The Michael Palin Everest programme

A snowHead

Anyone see it last night, they have roads/tracks going up to 5000m. There didn't seem to be any snow though, it looked like the 3 Valleys would have a more skiable vertical.

A snowHead

I'll watch anything with snow/mountains in it, but the programme is fascinating. Didn't look very skiable to me, and Everest is definitely black!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

....but remember that he's gone there in their Summer. I bet things would be very different in a few month's time.

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Given a enough global warming, we might all be skiing in the Himalayas in a few decades' time. Sad

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I should imagine (though don't know) that it's pretty snowy now, after the Asian monsoon season.

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It looked cold enough already and exhausting. The Sherpas are amazing, they must have necks of steel.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Not only that one of them was wearing flip-flops, amazingly. Just shows you dont always need the latest gear to get you there. Must be a bit chilly though.

After all it is free

I'm going there in January, anybody else been? I'm there for 8 weeks, half working in a hospital and half trekking/climbing. Any advice on training, equipment etc would be great!

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article/mps/UAN/2448/v/4/sp/

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article/mps/UAN/1226/v/4/sp/

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article/mps/UAN/1112/v/4/sp/

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article/mps/UAN/2428/v/4/sp/

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/listtenbytpe.asp?p=1&articletype=5&sp=&v=4

Will all make good starting points. There are people who've been on the forum of that site, too.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Hi mjg, I've been trekking a couple of times in Nepal, although a good many moons ago. A friend and I went independently, staying in 'hostels' along the way and no climbing involved, so may be a bit different to what you're doing. But you sure do need to be fit - never knew how many muscles were involved in 'walking' Shocked

The second time I went was for 3 weeks travelling around Annapurna and reaching 18,000 feet at the highest pass - boy, was it cold, high and lacking in oxygen. I'd have thought Jan was not too good a month for trekking - is it not a bit wintry then? We went in October both times.

It's a fantastic experience anyway and hope you enjoy it. We were also lucky enough to stay on house boats in Srinigar before all the current troubles started - ah me, what am I doing now working away every day in London!

If you have any specific queries I can try and help....

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Cathy Coins, ah so you can tell me that my guess that it might be a bit snowy now, is incorrect?

snow reports

Sounds good, thanks Cathy and Skanky. Not sure about weather, I'll have to look into it but its the only time I can go, hopefully be able to fit in a quick run into India and also Tibet.

Good articles skanky! The fourth link to the Annapurna Circuit was where I went!! Brought back some memories.....specifically remember some of the 'toilets' - a shed with a hole in the ground. Had to use the facilities one night, dutifully went out with my torch, was in the middle of doing what I had to do...and dropped the torch Shocked

Not only did the light go out but I had to find the torch to make my way back to the lodge - it was pitch black. A bit of horrendous finger-tip searching ensued..... Skullie

You are correct Skanky in that you were incorrect Very Happy

I think October is one of the best times of year to go. Precipitation is all a bit funny there - when we were on the high ground behind the Annapurnas it was practically desert-like due to the lack of any rainfall. And you want to avoid the monsoons.

Shame that's the only time you can go mjg. I think you will be restricted as to where you can go, ie not high altitude. It was really bitterly cold in Oct, especially going over the high pass. We had to get up at 4 that morning to ascend 3,000 feet and descend 5,000 feet in one day to reach the next habitation for the night. 15 mins after leaving the hostel that morning my water bottle had totally frozen up. Saying that, we had gone totally non-hi tech. I had good walking boots but that was about it - talk about unprepared Laughing

You know it makes sense.

BTW There's a torrent of the 3 shows on SuperNova if you missed it.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

You're scaring me Cathy! Ah well it's a once in a lifetime gig so I'd better make the most of what I can do, ideally I want to at least make it to Everest Base Camp, how high is it? If Mr Palin can make it I should just about manage, think the solution is plenty of yaks and sherpas!

A snowHead

Too true mjg, you go for it! Though he went to Everest from the Tibetan side - I assume you'll be approaching from the normal Nepalese side. I think the highest you'll reach is about the same height as I got to, about 18,000 feet. The key is not to rush, allow yourself plenty of time to acclimatise to the altitude - we stayed at 12,000 feet for a couple of days to adjust - and after that height you do go really slowly. I remember lots of garlic soup was order of the day - I guess garlic has beneficial effects at altitude Very Happy

Sorry, yaks and sherpas not allowed - you have to carry your pack on your back to be a true trekker! Oh, and take some orange squash to cover the flavour of iodinised water Very Happy

A snowHead

Cathy Coins, thanks for the info. I wasn't sure how monsoon affected it was, being that far north and that high.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Just got back on Sunday - FANTASTIC.

Everest seemed whiter than usual possibly due to the long monsoon this year.

If anyone can explain in very simple language how to post piccies you can make your own mind up.

Stephen.

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I assume you went to Everest Stephen Sadler, have you been there before? How long did you go for? Were you trekking independently/organised group/climbing? You need to give us more info than that! If you don't have a website to do links for your photos, Alan Craggs is normally willing to have photos posted on his Skicardiff website - I'd love to see them Very Happy

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Hi Cathy.

First and I have to say last time I will do this mainly because I doubt you can replicate the feeling you get when you get to Everest for the first time, very emotional with lots of tears in what remained of the group that got there, it was also tougher than I was expecting.
I went with a trekking company (KE Adventure Travel of Keswick who were very good) and camped rather than staying in the tea houses.
We flew to Kathmandu on the 30th Sept and I got back to Manchester on the 17th Oct. Most people on the trek managed a view of Everest but only 9 (I think) of the the 16 actualy made base camp which was a particulary tough day as it was out of season so there were no yak trains to set the path over the glacier.
Whilst we did have yaks and Sherpas, we did camp which has to get you some serious Brownie points and we still had to carry a pretty heavy day pack.
I would need some help from Alan to post some pictures but I have some good ones as the weather was stunning (bluebird skies and no clouds) on the two days we were at Everest.

Stephen.

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Stephen Sadler, if you would like to use my site go here and register. Then you can login, create a new album (I suggest in the snowheads "other stuff" category perhaps) and start uploading your pics. The "manage albums" view gives you the url's of the piccies so you can link to them. Any probs just ask

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The Michael Palin Everest programme

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