To rise or to retreat? A dilemma above the clouds
I’m currently living in a yellow tent amongst hundreds of others at 5700M above sea level. My climber partner Kheiry and our assistant Jeremie along with 2 of our strongest climbers have left Tibet and abandoned the climb. Kheiry had the humility to accept to be evacuated, as much as we all contributed, he saved his own life. Truth is: I miss him. Dearly. I sit in his seat as I type this email unsure of what to do next. The evacuation has left me exhausted. Yesterday I climbed to Camp1 at 6400M, trying to regain the passion for this climb and was shocked to learn that a man lay...
Hardship Never-ending – Evacuation Part 2
As I watched the jeep drive away with my climbing partner Kheiry, Jeremie, Pema and Namgyal, it suddenly hit me: I was mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted. The truth is this: While Kheiry was sick, I put myself 2nd and failed to share the fact that I wasn’t well and that my own pulse/ox (the amount of oxygen saturation in the blood) measured 68/100. At sea level, this measurement would grant you a one-way ticket to the emergency room, at near 6000M it is not uncommon, however it is a warning sign to slow down and recover. Sadly, I did not have that luxury. It was 2:45pm,...
Evacuation at 5400m
Yesterday we evacuated Kheiry, from 5400M. He has not been well for 2 weeks. He was suffering from sleep apnea and we suspected he had pulmonary edema. We put him on oxygen, gave him a steroid and walked him down in a blizzard to the rescue Jeep. We sent him down with 2 of my Sherpas and my assistant Jeremie. He is safe and his expedition is over.
Today I evacuated my friend Kheiry – By Elia Saikaly
“It’s over”, I though to myself, and it hasn’t even begun. The dream: The ascent of Mt. Cho Oyu, the 6th highest mountain in the world is crushed. I have watched my friend and climbing partner Kheiry suffer for far too long and today we made the decision to call it quits. You know it’s time to retreat when your closest t friend is breathing supplementary oxygen from a cylinder and you’re administering powerful drugs to ensure his safety and survival. The last 72 hours have been filled with multiple emails to friends and doctors back home in Canada...
Life on an 8000M expedition – Our simple existence
I sit here in a tent at 5000M above sea level in Tibet, typing away, my fingers and toes are nearly frozen, my back aches from sleeping on uneven terrain in my tent, my head hurts from the rapid ascent to basecamp from Kathmandu and my heart grows weak as I long for connection with my loved ones back home. An 8000M expedition can be a lonely experience and we each tend to fill up in our own individual ways. I often find comfort in my iPhone4 filled with my favourite music. Songs that remind me of the most incredible moments of my life. “”T’ill Kingdom Come” By...
The Summit of Mt Lobuche – An unexpected turn of events
Elia and Kheiry make their way to the summit of Mt. Lobuche and encounter unexpected harsh weather.
The Forgotten Heroes of the Himalayas
Since Mt. Everest was first successfully climbed in 1953 by Sir Edmond Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa from the South side in Nepal, it’s become ever so common for daring men and women to tempt their fate and set their sights on the highest point on planet Earth. Others, with just as much passion for discovery set out on a grand adventure with the intent to explore and experience the classic trails of the Khumbu Valley that lead to Mt. Everest base camp. An unparalleled vacation filled with majestic mountains, glorious sunsets, an unlimited supply of children, monasteries and cultural...
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