Everest 2011: Dispatch 2 - Hiking to Everest Base Camp, Alone in the Gorgeous Khumbu Valley

Thamserku in the background

Text and photographs 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 2: Deboche

The much celebrated 3G phone service is not so robust down here in the rhododendron forest at 12,400 feet above sea level, so please pardon the slight lapse in trip coverage as we pass through these benighted zones.

All is well with Bill, Sara, Dave, and Lam Babu Sherpa. We moved easily up from Namche yesterday, enjoying very light traffic on the trails. We seem to be a few days ahead of most of the big Everest teams. We conveniently flew into Lukla during a brief weather-window that few trekking groups were able to take advantage of, so the end result is that we have this part of the gorgeous Khumbu Valley to ourselves.
 
Walking the streets of Khunde

Conditions have mostly been cool and cloudy, although we've been granted grand views of Everest and Lhotse and Ama Dablam. The temps have been perfect for walking and we took advantage yesterday by cruising up the 1,700 feet Thyangboche Hill in one continuous push. A couple of cool and fizzy drinks out in front of the palatial Thyangboche Monastery and then we completed the day by descending a few hundred feet to Deboche. Last night was an easy one as we enjoyed a fine dinner in a comfy wood-stove heated dining room. The McGahan clan showed each other how to beat the stuffing out of their climbing guide at Yahtzee and then we each turned in for the night... beginning to delight in the loft of our expedition sleeping bags. We'll spend tonight here as well, letting our bodies catch up to the altitude and enjoying a last day (for the next eight weeks) among trees. Best, Dave Hahn

Field FAQs with Holly Morris Kid-Friendly Travel Tips

Where can I take my ten-year-old and still get my adventure fix?

A. Parenthood and wanderlust aren’t mutually exclusive—and the answer is not an all-inclusive resort. “Of all the destinations we offer, Costa Rica is the best for five-year-olds,” says Jim Kackley, general manager of Thomson Family Adventures, which has a trip designed for hip-high travelers (www.familyadventures.com). In Corcovado National Park, you’ll see scarlet macaws, the occasional jaguar, and enough cold-blooded reptiles to keep a troop of kindergartners slack-jawed—without trekking miles of rain forest. Though most kids would probably be content to hang out at the hotel pool, challenge them with a tandem canopy zipline near Arenal volcano or an outrigger canoe tour in Palo Verde National Park.

Holly Morris is a TV host (Treks in a Wild World, Globe Trekker). She is also the author of Adventure Divas and founder of the multimedia company Adventure Divas. Post your travel questions here and they could get answered in the magazine.

Field FAQs With Holly Morris Spring Awakening in Mexico's Monarch Migration

I want to go to Mexico for my spring break, but I’ve done the beach party thing. Any suggestions?

A. As college kids crash the border this spring, one of the world’s most magical natural events is going in the opposite direction: the northerly migration of the monarch butterfly. Starting in January but peaking in March, central Mexico’s oyamel fir forest bursts with dazzling orange as 100 million monarchs awaken to begin a 2,000-mile journey to their summer grounds east of the Rockies in the U.S. and Canada. To see the spectacle for yourself, head to the town of Angangueo in Michoacán, the hilly state known for its handcrafted guitars and talented village artisans. Local guides will show you around El Rosario, the only monarch sanctuary open to the public. If you prefer to go outfitted, Natural Habitat Adventures offers trips led by biologists who can explain why monarch populations have been dropping dramatically in recent years. Watching the winged clouds flutter toward their destiny could very well blow your mind—and spare you the hangover.


Holly Morris is a TV host (Treks in a Wild World, Globe Trekker). She is also the author of Adventure Divas and founder of the multimedia company Adventure Divas. Post your travel questions here and they could get answered in the magazine.

Illustration by Kate Miller

Field FAQs with Holly MorrisLearn How to Become an Expat a Purpose

Want to respond to President Obama's call to service and get your adventure fix? Learn about volunteering opportunities all over the globe. This coming week idealist.org is launching three global volunteering fairs on the East Coast. The event will feature panel discussions, work shops, tips on doing-it on the cheap, and face-to-face meetings with volunteers.

- Washington, D.C. (Tuesday, February 3) at Google from 6 to 9 p.m.

- New York City (Thursday, February 5) at Barnard College from 6 to 9 p.m.

- Boston (Saturday, February 7) at Simmons College from 12 to 3 p.m.

Field FAQs with Holly Morris Bucking Trends: 2009 Adventure on the Cheap

Like many people these days I’m feeling broke. But I’m hoping to take a great trip in the new year rather than stay home watching CNBC. What do you recommend? 

