Secret Spot 7 Summits Blog2008-09-07T16:28:33Zhttp://blog.secretspoteverest.com/atom.aspxQuick BlogEpisode 6 of Secret Spot.TV is live!!tag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-08-15:8feb1d78-ff19-4745-9095-ca47247aa4e1Phill Michael2008-08-15T03:05:37Z2008-08-15T00:13:00Z Telling it like it is...
Minneapolis is lovely this time of year. B^)
I'm here connecting with folks who are part of a little company called Medtronic. Good things are happening at Medtronic...and it's great to watch people 'tranforming technology to change lives'. That's the future...and it's NOW! =^]
We live in an age of what was once science fiction...that has become science fact. I'm living proof of that. =^]
Stellar dinner in Minneapolis
At long last...Episode 6 of SecretSpot.TV is ready for your viewing pleasure! =^) Join us as we explore real Sherpa country in Episode 6! Chris and I talk about Oakley and our Spring 2008 expedition to Denali. This is part 2 of a 4 part series about the Sherpa people of Nepal.
YOU need to immediately go to SecretSpot.TV and watch Episode 6. You won't be disapppointed. =^]
Connecting with the world from remote places...
If you've following this blog...or are about to explore it...you'll see that we were fortunate enough to host Ang Dawa Sherpa in North America (for 3 months!) in Spring/Summer of 2008. We missed him about 2 seconds after he left, but we will fortunately see him again soon...
Our 'Tilman Trek' is coming up...starting a week or so after the Fall equinox of 2008 . We'll be traversing Nepal...south to north...climbing a few 20,000ft peaks and eventually re-visiting Everest South Side Base Camp. We'll also be busy using and testing the gear from our always increasing list of Sponsors and Friends. There's still room on that trip for a few qualified individuals. If you or someone you know has what it takes to join us...leave a comment for this blog entry...and I'll be sure to respond.
We'll get to look at the tallest peak on earth and consider our longer than usual trudge from Tibet to Nepal in 2009. I'll also be thinking about returning to Dawa's village in later November of this year. Icy Cold will try to break our spirit...but we'll rise to her challenge and smile our usual smiles...then try to warm her heart. Time, as always, is on our side. =^]
NB If you are subscriber to this blog and you are having a hard time viewing the media in your email...just go directly to the blog by clicking here (or clicking on the permalink below)...and you will be rewarded. =^]
]]>Dawa Departs...=^]tag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-08-11:b7a32b4a-a00c-44bb-9d22-9c716f7b8840Phill Michael2008-08-11T12:05:59Z2008-08-11T11:52:00Z Kindly press the play button (that is directly below) to hear a voice dispatch that was recorded on Saturday! =^]
(This audio file has been repaired since the original posting...so it works now! =^])
NB If you are subscriber to this blog and you are having a hard time viewing the media in your email...just go directly to the blog by clicking here (or clicking on the permalink below)...and you will be rewarded. =^]
Kindly hit the play button below to listen to a descriptive voice
dispatch from the slopes of Rainier! B^)
The Julia Mobile near Paradise with Rainier approving in the Background.
Cold Chillin' in Paradise! B^)
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits SecretSpot.NET SecretSpot7Summits.com SecretSpotEverest.com Blog.SecretSpotEverest.com
]]>Reflections...tag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-07-31:2bfb8121-7a02-4184-b4c7-9311fbffb781Phill Michael2008-08-01T03:25:25Z2008-07-31T03:04:00ZDawa and I have been continuing to record 'voiceovers' for our SecretSpot.TV podcasts and reflecting on our fortuitous meeting of over a year ago. I am especially fond of the memory of shooting Episode 1 during our 2007 Everest Freestyle Expedition Base Camp Trek and being in the shadow of the big mountain we will one day traverse together.
Dawa and Phill Recording voiceovers for Episode 6 of SecretSpot.TV
Chris and Phill contemplating Episode 6 of SecretSpot.TV (while at 11000ft on Denali's West Buttress)
It was exactly a year ago that Dawa introduced me to his ancestral home and helped bring my world view and personal philosophies into a sharper focus. There is extreme beauty in simplicity. It's all just a matter of perspective. =^]
Passi, Lapka (Gelu's Mom) and Gelu in a Cow Shed
A truly Secret Spot at 12000ft in Nepal was a good place to reflect on...everything
These reflections fill my bionic heart to bursting. That's a good thing. =^)
July showers bring July flowers...in remote Nepal
Video of Cold Chillin' THE Cow Shed
There will be some footage from my 'Cow Shed' experience in Episode 7 of the SecretSpot.TV podcast. We should have that posted about a month after Episode 6 (Episode 6 to be posted within a week or less).
