ÿþ<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name=ProgId content=Word.Document> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10"> <meta name=Originator content="Microsoft Word 10"> <link rel=File-List href="SqnNewsSub_Apr06_2427-1_files/filelist.xml"> <link rel=Edit-Time-Data href="SqnNewsSub_Apr06_2427-1_files/editdata.mso"> <!--[if !mso]> <style> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </style> <![endif]--> <title>Kent Air Cadets - Wing News</title> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Author>Andrew Green</o:Author> <o:Template>Normal</o:Template> <o:LastAuthor>Training Officer</o:LastAuthor> <o:Revision>3</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>20</o:TotalTime> <o:Created>2006-05-09T05:56:00Z</o:Created> <o:LastSaved>2006-05-09T21:39:00Z</o:LastSaved> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>305</o:Words> <o:Characters>1745</o:Characters> <o:Company>Medway Maritime Hospital</o:Company> <o:Lines>14</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>4</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>2046</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>10.2625</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> <o:TargetScreenSize>1024x768</o:TargetScreenSize> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>92</w:Zoom> <w:SpellingState>Clean</w:SpellingState> <w:GrammarState>Clean</w:GrammarState> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <link rel=Stylesheet type="text/css" media=all href="../css/css.css"> <style> <!--.STYLE2 {left:auto; 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left: 40px; top: 11px; width: 721px; height: 33px; z-index: 2"> <p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <span class=style91> <i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'> <span style='font-size:18.0pt'>Namaste Nepal Expedition 2009</span> </i> </span> <i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'> <span style='font-size:10.0pt'> <o:p></o:p> </span> </i> </p> </div> <div id="Layer9"></div> <div id="Layer10"></div> <div id="Layer3" style="position: absolute; left: 40px; top: 90px; width: 750px; height: 120px; z-index: 3"> <p> Twelve staff and cadets from Kent Wing have recently returned from a four week expedition to Nepal. The expedition, some 9 years in conception and planning had 3 main objectives:- To reach Everest Base Camp(s), to summit the peak of Kala Pattar (5545m) and to summit Island Peak (6189m). Having raised some £20,000 to subsidise the trip in a very challenging environment the team left for Nepal on 18 Sep 09. In addition at the time of going to press the team have also raised over £3500 of sponsorship for Help for Heroes and are confident they will reach their target of £5000 when everything is in. </p> <p> Following a few last minute panics the team were joined in Nepal by Flt Lt Ted Atkins - an Everest Summiteer in 2004 when with the RAF and now a member of the RAF VR(T). </p> <p> Following a full kit serviceability check the team flew into Lukla Airport, an experience in itself being only 500m long!! where we met our support team led by Phurba Tashi Sherpa - a 16 times Everest Summiteer and third on the all time list for Everest Summits. </p> <p> Leaving our climbing kit to be carried by Yak direct to Island Peak Base Camp rather than lug it along on the acclimatisation phase we headed off on the start of our 18 day Himalayan Adventure. </p> <p> Everyone had trained hard for the trip - including a completion of the Snowdonia 3000s challenge - and we made good progress. The Sherpa team seemed pleasantly surprised with our fitness and team work to the point we walked through our first proposed camp site to make better progress towards Namche Bazaar. The following day a four hour walk saw us reach Namche Bazaar - the last main town for 14 days should we need any kit - and break through 3000m for the first time. We also got our first views of snow capped peaks, incl & & & & & & & & & </p> <p> At this point a decision was made to change the itinerary. With the team strong it was felt the rest days were unnecessary and the team would better acclimatise by walking slightly less, but walking every day - working at altitude is the best way. To this end we spent the next 5 days gradually gaining height (in the order of 300m a day) often doing an afternoon trek to a higher point and returning to aid the acclimatisation process (climb high, sleep low!!). </p> <p> Following our toughest day of climbing (some 600m of ascent) we arrived at Lobuche & & .m. On route we were given our first proper views of Everest and Lhotse as the post monsoon weather appeared to be clearing giving better visibility. Unfortunately one of the team members had brought a flu type bug on the expedition and by now quite a few team members where suffering with symptoms. The next leg was supposed to be a climb to Gorak Shep at 5030m followed by an afternoon visit to Everest Base Camp. Fortunately the revised plan meant we were able to reduce the day to a short but steep climb to Gorak Shep followed by a free afternoon to recover. </p> <p> Next day after a relaxed start we headed off on the 4 hr return trek to the traditional Everest Base Camp. After the customary photos we discovered that there was an Indian Team in the new Everest Base Camp. Another hour each way return to the other side of the Khumbu Ice Fall and we got to see a fully functional Base Camp in the final preparation for a summit bid. </p> </div> <div style="position: absolute; left: 200px; top: 880px; width: 225px; height: 300px; z-index: 3"> <img src="../images/NamasteNepal_1.jpg" /> </div> <div id="Div1" style="position: absolute; left: 40px; top: 1205px; width: 750px; height: 110px; z-index: 3"> <p> Next day a 0400hrs start was required to summit Kala Pattar in time for sunrise over