원정 개요

From Pumori climb, went to Pheriche to rest, met USA Ama Dablam team leader Gary Scott who said they could climb with his group; he promised to put them on his permit but he did not.


Paul Schweizer (by email) - 7 Dec 2004

Got a late start on 16 Nov and were carrying quite heavy loads so decided to stop at the standard ABC (5600m). Arrived at C1 on 17 Nov. There was bad weather on 18 Nov (snowed 3 or 4 inches), so stayed in C1. Ascended to C2 on the 19th.

Summited on 20 Nov and were back in base on the 21st (from C2), then went down to Pangboche on th 21st.


Paul Schweizer (by email) - 2 Dec 2004

The circumstances behind our ascent of Ama Dablam are a little more complicated and require some elaboration. After Pumori, we went down to Pheriche to rest awhile, and there we encountered the leader of a commerical American climbing group that was acclimatizing for Ama Dablam.

Several members of the group had gotten sick and returned, so the leader assured us it would be no problem if we paid him a fee and he included us on his peak permit (presumably using satellite phone to contack KTM). This seemed like a very good idea to us, so we paid the agreed fee and went to BC on 15 Nov. Markus, Florian and I then summited Ama Dablam on 20 Nov from C2.

We had agreed to meet the American party in BC on the evening of 21 Nov, because that was scheduled to be their last night be returning. So we descended from C2 to BC on the 21st, and we were quite surprised to find that the American group had already decamped, leaving us with no evidence of being on any permit, nor with any collaboration to back our claim to be part of their group. We were immediately approached by a hostile LO from another expedition who demanded our names, didn't believe anything we said, and threatened that we wouldn't be allowed to return to our home countries. So we left immediately for Pangboche that same evening. Caught up with the American group the following day in Namche. Upon hearing our story, the leader became quite worried, said he couldn't really do anything for us, and he returned our money. His advice was to try and leave the country as soon as possible. But it wasn't quite so simple for him to wash his hands of the situation, since we'd already told the hostile LO that we were on the American permit. Anyway, we proceeded to Kathmandu not knowing what would happen. At least they didn't stop us at the park entrance, though already at the domestic airport people were looking for us.

This was all extremely nerve-wracking, not knowing who to believe, with people hatching plots in the background, and visions of being arrested in our KTM hotel or at the airport. Finally we were approached and presented with a 'solution.' Apparently the trekking agent of the American group had had his $2000 rubbish deposit confiscated because of the LO's official complaint about us (what did our ascent have to do with rubbish?). If we paid him his deposit, then it was claimed there wouldn't be any trouble leaving the country (so who would cause the trouble - the LO/Ministry of Tourism, or just the American's trekking agent?. And what if we paid off the agent and then still got caught at the airport - then we'd pay the rubbish deposit *and* the fine. So who was taking the money in the end and who was really behind the problem? Was the trekking agent bribing to LO?). Not having many live options, we decided to pay the rubbish deposit, and it turns out we managed to leave the country with no problems at the airport.

But in the end it is quite frustrating, first because we wouldn't have climbed the peak to begin with if we hadn't made the original deal and thought it was legitimate, and second because now we've paid a fair bit of money and the ascent still isn't officially legal.

So will reporting it result in our being banned from the country?

Sorry to go on at such length, but it is complicated and to me quite alien situation. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you need any additional information.