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Sherpa Friends in Pheriche
Pheriche - Wednesday, April 5, 2000

DISPATCHES

Berg

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Hey Mountain Zone, it's Wally Berg calling you from Pheriche. We've reached a central point in our trek and it's a location that, for me over the years in expeditions, has been very central. Pheriche is right below Base Camp and of course it's the location of the Himalayan Rescue Association Clinic, and we're going to spend a couple of days here. We're well into our rest day right now.

This group is very adept at all the rest-day activities. This is things like taking very short hikes to view beautiful mountains, sitting around drinking some tea and reading books, maybe going back to take a little short nap, organizing gear in what's been beautiful sun here at Pheriche so far. This group is all over that stuff and doing really well today.

We met Dr. Linda Keys, who's from the United States, who's one of the physicians who is working at the Himalayan Rescue Association Clinic this year. Dropped by and caught her lecture, her educational service for trekkers coming through about high altitude illness and acclimatization. And for me, I got to see two old, good friends who have been involved with the Himalayan Rescue Association operation here in Pheriche for a long, long time. That's Ang Rita Sherpa and Namke Sherpa.

A couple of generations now of Pheriche docs and climbers and trekkers coming through have known these guys. The doctors come and go but Namke and Ang Rita are always here keeping this place going, and they're old, dear friends of mine. We've shared a lot of good times and some tense moments over the years with various situations. They're solid, caring, good-spirited guys that have kept this place going over the years. One of the many...two of the many people that it's great to see here in the Khumbu again.

Our group has enjoyed meeting trekkers along the way. Today we met Abigail and Anne from San Francisco and Luxembourg who are going to be trekking pretty much on the same schedule with us up through Lobuche and on to Base Camp. A lot of the yaks coming by now are heading to Base Camp. I see a lot of Sherpas that are going to be going to the Alpine Ascents' Base Camp and elsewhere up there and communication will start to get a little closer as we move up the valley.

Tomorrow we will go to Lobuche, 16,000 feet. Linda told us over at the lecture that we should probably stop in Dugla and spend the night, but we feel like we can push all the way up to Lobuche and do well with our acclimatization schedule.

Beautiful weather in the Khumbu this year, surprising warm at Pheriche. I remember talking about this type elevation when I was on Aconcagua six weeks or so ago and talking about how it can never be this warm at Pheriche. I'll have to say that it can be warm at Pheriche and we've enjoyed a lot of good sun here. So that's some kind of good omen and blessing for us. We're feeling great. All 14 members of this trip are going to be walking up to Lobuche tomorrow in good spirits, determined to go much higher and continue to have great times together.

— Wally Berg, Alpine Ascents Guide and MountainZone.com Correspondent

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