03.21.06 | 04.03.06 | 04.15.06 | 04.20.06 | 04.26.06 | 05.06.06 | 05.11.06
05.15.06 | 05.17.06 | 05.17.06 (Success on Summit) | 05.22.06 | 05.26.06

News from Nepal
Kathmandu – May 26, 2006 - Cooling his jets in Kathmandu
Friday May 26, 2006

JF has arrived in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and now has to wait for a flight for his return to Canada. He left base camp on May 22 and walked for 4 days to reach the village of Lukla where he took a plane to Kathmandu. His flight out of Kathmandu is currently scheduled for June 4th but we are trying to get him on an earlier flight.

During his trek between Base Camp and Lukla he contracted an intestinal virus, couldn’t proceed and so had to rest in the village of Namche Bazaar for a day. He took some antibiotics that he had and is now feeling better. Now that he is in Kathmandu he can get access to a doctor if he needs one. In addition, he decided to stay in a hotel where there is good food that won’t aggravate his situation and regain some of the weight he lost - he didn’t have any weight to loose to start off with.

We’ll let everyone know if we can get JF an earlier flight out of Kathmandu.

We’d like to thank the Clarence-Rockland Chapter of Business Network International (BNI) for the financial support provided to JF for this expedition.

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Jean-François Carrey is on his Way Home
Monday May 22, 2006

After Climbing Mount Everest, Jean-François Carrey is on his Way Home.

On Mai 18th, 2006, Jean-François Carrey accomplished his dream and became the youngest Canadian to summit Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. He left Base Camp on Mai 22nd for his journey back to Canada.

He was able to reach us via his satellite telephone, he was happy and in good spirits. From Base Camp he will follow footpaths and walk 3 to 4 days to reach the village of Lukla, where there is a small airport. From Lukla he will take a plane to Kathmandu. As soon as he arrives to Kathmandu he will try to rearrange his flights for an early return to Canada, which could be as soon as this upcoming weekend. Once we have more information, we will inform you of the precise date of his arrival at the Ottawa Airport.

In attachment, you will find a picture taken by Justin Merle of Jean-François at the summit. From left to right Jean-François, Dawa Nuru and Samduk Dorje Tamang. You will also find attached an article written by Fred Sherwim from a local newspaper. A “Google” search on the name JFCarrey provides several articles on our young explorer.

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Success on Everest!
Thursday May 18, 2006 (5:10am Nepal Time)

Dear Friends,

I am happy to report that our first summit climbers have reached to top: Justin and JF reached the summit at 5:10 am. Walter, Karl, and Markus are reported to be a short way back and should be arriving soon. The group is accompanied by Samduk Dorje Sherpa, Dawa Nuru Sherpa, and Nima Karma Sherpa. The weather and conditions are reported to be good. They made excellent time and climbed most of the way in the dark with a moon. It must have been quite a sunrise!

We’ll keep you posted!

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Jean-François Reaches Camp 4 and Continues for the Summit
Wednesday May 17, 2006

International Mountain Guides has informed us that Jean-François and his Sherpa Dawa Nuru, have reached the South Col on Mount Everest where Camp 4 is located (about 8,000 m or 26,300 ft). With him were fellow climbers Justin Merle, Walter Laserer, Karl Flock, Markus Buel and other Sherpas from IMG. They arrived Wednesday morning at Camp 4 and are leaving for the summit tonight at 9:00 p.m. (local time in Nepal).

They will be climbing all night using headlamps to light their way. They will pass the Balcony which is an elevated section reputed to offer a magnificent view of the sun rising over the Himalayas. Although Everest is the highest mountain on the planet it is not the nearest point to the sun due to the earth’s curvature. They will then climb the famous Hillary Step that is a near vertical section and dangerous because of the winds and the effects of high altitude.

They plan to reach the summit around 9:00 a.m. (local time in Nepal) on Thursday morning. Then they start the return trip that is also very dangerous due to the fatigue, the altitude and the extreme cold. Usually they don’t spend too much time at Camp 4 on their return unless they are exhausted because there isn’t a lot of oxygen in the air at these elevations. IMG keeps a Sherpa at Camp 4 with hot water to re-hydrate the climbers on their way back from the summit.

