dewey73

Thanks Jason and Tim for the write-ups, and just to restate the obvious, you guys really put in the effort out there and TJ would have been proud. Although I only knew TJ a little before this year, I had the pleasure of spending a week with him on a backcountry ski trip in the Italian Alps this spring. The truly impressive aspect of this trip was he just took up skiing in the fall prior to our trip, spent all winter learning to ski and then got out there and just did it. I was astounded with his ability to pick up the sport in such short time and his relentless effort drove everyone just a little harder and his spirit made it that much more enjoyable. He was a terrific guy to be around and I was looking forward to spending future days in the mountains with him. He will definitely be missed and my condolences to his family and friends. Kirk Schumacher

I was in the group behind you Sunday. Nice to meet you both and glad to see you made it down okay. We waited a little while at the trailhead to offer a ride but I had to get back to Seattle and it appears you found an even more interesting ride anyway. Happy Birthday.

Can anyone provide a quick count and/or description of the lines that are currently at exit 38? I've only seen a couple, but was up there when a bit of snow was covering so may have missed some. Thanks.

Agree with the above statements, you could be feeling terrific on Orizaba or something even bigger and still not have it work out in Nepal. It really is a case by case thing. On that note, I would take diamox with you just in case. You should be able to pick up a prescription for it here and it gives you a little more room for error on your acclimation schedule. Just be sure that you are not allergic to sulpha products as I believe it is a sulpha based drug. Ask your doctor to confirm. It came in handy for a couple of people on our trip and likely allowed them to complete the trip rather than bail at an early point. I agree that the trekking experience is incredible in its own right and depending on the peaks you pick, may be more exciting and rewarding than the peak experience. Take your time getting to the peaks to acclimate and enjoy the hiking because it really is astounding scenery and that should go a long way to helping you make the summit(s).

I would definitely do as griz suggests and start contacting a few places after you have an idea of what you want to do. You'll likely get very different quotes from the places and you can start selecting from there. Some were super cheap, but once we got to the details we quickly realized they weren't what we wanted for our trip although it might work for you. This is where we weeded out other companies, based on quickness and ability to reply and meet our requests. If your experience is like mine, you will soon sort out which companies you would feel comfortable with and those that aren't worth spending any further time on. As far as carrying gear and getting around, I would suggest at the least hiring a porter or two through a company. They can make your trip much more enjoyable by carrying your heavy boots, ropes, axes, etc. on your way to your climbing destination and really make the experience easier for you overall in getting accomadation in the teahouses, arranging for food, and introducing you to the culture generally. You could find porters at the airport in Lukla when you arrive, people will mob you for business, but I know that Sherpa ShangriLa has arranged to have porters that they know waiting for you there with the price and everything pre-arranged, including permits. I'm sure other companies could do the same. Takes some of the fun out of bargaining at the airport, but I just believe having that set out ahead of time definitely takes some of the worry out of it working out.

If you look at the NMA site at their associate members http://www.nma.com.np/asso_member.htm most are trekking/climbing companies and that is likely the most comprehensive listing of companies you will find, otherwise google. With regards to payment, it's really subjective and depends on what you want to do. We designed our own itinerary for a small group of friends for over 30 days, climbing 3 trekking peaks and crossing 2 major passes, with basically everything included, except flights in and out of Lukla and various tea house meals and stays. My memory is somewhat suspect, but I believe that it averaged out at around $200 - $250/day. However, that price could change drastically depending on itinerary, inclusion of food, equipment, etc. It really depends on what you want to do and what support you are expecting. Hope that helps.

It looks like you're finding the right info, but I just wanted to put in a second recommendation for Sherpa Shangri-La Treks. I did a trip with them, climbing 3 trekking peaks with quite a bit of logistics, a couple years ago and they were terrific and I believe are very open to arranging from just porters to a fully equipped outing depending on what you want. Good luck and have fun.

Try this site www.winthropmountainsports.com/climb.html. It has some route info for Fun Rock. Also, there's usually a topo posted at Fun Rock as well for many of the routes.

Partner found.

Anyone interested in going tomorrow, Friday the 24th?

Gate was open last weekend 12/11-12 and at that time you could reach Stuart -Colchuck lake th with 4x4 with decent clearance. However, road was icy on way out so chains might be a good idea.

I went about a year and half ago and climbed Island, Mera and Lobuche as part of a small group and used a nepalese company, Sherpa Shangri La Treks, shangrilatrek.com, that I would highly recommend. We set up the itinerary ourselves for 3 climbers and they were very accomodating to our requests and did it at a reasonable price. I believe Alpine Ascents uses them as their main liason in Nepal for their trips there, so can probably handle anything you're thinking about. Let me know if you want any more info. Have fun!