A. For now, forget the assault on Everest or diving the Bikini Atoll—the types of sojourns that will set you back many thousands of dollars. Suze Orman might say don’t go anywhere, but I say these turbulent times simply mean we must get creative, back to basics, and, if possible, off the grid. Remember the potential for Zen equity (and real-world savings) when you unplug in a remote environment: It offers a reprieve from all types of media and a reconnection with the natural world—and it removes you from unwise consumer temptations. Whatever the economic situation, travel on the cheap is always a viable option, especially when you consider the home court advantage. If you live in the American West, why not look up that old college buddy who lives in Colorado? Spend some time renewing your friendship, then set off to backcountry ski or snowshoe the Rockies by day and crash out in the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association’s cozy accommodations by night. Stuck on the eastern seaboard? Leave your cell phone behind and take on a stretch of the Appalachian Trail, grabbing cheap sleep and eats at its trailside bunkhouses. And international travel doesn’t have to be off-limits. Capitalize on the weakness of the euro and raft down the Tara River in mountainous Montenegro. Got frequent-flier miles that will take you as far as Central America? Explore the crowd-free Pacific beaches of El Salvador that showcase unspoiled surf breaks, majestic sea turtles, and simple cabanas—all for less (after airfare) than that Craigslist couch you’ve been eyeing.

Holly Morris is a TV host (Treks in a Wild World, Globe Trekker). She is also the author of Adventure Divas and founder of the multimedia company Adventure Divas. Post your travel questions here and they could get answered in the magazine.

Illustration by Shout

Field FAQs with Holly Morris Cuba Libre: Will Obama Bring Americans Back Into Cuba?

Has Raúl Castro’s taking the helm changed anything in terms of Americans traveling to Cuba?

A. Just thinking about the glistening largemouth bass I landed in Cuba’s Lake Zaza is still thrilling. And one day I hope to return to trek the iconic Sierra Maestra and see the area’s famed biodiversity: pygmy owls, frogs the size of dimes, butterflies with invisible wings. But alas, all things Cuban still begin with politics, not adventure.

Raúl is beside the point. The better question is, Will Barack Obama’s presidency change anything? Legally speaking, the Trading with the Enemy Act forbids Americans to spend money in—thus, effectively, to go to—Cuba. Breaking this law, on a civil level, can result in up to $65,000 in fines. It’s silly Cold War detritus, but it remains operative. During the Clinton years, getting cultural or journalistic permission to visit was difficult but doable. Sliding in via another country was easy; and if caught, you just got a hand slap. More recently, our government’s hostile stance toward Cuba—and Cubans—has included new restrictions on family visits and remittances (sending funds home). Getting authorization to travel there has been nearly impossible. Sneaking in has often meant fines and exasperating legal hassles.

Which brings us to now. Obama is on record as saying he’d loosen some restrictions regarding the country, which could be just the beginning. “Cuba would see a flood of American travelers if the ban was lifted,” says Bruce Poon Tip, founder of Ontario-based GAP Adventures, which offers 18 Cuba itineraries. “There are few places with the strong island culture, the pristine beaches, and enough activities for even the most avid adventure seekers.” I’d bet a tinkling mojito and a ’57 Bel-Air hardtop that the economic embargo comes tumbling down during the Obama era. Stand by for the new political reality.

Holly Morris is a TV host (Treks in a Wild World, Globe Trekker). She is also the author of Adventure Divas and founder of the multimedia company Adventure Divas. Post your travel questions here and they could get answered in the magazine.

Field FAQs with Holly MorrisNew Tracks on the Colorado Trail

I want to do a weeklong Colorado Trail hike next summer. What section do you recommend?

A. Consider taking on the 68-mile stretch from San Luis Pass (near Creed) to Molas Pass. It’s mostly above timberline, threads through the La Garita and Weminuche Wilderness Areas, and includes the spectacular 17-mile Cataract Ridge Reroute, which just opened last summer and skirts around motorized sections, providing even better vistas. The reroute traces, above 12,000 feet, the Continental Divide via old mule trails that carried gold and silver through the mountains in the 1890s. I hiked Cataract last July and can tell you that its wildflower-covered rolling hills and views of fourteeners make you want to stop, drop your pack, and belt out a celebratory yodel.

But yodeling in the Rockies can quickly turn to shrieks due to an oft overlooked hiking hazard—lightning. Our placid afternoon tramp morphed into Armageddon when the weather turned stormy. Chunks of hail pounded down, and lightning sliced around us like knives in pursuit of a blindfolded magician’s assistant. We headed toward lower elevations, staying 20 yards apart from one another (lightning likes heights and groups), and, when things got really hairy, we crouched on our tiptoes to minimize contact with the ground (watch a video clip at ngadventure.com). We got lucky and made it out unscorched, but be certain to brush up on safety measures at www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/overview.htm. Your Colorado
Trail escape is sure to be electrifying—just make sure it’s in all the right ways.

Holly Morris is a TV host (Treks in a Wild World, Globe Trekker), and the author of Adventure Divas and founder of the multimedia company Adventure Divas. Post your travel questions here and they could get answered in the magazine.

Field FAQs with Holly MorrisDiving Africa's Fishbowl

Holly Morris is a TV host (Treks in a Wild World, Globe Trekker), and the author of Adventure Divas and founder of the multimedia company Adventure Divas. Post your travel questions here and they could get answered in the magazine.

A friend told me that the diving in Lake Malawi is incredible. Is it worth the flight around the world?

A. Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa, barely gets a blip on the diving world’s radar—but it should. The 9,000-square-mile glittering gem of the Great Rift Valley that borders Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania is one of the planet’s first freshwater national park and home to a colorful spectacle of aquarium fish. When I dove there last year, zoologist Ken McKaye, a scientific advisor to WWF, explained why Lake Malawi is ideal for those with a passion for the Darwinian. “If you want to see evolution in action, you go diving in Lake Malawi,” he said. “Over a thousand fish species have been generated here, more than any other place in the world.” However, if you want to see barracudas or sharks—or anything much bigger than a silver dollar pancake, for that matter—or if you explore with Hemingway’s gusto rather than, say, a bird-watcher’s delight, Lake Malawi might not be for you.

Still, perhaps because of the sub-Saharan region’s struggles with poverty and a high AIDS rate, the way of life around what explorer David Livingstone called the “lake of the stars” nearly 150 years ago remains largely unchanged. Men paddle dugouts along boulder-strewn beaches and lush shores; village women carry laundry piled high on their heads; fishermen hawk the day’s catch. After exploring Malawi’s underwater world, we decompressed at a locally operated ecolodge, Kaya Mawa, which is tucked away on the blissfully remote, five-mile-long Likoma Island (kayamawa.com). Each of the ten rooms and chalets has its own luxe-rustic design, such as a private deck leading straight from a bed with zillion-thread-count sheets to a Lake Malawi morning dip. Getting there requires flying in by single-engine plane or taking the Ilala ferry, which offers a taste of the refugee experience but brings you to spots well worth the strenuous transit.

Illustration by Olaf Hajek

Field FAQs With Holly Morris Exit Strategy: Why You Need a Real Vacation

Holly Morris is a TV host (Treks in a Wild World, Globe Trekker), and the author of Adventure Divas and founder of the multimedia company Adventure Divas. Post your travel questions here and they could get answered in the magazine.

I’ve been at a desk job for eight years and need a change. I want to break away and explore the world but don’t know where to start.

A. Life is meant to be more than a string of brutally long, ergonomically disastrous days. The potent form of liberation I recommend? Leave. Restore your sense of direction by taking a sabbatical, a retreat, or a true pilgrimage. Getting away in a big way, for a long time, is an age-old component of a fully realized life. Set your compass toward something that is personally meaningful and push beyond your comfort zone. Backpack in search of your ancestors in the hills of Slovakia; hike the Colorado Trail solo; heck, spend a summer at klezmer camp. Some years ago, I went on a modern-day vision quest deep in the Sumatran jungle, where the combination of weeping leech bites and steamy dawns with a call to prayer tumbling in from the distance reminded me of the transformative powers of the unknown.

Need some role models? George Orwell relates his journey in Down and Out in Paris and London. Alexandra David-Néel renewed herself in the Forbidden City (Lhasa) in the 1920s long before any other European woman set foot there. Elizabeth Gilbert ate, prayed, and loved her way across Italy, India, and Indonesia. And, of course, there’s Siddhartha, aka Buddha. And all Australians.

If brass tacks are needed to nudge you off the cliff, consult The Practical Nomad by Edward Hasbrouck or peruse Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree Travel Forum online community. Bottom line: As long as your departure doesn’t financially or emotionally cripple any dependents, point toward the unknown and jump.

Illustration by Harry Campbell

Field FAQs with Holly Morris Light Travel Reading Advice (and LIVE CHAT Tomorrow)

Holly Morris is a TV host (Treks in a Wild World, Globe Trekker), and the author of Adventure Divas and founder of the multimedia company Adventure Divas. Post your travel questions here and they could get answered in the magazine.

LIVE CHAT ALERT: Ask Holly Morris your burning travel questions tomorrow, September 19, at 1 p.m. EST. More info >>

Q: I’ll be backpacking through Southeast Asia for six weeks this fall, and my stack of country-specific guidebooks is almost as tall as I am. What’s the most efficient way to pack, readingwise, when heading out on global adventures?

A. At the risk of offending Lonely Planet, Moon, Rough Guides, and Rick Steves (don’t let the boyish smile fool you; the man’s a powder keg), I would not recommend loading up on 80 dollars’—and 80 pounds’—worth of books. I’ve tried that, and instead of serving me well, they nearly herniated my L7 disk before I even cleared customs. Opt instead for a single, comprehensive guide; or better yet, photocopy its pertinent pages and rely on Internet cafés for on-the-spot research and local people for updates and inside scoops.

Even better, think beyond guidebooks. I like to bring one light paperback—poetry or prose—from or about the region or culture I’m headed into. Africa? Dave Eggers’s What Is the What, or anything by Chinua Achebe. Indonesia? I’m partial to The Year of Living Dangerously by Christopher Koch. My New Zealand sojourn was fueled, in part, by Keri Hulme’s The Bone People. I also make it a habit to buy a blank journal of some kind once I’m in-country—a little Peruvian school notebook, say, or a Zambian diary made from elephant-dung paper. It’s a utilitarian keepsake that comes in handy for writing, sketching, or—in dire straits—wiping. So, my ultimate verdict: Whatever you decide to bring along as literature should pull its own weight. And remember, don’t judge a trip by its cover. Real adventure always happens between the lines.