A view from the SUMMIT of Ama Dablam!

Northern Alpine Guides Ama Dablam Expedition was a great success this year. The team was great, the conditions cold but good, and we all made it home safe and sound after an amazing experience in the Himalaya. I could go on and on but I will let my Pictures tell the rest of the story! I want to send a big thanks to the crew who climbed with us this year. Hakon, Cathrine, Katrina, Worf, and Mark.... It was a true pleasure to spend a great month in Nepal with you!

Now for some of my Pictures in chronological order : )

The crew after enjoying their first views of Ama Dablam. Cathrine, Hakon, Kat, Mark, and Wolf.

The girls were close friends and really strong members from the beginning to end of the trip.

Ama Dablam towers over the Khumbu Valley and dominates the sky line even though she is 1000 meters below some of her neighboring peaks.

A lone monk in front of the famous Tengboche Monastery.

The Rimpoche (Head Lama) of the Tengboche Monastery relaxes in the sun after the Mani Rimdu festival.

Tul Sing Gurung wearing his "Team Jacket" an Insulator from Helly Hansen. A great layer! Light and Warm.
Thanks H.H.

Trekking in to Base Camp for our acclimatization climb of Lobuche East 6010m.

Lobuche East with Base Camp in the bottom of the image.



Ama Dablam reflected in the lake just below our high camp.



Kat enjoying an amazing sunset to start our first climbing day of the trip.



Mark, Kat, and Tul Sing gaining the glaciated South Ridge.

Wolf out front leading the pack up to the upper head wall. This is my last picture of this climb. I was using everyone else's camera on the Summit. We had a great climb topping out pretty quickly. This day set us up very well for our summit push on Ama Dablam.

Our crew breaking down our Base Camp with the morning light on the North Face of Cholatse in the background. John Kear and I climbed a very direct line on the left side of Cholatse seen well in the picture above. Click Here for a Trip Report.

Ama Dablam gave us an amazing light show the night before moving up to her Base Camp.

Hmmmm Yeah. There is a reason Ama Dablam is regularly given the title of the worlds most beautiful mountain.

Our climbing route the Southwest Ridge follows the right hand skyline then up the right side of the upper snow face.

Pangboche Lama blessing us with a Puja in the morning for safe travels up and down the Living Goddess Ama Dablam.

Lama blessing our Chorten and our climbing equipment.

We had two Puja's for our Expedition so we could travel safely on Ama Dablam. One with Pangboche Lama Geishi' (sp?) and one at base camp with another Pangboche Lama in the video here.



Sorry no edit!

Our old Lama bust out 1000m elevation gain at 6am, hold a 2hr Puja, slams some Beer, and ties a triple half fisherman knot in our Sunde blessing strings......then crushes the trail back home for more prayer. Sunde is worn around your neck and received only after a Puja ceremony. After a good trip in the Himalaya your Sunde's are a great reminder of grand adventure.

One of the most important part of any Expedition is the FOOD! Our cook Kumar is Amazing 5 star! The saying was "It's a BIG mountain up there" Allowing every one to go back for seconds.....and thirds.

How about fresh right out of the oven Apple Pie to top it off??? It is alway's hard to leave Base Camp when the living is this good.

Fresh snowfall allowed us to spend another day eating at Base Camp. That was great.

Then the Sun came back allow us to start working our way up the mountain. Mark, Cathrine, Wolf, Hakon, Me, and Kat (L to R).

Day One is tough. Lots of elevation gain (4600m-5900m) and distance (7km?) on varied and challenging terrain. Then topped off with a night at 5900m. The team did great and was happy we acclimatized on Lobuche instead of lapping this terrain.

The climbing from Camp 1 to Camp 2 is Amazing. Sunny, solid granite, and safe climbing. Look closely and you can see Camp 1.

Cathrine enjoying the steep and sharp ridge line.



Look at the crazy rocks above Wolf's head???

Climbing on to the Grey Tower 150m of exciting rock and mixed climbing to gain the Mushroom Ridge. Camp 2 is seen lower on the Ridge atop the Golden Tower.

Wolf cruzin the extremely exposed traverse.



Hakon in green on the Mushroom Ridge 6250m. Base Camp is seen through the hole in the cornice just above the rope.


Wolf topping out on the Mushroom Ridge ready to snuggle into Camp 3 6300m for the night.

Most of our crew celebrating on the Summit. Cathrine arrived just after this picture. 100% Success on all climbers 4/4 who attempted. Evererst, Lhotse, and Nuptse seen to our left and the world 5th highest mountain Makalu to our right.

Wolf rapping back down to Camp 3. We did not stay any where near that tent below.



Because Seracs like this are above you all night if you sleep there. Not so nice. Cho Oyu seen at the top of the sky line.



Afternoon low clouds are very and sunshine everyday are common in Nepal Himalaya's fall season.



A view of the lower NW Ridge of Ama Dablam and the western Khumbu above.



Carrying out a double load attached to my Cilo Gear 45L pack. Sherpa training. They don't call me Rinji Sherpa for nothing!



A real strong man Kala back at camp one with Ama in his Shades.

Kat looking south off of the path less traveled return through Phortse village. Day dreaming of her next Himalayan Expedition.

I want to send a big thanks to everyone who climbed with us this year on Ama Dablam. You made for an amazing month long adventure in Nepal's Himalaya. To my amazing support staff and local guides working with High Altitude Dreams; Lama Babu, Tul Sing Gurung, Kala Tamang, Kumar, and Raju you guys made the trip a dream. Dheri Dheri Danyabad!

Namaskar!!!! Seth