Final Post from MountainWaz Expedition Leader

Update July 5th, 2005:

Well, May 30, 2005 will be a day I’ll always remember: the day I stepped foot on the top of the world. My climbing partner and good friend, Gelzen Sherpa and I were fortunate to finally get a window of good weather during the night of May 29th and into the morning of May 30th. The two of us left Camp IV (located at over 26,000’ on the south col) at approx. 11:00pm. We were both using oxygen and felt strong as we started the climb. The night sky was mostly clear and I could see flashes of light in the distant sky, which I’m guessing were far away lightning storms. As the sun started to rise I was about 2 hrs below the South Summit and saw a killer view of Everest’s shadow cast on the mountains and valleys below. After passing the Hillary step we climbed another 45 minutes up a snow ramp to the true summit. I reached the summit at about 9:45am – just amazing! I took off my pack and oxygen mask and just took in the view. All the mountains that I had been staring up at were now below me, everything was below me, it was just an insane feeling to actually be standing on the highest point on this planet! A mast with a unique red basket looking thing on top of it is anchored to the narrow summit ridge marking the true summit. After taking a few pictures I noticed that it was nearly 20 minutes past 10am and clouds now covered the valleys below, and the wind was starting to pick-up. So Gelzen and I started down. Not more than a few steps off the summit I realized I was out of oxygen! Not to worry I had a second tank in my pack. So I took off my pack and while I was attaching the regulator to the new bottle I realized I set my pack down on a small patch of rocks – so I grabbed one and threw it in my pack. I never thought I’d have a favorite rock, but I do now!

The descent took about 5 hours down to Camp IV and the South Col. The weather steadily got worse as we went down, but we made it safely back to camp just after 3pm. Both Gelzen and I were very thirsty so I melted ice for water, guzzled it down and crashed out.
Over the next 2 days we climbed down to basecamp and I made my 6th and final trip over the ladders of the Khumbu Icefall. The next day (June 2nd) we packed up camp and walked away from the place that had been my home for the previous 6 weeks.

With all the publicity and opinions about climbing Mount Everest there is one thing that cannot be disputed – it is the highest point on the planet. Sure there are many routes on some of the world’s other great mountains that may be more challenging, in fact I’ve climbed many routes more technically challenging than the southeast ridge on Everest, but the view from the top of the world is second to none. Where else could you possible have a better view? There are 7 or 8 other 8,000M peaks right there near Everest and from the top you’re looking down on them all. It just blows you away!
It obviously was a great trip, great experience and fun to share my excitement with family, friends and co-workers. Everyone has been very supportive of my wife Dana and I, and we appreciate it. So what’s next? I’ve been asked that question quite a bit. Mountaineering is something I definitely have a passion for so I will continue to climb as much as time will allow here in the Pacific Northwest and for the next big trip/expedition… only time will tell.
“You can take the boy out of the Mountains, but you can’t take the Mountains out of the boy” ~Scott