Post Summit Update - down climb

May 19,21:00hrs NPT - SUMMIT UPDATE.... KEVIN & LHOTSE NEXT......

Team arrived back at the South Col at 16:00hrs, they are resting, tired but in good shape. Sean arrived at the Col at 12:00n so he headed down and is already at Camp 2. 

Tomorrow at 08:00hrs (May 20) the team is planning on climbing all the way down to Camp 2, they should be there around 14:00hrs, stay the night and (May21) morning early, they will be back at base camp, debrief, wrap and wine tasting. 

Kevin Farebrother will depart from the South Col tomorrow to Camp 4 on Lhotse, summit bid the next day (May 21), climb down to Camp 2 and be at base camp on the 22nd. Kevin will be accompanied by Tashi Sherpa and SPOT. 

Peak Freaks will be pulling out of EBC on May 23rd.   Thank you everyone for all of your support this far, we still have some mountain left. 

What's next?  Everest Training- Triple Crown 2013 is now full and bookings for Everest 2014  are next.

Right after Everest Marty Schmidt is off to Broad Peak (12th highest in the world), if all goes well and it feels right, he will head over for the Abruzzie Ridge on K2, along with good friend from Australia, Chris Warner.

Over and out.. Tim Rippel

www.peakfreaks.com

ENTIRE TEAM SUMMITS

May 19, 2013 - ENTIRE TEAM SUMMITS!

1. Sean Mooney- Canada/Ireland  05:39hrs 
2. Pho Temba Sherpa- Nepal 05:30hrs
3. Marty Schmidt-New Zealand 09:10hrs
4. Kevin Farebrother- Australia 09:10hrs -  with oxygen in the end, amazing effort with smart choice!!! 
5. Patrick McKibben- Canada/Ireland - possibly the youngest Irish to summit at 24 years old.
6. Palden Namge Sherpa- Phortse 09:10hrs  (8 x summits)
7. Sange Phuru Sherpa- Khotang 09:10hrs (2 x summits)
8. Lee Den Hond- South Africa "Third" South African woman to summit
9. Chhiring Namgal Sherpa- Khumjung 09:10hrs - (3 x summits)
10. Dr. Murad Lala - Mombia, India - 09:10hrs
11. Mingmar Shepa Salka - Okhal Dunga - 09:10hrs - (6 x summits)
12. Chhong Karma Sherpa- Tingla - 09:10hrs- (4 x summits)
13. Fur Tempba Sherpa- Phortse - 09:10hrs - (2 x summits)
14. Tashi Tundu Sherpa- Khumjung - 09:10hrs - (9 x summits)

Mountain Conditions:  Busy but fantastic weather. Tim says it's breezy at base camp but calm on the summit with beautiful warm sunshine. Cameras are clicking away and then the home stretch begins shortly. 

It could take anywhere from 4 to 5 hours to reach the South Col depending on how busy the route is. Marty says the team is all super super strong. 

They have the option to stop and sleep at C4 or C3 if they want to. Peak Freaks keeps these camps stocked with oxygen and food till everyone is off the mountain. 

We have a rescue team of Sherpas sitting at Camp 3 keeping Camp 4 open for our team and to be available in the event of a rescue. After our team climbs down from Camp 4 to 3 our Sherpas move up and tear down Camp 4, following our members all the way down the mountain till everyone reaches base camp.

It's been a nice and easy climb this year with good climbers. We are very proud of everyone, their eagerness to learn, stay motivate and be a solid team and....... Marty Schmidt ROCKS!!!   

Marty will call in again at the balcony to let us know how everyone is doing. 

Tim, Becky & Marty and our entire Sherpa community and crew.

www.peakfreaks.com

SPOT Tracking, Hillary Step, Weather update

Kevin Farebrother and Tashi Sherpa are tracking to the summit live now: http://peakfreaks.com/spot.htm

07:30hrs NPT:  Marty, Lee and Murad are currently climbing at the Hillary Step, there is about a 15 minute line-up, no big deal, everyone is working through it just fine. 

There are a lot of people about to top out right now. The weather is beautiful, cloudy on the north side, bluebird on the south and next to no wind. 

Lee, Murad, Marty should be on the summit in about 1 hour and Patrick and Kevin in about 2 hours. They are just below the south summit. 

