Dingboche to Dughla (15,090 ft) to Base Camp

Its next to impossible to get a good internet connection up here and you have to use their computers so, I am not able to post pictures until we return to Namche Bazzar!

The climb to Dughla took us up to well over 15000 ft. At that altitute we were breathing about 10 % oxygen. some of the team members experienced lack of sleep due to the altitude. Everyone finally started taking Diamox to assist with dealing with the altitude. The area was very arid looking and totally surrounded by magnificent mountains. We walked through Yak ranches and past Phulung Karpo, the campsite used during the first successful Mt. Everest summit in 1953. As we continued the trek through the arid mountains, surrounded by peaks exceeding 23000 ft, we started a gradual descent that took us over a raging stream with water so cold it would freeze your skin. Once across the bridge we found our lodge that sits in the shadow of absolutely gigantic and awe inspiring mountains.

Im cutting this short due to the high cost of internet so pardon any typos...

After a long hike from Duglha where we hiked through Lobuche and got our first glimpse of Kala Patthar, we hit 17,594 ft. Beautiful sites and what GREAT experience. We walked and walked until we reached Gorak Shep. We have great rooms, in comparison to where we have been. the toilets are something to see and impossible to describe. Last night, just before going to bed my head lamp fell into the toilet!! I spent most of the night disinfecting it. The only good thing was the toilet had its own glacier in it and teh lamp bounced off the ice but still got wet. I had to make a choice to rescue it or let it go, I needed it so, you guessed it, I rescued it! After a brief lunch today we hit the trail to Base Camp. Over two hours later, walking over lots of ice, in the snow, mainly uphill on icy trails we finally reached our goal BASE CAMP. Wow was it cold. We all bundled up in our parkas and everything else we could put our hands on as it was probably below zero as we started the trek today.We saw massive glaciers, deep crevices, many memorials to climbers who died either on the trail or on the way back form Everest, the start of the Kumbu ice Falls and many expeditioners either finishing their sumit attempt of just getting ready for the month long journey to the highest point on the earth, the top of Mt; Everest. At the Base Camp we all literally cried as we realized our goal. We met a wonderful 70 year old lady, cancer survivor, who also mad the trek. What an inspiration. the entire team made it today. We hugged, cried, rested, took many pictures and then headed back to Gorak Shep for dinner and a good nights rest. Tomorrow we wake early and head to Kala Patthar to watch the sun rise over this blessed land. I tell you, God truly created a beautiful and inspiring place that we call Mt. Everest. I am the luckiest man on earth to be able to be here today!

As always, NAMASTE!