We want to thank JF’s colleagues from Trailhead and their suppliers, with special mention to Chlorophyle who have supplied JF with the extreme cold weather gear. He’s putting them to good use this week.

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Departure from Camp 2 for the Summit
Monday May 15, 2006

Expedition Leader Mark Tucker reports from Base Camp that the plans for the summit bids are taking shape. The climbers had to delay their bid for the summit by one day because of bad weather. The first summit team from IMG will be Jean-François with his Sherpa Dawa Nuru, Walter Laserer, Karl Flock, Markus Buel and Justin Merle. These climbers are at Camp 2 right now and they will be moving to Camp 3 Tuesday morning. John Turner had stomach cramps on Saturday and returned to Base Camp and will join Sophia Danenburg and their Sherpas in the second summit team.

Now is where the rubber hits the road. All the training, planning and preparations come down to the next week or so.

We’d like to recognize the students and staff at the French public school board who have supported Jean-François in realizing this dream.

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Jean-François Meets a Famous Climber – Another Tragedy on the Mountain
Thursday May 11, 2006

JF, who wants to become the youngest Canadian to climb Everest, met another climber this week that has been noted in the record books. Nicknamed Cool Hand Luke, the dog made his way to Camp 2 and followed the climbers for several days up until the moment he ate 30 hard boiled eggs that were part of the food cache for the Sherpas and climbers. It was uncertain how the dog, which had succeeded in crossing numerous ladder bridges between Base Camp and Camp 2, could return down the mountain as several of the ladders are angled up. Dogs can climb up ladders but climbing down is more difficult for them. The Sherpas succeeded in getting a rope around the dog and managed to get it back down to Base Camp. Then to avoid this happening again, they put him on the next helicopter bound for Kathmandu. In the attached photos you can see Jean-François and Cool Hand Luke. The photos are from Dave Hahn. (view)

On their web site the Adlers report that a group of Sherpas found a Czechoslovakian climber between Camp 3 and the South Col (between Camps 3 and 4). See www.adlers.com.au He was alive when they found him but had severe frostbite after having spent the night outside. By the time they got him back to Camp 3 he had died. The circumstances surrounding this tragedy are still unclear at this time.

Jean-François is resting at Base Camp this week and expects to leave Saturday for an assault on the summit May 17 subject to weather conditions above Camp 3. He feels in good shape after having completed 2 rotations at high altitude and is anxious to start climbing again.

We’d like to thank our friends and family who have supported Jean-François so that he can achieve his goal. He is showing us how we can achieve our goals no matter how large they seem. He will have some good stories to tell us when he returns.

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The Second Rotation to Camp 3 is a Success
Friday May 6, 2006

Jean-François has returned to base camp after having successfully completed his second rotation in the acclimatization process at Camp 3.

“We spent a night at Camp 3 (approx 7,200 meters or 23,700 ft) and everything went well,” said Jean-François. “The summit was right there in front of us. I feel great but tired. It’s hard to get to Camp 3 because we have to climb the steep Lhotse Face which is mostly ice so we have to use fixed ropes. The ice is blue and very hard. The Camp is cut into the side of the mountain and we have to wear crampons and harness as soon as we leave our tents. It was cold and very windy but spending a night at Camp 3 is a very important step in our acclimatization process. Higher up than Camp 3 there isn’t enough oxygen in the air for the human body to regenerate cells and we can no longer acclimatize. So we can’t stay at these altitudes for very long”.

“Everything is difficult at Camp 3. We’re no hungry but we have to eat and it’s especially important to drink to prevent dehydration. We have to melt ice to make water,” he added. “Now we’re going to rest at base camp for about a week, regain some strength, develop our strategy for the climb and wait for a break in the weather so that we can make our way to the summit”.

Jean-François made his way to Camp 3 with his IMG expedition colleagues, John Turner, Sophia Danenburg, Justin Merle and their Sherpas Dawa Nuru, Phu Nuru and Panuru. The other IMG climbers are at different steps in their acclimatization process. Climbing Everest is not a race but a marathon and climbers must be patient, well prepared and determined. The Adlers have some excellent pictures and I invite you to visit their web site at Adlers

Dave Hahn reports that a dog made his way to Camp 2! How the dog was able to cross all the ladder bridges in the Khumbu Icefall is amazing! However Dave adds that it is somewhat sad because it is hard for a dog to climb down ladders as some of the ladders are inclined. The presence of a dog could be a dangerous distraction for the climbers. In addition they discovered that 30 hard boiled eggs had disappeared overnight. In another dispatch Dave tells us that some Sherpas brought the dog back down to base camp. See Dave Hahn’s web site at Great Outdoors (click on his photo then on updates.)

