Not a lot of specific interest today to report and I don’t have a lot of time to report, anyway. Today was our last
regular instructional day and our field exam is tomorrow. I was out for much of the day prepping an area for the field exam. It’s been the coldest day yet and it was really pretty chilly on the ice. I was creating several anchors and had to spend a few hours on the ice with plenty of wind. Brrr. I must have been most of the way back to Phortse this afternoon before my toes warmed up.

Fu Doma and I worked on some of the last certificates today in preparation for graduation on Sunday. I also shaved which was nice to get done but not so nice given that the wash room was just about at freezing temps. I sure didn’t want to hang out with my shirt off any longer than necessary.

Chhongba and I also visited Nuru Gyalgen Sherpa, the owner of the Everest Lodge in Phortse and owner of a new mineral water company, Everest Mineral Water. He donated some bottles to us today and would like to donate 12 dozen or so bottles for water next year for our instructors.

In talking with Nuru Gyalgen, I learned that there are perhaps 70 adult men who live in Phortse. Only 2 or 3 have never gone on an expedition and about 90% have summitted Everest. Amazing.

The Basic climbing instructors and assistant instructors will meet tonight to make our final arrangements for the field exam. Several of us will leave town early tomorrow morning to finish the station set up. It’ll be a long day but exciting.

All the best,

Steve