Back in the Kathmandu Chaos
After almost seven weeks in the clean air of the Bavarian Alps I have returned to Kathmandu, where traffic and pollution is still as mad as it was when I left. It was really sad… (Read More)
Everest diary 2009
An Amazing Alpine Adventure
I have just come back from a two-day ridge traverse in the Alps of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and I think it was one of the most beautiful but – apart from Everest – one of the most… (Read More)
Not 2,962m, but a gentle run up an Austrian hill
I am sitting here in my front garden with Richard looking at the medals we received after having done a mountain race today. The medal says: ”Zugspitz Extremlauf” – well, we did not do the… (Read More)
Ironman and Zugspitz Run
I have just noticed that I have not updated my website since I signed the ‘Golden Book’ of that famous Bavarian village of Garmisch-Partenkirchen but life has not really given me a reason to write… (Read More)
The Golden Book
It has now been a week since I had the honour to sign my name into the famous “Golden Book” of Garmisch-Partenkirchen – well, it cannot be that famous as I had no idea what… (Read More)
Back in Bavaria
After having suffered in the sweltering heat of Kathmandu for three weeks, I am now trying to cope with wintery temperatures of around 10 degrees in my Bavarian hometown Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I have finally arrived in… (Read More)
Mountaineering world mourns death of Aussie climber
A lot happened in Kathmandu last week, hence the silence on my website. However, one of the sad events was the death of Mick Parker, a fine Australian climber and friend of mine. Mick, together… (Read More)
No frostbite or other injuries
I have been back from Everest for over one week now, however, the fact that I actually made it up there still has not sunk in yet. Maybe it is because I don’t really feel… (Read More)
8,848m takes a toll on my body
Even though I was planning on writing something about base camp and the politics around Mount Everest, I first want to quickly update you about what (training) life is like after having climbed Mount Everest…. (Read More)
Shadows of Everest
Once again, I would like to apologise for having kept quiet for a few days but life in Kathmandu is still busy and I have not had enough time to sit down and reflect properly…. (Read More)
Reflections on Everest
After three days of running around in Kathmandu interviewing expeditions for the Himalayan Database, I have finally found the time to reflect on Everest and the experience I gained there. I have to admit that… (Read More)
Great party in Kathmandu
Once again I have to apologise for not having been able to update my website since I arrived back in Kathmandu on Friday afternoon. After we had been snowed in at base camp for a… (Read More)
Snowed in at Base Camp
First of all I would like to apologise that I have not updated my site since I returned to base camp from the top of the world, however, we have been snowed in and have… (Read More)
And safely returned…
You’ll all be glad to know that Billi is now safely back in basecamp. Was great to see her this morning but I had to wait around 15 minutes as she kept on and on… (Read More)
Camp 2, probably…
No news this afternoon from Gorak Shep. Sorry to let you down! Fair weather Alex Treadway didn’t visit from base camp today (there is low lying mist which makes it a bit chilly) and so… (Read More)
21st afternoon update
I heard that Billi is safely in Camp 4 with most of the rest of her team at 7900m. There they will rest, rehydrate, eat if they can, keep warm and descend tomorrow I believe… (Read More)
Billi is half way
I can’t tell you how strange / tense it is sitting at basecamp living this summit bid through tiny bits of radio communication. Base camp is pretty deserted as most of the climbers are on… (Read More)
Billi’s progress
This is Billi’s friend Richard in Gorak shep. All I know right now is that the weather is very good, very calm, very beautiful. Alex Treadway informs me that Billi left base camp early on… (Read More)
Pee bottles and other toilet issues
As we have yet another day in paradise without much happening climbing-wise, I thought I should enlighten my readers about how mountaineers cope with “calls of nature” in the middle of the night, during bad… (Read More)
The Life of Brian
Finally, the snow showers have died down and we have enjoyed quite a warm afternoon. People are doing their laundry, catching up on emails and watching Monty Python’s ‘The Life of Brian’ in the White… (Read More)
A Russian celebration
It may sound weird for a German to be invited to the celebrations for the Russian Liberation Day at Everest Base Camp, however, that is what happened to me a few nights ago. Alex Abramov… (Read More)
A sad day
This Thursday was a sad day for the teams at Everest Base Camp and the Sherpa community as a huge avalanche hit the Khumbu icefall and killed Lakpa Nuru Sherpa from Thame. The serac, which… (Read More)
A flicker of hope
This is just a very short update as I am writing this in the internet cafe at Gorak Shep. Yesterday, I and six of my team members thought that we might be going for the… (Read More)
First summits & high altitude life
Whilst the Nepali prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has resigned and swine fever is spreading across the world, we have just received the news that Phurba Tashi, Dorjee Sherpa, Nima Sherpa of Himex and one… (Read More)
The Waiting Game
Apart from the fact that we still have not found the owner of the blue male underpants, which Ellen and I found in a sleeping bag on Lobuje, life at base camp is back to… (Read More)
“Knickers in a Twist”
Once again, Team Didi (that is Ellen and I) together with Lance from the United States were the first to arrive at the summit of Lobuje Peak on Friday, 24th April. Despite the doubts many… (Read More)
Back to Lobuje Peak
On Tuesday, Russell and the guides decided that we will not yet go up to Camp 1 through the icefall but go back to Lobuje Peak for another acclimatisation trip. The plan is to go… (Read More)
The deleted scenes
The other evening, when most of our team were either at Lobuje base or high camp, a few of us were sitting in the “white pod” talking about life behind the scenes. It struck me… (Read More)
A wake-up call
I have just arrived at Gorak Shep after having scaled Lobuje Peak this morning. It was the most beautiful morning and the conditions were perfect. I think it was the first time that I was… (Read More)
Hello from Gorak Shep
This is just a quick message from Gorak Shep, which is the last village on the Everest Base Camp trail before you get to the actual base camp. A third of my team is on… (Read More)