The most recent news from Ian Wall in Kathmandu is Pemba at Air Dynasty managed to fly over the BC area yesterday for the first time. Unfortunately he had to stay quite high as there was a thin cloud layer. Nepal has distinct pitfalls when flying in clouds as big solid lumps of stuff,(mountains) tend to be quite high also and don’t move much when hit!
Pemba reports a lake that is not shown on the map and at least one promising BC area, all be it higher than we want, approximately 4500m...(note to myself to remember the paracetamol!) The area we really want to be based is approximately 4000m, and will still mean bumping headaches for everyone apart from Matt who has been guiding folk up Mont Blanc... I'll take the headache any day!
Ian also reports that weather permitting; Pemba and he will fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara and onto the BC area on the 30th. All getting a tad close as we arrive in Kath on the 3rd.
For folk who dont know much about expeditions of this type (not that this type of expedition happens everyday) you could easily think this is not very good organisation... but what you have to remember is this aint no exact science,this certainly isn't a tried and tested route, a well travelled area, an often done jaunt... This is a wild and nearly unexplored area for both people and helicopters alike and the climb will be cutting edge (if we can reach it). So we just have to take whatever comes our way and hope we can sort it, because if we cant, it aint happening!
Nick.
Best of luck Nick & Co., it takes guts to risk so much when you don't even know if the project will get off the ground. The line looks worth the trouble though!
ReplyDeleteWise words that man...
ReplyDeleteNick.