7 days into our trek to Everest BC we are at our final night in
beds and indoors. Tomorrow we head to the first of our tent camps,
Lobuche BaseCamp at about 16,200 feet. We will spend a couple of
nights there before moving up to our true basecamp close to
PumoRi. The good news today was that our last heli of equipment,
along with the boss - Russell Brice - arrived in Syangboche and
will join us in camp in the next 3 days or so. Due to maintenance
issues and other contracts, all of the commercial helicopters have
been unavailable for the last week, so we have been a bit
concerned about this last load of 6000 lbs of food and gear. But
it is all in the valley now and headed up by yak.

Other than that these past days have been quiet - enjoying
stunning views of Ama Dablam (which Alpenglow guided last autumn
and will be back on this October), feeling our bodies adapting to
higher altitude, and enjoying being in the sherpa towns that dot
the Khumbu Valley. Today's other treats were hot showers and fresh
Peet's coffee! Ah, the simple pleasures!

Our next dispatch should be from Everest Basecamp in 3 days!

- Adrian Ballinger, Alpenglow Expeditions and Himalayan Experience