Ama Dablam 2008 Expedition Dispatches

BACKGROUND

SEE THE 2008 TEAM POSTCARD

About FTA and Ama Dablam

Following up our highly successful expeditions from 2005 in which we placed 11of 15 team members on the summit, 2006 with 9 of 12 on top and 2007 with 11 of 15 in october and november and and we are excited to return again this fall. The October trip will be led by Ama Dablam Summiteer Sean James and the November trip by 2-time summiteer Chris Symiec. Both trips will include the same sherpa staff (see below) whichhas worked so hard for our team each year. In addition we have Chris Symiec once again leading the October trek to the Everest Base camp. All in all we will have a superb leadership structure and will be employing the same tactics which enabled us to place so many members on the top.

We welcome you to follow our 2008 team as they make their way though the valleys to Namche and on to base camp and then tackle the techincal challenges of the southwest ridge. If you would like to receive updates during the expedition please email to stu@fieldtouring.com and let us know!

Ama Dablam BC
Kathmandu time

Sean James(UK), October Leader

Sean James
Since joining the Field Touring Team, Sean has been to Broak Peak, Spantik, Ama Dablam, Lobuche, and Aconcagua. He has also led trips in Africa and Ecuador.

In the UK he is a qualifed Mountain Instructor and Rock Climbing Coach and also a Kayak & Canoe Senior Instructor.

Living in Sheffield he splits his time between being a Financial Advisor, lecturing at Sheffield Hallam Univeristy in Adventure Sports and leading climbing and trekking expeditions throughout the world including, South America, The Himalaya and Africa.

Sean will be leading the Tharpu Chuli trip just prior to Ama Dablam so let us knwo if you are interested!

Chris Szymiec (Canada), October Trek leader and November Ama Dablam Leader

Chris will join our climb direct from leading our Spantiik expedition and will accompany Tsering and the November starters after leading our Ama Dablam/Everest Base Camp trek.

Living full time in the Canadian Rockies Chris's typical weekends include quick trips up 50-70° snow and ice climbs and checking out the insides of crevasses! Origiinally from the Alberta, Canada, Chris learned much of his skill in the maritimes with ocean waves splashing at his feet while climbing fleeting ice flows. Not much fear here! Chris is a qualified Wilderness First Responder has just completed his EMT certification.

Dale Cottam (USA), November Assistant Guide

Dale Cottam has been climbing since he was 5 years old. His father was a climber, and he is following in his footsteps and going farther. Dale is an avid rock and ice climber, and he has climbed throughout the U.S. including the Rockies, the Sierras, and the Cascades. Dale has also climbed in Mexico, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia, including 21,210 foot (6432 meter) Illimani.
In addition to his passion for climbing itself, Dale enjoy climbing literature. His favorite books include The White Spider and The Last Step; The American Ascent of K2. When he is not climbing, Dale enjoys digital photography and spending time with his wife of 17 years and four children. Following his attempt on Spantik, Dale will spend an additional two weeks in the Karakorum trekking to the base camp of K2 before returning home.

Josh Kass (Canada), October & November Assistant Guide,

"I have been climbing now for almost sixteen years, starting on outdoor rock and competing for a couple of years on the indoor gym circit. My first summit came at age 15 and I climbed in the Coast Mountains and Squamish, B.C. as I grew up.

I have skiied from the age of 4 and hold my level 2 Canadian Ski Instructor Certificate, C.S.I.A. 2 and as a teen I ski raced for 6 years. I have been rock, alpine and ice climbing in the Canadian Rockies for about 5 years now, summiting some of the largest mountains and most classic routes in the range.

I am certified in high angle rope rescue, hold a first aid certificate and work as a plumber and pipefitter. I'll turn 32 on Oct. 22. ya! birthday at Ama Dablam BC!

The dog in my picture is my Giant Alaskan Malamute Ahnah aka The Snooky Doo !"

Morton Lane (UK), October Climber

Jaques Marmet (France), October Climber

Markus Roth (Australia), November Climber

Neal Davis (UK), November Climber

Damian Wilkinson (UK), November Climber

Noel Bampton, (Australia), November Climber

Rai "Tsering" Parsu Ram (Nepal), Climbing Sherpa

Date & place of Birth. Rakha 4 Kotang 1969
Training: Basic and advance course of Mountaineering from Manang Mountaineering Institute
Mountaineering Back Ground:
Mount Makalu up to Camp three
Mount Sisapangma up to 8000 meter
Mount Cho Oyu up to 7500 meter
Mount Amadablam Summit (4 times)
Trekking Peak: Mera Peak (15 time summit) Island Peak (15 time summit) Lobuje Peak (10 time summit)

There is no more hard working and reliable sherpa on the Ama Dablam. Helping to set the high camps early and support members delayed by illness or slow acclimation, Tsering is a revered and crucial member of our team. Competent and strong as a climber and gentle and sincere by nature he is a pleasure to spend a month with!

