We made it to Camp 1! We left Base Camp at 2:20 AM and arrived around 11:20 AM—a 9-hour push gaining 2,800 vertical feet. We're now sitting at 20,000 feet.
The Khumbu Icefall is unlike anything else on Earth. Parts of it look like a coral reef, others like a snow witch’s sculpture garden. Just when you think you’ve made it through the obstacle course, you're faced with 8–9 rolling hills of ice—each about 30 feet high—right before camp.
When we arrived, tents and kitchen gear were already set up for us, which was a huge relief. Everyone was completely exhausted. I was a wreck—my pulse ox had dropped to 75 and my heart rate was at 100. By 6:30 PM, I was doing better: pulse ox back to 80 and heart rate in the high 80s.
Tonight, I’m sharing a tent with Matt Bond. We’ve got breakfast at 6:30 AM, and then we pack up and head for Camp 2. The Khumbu is as mentally demanding as it is physical—it really messes with your head.
I’ll share photos and videos from Camp 1 once I’m back on the grid.
Today we honored Ari, a Hopecam kid born in Brisbane, Australia and now living in Houston, who dreams of becoming a rocket engineer. I’ve actually been to Brisbane—visiting a friend I met while climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. It’s amazing how these connections come full circle. Ari told me “Thank You Len for the Chromebook I use at school!”