Jean-François thanks everyone for the good wishes you have sent him with a special thought to the members of the Children’s Response Program in Halifax that are following the expedition with great interest. We expect more news from Jean-François once he has developed his strategy for the assault of the Everest summit.

Other web sites following Jean-François’ expedition:
Mountain Guides
Achieving New Heights
Finding Life

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The Next Rotation
Wednesday April 26, 2006

After the tragic events of last week, Dawa Nuru and Phu Nuru, the sherpas of Jean-François and John Turner, have now returned to base camp. They were in the village of Phortse where they participated in a Puja ceremony in memory of Phinjo and the other 2 sherpas that died last week when 2 large seracs fell on them. Seracs are large pillars of ice that break off from a glacier. Phinjo was a cousin of Dawa Nuru, Jean-François’ sherpa.

Jean-François told us that they have grieved and now they are concentrating on their goal – to summit Everest.

Jean-François and his Everest climbing buddy, John Turner, (see John’s web site) will be on their way for their second rotation on Friday morning to Camp 1, Camp 2 and a night at Camp 3. They plan to be up on the mountain for 5 to 6 days before returning to base camp.

Camp 1 is at approximately 6,100 meters (20,013 feet). The area between Camp 1 and Camp 2 is known as the Western CWM (pronounced koum). Camp 2 is at approximately 6,500 meters (21,325 feet) and to get there the climbers have to cross several crevasses in the glacier. After leaving Camp 2, the climbers must ascent the Lhotse Face (Lhotse is a 27,920 foot mountain near Everest). The Lhotse Face is a steep ice wall that requires considerable agility, strength and stamina. Camp 3 is situated at 7,200 meters (23,700 feet).

Most Everest climbers consider that a rotation to Camp 3 is important because after Camp 3 there is such a small percentage of oxygen in the air that the human body can no longer acclimatize. So this rotation allows climbers to maximize their acclimatization. At higher altitudes the use of bottled oxygen becomes important as there isn’t enough oxygen in the body to regenerate cells.

If they succeed this high altitude rotation, they will then wait for a summit window. The winds at the summit of Everest can exceed 150 KPH. Usually, around mid-May, just before the monsoon season, the jet stream re-adjusts in such a way that there may be a few days of consistently good weather. This is the moment that the climbers will be waiting for and have prepared for.

Thanks to everyone who has sent notes of encouragement and we’re sending all those positive thoughts to Jean-François.

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Mount Everest Base Camp – 5,300 meters (17,388 feet)
Thursday April 20, 2006

Jean-François and 8 other climbers were stranded for 3 nights in Camp 1 at 6,100 meters (20,013 feet) without being able to move up or down the mountain because of a storm that left 1.5 meters of snow on their route.

They left Base Camp last Monday with the intention of reaching Camp 1 and, if conditions were good, to continue on to Camp 2 at 6,400 meters. It took them 5 hours to reach Camp 1 and once there, they had to stay at that camp due to a snowstorm that is unusual for this time of year. The blowing snow reduced their visibility and the safety ropes were buried in the snow. In addition, the risk of avalanches was considerably increased, in fact, an avalanche did occur near Camp 1. Luckily Camp 1 had been moved this year to a new location specifically to lower the risk of the camp being carried away in an avalanche.

Jean-François told us via satellite phone this morning that they were only able to return to Base Camp today. He was able to use the 3 nights at Camp 1 to better acclimatize himself and that he had slept well. This was the highest elevation that he had ever slept at. Sleeping at Camp 1 is equivalent to sleeping on top of Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America. They spent their time shovelling snow and building a snow wall to protect their tents against the high winds. Some of their snow walls are as high as 2 meters. While returning to Base Camp he felt in good health and admired the beauty of the mountain with all the new snow. His acclimatization process is going well as he noticed that he had more energy when he reached Base Camp.