Dawa goes over the Tilman Trek maps
Our 'Tilman Trek' is also coming up...starting a week or so after the Fall equinox of 2008 . We'll be traversing Nepal...south to north...climbing a few 20,000ft peaks and eventually re-visiting Everest South Side Base Camp. We'll also be busy using and testing the gear from our always increasing list of Sponsors and Friends. There's still room on that trip for a few qualified individuals. If you or someone you know has what it takes to join us...leave a comment for this blog entry...and I'll be sure to respond.
We'll get to look at the tallest peak on earth and consider our longer than usual trudge from Tibet to Nepal in 2009. I'll also be thinking about returning to Dawa's village in later November of this year. Icy Cold will try to break our spirit...but we'll rise to her challenge and smile our usual smiles...then try to warm her heart. Time, as always, is on our side. =^]
Speaking of cold...I wonder what it feels like to be up on Mount Rainier right now?! Michael Fagin at WowWeather.com (and EverestWeather.com) had the following to say about the weekend:
A weather system will move into the Mt. Rainier area on Friday and bring some strong summit winds (60 mph at times) and precipitation for Friday and Saturday. Then by Sunday the weather will improve so for Sunday we can expect partly sunny conditions with just a slight chance of a brief shower with summit winds in the 15 to 30 mph range.
Brrrrr...Friday sounds windy and cold. I've been on Rainier when it's less than warm. It's not a situation most people would wish upon themselves.
I've also been on Rainier under ideal conditions. You can click here to see the panoramic view that Alex and I enjoyed from the summit of Rainier on Sept 15th, 2007.
Alex and Phill on the summit of Mount Rainier on September 15th, 2007
Fortunately Michael's weather services (WowWeather.com) help people make sense of the climate and weather patterns in the Cascades. Que bueno!
Here's what he has to say about early next week on Mount Rainier:
Monday and Tuesday will be sunny and warm with summit winds of 10 to 26 mph and on Wednesday summit winds of 10 to 30 mph and chance of afternoon thundershowers and finally Thursday summit winds of 20 to 40 mph and chance of morning and afternoon thundershowers.
It sounds like Dawa and I need to go climb Rainier after the weekend. Thanx, in part, to the SatellitePhone Store.com and AnchorageSatellitePhones.com...I'll be doing some live satellite dispatches while on the climb! So...once again...if you subscribe to this blog you'll be able to virtually climb Mount Rainier with us.
NB If you are subscriber to this blog and you are having a hard time viewing the media in your email...just go directly to the blog by clicking here (or clicking on the permalink below)...and you will be rewarded. =^]
]]>The Last Step...Look Out!tag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-07-28:8dcd521c-a146-4793-83b2-e9e9cbb02ec9Phill Michael2008-07-29T15:05:48Z2008-07-28T17:02:00ZThe forecast calls for pain. Well...not really. =^]
Ang Dawa Sherpa, Michael Fagin and Philll Michael enjoy a meal at Agua Verde
A bit of foul weather is scheduled to move into the Cascades this week...or so says the Michael Fagin at EverestWeather.com . At WowWeather.com , he predicts that the Cascades will enjoy an 'Upper Disturbance Low Pressure System' and the area could see upwards of a half inch of rain on Tuesday and Wednesday. He also calls for a weaker disturbance to move through the region over the weekend...but with limited precipitation and moderate winds.
Dawa and I are considering tackling the Kautz Glacier route on Mount Rainier soon...so hopefully our new friend Michael is right?! Time will tell. =^]
We did a great hike to Alpine Look Out, in the East Cascades, with Michael last Thursday. You can see some images and video from that towards the end of this blog entry.
There's a wealth of knowledge on everything to do with Mount Rainier at Mike Gauthier's Mount Rainier Blogspot . I recommend you check it out! B^)
Dawa and I have been pouring through hours and hours of video from the last year...as well as images...in an effort to complete the Sherpa podcasts for SecretSpot.TV . I wish I could feature ALL the fascinating ethnicities that inhabit Nepal....but one at a time! You''ll have to follow along over the years to learn (virtually and first hand) about the Tamnags and Newars...
The Three Singing Tamang Girls of the Solu/Khumbu region of Nepal
With the editing skills of Chris Stanko on our side, we should be posting Episode 6 of SecretSpot.TV by the end of July...or soon thereafter. B^]
You can subscribe to one of the various 'podcast engines' at Secret Spot.TV...here ...and you'll be updated about the posting via your browser or email (depending on how you have it set up).
Your SecretSpot.TV Hosts...Chris Stanko(left) and Phill Michael (right)
We shot the chatty part of Episode 6 here in Seattle, just before the Denali trip, and there's also a pretty good Sponsorship Spotlight about Oakley ! They don't just make sunglasses! B^]
I've been reading a pretty good book, that Dawa brought from Nepal with him, called 'The Last Step: The American Ascent of K2' by Rick Ridgeway. It chronicles numerous ascents of Pakistan's K2 (the second highest peak on the planet) and focuses on American attempts in the 1970's. It's a very insightful book regarding expedition planning, trials and tribulations. I think I've started reading it about 5 times...but can't seem to get the time to make it past page 53. Hopefully this week might finally allow me to read it to the end?! There are definitely some sentiments in that book I can relate to.
