
12. We need the name and contact details of an emergency contact person who
is available 24 hours a day, speaks english, and is able to wire funds to
Nepal on your behalf, up to $3000, on immediate notice. This is in case you
are injured and require a helicopter rescue (only available in Nepal, not
available in Tibet, where rescue is via yak and jeep). They never start the
rescue until they have your money, and we are unable to pay for any rescue
on your behalf. The above mentioned insurance is necessary and also
required, but insurance companies are slow in paying claims, and we can’t
have you lying on the mountainside, awaiting the helicopter rescue flight
while your insurance company investigates the claim. We will ask you to
provide this information on a form in Kathmandu, and be sure to carry the
necessary information with you. Thank you.
13. We will require you to complete a credit card authority letter, and
attach your credit card. You may view this letter for your reference at:
http://summitclimb.com/authority_letter_for_rescue.htm . This will be taken
care of at our office in Kathmandu, and we have never had a problem
with this in the past.
14. Please bring all of your personal paperwork, including your original
proof of insurance, at least two extra photos, etcetera.
15. Regarding gratuities (tips). Our staff are among the best, because they
can count on receiving gratuities for a job well done at the end of each
expedition. It is a matter of pride for them. For a 2 week or less
expedition or trek, the individual team member’s tip contribution is $50,
£29, €42. For a 4 week expedition or trek, the individual tip contribution
is $100, £58, €84. For 6 weeks, the contribution is $150, £87, €126. For 8
weeks, $200, £116, €168. For 10 weeks, $250, £145, €210. We will “pool”
these tips together and then, as a group, we will vote on the distribution
of the gratuities to the individual staff. This method has seemed to be the
fairest and has worked very well in the past.
Regarding other gifts you may wish to provide: Do you have extra mountain
equipment, clothing, and shoes/boots? Older equipment, shoes, and clothing
are fine. We encourage you to bring any extras for our staff. Please
remember that Sherpa people come in all sizes (from extra small to extra
large), and would appreciate any rucksacks, old harnesses, helmets, iceaxes,
warm clothing, goretex and fleece, pile, down, and duvet clothing, windproof
clothing, and any kind of out-of-door shoes and boots, including trekking,
climbing, running, etc.. Children’s and Women’s clothing is also needed.
Thanks for helping and being so very thoughtful.
16. All basecamp and trek meals (3 per day) are included in our full-service
expeditions. We provide more than enough food and cooking fuel for three
meals per day on the high mountain. However, we ask each member to provide
their own daily-snacks and a few freeze dried meals. For each mountain, here
are the amounts of snacks and freeze dried meals we suggest you bring:
a. Pumori, Ama Dablam: 2-4 kilos of snacks and 2 freeze-dried dinners;
b. Cho-Oyu: 2-5 kilos of snacks and 3 freeze-dried dinners;
c. Everest, Lhotse: 3-6 kilos of snacks and 5 freeze-dried dinners;
Please remember to bring your daily snack-energy mountain food for each day
we are on the mountain. This food would be the chocolate bars, power bars,
sweets, nuts, etc.. More and more items are available in Kathmandu, but
choice may be limited. In October of 2003, a wide variety of imported
sweeets, snacks, and chocolates were available, with quality brands such as
Cadbury, Lindt and Cafe d’Or in abundance. The prices were not bad. There
were many kinds of local snacks and powerbars available, but they still do
not import foreign power bars, “GU”, etcetera. If you like imported cheeses,
tinned meats, and other specialty foods, please bring them.
FOR AN EQUIPMENT LIST for trekking, climbing, and group equipment, please
see: http://summitclimb.com/equipment.htm
17. Regarding shoes, please wear plastic double boots or “One-Sport Everest
Millet” boots high on the mountain and sturdy-leather boots for trekking and
rock scrambling to camp 1. The daily boot choice of course depends on what
type of weather and snowfall we encounter. People who have tried to wear
leather or single boots to the summit have suffered frostbite. Not
recommended, and, in fact, we may disqualify you from the trip if you are
planning to climb in only leather or single boots. Frostbite is not an
option on our expeditions.
18. Regarding mattresses, above basecamp, we do not recommend anything you
have to inflate. These are a liability with all of the sharp iceaxes,
crampons, and rocks that we will encounter. I never saw one not puncture
when used above basecamp. A traditional closed cell foam non-inflatable
karimat mattress is preferred. These are available very inexpensively in
Kathmandu, so there is no need to bring one from home.
19. Please be sure to bring a “figure 8” for rapelling/abseiling. Modern
rock climbing descenders ie: “atc’s” do not work on fixed line, and are a
liability because they slow you and the team down considerably. It is hard
for some people to believe until they witness this personally, but we are
asking you to believe it now. Please go out and purchase a figure 8… You
may also purchase a figure 8 in Kathmandu.
20. Be sure you have a hooded duvet/down jacket, with an insulated hood for
Pumori and Ama Dablam (you might benefit from duvet/down trousers as well),
and a mandatory full down/duvet suit or trousers and jacket for Cho Oyu,
Everest and Lhotse. This is an essential piece of equipment. It is possible
to purchase an inexpensive one in Kathmandu (KTM). Trekkers will also need a
down/duvet jacket. It is also possible to hire a basic one in KTM
inexpensively.
