Baruntse and Mera Peak Expedition 2012

Leader: Paul Noble
View more details on our Baruntse and Mera Peak expedition

2nd November: We have managed to catch Paul again for a quick update. It was good news for last weeks Mera Peak. All of the team made it to the summit which gave them huge confidence and enjoyment. Conditions were cold dark and windy but great training for the coming Baruntse Summit day.

29th Oct: We’ve had problems calling in with updates over the last few days but have now arrived at Baruntse Basecamp on a sunny and sheltered basin of our Base Camp by a small lake. We will now have a rest day, to acclimatise and explore the surroundings. Some more rope and radio training before we go for Camp 1 tomorrow morning around 9.30am. It’s good weather here but very cold with occasional afternoon snow. The team are all really keen and getting on well and looking forward to setting off now. Paul

25th Oct: An update from Paul: Today we have successfully reached High Camp on Mera Peak at 5350m and are still all feeling fit and well. The weather has been fair today, so we will try for the summit tomorrow if it continues to be good.

24th Oct: An update from Paul: Today we walked across the glacier and crossed the Mera La at 5415m, and are now at Mera Peak Base Camp. The weather has been quite good and we are all fit and well and in good spirits, and enjoying being in the mountains. The food is still great and in abundance and we have been joking we may need some extra large jackets shipped out to cover our expanding waistlines, and about how we should start a high altitude running club in an effort to lose weight!

Tomorrow we aim to go to High Camp on Mera Peak at 5350m and then try for the summit on Friday. There are quite a lot of other teams on the mountain at the moment, so plenty of opportunity for people watching!

16th Oct: We’ve just enjoyed Fire and Ice pizza’s tonight, the biggest shock being Tony…….he turned down a beer! Perhaps it’s because we have a 5am pick up tomorrow! However a potential early landing at Lukla will make up for this, we already have the bakery in mind!

15th Oct: The Baruntse team have arrived at Lukla! It was an uneventful flight and it was great to have lunch at Paradise lodge.

All the team are now armed with all the toys for a play out in the mountains. The ministry brief was delivered to Nepali time (ie the 3pm appointment started at 4.20pm) However it was good to hear what they had to say and to meet our Liaison Officer.

13th Oct: Paul has met the two clients departing from UK and has got off to a good start by holding an eating competition, although he didn’t declare who had won it. The rest of the group will meet at the hotel in Kathmandu tomorrow.