If there is this much snow here, I can only imagine the Sierra Designs Mountain Meteor must be buried at Camp 1. At least I think it must be as weather and snow have kept us in base camp for the past few days.

There is hope, however, weather4expeditions Mark De Keyser sent a forecast for clearing skies in another two or three days. Our collective fingers and toes are crossed.



Stuck at Everest base camp versus on the Arctic Ocean are two very different things. While I would much rather be climbing, i would have managed to keep myself busy - mostly with taking pictures and videos, writing web updates, and if you can believe it, some office work, too.

One of the goals of my expedition is to follow up my actual journey with multi media presentations. If you're interested in scheduling an appearance, please send an email to Maria at smakmaria@yahoo.com

It is interesting to watch the subtle changes in the ice fall and Khumbu Glacier. As light changes throughout the day, we are treated to seemingly new perspectives, shapes and forms. The ice fall is absolutely stunning in the bright sun but the low hanging clouds add an ethereal quality as pinnacles of ice alternately appear and disappear.

I would say that I'm nervous, if I allowed myself to think like that. Over time, I have become much more pragmatic. Fear, I have learned, is a useful tool for self preservation. However, it can also become a powerful inhibitor and limitor.

The pace of camp life has slowed considerablely. With day after day of weather delays, simply tasks have taken on a tortise-like quality. We are trying to make time pass.

As the only westerner in our small crew, I spend a lot of time watching and observing. I have picked up a few Nepali and Sherpa words and phrases. However, the long expositions into, I'm not sure what, are obviously lost on me. Still, slowly, we are beginning to understand each other's cultural nuances.

Every once in a while a translation is offered. Chhering smiling said, 'Both Dawa and Passang are interested in my sister.' We all laughed.

Image: Our new team member.