If you consult SecretSpot7Summits.com , you'll be able to learn a little more about K2. Dawa and I plan to claw our way to it's summit...two years from now! I'm going to have to strip off some 'Bear Meat' for that adventure! =^P
Despite having (and giving away) mountains of food on our recent Secret Spot Denali Expedition we all lost a few extraneous pounds. Here are a couple of little video snippets from the very beginning of said trip:
Phill and Chris cold kickin' it at 7800ft camp on Denali's West Buttress
As I've mentioned in previous blog entries, we'll eventually incorporate the hours (and hours) of unique footage we captured on the Secret Spot Denali Expedition into our SecretSpot.TV podcasts...as well as other media projects. We plan on returning to Denali to do a traverse(!) in Spring of 2010. You can consult SecretSpot7Summits.com to learn more about that...as well as the rest of the climbs we have planned.
Alex, Phill and Dawa in the Secret Spot Video Lab
Dawa is continuing to enjoy new experience after new experience. He's seeing how the 'Video Lab' works...first hand. Now he has a new appreciation for the outrageous amount of time it takes to organize and produce this media! We're also working on a little writing project. Too bad there aren't 48 hours in each day...huh?! =^]
Speaking of more new things for Dawa, here is an image from his trip to Catalina Island of mid-July...
Dawa and Ron and Rose Stanko on Catalina Island
Ron and Rose Stanko were good enough to expose Dawa to some Southern California culture that included his first ride on the salty ocean! I'll see if I can add some more images from his Catalina trip in a future blog entry.
Like Michael Fagin predicted, it's cloudy and blustery in Seattle today...so let's look at some images from our sunny hike to Alpine Look Out last week...while I burrow deeper and deeper into the Video Lab...
Dawa in the Alpine Look Out Trail
Alpine Look Out from a distance
Dawa in the Burn
A Curious Mountain Goat at Alpine Look Out
Michael Fagin, Phill and Dawa at Alpine Look Out (6200ft)
Jim...the eyes of Alpine Look Out
The Goats of Alpine Look Out with Glacier Peak in the Background
Phill and the Curious Mountain Goat at Alpine Look Out
]]>Climate Change (?!) and Mount Hood...tag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-07-23:d518d922-cead-484b-8720-ca34c1aa1ac2Phill Michael2008-07-24T09:11:57Z2008-07-23T03:52:00Z I'll start this entry now and post sometime on Wednesday.
Dawa, Mick and Phill at the George
It was good to connect with Master Mick V today and have some Fish and Chips at the George and Dragon. Seattle is pretty nice at this time of year. B^)
Ahhhh...it's a World of Change. I'm constantly reminded that everything is impermanent.
On the climbs we do, situations change...the weather changes...plans change. Our policy is to not complain about it...but move forward and carry the Torch of Pure Positivity. What a pleasure. =^)
Climate change?! (Think of it literally and figuratively...and don't limit the word 'climate' to the weather.) We're not afraid of it. We of the Secret Spot Society were each born at exactly the right time. Very lovely for us. =^)
Regarding an aspect of that subject, I'm about to finally launch the SecretSpot.NET blog. Think of it as a 'monthly'. The first entry includes a 'Frankly Physical' component about global warming and glaciations. You can finally stop pretending you understand how glaciers work and get the facts about why they are constantly changing. Many thanks go out to El Franko for continuing to educate us on all things scientific.
The more we learn...the more we grow.
You can subscribe to Tales from Secret Spots and get monthly stories from real live people who have been fortunate enough to share some of these hidden away places with me. Do it. =^]
I was going to fly to So Cal yesterday, but it looks like there has been a shifting of schedules. Alex is feeling a little overwhelmed by the Green Waters of Seattle, so he'll be unable to join us for Mount Rainier. We had that slated for an extended weekend of August 2nd. What will now likely happen is that Dawa and I will climb a little sooner...and probably do a more technically demanding route than the Disappointment Cleaver. If you subscribe to this blog...or follow it daily...you'll be able to virtually climb whatever route we choose. I urge you to do so. It's as good for you as it is for us, but you'll be warmer. =^]
Mount Hood is still shining in my bionic heart. We had such a great time and such a good group. Many thanks go out to Super Fly Scott Stanko for keeping you in 'up to the hour' updates with our dispatches. Hopefully you felt like you were virtually climbing Mount Hood with us?!
Cold Chillin' on the summit col of Mount Hood
Phill Michael and Alex Mondau on the East Summit of Mount Hood
Video of a Panoramic View from the East Summit of Mount Hood
Visions of Brie and Smoked Turkey sandwiches are still dancing in my head...as are the fine Peanut Butter and Jelly creations. Sara and Julia not only (very) capably propelled themselves uphill, but they whipped up some pretty tasty comestibles at the 9500ft Slumberpit. And the view! Some folks would consider sleeping under the stars on some lumpy, cold ground as the closest thing to being a guest of Beelzebub as possible...but I strongly beg to differ. The simple pleasures are the best!