Everest. Leaving in darkness a clear sky and near full moon meant the ascent was cold but head-torches were soon redundant as we made the steep, rocky ascent. Arriving at the summit just after day break we got the best spot and waited for the sun to climb high enough to be visible over Everest due East of us. As it did, as if by magic some cloud that had gathered parted and we got uninterrupted views across to Everest and Lhotse in the east and Changste (in Tibet) to the north. We spent over an hour soaking up the views before slowly descending back to Gorak Shep for breakfast and retracing our previous route back to Lobuche before lunch. </p> <p> The next few days were spent on longer treks first losing then regaining the height to move to the next valley east and Island Peak Base Camp at 5080m. By now the weather was starting to deteriorate but we hoped this would be a frontal system passing through before our summit bid. The next day we were supposed to move to advance camp at 5640m but due to the presence of another team and the size of ours insufficient space was available meaning we just did an acclimatisation walk there and back, ominously on the return it started to snow and was still snowing when we turned in at 2000hrs. </p> <p> Summit day had arrived - up at 0130hrs to find base camp covered in snow!! we had hoped for a cold clear night to give us the best chances to summit. The first three hours were spent retracing the previous days trek to advance base camp. Of the other three teams in the area two never started, and the small group of head torches following us belonging to the last group soon disappeared. As we beared right to climb to the side of a spur line taking us to crampon point the route became steep and exposed meaning the team moved more slowly. </p> <p> As the sun rose we started to climb up onto the ridge line leading to crampon point, but it became clear it was still snowing, not heavily but it was hard to differentiate between sky and floor. At crampon point we donned harnesses and roped up as the Sherpa Team went into overdrive. </p> <p> The first section was a steep climb to a small plateau which we completed roped as one team. Next we had to contour left followed by another short climb to avoid a large crevasse blocking our way. This negotiated we were now on a more gradual slope so roping up was less necessary and the team were able to walk at their own pace to the base of the fixed ropes. It still hadn t stopped snowing and by now in places the team were fighting through thigh deep fresh snow which was exhausting. </p> </div> <div style="position: absolute; left: 190px; top: 1770px; width: 400px; height: 300px; z-index: 3"> <img src="../images/NamasteNepal_4.jpg" /> </div> <div id="Div2" style="position: absolute; left: 40px; top: 2090px; width: 750px; height: 150px; z-index: 3"> <p> The base of the fixed ropes marked the magic 6000m (20,000ft). The first climbers to arrive set off up the fixed ropes to the summit ridge line  making far slower progress than the Sherpa team who were practically running up. As Dave, Ted and Russ arrived all was not well. The quantity of fresh snow was causing concern and slowing the team  in addition the route down would be getting worse and the final nail in the coffin was the presence of a massive snow cornice hanging off the summit ridge. This presented not only a significant avalanche risk but also made to the rout across the ridge line to dangerous with a team of this size. The agonising decision to turn around just 100m from the summit was made. </p> <p> The decision was shown to be all the more correct. Although only 100m from the summit it was still a two hour return trip to the base of the fixed ropes. As the team turned around the real tiredness got hold as the adrenaline fell away. Team members were struggling and slipping over in the snow and were it not for being roped as a team could well have had some nasty falls. </p> <p> By the time we arrived back at crampon point the bags we had left were almost buried by fresh snow and the steep technical descent over rock was now complicated by snow. The team had to stay roped almost to the bottom  a further 4 hours - and rolled back into camp at 1700hrs with just one hour of daylight left  after 16 hours of exhausting climbing. </p> <p> The next few days were spent descending back to Lukla to fly back to Kathmandu, and a lot of soul searching was done but everyone was agreed it was the correct decision  however disappointing!! </p> <p> Back in Kathmandu the team took a drive up to the Tibet border for a two day rafting trip on the Bote Koshi  which was very fast flowing due to the recent rains  over rapids up to grade 4+ - 5 being the legal limit for commercial rafting. </p> <p> Although day 1 was someone ruined by our equipment getting stuck in traffic on its way up from Kathmandu, we did fit a testing hour in and day 2 was four hours of full on rafting  not without the odd incident. Fortunately we all got out safe and well despite James and Millie s best efforts and we managed to fit in a traditional Nepalese meal courtesy of our hosts Tamding and Chudlhim before making our way to the airport for the long flight home!! </p> </div> <div style="position: absolute; left: 150px; top: 2650px; width: 532px; height: 300px; z-index: 3"> <img src="../images/NamasteNepal_2.jpg" /> </div> <div style="position: absolute; left: 150px; top: 2960px; width: 532px; height: 300px; z-index: 3"> <img src="../images/NamasteNepal_3.jpg" /> </div> <div id="Layer1" style="position: absolute; left: 19px; top: 3280px; width: 775px; height: 26px; z-index: 1; vertical-align: middle"> <p class=style8 align=center style='text-align:center'> <a href="../WingNewsSub.html" target=mainFrame><span style='font-size:10.5pt'>Back to Wing News </span></a> </p> </div> </body> </html>