Updates From Everest Base Camp
12th April, 2014
We arrived at Base camp. We stopped three nights at Pheriche and then 1 night at Loboche and then to Base camp today. Weather was not clear and had some snow during the walk between Gorakshep and BC. It was so glad to see the base camp well setup and all the sherpas and kitchen crews with lovely smile and food!
13th April, 2014
According to the Tibetan Buddhist calendar today is auspicious days with the combination of FIRE-FIRE and WIND-FIRE. We performed our Base camp Puja with all members and sherpas team and eventually we share best wishes each other for the success and safe climb.
14th April, 2014:
we worked on checking all the gears, foods and prepare all the loads that have to go to camp 1 and camp two in next few days. Pablo helped us separating foods etc and Ulisses and Laly prepared all the climbing gears for the training tomorrow.
15/16th April, 2014:
was both day full day of training into the Khumbu ice fall. We practiced climbing on fixed rope with Jumer and safety and how to climb with crampons on different ice and snow terrain. The second day they practiced how to cross the ladders with different conditions. And also we hiked up to first ladder for the acclimatization and for introduction of short rope systems.
17 April, 2014:
I went to camp 2 with my Sherpa team to drop some loads and also to secure the camp side both at 1 and at 2. Icefall condition look good compare to previous year but still it was dangerous as the route went through the bottom of everest west shoulder.
The most worst tragedy on Everest in 2014:
On 18th April, 2014:
we were sleeping cause it was our rest day that day. By 7:30 in the morning one of my Sherpa friend came over my tent and told me that there is huge avalanche on the Icefall. I was still dazed but still I manage to open two radios from different big company and in radio conversation they said that there have been a huge avalanche and covered many sherpas. I was like oh my god!
I came out of tent and run to the other camps asking what happened. Saw the accident side from the base with the crowd of rescuers. I found that lot of sherpas that I know well have been buried under the ice debris. It was so sad news!!!
I joint the other rescue parties at Base camp to coordinate with them. It was tuff to see all those longline rescuing injured and death. By that time hundreds of telephone ringing from Kathmandu to all their families on the mountain and those who noticed that their parents, son , husband, brothers, pain friends lost their lives many of the family was faint and became unconscious at home. I cannot imagine the situation and feeling s of everyone here now.
After complete rescue of the lives, then the death recovery and search began in the coordination with western and Nepalese guides and Sherpas. Everyone was looking for the bodies and finally they found total 12 bodies and left one for tomorrow and rest three still missing under the ice debris and possibly one or two of them seemed to have been fallen into the crevase and it is fully covered with ice and snow now.
All the 12 bodies were sent to the Lukla airport by Simrik Helicopter and the next day on 19th of April the last body from Droji Khatri was found and sent to Kathmandu.
After all this, finally we managed to make meetings among the western guides, leaders and Sherpas which went very smooth and successful. Personally I really appreciated all the Nepalese and western guides for their great work on the mountain during the search and rescue.
All the Sherpas decided to request some support from the government for the families of deceased Sherpas, but then all of we went through the written demands which was submitted to the government. All the demands that was prepared was with the most important western leaders and Nepalese guides and Sherpas and they all signed it and sent via email to the related tourism association and the government in Kathmandu from the Base camp.
Government finally comes with some decision that they will give less than 400 dollars of compensation to each family. Many sherpas were not happy with that compensation cause to receive the 400 dollars some Sherpa from the khumbu region must spend like 500 dollars to receive that compensation so there was nothing different if they receive compensation or not.
Since there was the meeting of the climbers’ every day, It was becoming very important that the meeting will be non violence and successful, so as to keep the meetings peaceful I and another guides were strongly involved in volunteer to help meeting peace and successful. And it was great that there wasn’t any negative conflict between climbers and I am personally very thankful with all the climbers for their great support to keep the meeting peaceful.
There were more than half of Sherpas who still wished to return to home and return next year only but at the same time there were few teams who were seemed bit confused whether to continue or quit and in my understanding since most of big companies pulled off their expedition everyone just wanted to do the same thing. All the Sherpa were clearly explained the situation and requested by whole group of sherpas that no body will hamper the others team and that if some of the Sherpa team returns then they may submit the written application to the Expedition operators or to the SPCC.
In the some medias or blog we still see some complaints saying that due to the protest of the young Maoist militant the expedition is cancelled, and this is not true in my opinion.
Nobody was threatened to quit expedition, instead everyone was requested to make their own decision and also it was clearly mentioned in the 13 points demands we signed among lot of leaders and sherpas and given to the government.
I was talking personally to many western leaders to inform them that the meeting is peaceful and its no more against the westerners or outfitters and told them that it is purely the request to the government to accept the demands that sherpas and westerners made. I convinced to couple of western leaders and guides that if they get personally some threats then they inform us so that way we can convince people there and that non of the violence and bad news will be flashed.
A group of tourism ministry, NMA, TAAN and NNMGA members arrived the base camp and gave short briefing to everyone, and in the briefing the government requested all the team to continue further climb and not quit it, and they promised the sherpas and members that they will discuss at the cabinet meeting regarding the demands submitted by the Sherpas.
I was waiting with my clients what should we do? I saw bigger companies and groups are planning to pull off their expeditions. And finally guides meeting were held and few important topics were discussed specially whether it is safe to continue or not? Majority of the leaders and guides were planning to cancel the expedition as its not safe route and as there was no really other possible alternative routes in the icefall.
After my team returned to EBC from few days rest in Pheriche, we talked together and made plans and then we decided to return home this year and come back only next year to climb the Everest. Our reason to return was to respect the souls we lost on the mountains, and as all the teams were returning home we did not want to be alone on the mountain.
I was really very sorry to my teams and to everyone who have came to ascend worlds highest peak and that they couldn’t make it. It was also so important to respect the painful and emotional feelings of the Sherpas that who lost their family and friends in the avalanche.
We performed huge prayer ceremony at base camp for the name of deceased and wishing that no more such tragedy may happen in the future.
On behalf of Sherpa and Mountain Guide I always commit to continue my respect and support to our valuable national and international friends and all the mountaineering community!
Thank you very much for reading this posts and I really apologize for any mistakes.
Best Regards,
Tendi Sherpa
