Trial Run for Science Gear at Camp II
Friday, April 25, 1997 -- 7pm (Base Camp)
"the GPS-Radar apparatus that will be used to measure the true summit elevation and snow depths of Mount Everest... was assembled late this morning in a pretty short period of time..."
-- Freddy Blume, Team Scientist

Acclimating at 21,000'; Indonesians Still at Camp III
Thursday, April 24, 1997 -- 1pm (Camp II)
Team doing well in Camp II; high winds turn Indonesians back from the South Col; surprise at the death of Mal Duff.
-- Todd Burleson, Expedition Leader

BULLETIN: Climber Found Dead in Base Camp
Wednesday, April 23, 1997
Malcom Duff, official leader of the British expedition, was found dead in his tent this morning of natural causes.

Team in Camp II; Indonesians Reach Camp III
Wednesday, April 23, 1997 -- 6pm (Camp II)
"It's cold up here -- about 10F degrees. Lhotse Face is covered with snow which makes it a rigorous climb..."
-- Todd Burleson, Expedition Leader

Burleson Calls from Camp II at 21,500'
Wednesday, April 23, 1997 -- 9am (Camp II)
"Camp II is a big area, lots of expeditions set up. Looking across, I can see probably 40 tents. Very peaceful this morning -- people strolling around, prayer flags, no wind..."
-- Todd Burleson, Expedition Leader

Sherpa Rest-Day In Base Camp
Tuesday, April 22, 1997 -- 4pm (Base Camp)
"all sherpas are at Base Camp... washing clothes and bodies, and overcoming the hangover from last night's blowout..."
-- Freddy Blume, Team Scientist

Climbing Through the Ice Fall and Acclimating in Camp I
Tuesday, April 22, 1997 -- 9am (Camp I)
"the more you know about the way big pieces of ice can behave and move, the more terrifying a place like the upper third of the Ice Fall can be..."
-- Wally Berg, AAI Climbing Guide

Camp I Reached at 19,500'
Monday, April 21, 1997 -- 7pm (Base Camp)
The team climbed through the Ice Fall and is in Camp I; another collapse was reported in the Ice Fall but with no known human involvement.

Starting on the Mountain
Sunday, April 20, 1997 -- 2pm (Base Camp)
The team plans to set out on their first ascent to Camp I, then Camp II, spend a couple of nights at higher altitude and return to Base Camp; Indonesians, working with Boukreev, are leaving for an early summit bid; Japanese giving up the climb.
-- Todd Burleson, Expedition Leader

Digital Images from Base Camp
Friday, April 18, 1997
Burleson and the team transmit their first digital images from Base Camp over a satellite phone.

Burleson Arrives in Base Camp at 17,500'
Thursday, April 17, 1997 -- 11:30am (Base Camp)
"Looking down now from where I'm sitting, I see hundreds of prayer flags hanging from at least a dozen prayer poles... It's really beautiful here..."
-- Todd Burleson, Expedition Leader

The Scoop on a Few Other Teams
Wednesday, April 16, 1997 -- 3pm (Namche)
The Japanese are getting helicoptered to Base Camp; the Russians have a permit for new route on Lhotse; Anatoli Boukreev spotted descending to Kathmandu.
-- Peter Potterfield, Mountain Zone Correspondent

Photo of an Avalanche Seen from Base Camp
Tuesday, April 15, 1997
Jim Bruton sends another digital image from Base Camp of an avalanche crashing into the Khumbu Ice Fall.

The Rinpoche of Thyangboche Monastery Offers a Prayer
Monday, April 14, 1997 -- 2:30pm (Thyangboche)
"I'm sitting here right now with one of the most revered and respected Rinpoches [high lama] in the Khumbu Valley, and he would like to say a few words to you..."
-- Todd Burleson, Expedition Leader

Team Arrives in Base Camp; Sherpas Reach Camp II
Monday, April 14, 1997 -- 2pm (Base Camp)
"9 sherpas on the team successfully made carries to Camp I at 19,500', and 7 sherpas went to Camp II at 21,000' today..."
-- Wally Berg, AAI Climbing Guide

Quick Ascent to Base Camp and Pujas to Bless the Expedition
Sunday, April 13, 1997 -- 9:30am (Namche)
"I'll be going to Thyangboche [12,700'] today, tomorrow is Pheriche [14,000'], and in Pheriche, I'll skip three days and go directly to Base Camp [17,500']..." Catching up to the team; the three-day puja with seven lamas.
-- Todd Burleson, Expedition Leader

The Walk to Lobuche at 16,000'
Saturday, April 12, 1997 -- 3pm (Lobuche)
"We saw the south face of Lhotse which rises 11,000' feet from the Imja Glacier. We were treated to good views of Ama Dablam... Tawoche, and Cholatse Peak..."
-- Wally Berg, AAI Climbing Guide