He will spend the next few days at Base Camp. They haven’t chosen a time when they will attempt to reach Camp 2. They want to wait until the risk of avalanches is less and that the route is safer. They will likely set out for Camp 2 early next week and may sleep at Camp1 then move on to Camp 2 and even make their way to Camp 3.

This guy has always liked winter camping. Since he was 10 years old he has liked to sleep either in a tent or shelter in the snow. The winter camping skills that he learned at scout camps are certainly being put to good use.

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En Route to Camp One
Saturday April 15, 2006

Jean-François is on his way to Camp 1. They plan to leave Monday morning for Camp 1 and spend a night there then return to base camp to rest for a few days. This process of going up to the next camp and returning to better acclimatize themselves is called a rotation.

Jean-François called us by satellite phone this morning and said: “I’m anxious to get going as we’ve been at base camp for two weeks. I’m well acclimatized, my headaches have passed, I’m in good health and ready for the next step. The route to Camp 1 will be open on Monday and we should be among the first to establish Camp 1”.

The route to Camp 1 is difficult, as they must traverse the Khumbu Icefall. The Khumbu is a glacier with enormous blocs of ice that break away from the glacier and form numerous crevasses. The climbers must cross over 30 crevasses with ladders tied end to end or climb ice walls, always with the use of safety ropes, crampons and ice axe. The longest ladder is one used to climb an ice wall and crevasse at an angle of about 70 degrees that consists of 5 ladders tied together with rope. The glacier is moving at a rate of about one meter per day that requires the Sherpas to continually reconstruct the ladder bridges crossing the Khumbu.

The route from base camp to Camp 1 can take between 3 to 8 hours depending on the physical condition of the climbers. Once this rotation is completed, they will make their way to Camp 2.

By comparison, base camp is at 5,300 meters (17,388 feet) and Camp 1 is at 6,100 meters (20,013 feet). The highest mountain in Canada is Mt. Logan in the Yukon at 5,959 meters (19,550 feet).

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JF Carrey at Base Camp
Monday April 3, 2006

As planned, I have arrived at the Everest Base Camp today, April 3! We climbed 300 metres today, which isn’t that much. I have headaches from time to time, but I’m sure it will pass.

We are here for the next 6 to 7 days, as the team of Sherpas and the others in charge of the mountain have only begun to install the ladders over the crevasses which separate us from the glacier. We will therefore take advantage of this time to acclimatize, relax and do a few excursions a few hours per day.

Technically, we should be embarking on the glacier in about a week. As for me, I like keeping busy, so I think I’d like to build a nice lounge chair made out of rocks to use during my time at the base camp!

I also experienced the Puja ceremony! It was extremely interesting and moving. This ceremony’s purpose is to bless all of the expeditions on Everest. They blessed our expedition and also blessed our equipment, like the crampons and the harnesses.

My new friend, my Sherpa, Dawa Nuru, was very proud to great meet me and he made sure to wear his coat which showcased all of the pins he had acquired during his expeditions with Canadians. In this regard, it is extremely reassuring and gives me an extra sense of motivation!

Our team is dividing itself at this stage; many of the individuals had the goal of reaching the Everest Base Camp. In my team, we are left with a few Americans, an Australian, a Swiss, an Austrian and a German.

The weather here is rather warm, between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius, however, the nights get pretty cold at around -10 degrees.

I feel extremely ready for this adventure and I am appreciating every moment!

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The Everest Expedition is Underway
Tuesday March 21, 2006

Jean-Franççois has arrived in Kathmandu without any difficulties. He is staying in Kathmandu for 2 days, getting to know the other members of the team and doing final packing. They then take a small plane to Lukla and start the trek to base camp.

International Mountain Guides has an excellent site where you can follow the expedition’s progress. Their site is: www.mountainguides.com If you are interested in his itinerary click on "Everest Itinerary" in the centre of the page. For updates and pictures of the expedition click on "Everest 2006" on the left hand side of the page.

Jean-Franççois will be doing interviews over a satellite phone with the radio station Ènergie 104 on a weekly basis - those will be posted on JF's site on the home page.

Since those interviews will be en français, we plan to do periodic updates in English on JF's site in the what's new area.

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