Awesome - 1st time I've seen a new member post a portrait of themselves in Everest before. Congratulations and best wishes!

I may be back on Baldy in a week or so. My hubby will be climbing it early tomorrow. So, if you are on the mountain early in the morning and see a 65-year old man with a full head of white hair stop and ask him if he is Larry.

He is a great husband to have given up everything and become my training partner. Then he give up his wife while she left to spend two months and a lot of money to follow her dream.

["CClaude"]Congrats Cindy,

Glad you made it back safetly and I am assuming in one piece with all toes and fingers.

I do have to say that I am with Chief on this one. I totally dislike the vibe that is in the various camps on the Big 3.

Thanks CClaude. I had a few cold-related issues they are now resolved.

I understand where you and Chief are coming from and also agree - however, it was kind of cool to live in a community of about 240 climbers and guide plus the support staff/Sherpas: a city of tents at 17,500 ft.

Our base camp was high and close to the ice fall so we were fairly isolated. While climbing, for the most part, we did not have to deal with other climbers because we would leave camp early and get a jump: so it was not bad.

The weather caused the climbing windows shrink or disappear which resulted in the scene of 40 ish climbers/Sherpas going up the Lhotse Face in that picture. The only time the number of climbers was an issue was the actual summit day. We left Camp 4 at 9PM and it took 12 hrs to get to the summit.

So we all made the best of it. Most people were professional as we snaked our way up. I say snaked because the long line of headlamps going up in front of me into the darkness and the line below make it look like a gaint twinkling snake.

Safety: Again everyone worked together. We all had the same goal and this was our only day to reachi it. So passing on the fixed lines, even in the most dangerous places, was done in a safe and cooperative manner: I was very impressed!

I love to be out and by myself, which is how many of you saw me on Baldy, but if you want to see the view from the top of the world you are going to have company.

Also, I cannot do much regular rock climbing the disease has effected one of my feet and it is too painful but I can ice climb and mountain climb - so it is all good!

CindyAbbott wrote:Hi,

I will come back later - I have to run but you can check out the pictures in my photo gallery.

Good on ya!

I had not been home from Mt. Everest for a week when my husband asked me about going back to Aconcagua. At the time my brain could not quite process another big mountain: It was still trying to integrate the Everest experience.

Well, I guess we are giving Mt. Aconcagua a second try this December. We will be with Mountain Trip and using the Ameghino Valley Route.

This time I hope the weather is better and that I do not break anything!

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Wow: Powerful reaction.

I just received a video of our Everest climb made by one of my team members.
Watching it brought back so many memories and emotions.
I actually teared up watching it.

I wish I could post it to show you.
He did a fantasic job of capturing the both the physical and emotional aspects of climbing that mountain.

Cindy,

First, Congratulations on your Everest climb!! Climbing Everest is a tremendous achievement for anyone but considering your medical issues, your climb is truly inspiring for anyone at any age.

A side note; on your profile page, your webite is incorrect in that it ends in /com instead of .com so you might want to fix it so the link works.

All the best!

Thanks for the congrats and the typo

I think the most difficult aspest of climbing Everest was the 60 days I was alone: without my husband. He was by training partner.

We just returned from hiking the Grand Canyon. It is a great way to spend a few days and not a lot of money. My hubby has aways wanted to go there but I was training for Everest and was using all our time and money for that. Last week we called to the Phantom Ranch and two spots had opened up so we went. Yesterday while coming up, four miles from the South Rim my husband developed a hernia. He hiked out and has surgery in a few days. He is okay with it - I guess you guys have this happen to you: there are a few benefits to being female.

The good news is he will be all healed and able to train: We are heading back to Aconcagua in December. In 2008 high winds stopped us at high camp then I broke my leg and had to hike down to base camp: So, I think things will go better next time.