Everest 2011: Flight of the Climbers - Dave Hahn Guides a Father-Daughter Duo on Everest Attempt

Bill and Sara McGahan and Jeff Martin walking out of Lukla to begin the ten-day trek to Everest Base Camp

Photographs and text by Dave Hahn, a guide for RMI Expeditions and First Ascent. In May 2010 Hahn reached the summit of Mount Everest for the 12th time, the most of any a non-Sherpa climber. This time, he is leading a Bill McGahan and his 16-year-old daughter, Sara, on a bid for the summit. Follow the team's Everest expedition in dispatches here. 
 
Dispatch 1: Kathmandu

My little team began to combine in Kathmandu yesterday afternoon. Jeff Martin, my boss at RMI Expeditions, met my flight into hot and dusty K-Du at around one o'clock. Jeff has already been over here for nearly a week, chasing down logistical details and getting all the arrangements made. My climbers, Bill and his 16-yea-old daughter Sara McGahan, beat me into town by about an hour, having flown East out of Atlanta, while I circled West from Taos. Long, long flights no matter how you slice it ... a passel of time zones and bad airplane food. I had time for a quick shower back at the hotel before Jeff and I taxied our way over to the Ministry of Tourism. I scribbled my name a half-dozen times and shook a bunch of official hands ... swallowed the obligatory cup of sweet tea and, voile!! We walked out with an all-important Everest climbing permit.

We retreated to the hotel to join Bill and Sara for dinner. Despite the fun reunion, we got yawning and fading fast ... hopelessly jet-lagged we stumbled off to our rooms. Linden Mallory is already up in Everest's Khumbu icefalls--we'll get together with him about a week into our trek. Mark Tucker will join us at about the same time to complete the team. But for now it is just the four of us, which made today pretty easy when it came to a final gear check and and packing session.

We enjoyed an interview and conversation with Bili Bierling who is helping the legendary Elizabeth Hawley with the monumental task of keeping track of climber statistics in the Nepal Himalaya. Then we each made a few forays out into the streets to track down odds and ends—our version of sightseeing at this busy point in the expedition. We need to be ready to fly good and early tomorrow morning, up from 4,000 feet in Kathmandu to 9,200 feet in Lukla before the air gets cloudy and turbulent. My alarm is set for 4:15 a.m. and my bags are packed once again... with luck we'll be walking in mountains by mid-morning.


Everest appears behind Bill McGahan and his daughter 16-year-old daugher Sara

Comments

[cash advance loans]

I come here from the google while searching for some good article.Thanks

[Healthy Options]

It was great and fun adventure on top of the mountain.

[Jezreel Ricafort]

Climbing is a good adventure that once you achieve it you can tell the world that "I have an extra ordinary experience" All of you guys is so great.

[charlotte]

I can imagine that the journey was even better because you achieved this with your daughter. Absolutely brilliant, my kids won't even venture off the sofa, so great achievement.

[ella]

I cannot think of anything more exciting than climbing up a mountain. Well done.

[sophie]

I think that you have to be either brave or just mad to attempt Everest, it is one hell of an achievement if you do it, but many obstacles to come across before the end is reached. Good Luck

[longchamp Le Pliage]

beautiful but dangerous travelling
looking for see more

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[boss sunglass]

it's worth.

[carter]

I wish these 2 the best, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Enjoy the milk tea!
The youngest up Everest was Romero at 13. I was there in '71 when things seemed less disturbed. I think though that Everest has become a kind of commodity with 4000 plus summits, lots of garbage and quite a few dead bodies. It would be nice to see it cleaned up with perhaps a climbing moratorium. But, rupees rule.

[Erric]

cool experience
so excited

[Baseball hats]

Thanks for such a great post and the review, I am totally impressed! Keep stuff like this coming.

[fun run]

Great article! One of my dreams is to be at the peak of Mount Everest. I hope it will happen. I'll save money for it. Thanks for posting and I'll be anticipating for more posts.

[jb007]

Get ready to fly good and early tomorrow morning, up from 4,000 feet in Kathmandu to 9,200 feet in Lukla before the air gets cloudy and turbulent.