Tuckered Out
We devoured a Post-Hood Super Dinner with Barb and Fritz (Alex's Parents)
As compelling as the comforts of the city can be, I can't wait to strap the crampons back onto my feet...AND sleep outside again! Neither can Dawa!
We've got our work cut out for us over the next few days. Mountains of gear (some still left over from the rigors of Denali!) need to be washed and organized...we need to do some voice over and editing work for Episode 6...I need to complete some presentations for some speaking I'm doing in August, etc, etc, etc. 'Office Days(Daze?!)'. It's got to occasionally happen! =^]
I was digging through the video and image vaults during the wee hours. I think I said, in some previous blog entries and dispatches, that I'd post some more videos from Denali and New Mexico, etc. They are on the way...as are some scenes from Dawa's Catalina trip with Ron and Rose Stanko!
]]>Summit of Mount Hoodtag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-07-20:c915efea-7ed0-4102-ba82-636c26c91c50Phill Michael2008-07-20T18:03:05Z2008-07-20T17:55:00ZSummit of Mount Hood
20 Jul, 08 - 11:38
Well well...here we are on the summit of Mount Hood(11,249ft)...very lovely for us! B^)
Click here to listen to Phill's Voice Dispatch from the summit!
Sara and Julia with Mount Jefferson in the Background
It was a mellow little march...and the company could not have been better! =^]
Mount Hood Summit Col
It's nice to look at snowy Rainier and consider that we will be there in two weeks! B^)
Alex and Phill on the Mount Hood Summit with Mount Rainier in the distant background
]]>Morning Came Quickly...tag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-07-20:79abdcc3-9b34-4247-b96a-e2b8803da4bbPhill Michael2008-07-20T11:02:07Z2008-07-20T10:56:00ZMorning Came Quickly...
20 Jul, 08 - 06:43
Once again...the morning came too quickly, but an exceptional sleep was
enjoyed by me. Snoring was happening from all around...with mine being
the loudest....and consequently I might have received a request or two
to stop sawing logs. We were snug as bugs in rugs. =^]
The Slumberpit
The
moonrise was awesome...the stars were brilliant and everyone was using
superlatives to describe our Zulu 9 sleeping bags. It's good to be
toasty warm.
It's 630am...so I suppose I should get out of my sleeping bag and prepare for the last 1750 vertical feet of this little hike.
Looking up towards the peak of Mount Hood
I'll take this comm gear to the summit and do a dispatch from there...
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits SecretSpot.NET SecretSpot7Summits.com SecretSpotEverest.com Blog.SecretSpotEverest.com ]]>9500ft Bivi on Mount Hoodtag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-07-20:169d5abf-2ef9-4527-9a5a-2bc91342cf45Phill Michael2008-07-20T10:55:46Z2008-07-20T10:51:00Z9500ft Bivi on Mount Hood
19 Jul, 08 - 23:51
Comfortably ensconced in our sleeping bags we are. Nestled behind a man
made rock wall...like a pile of puppies...we are under the stars...and
truly in the village of warmth! =^)
Sara is Loving Mount Hood
We
left the car at around 6000ft and now we are at 9500ft...looking
forward to a fine sleep under a just waning full moon. There it
sits...blood red in the eastern sky.
9500ft Bivi Site
We'll be up at sunrise on
Sunday for a leisurely walk to the summit. It's about 1750 vertical
feet above us. That's about half the vertical gain we achieved
today...so it should all be lovely.
Melting Snow for Drinks
I'll see if I can get yet another dispatch uploaded before our morning summit stroll...
The morning came quickly and I find myself landing in Portland,
Oregon...looking forward to a 'night under the stars' on Mount Hood.
Alaskan Air did another stellar job of getting my carcass and gear to the appropriate place in a timely fashion. Que bueno! =^]
Rainier from the Plane
Mount
Hood is the highest peak in Oregon at 11, 249ft (3,249m). It's a
stunning mountain...and upon minor inspection...one can see it's a
volcano! There haven't been any major eruptions since the late
eighteenth century, so we are likely in for a quiet weekend.
Hearty Breakfast before the Stroll
We
(Alex, Dawa and I) had originally considered doing an ascent of Rainier
this weekend, but Julia and Sara were added to the mix and work
schedules only allowed for a weekend outing. Rainier is going to happen
over an extended weekend of August 2nd...so this will be a good warm up.