A Bit of Gossip and a Few Stories
Friday, April 11, 1997 -- 8am (Dingboche)
"...under the watchful eye of Anatoli Boukreev... the Indonesian team apparently had a climb-off to decide who among the large group would be allowed to climb this spring..."
-- Peter Potterfield, Mountain Zone Correspondent

Weather Turns Burleson's Flight Away from Namche
Thursday, April 10, 1997 -- 10:30pm (Lukla)
"It's been raining a lot and snowing in the mountains..."
-- Todd Burleson, Expedition Leader

Team Acclimating at 13,000'
Thursday, April 10, 1997 -- 10pm (Dingboche)
"We feel like an expedition for the first time because we're camping in tents and not tea-houses..."
-- Peter Potterfield, Mountain Zone Correspondent

First Photos from Base Camp -- A Look at the Ice Fall
Wednesday, April 9, 1997
While Todd Burleson travels from Kathmandu to Namche, and the team treks from Namche to Thyangboche, we got an early look at the Khumbu Ice Fall in digital photos sent from Jim Bruton already in Base Camp. [Photo 1] [Photo 2]

On the Government of Nepal
Monday, April 7, 1997 -- 2pm (Kathmandu)
Though papers are signed, Burleson is still delayed in Kathmandu and talks about his experience with the bureaucracy. "There was a change in government 15 days ago... the communists are back in... there seems to be a hundred different ministries, and everyone's trying to get as much as they can while they're in power"
-- Todd Burleson, Expedition Leader

Meet the Team
Sunday, April 6, 1997 -- 2pm (Namche)
The snow and mud in Namche, what's for lunch, and some stories on the team: "Although he's got considerable high-altitude experience, he describes himself as a dilettante with a cool backpack..."
-- Peter Potterfield, Mountain Zone Correspondent

From Kathmandu to Namche
Saturday, April 5, 1997 -- 4pm (Namche)
"It's where people come from all over the Khumbu -- even from Tibet -- to sell their wares. Everything from Chinese shoes to rings to meat..."
-- Peter Potterfield, Mountain Zone Correspondent

Stuck in Kathmandu Awaiting Ministry Signature
Friday, April 4, 1997 -- 9am (Kathmandu)
As the team progresses to Namche, Burleson is stuck in Kathmandu waiting for the signature of a ministry official who has left town. The delay costs him and other teams crucial days for acclimatization. Also, more on the fish puja: "I will go off and save my fish."
-- Todd Burleson, Expedition Leader

Teams on Everest and Lhotse; Plans for a Double Summit; Acclimatization
Thursday, April 3, 1997 -- 3pm (Kathmandu)
Teams attempting Everest and neighboring Lhotse where a Russian team is planning a difficult new route; along with his own science expedition on Everest, Burleson is on a team to climb Lhotse; more info on the trek to Base Camp and the process of acclimatization.
-- Todd Burleson, Expedition Leader

First Audio Dispatch: The Expedition Gets Rolling
Thursday, April 3, 1997 -- 1pm (Kathmandu)
Team and 6,400 lbs (400 yak-loads) fly to Lukla; Burleson awaits briefing in Kathmandu; unverified rumors about state of the mountain ("the latest rumor is that from [Camp] I to II... the terrain is much more difficult this year, some very huge open holes and five or six ladder stands..."); rescue requested from Camp I by another team; lama tells Burleson he must save a life before climbing on Everest.
-- Todd Burleson, Expedition Leader

The Other Teams Climbing Everest This Season
Thursday, April 3, 1997 -- 7am (Kathmandu)
"It's apparent that several late scratches have changed the roster of climbers on Everest this year..."
-- Peter Potterfield, Mountain Zone Correspondent

First Look at the Science to be Done from the Summit
Wednesday, April 2, 1997 -- 11am (Kathmandu)
"It consists of a radar emitting and collecting "foot" attached to a long pole with an antenna at the top, which sends signals to GPS satellites above. The effect is one of a floor lamp made by an insane sculptor..."
-- Peter Potterfield, Mountain Zone Correspondent

Swayambhunath, The Monkey Temple
Wednesday, April 2, 1997 -- 6am (Kathmandu)
"The air is so thick with the blue haze of incense I can hardly see the four long rows of monks..."
-- Peter Potterfield, Mountain Zone Correspondent

Kathmandu -- Tuesday, April 1, 1997
"...a sprawling city careening toward the future with no plan and little apparent care..."
-- Peter Potterfield, Mountain Zone Correspondent

The Return to Everest -- Saturday, March 29, 1997
"It's a new year, and Everest beckons just as strongly as before..."
-- Peter Potterfield, Mountain Zone Correspondent