February 26, 2019
Phunuru marshals in the B3 at Kongde Lodge on a foggy day (Anthony Nightingale)
Ang Jangbu checked in overnight to let us know that our food, gear, and oxygen shipments have cleared Nepal Customs and been delivered. This is an important moment for our 2019 IMG Everest Expedition. One less thing to worry about! Now everything is getting repacked over the next few days for the rugged trip to Everest Base Camp. For the oxygen cylinders, we re-wrap them in foam and get them into stronger containers. This does the trick for the bumpy road to Phaplu (80 miles east of KTM), the helicopter flight, and then getting carried by yaks or porters.
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- Repacking Oxygen cylinders for the trip to EBC (Ang Jangbu Sherpa)
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- Oxygen and Gear ready to be shipped to EBC (Ang Jangbu Sherpa)
Cargo from Phaplu normally would get flown to Shyangboche in the big Russian MI 17 helicopter. That heli is unavailable this year in Nepal, so instead the cargo will go to Pangboche via slingload under an AS350 B3. This is a smaller helicopter lifting a smaller load, but we are getting the stuff flown higher up the valley, so that is a plus.
First load of food and gear ready to start the journey to Phaplu (Ang Jangbu Sherpa)
Gear is on the move for Mount Everest!
Greg Vernovage