Sara points out the summit of Mount Hood
I
got some good data from Mike 'Gator' Gauthier...who was traipsing
around on Mount Hood last weekend. Sounds like a cakewalk...so a bivy
close to the summit will make things most memorable. I am missing
sleeping outside...big time! WowWeather.com calls for sunshine and
clear skies by Sunday...so life is good. Tonight will be a far cry from
High Camp on Denali, but just as warm...cuz I brought my Zulu 9
sleeping bag. %^O zzzzz
I plan on doing several dispatches on this Ipaq over the next two days...and uploading via the Iridium satellite phone. Super
Fly Scott Stanko...or Senor Chris 'Rato' Stanko will mirror my
dispatches here on our Seven Summits blog
(http://blog.secretspoteverest.com).'
YOU too can virtually climb Mount Hood with us by subscribing to our blog!
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits SecretSpot.NET SecretSpot7Summits.com SecretSpotEverest.com Blog.SecretSpotEverest.com ]]>Time Machinetag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-07-18:b1c4fa59-f119-42ad-a4ee-d2d8f8587de6Phill Michael2008-07-18T23:27:00Z2008-07-18T23:05:00Z Time Machining through New Dimensions
Time Machining through other dimensions is a joy and a pleasure. I just wish there was MORE time! =^]
Virtually climb Mount Hood this weekend via this blog!
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits SecretSpot.NET SecretSpot7Summits.com SecretSpotEverest.com Blog.SecretSpotEverest.com]]>More Playmobil Bajee Dawa Videos and SecretSpot.TV Teasers...tag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-07-16:a6c11ad2-9747-469d-bcdd-a81855df5a20Phill Michael2008-07-16T22:43:18Z2008-07-16T16:42:00Z Playing Hearts in the Igloo at 14,200ft on Denali's West Buttress
We're madly working on Denali video and footage...but I've got about 1500 miles (2500km) of motorcycling to do in the next 2 days...then Mount Hood to climb. I'll have to commune with the laptop early next week.
The next Episode to be relased will be Episode 6. We should have it for your viewing pleasure by early August 2008. Here's a re-posted teaser from that:
SecretSpot.TV Episode 6 Teaser
There will be live dispatches from Mount Hood this weekend...and live dispatches from Mount Rainier at the end of July/beginning of August 2008!
Mount Hood as reflected in Trillium Lake
See them all via this blog. Subscribe and virtually climb with us. B^)
Here's a video from Playmobil Bajee Dawa's first rifle session. He's a natural.
Dawa's First Shooting Gallery
I'll do a couple of quick motorcycle dispatches, via the Ipaq, on Thursday and Friday...then you'll be seeing Mount Hood in all its splendour. Mucho good! =^)
Special thanks, in advance, goes out to Byron at AnchorageSatellitePhones.com for hooking us up with an Iridium for our time in the State of Washington's Cascades!
]]>Playmobil Bajee Dawa Videos...tag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-07-15:e2ed44aa-dbed-4de0-8e5a-ab83d6de3c1cPhill Michael2008-07-15T15:39:07Z2008-07-15T13:31:00Z Dawa snuggled in at High Camp on Denali's West Buttress- June 2008
Over the last two months, there have been so many 'Firsts' in Playmobil Bajee Dawa's life!
Dawa has indeed mastered the ATV. It was his duty. B^) Here's a video of Dawa in action! B^) (Just press the 'play' button to stream video!)
Here's another video from a couple of weeks ago...on Denali's West Buttress! B^)
Phill and Dawa Nearing Denali Pass (18,000ft) on June 26th, 2008
Dawa, Alex and I (as well as a few others) are going to tackle Mt Hood next weekend (July 19th and 20th). Mt Rainier is going to be our goal for the first extended weekend in August 2008!
I'll do live dispatches from both! B^)
Special thanks, in advance, goes out to Byron at AnchorageSatellitePhones.com for hooking us up with an Iridium for our time in the State of Washington's Cascades!
Now YOU can virtually climb these peaks with us! B^)
Mount Hood as reflected in Trillium Lake
Chilly Bivy on the approach to Mount Rainier- September 14th, 2007
Join us via this blog! B^)
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits SecretSpot.NET SecretSpot7Summits.com SecretSpotEverest.com Blog.SecretSpotEverest.com ]]>A Short Clip of Getting Ready to Take Off to Denali...tag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-07-14:66865ac3-afbc-436b-accb-c7e6690752daPhill Michael2008-07-14T15:25:38Z2008-07-14T14:52:00Z The Beaver is loaded and ready to fly to Denali!- June 11th, 2007
Picture say 1000 words...but videos are even better! =^]
I'll post some very short videos over the course of this week. Snippets of overall video(s) we will produce about our Spring 2008 Secret Spot Denali Expedition ...as well as some clips from Dawa's calvalcade of 'Firsts' in New Mexico!
Playmobil Bajee Dawa near Taos
Next week's entries will include footage from Dawa's Catalina Island Experience with Ron and Rose!
