March 29, 2023 – IMG guides Max and Phunuru report that Team 1 successfully flew by helicopter to Lukla today, and then trekked to Phakding. This is a lovely 4 hour trek, mostly downhill, to the banks of the Dudh Kosi River. After traveling halfway around the world and doing the duffel shuffle for several days, it’s great to finally hit the trail and get the legs working!

Loading up the heli in Kathmandu (Phunuru Sherpa)

Team 1 in Lukla ready to hit the trail (Phunuru Sherpa)

Back in Kathmandu, Ang Jangbu reports that Team 2 members have begun arriving. So far so good!

Eric Simonson

March 28, 2023 – IMG guides Max, Phunuru, and Ang Jangbu report from Kathmandu that Team 1 completed their gear checks, packed their duffels, and had a nice team dinner tonight at the hotel.  Now they are all ready to depart at 6am for the airport where they will be flying by chartered helicopters to Lukla. The climber’s gear duffels and more fresh food is now heading by truck to Thaksindu, for another helicopter sling load up to Shyangboche.  Ang Passang is on the way to Base Camp now with yaks and the previously sent sling loads of food and gear.

IMG Everest Team 1 in Kathmandu, ready to go (Phunuru Sherpa)

Up at Everest Base Camp Ang Karma reports that the lead team have finished building the big Sherpa kitchen and dining tents, and now they are starting on constructing the platforms for the members’ kitchen and dining tents.  Phunuru talked to the Icefall Doctors today, and it sounds like they are now beyond the “Football Field” in the Icefall and are hoping to be reaching Camp 1 in the next couple days.  All’s well at Mt Everest!

Eric Simonson

March 26, 2023

Phunuru, Max, and Pasang at the DOT getting the 2023 permit (Pasang Tshering)

Good news from Kathmandu, as our first team trekkers and climbers continue to arrive.  Today IMG guides Max Bond and Phunuru went with our partner Pasang Tshering to the Department of Tourism to get the 2023 IMG Everest Expedition permit.  The expedition team is now official!

Audrey Simonson

Ang Jangbu reports that our first climbers and trekkers have begun to arrive in Kathmandu.  Arriving at your destination, hopefully with your duffel bags, is a huge first step!

On the way to Thaksindu with the big truck (Kaji Sherpa)

Jangbu reports that the recent snowstorm in Khumbu also meant lots of rain in the foothills, which has turned the road to Thaksindu into slop.  Yesterday our truck got stuck and had to get pulled by a tractor to reach the helipad.  Classic!  Apparently six Everest teams have now managed to get their gear to Thaksindu and tomorrow the helicopter sling loading up to Shyangboche will begin.

IMG Sherpas Ang Karma and Nima Sona managed to finish setting up the Sherpa kitchen today, and Ang Pasang and the rest of the Sherpas are heading up tomorrow.  Higher up on Everest, the Icefall Doctors started establishing the climbing route, and have now reached the “Popcorn”, which is about one third of the way up the Icefall.  However, they have needed to stop for a few days due to the heavy snowfall.   So far so good on Everest!

Eric Simonson

Ang Jangbu reports from Kathmandu that our team finished packing up all the food and equipment, and it is on the way to Everest!  Yesterday the team loaded the big container truck which is now en route with head cook Kaji Sherpa, heading east to Thaksindu (the end of the road).  If the weather cooperates, the gear will be flown by helicopter sling load from Thaksindu up to Shyangboche (above Namche) in the next couple days.

Loading the container truck in Kathmandu (Phunuru Sherpa)

Up at Everest Base Camp our sherpas Ang Karma and Nima Sona report that there was recently a big snowstorm in the Khumbu and everything looks like winter!  They have secured the campsite that was previously claimed by Sonam Dorje, and begun to set up tents.  There is a lot of work to do building tent platforms in the rubble and ice of the moraine and setting up the big tents.  The rest of our sherpa advance team will be joining them in the next couple days to complete the build out of Base Camp.  So far so good at Mt Everest!

Eric Simonson

Building tent platforms at Everest Base Camp (Eric Simonson)