Dear Laurel.
I hope you are well. Thank you very much for telling the Story of our 6400 metre, 21,000 foot high Mera Peak climb on your fantastic internet site: http://heroesforhumanity.blogspot.com/ .
Ian Toop, a friend of the group, who unfortunately could not join us, has made a special request that today's update and our Australian team's climb to the summit be dedicated to Sue Fear, the famous Australian climber, who passed away in a terrible climbing tragedy this summer.
Well, I am writing from 5000 metre, 16,400 foot high Kare (pronouncedKahr-ahy). Its currently 3:30 pm, cloudy and snowing. Our team returned here late yesterday after reaching the 6400 metre, 21,000 foot high summit of Mera Peak at 10:15 am on 30 October.
On 29 October, we walked from Kare to Mera Peak high camp at 5700 metres, 18,700 feet. It was a tough walk. Sadly, one of our members, Pete Dunn, felt very short of breath and determined to descend to Kare in the company of Phurba Bahadur Bikka, rather than continue on. The remainder of our group spent a rough night with little sleep in the cold and windy high camp, arising at 1:00 am on the 30th, to be presented with hot drinks and fresh bread by our trusty cook Dawa, and then began to try for the summit.
It was very cold and difficult going as our little group ascended the peak, and the sun's bright morning rays were very welcome at 6:30 am, as we continued plodding up the trail. By 9:30 am, we reached the final summit snow dome and Tashi, our trusty climbing Sherpa, fixed 100 metres of rope for us to ascend the final snow pitch. Mera Summit, which can be icy at times, was exceptionally snowy this year after this season's late monsoon had deposited a fresh metre of snow.
Once atop 6400 metre, 21,000 foot high Mera Peak, we all hugged and took photos, tying our prayer scarves to the summit flags as a way of saying thanks to the powers that be for our lucky ascent. Indeed, teams the day before and after us suffered frostbite and storms that stopped their progress, so we were certainly blessed. We stood in silence in the light breeze, under cloudless blue skies and bright sun and stared at the incredible views of Everest and all of hersister mountains, and out across the vast reaches of Nepal, Tibet, andIndia.
As we stood there, we thought of our families and loved ones at home, of our friends and colleagues and sponsors.
We send our regards, love, thanks, and best wishes to all! Thank you very much, from Dan Mazur and all of us at www.SummitClimb.com
ps. A special thanks to Laurel Barrett for sharing this news. Thanks Laurel!
pps. We were especially honoured to have Stuart and Kristen Murray with us on the summit, a father and daughter team!
ppps.
Photo captions:
PA310522: Mera Peak, seen from Kare.
PA310520: Our team, back from the Summit!
PA300514: Mount Chamlang right, Mount Makalu centre (Makalu is the fifth highest peak in the world and Dan climbed it in 1995), left of centre is the famous Amphu Labtsa Pass.
PA300512: Our team on the peak: Rajan Thapa (trek Leader), Stuart Murray (climb leader), Kristen Murray (Stuart's daughter), Gary (Ferro) Ferris, Mark Garrett, and Tashi Sherpa (climbing sherpa). In the background LCho-Oyu, Pumori, Ama Dablam, Everest, and Lhotse (Dan has been lucky enough to climb each of them).
PA300511: Kristen Murray ties on a prayer flag to the summit marker, inthanks.
PA300508: Rajan, our trek leader, with Stuart, Kristen, and Ferro, Making their way to the base of the summit snow dome where they will ascend the ropes fixed by Tashi.
Thanks again for listening!
Dan
I hope you are well. Thank you very much for telling the Story of our 6400 metre, 21,000 foot high Mera Peak climb on your fantastic internet site: http://heroesforhumanity.blogspot.com/ .
Ian Toop, a friend of the group, who unfortunately could not join us, has made a special request that today's update and our Australian team's climb to the summit be dedicated to Sue Fear, the famous Australian climber, who passed away in a terrible climbing tragedy this summer.
Well, I am writing from 5000 metre, 16,400 foot high Kare (pronouncedKahr-ahy). Its currently 3:30 pm, cloudy and snowing. Our team returned here late yesterday after reaching the 6400 metre, 21,000 foot high summit of Mera Peak at 10:15 am on 30 October.
On 29 October, we walked from Kare to Mera Peak high camp at 5700 metres, 18,700 feet. It was a tough walk. Sadly, one of our members, Pete Dunn, felt very short of breath and determined to descend to Kare in the company of Phurba Bahadur Bikka, rather than continue on. The remainder of our group spent a rough night with little sleep in the cold and windy high camp, arising at 1:00 am on the 30th, to be presented with hot drinks and fresh bread by our trusty cook Dawa, and then began to try for the summit.
It was very cold and difficult going as our little group ascended the peak, and the sun's bright morning rays were very welcome at 6:30 am, as we continued plodding up the trail. By 9:30 am, we reached the final summit snow dome and Tashi, our trusty climbing Sherpa, fixed 100 metres of rope for us to ascend the final snow pitch. Mera Summit, which can be icy at times, was exceptionally snowy this year after this season's late monsoon had deposited a fresh metre of snow.
Once atop 6400 metre, 21,000 foot high Mera Peak, we all hugged and took photos, tying our prayer scarves to the summit flags as a way of saying thanks to the powers that be for our lucky ascent. Indeed, teams the day before and after us suffered frostbite and storms that stopped their progress, so we were certainly blessed. We stood in silence in the light breeze, under cloudless blue skies and bright sun and stared at the incredible views of Everest and all of hersister mountains, and out across the vast reaches of Nepal, Tibet, andIndia.
As we stood there, we thought of our families and loved ones at home, of our friends and colleagues and sponsors.
We send our regards, love, thanks, and best wishes to all! Thank you very much, from Dan Mazur and all of us at www.SummitClimb.com
ps. A special thanks to Laurel Barrett for sharing this news. Thanks Laurel!
pps. We were especially honoured to have Stuart and Kristen Murray with us on the summit, a father and daughter team!
ppps.
Photo captions:
PA310522: Mera Peak, seen from Kare.
PA310520: Our team, back from the Summit!
PA300514: Mount Chamlang right, Mount Makalu centre (Makalu is the fifth highest peak in the world and Dan climbed it in 1995), left of centre is the famous Amphu Labtsa Pass.
PA300512: Our team on the peak: Rajan Thapa (trek Leader), Stuart Murray (climb leader), Kristen Murray (Stuart's daughter), Gary (Ferro) Ferris, Mark Garrett, and Tashi Sherpa (climbing sherpa). In the background LCho-Oyu, Pumori, Ama Dablam, Everest, and Lhotse (Dan has been lucky enough to climb each of them).
PA300511: Kristen Murray ties on a prayer flag to the summit marker, inthanks.
PA300508: Rajan, our trek leader, with Stuart, Kristen, and Ferro, Making their way to the base of the summit snow dome where they will ascend the ropes fixed by Tashi.
Thanks again for listening!
Dan
posted by Laurel Barrett | 11:40 AM
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