In the near future...you'll see more of all of that at SecretSpot.TV ...and in this blog! B^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits SecretSpot.NET SecretSpot7Summits.com SecretSpotEverest.com Blog.SecretSpotEverest.com]]>Phill and Dawa In Studio with the Loose Cannons!tag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-07-13:23364bdd-f4a6-497e-ba16-5e5177e4a519Phill Michael2008-07-15T00:41:55Z2008-07-13T22:46:21Z Just did some Loose Cannons interview updates. Check out the updated interview page on our Secret Spot Everest site HERE!!
You can also listen to Phill and Dawa in studio with the Cannons on July 11th by clicking the 'Play' button at the bottom of this post!
Steve Hartman, Ang Dawa Sherpa, Phill Michael, Vic the Brick and Sonn Eidem
Cheers!
-Chris 8^)
CHRIS STANKO | Base Camp Manager Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
Click play to listen to Phill and Dawa in studio with the Cannons! ]]>Video From Denali!tag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-07-13:f391ede5-13f8-432b-abcd-571cbcd41336Phill Michael2008-07-13T20:29:57Z2008-07-13T19:43:00ZSecret Spot Denali 2008. You'll see much more footage in a future episode at SecretSpot.TV and in this blog !
The video is from June 26th, 2008..just before Dawa and I started out summit push on Denali's West Buttress.
Press 'Play' to check it out! I'll be uploading videos all week.
Chris will do a major update of our Cannons interviews later today. Look out for his blog entry...that will point you towards some fun times with the Cannons! =^]
Here's an image from Friday night at the Orange County Fair! =^]
Phill and Dawa on Friday night at the Orange County Fair with Kevin James
Orange County was a big change from New Mexico!
Dawa, Bill and Phill...ATVing in the woods near Taos, New Mexico
Dawa, Alex and I (as well as a few others) are going to tackle Mt Hood next weekend (July 19th and 20th). Rainier is going to be our goal for the first extended weekend in August 2008! B^)
Mount Hood as reflected in Trillium Lake
Alex Mondau above the Mini Hillary Step on Mount Rainier- September 15th, 2007
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits SecretSpot.NET SecretSpot7Summits.com SecretSpotEverest.com Blog.SecretSpotEverest.com]]>Loose Cannons on the Prison Bus!?tag:blog.secretspoteverest.com,2008-07-11:fd3bfcab-8919-4227-9853-4176ad23f008Phill Michael2008-07-11T11:35:55Z2008-07-11T11:00:00Z
Loose Cannons on the Prison Bus!?
11 Jul, 08 - 10:50
I didn't get much of a chance to get online on Wednesday as the
dentist, cleaning and packing absorbed all our time. The videos from
Denali are coming...soon...=^]
Chez le Dentiste
While
we were in Albuquerque, Bill and Lil were busy shoveling huge
quantities of food and drink into our mouths...so movement was slightly
sluggish. Lil was really excited about serving us some nice
ribeyes...and bouy oh boy they were tasty. =^P
Bill and Lil are THE ultimate hosts. There are none better. Thank you Bill and Lil! =^)
Ribeyes with Bill and Lil
We
thought that taking the Greyhound to Orange County would be an
interesting experience...and allow Dawa to see the open road of the
USA. Hmmmmm...how can I be positive about this...
IF YOU ARE
LOOKING TO ENJOY SENSIBLE TRAVEL IN THE USA, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU
REFRAIN FROM TAKING THE GREYHOUND. (aka THE CRACKHEAD EXPRESS)
We still don't have all our luggage. %^/
I've taken public transport all over the world and have enjoyed it all...except for the Greyhound in the USA.
I'm never doing that again. =^]
Chris
was good enough to collect us in San Bernardino last night...so we
could avoid an all night fiasco of bus re-scheduling and SNAFUs.
Ridiculous. %^/
Regardless, we are back in Irvine and enjoyed a
fine sleep after a visit to the Claimjumper. Dawa had another first:
A(well maybe a few) Claimjumper Long Island Iced Tea(s)! =^P
Long Islands at the Claimjumper
We're
off to Burbank this Friday afternoon(July 11th)...to go 'in studio'
with the Loose Cannons. If you want to listen in, just go to
www.am570radio.com...and listen to the live stream at 3pm PST. If you
miss it, not to worry...we'll post the interview at this blog...by tomorrow.
The same
applies for the Kevin James Show interview we should be doing at the
Orange County Fair. Dawa and I will be live and interactive with Kevin
James sometime between 9 and 11pm PST(tonight) at www.krla870.com !
Dawa
is going to have his first salt water boat ride this weekend...to
Catalina Island...with Ron And Rose...and I'm going to head north to
get deeply embedded in a Secret Spot. I'll be doing near daily retro
dispatches...so YOU can virtually share in Dawa's plethora of new
experiences...and spend some more time in New Mexico and on Denali. We
have hours and hours of footage to go through. Que bueno! B^)
Chris and Phill pondering the next SecretSpot.TV episode from Denali's 14,200ft camp
Some
of this footage will get incorporated into our podcast episodes at
www.secretspot.tv! You'll have to check out our previous episodes and
look forward to the posting of Episode 6! We should have that ready for
your viewing pleasure by the end of this month...if not sooner. Chris
and I shot the chatty session in Seattle...just before the Denali...and the episode includes footage from my trek of July
2007, towards the village of Dawa's birth. It's part 2 of a 4 part
series about the Sherpa.