21. Our climbing sherpas carry group equipment. They will not be carrying
your personal equipment. Each year, at least one of our team members decides
to hire their own personal sherpa. We encourage you to do so, especially if
you are not excited about climbing with a rucksack which is loaded with your
personal equipment and snack food. The cost will be from $500, £290, €420 up
to $5000, £2900, €4200, depending upon what level of support you require of
the sherpas, from assistance in carrying a few kilos, to being your personal
guide everyday on the mountain. We do have “famous” Sherpas available, and
they are at the higher cost bracket noted above. We now encourage members
who need a bit of extra assistance to hire a “quarter-of-a-sherpa”. For more
information, please visit our Sherpa website:
http://summitclimb.com/faq.htm#sherpas
22. We plan to have a satellite telephone in basecamp. Those wishing to use
it are required to post a $100, £58, €84 deposit, prior to departure from
Kathmandu. The cost is $4, £2.50, €3.50 per minute. Incoming calls are not
possible. If your usage exceeds the deposit amount, you will be required to
pay more cash in basecamp, or stop using the phone. Be sure to bring enough
$, £, or €. It is not possible to receive incoming calls.
23. We plan to have an email address in basecamp. Email is the least
expensive way to stay in touch with your loved ones and colleagues and
friends at home. Those wishing to use it are required to post a $50, £29,
€42 deposit, prior to departure from Kathmandu. The cost is $4, £2.50, €3.50
per minute of usage, and a small email normally takes about 30 seconds and
costs approximately $2, £1.25, €1.75 to send or receive. You will be charged
for your email usage, even if the email addresses you are sending to are not
working or incorrect. If your emails “bounce back” with an “undeliverable”
message, you will be paying for that as well, so please make sure you have
the person’s correct email address and that they are monitoring their
account (so you don’t have to pay for an “account full” message reply)
before you leave Kathmandu. It is neither possible to send nor receive large
emails. If your usage exceeds the deposit amount, you will be required to
pay more cash in basecamp, or stop using email. Be sure to bring enough $,
£, or €. It now seems that our basecamp email address will be:
summitclimb@earthlink.net PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN HANDING OUT OUR EMAIL ADDRESS
TO PEOPLE. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR EVERY SINGLE EMAIL RECIEVED AND SENT ON
YOUR BEHALF, EVEN IF IT IS UNINTENDED, OR SPAM, ETCETERA.
24. At this time, as it was during previous expeditions, it seems there will
be a website where your family, friends, colleagues, and sponsors at home
can watch the progress of our climb and trek. This website is a public
service from EverestNews.com . We are deeply grateful to George Martin and
the staff at EverestNews.com for providing this service and for supporting
the mountaineering community, their families, loved ones and friends. We
have traditionally asked all members to become involved and to write
“dispatches” or reports about the progress of our expedition. However, these
dispatches are only to be about your impressions of our climb and are
strictly for public viewing. Please don’t confuse them with personal email
to family, loved ones, friends and colleagues at home, for which you will be
personally paying. At the moment, our web address URLs for expedition news
are:
a. PUMORI: http://www.everestnews.com/Summitclimb2005/pumori2005.htm
b. EVEREST NEPAL:
http://www.everestnews.com/Summitclimb2005/everestnepal2005.htm
c. EVEREST TIBET:
http://www.everestnews.com/Summitclimb2005/everesttibet2005.htm
D. LHOTSE: http://www.everestnews.com/Summitclimb2005/lhotse2005.htm
25. Please remember to bring cash (at least $30, £17.50, €26 as of October,
2002) for the Nepal visa, as well as a passport photo, for purchasing the
visa at the Kathmandu airport. Please also bring $100, £58, €84 cash for
your Tibet visa. Please also bring cash for gratuities, for shopping,
drinks, etcetera. It is sometimes possible to use credit cards and cash
machines in KTM.
26. What have we forgotten? Please express yourself now, and communicate all
of your thoughts, questions, and ideas. It is very important that we build
another top team this year by working together, beginning today. We always
enjoy discussing our favorite subject: MOUNTAINS. Also, this kind of
conversation may help us to understand one another’s expectations. I am
looking forward to further discussion, to meeting, to climbing and trekking
together, and to seeing you feeling well on the trek, in basecamp, the upper
camps, on the summit, and on the way back down.
Thank you very much, Cheers for now and we look forward to climbing with you
soon, Yours Sincerely, from Daniel Mazur and all of us at
http://www.SummitClimb.com and http://www.HimalayaTrek.com
in the UK, Europe, Australia, South America, and Asia:
part of Himalaya Expedition
184 Bishop Road
Bristol, BS7 8NB
England
info@summitclimb.com
UK mobile: ++44 0 7810 375400 (late afternoons and early evenings please),
landline: 01179 087954
in the United States and North America:
part of Himalaya Incorporated
Box 123
Lakebay, WA
98349
info@summitclimb.com
360-570-0715
Please visit our website at http://www.SummitClimb.com ,
http://www.HimalayaTrek.com and THANKS FOR TELLING YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT WHAT
WE ARE TRYING TO DO.