Lhakpa Sherpa (Nepal), Climbing Sherpa

Date & place of Birth: Kurima, Solu Khumbu 1972
Training: Basic and advance course of Mountaineering from HIM Darjeeling
Mountaineering Back ground:
Mt. Ama Dablam Summit (7 times)
Trekking Peak: Mera Peak (20 time summit) Island Peak (20 Time summit) Lobuje Peak (15 time)

Lhakpa summited along with 16 members over the last three years and has proven a phenomenally strong and dependable guide on Ama Dablam. Just prior to the 2006 Ama Dablam Climb Lhaka and an all-star nepali team completed an 800m ice climb that first ascensionist Catherine Desteville once claimed would never be repeated.Our members in 2006 were treated to a viewing of the climb's video in namche and our respect for Lhakpa was redoubled!

Ratna Man Gurung (Nepal), Base Camp Cook

Date & place of Birth: Barpkak, Gorkha 1969
Training: Basic and advance course of cooking
Mountaineering Back Ground: Ramduk Peak (Summit)

W orking as cooking since 1995, Ratna has been on more than 30 Expeditions and has been our base camp cook in both 2005, 2006 and and 2007 will be our BC cook for Cho Oyu for a second time in September before joining us in Kathmandu.

No expedition would succede without a great cook and base camp manager and Ratna manages our health and home with a friendly and caring touch. He also has a wicked sense of humour so be forewarned!

Siddhi Bahadur Tamang (Nepal), Climbing Sherpa

This will be Siddhi's 5th trip with FTA and we could not be more excited to have him along. He is making the transition from kitchen boy and high altitude porter to sherpa and has now served as a sherpa on Ama Dablam, Island Peak and Cho Oyu.

He is also the resident nepali language instructor and takes great pride in helping our members to gain facility in nepali and during snowy days at BC this activity can be a life saver when the cards are worn and the batteries low! Inquisitive, funnny and capable there is little Siddhi will not accomplish if he wishes. We have supported him by helping him to take a mountaineering course this past summer and we hope to keep nurturing his goal of becoming a full-time Sherpa guide.

DISPATCHES

quick link:
Dispatches to begin in September!

Over the past three years we have had 33 members reach the top and we look forward to a great season again next year! We are very thankful for the phenomenal work done (as always!) by our climbing sherpas, Lhakpa and Tsering, our cook Ratna, the BC staff including Siddhi, Pasanag and Utra, and for the unbelievable support we receive in Kathmandu from our ground agent Nima T. Sherpa.

We are also very grateful to EUREKA! for providing us with tents for the expedition which we used with great confidence in the toughest of conditions and locations. The Fifth Season Exo and K2 X-T tents worked phenomenally well and we can't wait get in them again in a few months on Aconcgua, Ecuador and next summer on G2, Broad Peak and K2!

Looking down onto the C3 camp as we descend from our glorious summit day!

Returning from the summit with a spectacular view just about to head under the dablam itself

View To C2 from the Gray Tower

Merv working his way across the slabs between C1 and C2

"life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all" Helen Keller

Yaks on the highway from namche to base camp!

Nima Sherpa, Su-Swagatam Trek

Our first view of Ama Dablam from Kumjung

Approximate 2008 schedule for October group

Oct 17 fly to Lukla
Oct 18 trek to Namche

Summit slopes and C3 from the
mushroom ridge in 2005October 19 rest day namche, walk to Kumjung
October 20 Acclimatization day Namche
Oct 21 to Thyngboche and sleep in Deboche
Oct 22 arrive BC
Oct 23 rest
Oct 24 carry ABC
Oct 25 move to ABC
Oct 26 carry to c1 and return to BC
Oct 27 rest BC
Oct 28 to ABC
Oct 29 to C1
Oct 30 rest C1
Oct 31 carry c2
Nov 1 move C2
Nov 2 move to C3
Nov 3 summit and return to C3
Nov 4 return to C1
Nov 5 return to BC
Nove 6-9 spare days
Nov 10/11 return to Lukla
Nov 12 Fly back to Kathmandu