Mount Hood reflected in Trillium Lake (Photo: Wikipedia.org)
Dawa and I will re-connect, in Seattle,
next weekend...and along with Alex, we'll likely climb Mount Hood. A
Mount Rainier assault is in the works for the end of July. That will be
the capstone to Dawa's 2008 North American adventure. He's going to
head back to Nepal in early August and prepare himself for our 35 day
trek that will retrace the steps of Tilman, through some remote parts
of Nepal, towards Everest's South Side Base Camp. We'll be climbing
both Island and Mera peaks along the way! B^)
On the road to Everest Base Camp- Retracing the Steps of Tilman in Nepal
If
you think you have the fortitude, you could potentially join us, in
person, for the Tilman Trek. There are still a few spots left for some
lucky, qualified, adventurous souls...B^)
Monday at the Taos Hideaway was grand! Some new accessories were added to the 'Playmobile Bajee Dawa' repertoire: Guns.
Yesterday,
Dawa felt the raw and awesome power of a .22 long calibre rifle and
handgun...for the first time ever! Under the expert guidance of Bill,
Dawa is well on his way to becoming a Master Marksman. Plastic bottles
were flying...clay pigeons were shattering...and Dawa had a massive
smile plastered to his face.
Playmobil Bajee Dawa Sherpa and Bill do sum shooootin'! %^]
I asked Dawa how he liked the shooting, and he said ,"Verrry enjoy!" =^)
So many brand new experiences for our Sherpa friend...and more to come!
Now...where were we!? Ahh yesss...Denali Pass on June 26th...
Well...our
blue sky turned to grey and the wind was blowing about 50 to 60 mph
(80kmh to 100kmh). It was a tad chilly. Any tracks that had once
existed were full of new snow that had blown over the ridge that leads
from Denali Pass to the summit. Visibility went from not so terrible to
zero...tending more towards the latter.
Phill and Dawa on the Traverse from High Camp to Denali Pass
Dawa again made the remark, "I done nayyver seen wedder like theeese".
Kristina asked me, "What do you tink, Pheeeel!?"
Considering
we'd seen some frostbitten fingers...a frostbitten nose...and 22 of 32
people had gone into retreat mode, we decided that our Denali attempt
was done for the day. I took a short video of the conditions near
Denali Pass that I will post on Wednesday.
We headed back down
to High Camp in a white out and shuddered our way into our ultra warm
Zulu 9 sleeping bags. It was cold and getting colder, but we slowly
became warm and toasty.
Phill, Kristina and Dawa Enjoy the Storm
8pm turned to 10pm...and the endless daylight seemed like night...as the snow fell and high winds blew.
The
morning of June 27th reminded us that we were very close to the arctic
circle, but Kristina managed to cut a path through the cold and join us
for tea and chocolate. Krispy was hiding in his tent as his fingers
slowly inflated from frostbite. We made a massive care package of food
for the Croats, so they were rigged. They were massively grateful for
something we were more than pleased to do. Perfecto! =^]
Seven
people actually stood on the summit on June 26th. Four Spaniards and a
group of two with a guide. There was minor facial frostbite in the
former party and one of the members of the guided group(not the guide)
froze seven of his fingers! Is a summit worth freezing your skin or
losing appendages!? I guess that's up to the individual!?
The title of one of my previous dispatches was: 'Phill and Dawa...42...Frostbite...0'.
That says it all for us. =^]
As
you might have read in earlier dispatches, we spent June 27th to 29th
in frigid temperatures(sub -30) and endured heavy snowfall and winds.
We needed to meet a dozen folks from Boston, in Albuquerque, on the
morn of July 1st...so we had to 'high tail' it off the mountain to be
on time.
Denali awaits our return. The next attempt will be a traverse and we will put aside much more time. We have to. =^]
Now
we just have to fit Denali attempt #2 into our rigorous Seven Summits
schedule. You can check out www.secretspot7summits.com to see what I am
referring to.
Tuesday is a 'pack up and head back to
civilization' kind of day...and I should be back to my laptop by the
end of it. It's been a month since my fingers have danced on keyboard.
Strange but true. Special thanx continues to go out to Eric at the
SatellitePhoneStore.com for furnishing me with this Ipaq. It's rather
useful. Also, thanx in advance goes to Eric for connecting us with the
BGAN system for the Tilman Trek of October/November 2008. Remote Nepal
will be lovely in the Fall! B^)
If you are in the USA, YOU will
have to listen to www.am570radio.com on Friday afternoon (July 11th)!