Looking good!

www.peakfreaks.com

Peak Freaks Summits 05:39hrs NPT

WE HAVE SUMMITS!!!!

05:39hrs Sean Mooney and Pho Temba Sherpa were the first to summit. The others are following close behind.  Happy !!!!!     Remember to help his charity he supports if you can: http://righttoplay.com    Congratulations Sean and Pho Temba- you guys were fast.

Team has reached the balcony 8500m

May 19, 01:50hrs NPT  Team has reached the balcony 8500m

Marty, Murad and Lee at the balcony 8500m, Kevin, Sean and Patrick are one hour behind them due their opted later start. If all works to plan they should meet on the summit together which is a great joy for such a tight team.

Next check in will be in about 3 hours from the South Summit.  Everything is going really well, no problems on the route whatsoever, everyone is moving at a good pace.

Tim 

Surprise for the team when they return

Tim checks in with me "hey Becky, a case of wine arrived at camp today- do you know anything about it?"

I ask him to not say anything to the team but you are expecting a special visit from one of only 300 Wine Masters of the world- James Cluer.  James will be doing a tasting of wine at base camp to see how altitude effects the tasting of wines, as he consults on buying to Qatar, the best airline in the world.

James is now in the valley and expected to be in camp the same night the team arrives back in EBC. He has timed his arrival perfectly. www.finevintagewines.com 

Tim in his youth used to pick grapes at a vineyard at his hometown in the Okanagan Valley in Canada to be able to afford gas for his dirt bike and buy climbing equipment so they'll for sure enjoy some good conversations on the topic of grapes.

Becky

Final summit push is on!

May 18, 20:00hrs (NPT)  FINAL SUMMIT PUSH IS ON

The team reported having a very good rest during their C4 stay, are in good shape and on their way to the summit. Murad and Lee pulled out of camp with their personal Sherpas at 19:00hrs NPT, Sean, Patrick and Kevin pulled out at around 20:00hrs NPT.  Marty will call when they reach the balcony at around 02:00hrs. 

SPOT is on for both waves, Lee and Kevin are both being tracked. 

Yesterday's summit went well, no big lines, no incidents, two ropes in place one up and one down have been placed at the Hillary Step as planned to help with passing climbers that can often create congestion. 

Low to no wind at all on the mountain as predicted. Blue skies today with fog at base camp.

The team is doing really well and we'll report back here again throughout this journey to top and back. 

Over and out... Tim

www.peakfreaks.com

South Col (7986m-26,201ft) doing great!

May 17, 21:00hrs (NPT) South Col (7986m -26,201ft) 

That's where the team is resting peacefully tonight and did fantastic today, I'm proud of them. It was breezy earlier in the evening as we knew it would be and now it's calm. Tomorrow will probably be the longest day of their lives, though the summit push physically will be the longest day for them the mental part of climbing Everest begins here. They slumber and twiddle with anything that's twiddleable while waiting for the passing of the next set of pages of Warpworld. The book is now broken into 6 pieces and is being passed from tent to tent. 

Meet climber Lee Den Hond:

Lee's climb is being followed by thousands in South Africa (her home) thanks to the support of the television company Carte Blanche "Making a Difference" Everest campaign. For Lee her climb has two purposes: to summit the highest mountain in the world, becoming the third South African woman to do so, and to raise awareness for the mountains that so many children must climb daily South Africa, in looking after their siblings as the guardians of child-headed households. 

Most of us have seen the outcry for help on our TV's at home and sometimes become immune to these ads for help. Lee is hoping to bring awareness from a higher level. These child-headed households are entirely dependent on social grants, charities and the kindness of communities. While no-one can replace the love and guidance of a parent or caregiver, these households (over 150,000 of them) desperately need food, clothes, money, shelter and education. 

To learn more on how you can help and make a difference we encourage you to go to this page, have a read and we invite you to help if you can.  http://everest013.org.za

Photo: Tim, Lee, her support network and Carte Blanche production crew in the Khumbu.

Everyone is taking this time out to reflect, lay low and save our energy for the nights to come. 

Over and out... Tim

Carte Blanche production team was also responsible for the creation of our "Base Camp Harlem Shake" that was apparently received well in South Africa. 

Here's a good look at the glacier... 16 minutes of it!!!!  that's a lot of fuel.