Alison Levine · Leadership Development Expert

After a successful summit bid, Don Healy, Victor Vescovo, Mike Kraft, Vanesssa Folkerts, Jack Martin, Vern Tejas, Garrett Madison, Michael Horst and I returned to the South Col to rest. Our round trip time to the summit and back was less than 14 hours (we hung out on top for about a half hour) and I was SUPER PROUD of our team. Of course we could not have done it with without our awesome team of Sherpas and our supportive base camp staff – Ellie Henke and Joe Kluberton. Congrats to Victor and Mike for completing the 7 Summits. For me it was the completion of what is known in the adventure …

After our drop-back down valley we return to BC. We are told that there will be a good weather window with no jetstream from May 22-26th, and we want to beat the crowds up high, so we leave BC at 4am on the 17th so that we are in position at the Col to go for it when the window opens. It takes us 12 hours to get to Camp 2. We are not speedy, but we are solid. We go through the icefall for the 2nd to last time. I will not miss this thing. Several times we see helicopters flying overhead and I can make out human figures dangling from haul lines. Are the figures at the end of the ropes moving …

SUMMIT! The Ice Ninjas have done it, through very taxing conditions. The first group arrived at the summit at 8:10 this morning: Alison (myself!),Lakpa, Garrett, Vanessa, Chewang Nima, Fura Kancha, and Dorjee. They were followed shortly after at 8:20 by Michael Horst with Victor, Jack, Thapkee, and Mingma. The last group of Vern, Mike Kraft, Don, Da Nuru, and Ang Passang arrived at 8:50. A huge congratulations goes out to all of them! And another huge thank you goes to our sherpa and guide staff for helping make it all happen. This has definitely been a team effort.

It has been snowing he…

Today we moved up from Camp 3 to Camp 4 in beautiful weather. Currently the team is tucked into the tents at the South Col and we’ve had dinner and hot drinks. The weather forecast looks excellent for a summit day on the 24th. Tomorrow we’re all just going to hang tight, suck oxygen, have hot drinks, and eat a few more good meals while we rest up for our summit attempt. All of our members are doing excellent, everybody made it up here in good style, very strong. We’ve been seeing many summiteers coming down today, and we expect many more to go tonight, which bodes well for us, giving us hop…

We are starting our summit attempt 4am!!! Yeah, I know, it comes as a bit of a surprise to me too as I thought we would have a few more days to rest at BC, but the weather window opened up a bit sooner than expected and we just found out TODAY that we are going to move up right away. So here is the plan:

Leave at 4am and head up to camp 2 (should be apprx 12 hrs of climbing). Spend 2 nights at C2, then head up to C3 (9 hours of climbing) for one night. Next morning climb up to C4 which is at the South Col (the photo shows the approach to the col during my my 2002 expedition) which is ove…

I know. That’s a horrible thing to say and I am expecting nastygrams from the AARP. But before you get all undone about how politically incorrect this blog title is, let me say this: Sometimes 65 is the new 45. Just not in the case of one of our teammates that left the expedition early and is now headed home. She was 65 years old and a veteran of multiple Himalayan climbs, but unfortunately her past experience did not help her on this expedition because it seemed she had forgotten many of the rules about climbing big mountains and everyone was worried about her safety and well-being. What a…

Dear Kate -

You and I have not met, but we have much in common. I know that for years people have scrutinized your eating habits and have criticized your weight. Well, I know just how you feel because after so many weeks at altitude I am also really having trouble getting my food down and keeping it down. I realize that the difference between your situation and mine is that you are pushing away plates of food at Per Se and Il Molina and I am staring down deep fried Spam covered in some kind of unrecognizable gravy. Also, you are puking into toilets at the Four Seasons and the Ritz and I a…

Best surprise EVER 2 days ago when my friend Leon Watts from Tampa, FL stopped by our camp to say hello. It’s always nice to get a visit from an old friend at 17,600’. Leon was leading a group on a trek to BC and managed to wander around long enough to find our digs (not easy, as it takes over an hour to walk all the way through base camp). Not only did he bring warm greetings, but he also delivered an awesome care package to me – jelly beans, chocolate, earplugs, emergen-c, tiger balm for sore muscles, etc. All very practical stuff that will be put to good use (but if anyone else is plann…