Dawa and I will be live and 'in studio' in Burbank...chewing the fat
with the Loose Cannons. I'll post exact times the day before.
Tomorrow's dispatch (Wednesday, July 9th) will include some images and footage from the ATV riding we have been doing.
See 'Playmobile Bajee Dawa Sherpa' in action...B^)
We are back at the Taos Hideaway for Sunday night! Time to make another
Super Salad! What a fine day of off road action with 'Playmobile Bajee
Dawa'! He has mastered the Yamaha! B^)
Super Salad Construction
Now...back to Denali Pass on June 26th...
As
we 'tromped' uphill like a couple of low speed snow machines, we
remarked that the trail had completely blown over! We were postholing
in deep snow, but the sky was a rare blue and ice crystals were flying
through the air like tiny jewels. Talk about a mountain high! We were
singing and laughing. B^)
Figures started appearing over Denali
Pass. First the volunteer wardens...then some guided groups...and then
the Croats! The wardens complained of deep snow and wind...the guided
groups just complained(period)...then, as we neared the pass, the
Croats came by...and Krispy(the Croat who spoke no English) complained
that his fingers were a little cold. Then he took off his gloves to
reveal four perfectly white and waxy fingers. Hmmmm...I should have
taken a picture, but I did later (which you will see in a future blog
entry). Kristina (ultra strong and wiry Croat woman) was just shaking
her head.
Krispy's Hideously Frostbitten Fingers
"You will go to the summit!?" asked Kristina.
"Ideally.", I mused.
"May I join you!?", she asked.
"Sure!",
we smiled, "but let's make sure Krispy understands that he can raid our
tent for fuel and food...and soak his fingers in warm water!"
We all agreed it was a good idea, so Krispy went on his merry way and we continued upward.
Phill and Kristina near Denali Pass (18,000ft/5488m)
As
we neared the pass, clouds were developing and the wind was increasing
in 5mph increments...every 5 minutes. Out of the quickly developing
storm, came the Japanese fellows who had just arrived in High Camp the
night before. They looked exhausted.
"How are you!?", I chuckled.
Their grave faces spoke volumes. The little bits of frostbite on their faces told even more.
Kristina, Dawa and I laughed as I struggled to put on my balaclava.
Hmmmm...what to do!?
>>>>>>
More
on Denali later. It's now midnight and I have to drive into town just
to upload these dispatches. Yes...there are still paved roads and
places in North America without data services...thankfully!? %^]
I'll get some more retro and current dispatches on Tuesday and beyond...and likely include some video from Denali.
Dawa
and I will be live and in studio with the Loose Cannons, in Burbank,
this Friday! You might want to listen in!? Exact times to be posted
soon.
If these dispatches haven't left you in a semi-coma and drooling from boredom...keep on following us along!
My my...we've been having a fine weekend schooling Dawa in the art of
commanding mechanized transport. July 4th, 2008 was the first day Dawa
EVER piloted something with motor. His first project: a 200cc Yamaha
ATV!
On Top of Don Fernando
Now it's a lovely Sunday morning(July 6th). Time for a 35 mile ATV ride!
Let's go back to Denali for a bit...and we'll re-visit 'Playmobil Bajee Dawa' in a future blog entry.
As
I mentioned, June 26th dawned lovely...absolutely outstanding! There
was really not a cloud to be seen...anywhere. Even looking down towards
Talkeetna..about 17000ft below...very few clouds. From an early hour,
Dawa was marveling at the beauty of it all...while I tapped away on
this Ipaq.
A Totally Clear Morning with Foraker Dominating
We watched some early birds (guides from one of the
guided groups) gingerly make their way across the deep snow and
traverse to Denali Pass. Many little ants followed...under favorable
skies.
The Ants Go Marching One by One
Just before we departed, our Croatian neighbours braved
the elements and made their way in an upward direction. Interesting
folks they were...hungry, interesting folks. The day before, I had
heard them ask the leader of one of the guided groups if they had any
food to spare, but the glutton said, "No!". Dawa and I were about to
shower our new Eastern European friends with tasty victuals...so it was
all good. =^P
When we arrived at High Camp, there were three
Croatians, but one of them was sick and tired of waiting for
weather...and missed his feather lined bed...so he left. The remaining
Croats, Kristina and Krispy(I never really got his real name) were
gunning for the summit. We watched then get buffeted by heavy winds as
we followed them up the traverse. Little did we know what was to come...
OK...back to New Mexico...for now...and more on Denali later.
Bill
is making monster chicken sandwiches for our 40 mile exploratory ride
through the Garcia Park/Osha Mountain regions. The vistas have been
excellent and Dawa is about to graduate to fourth gear on the Yumpin'
Yimminy Yamaha! B^)
I'd best don my riding gear, as it's going to be a longer day than the last two...and we are burning daylight...B^)
