Back To Kathmandu

It's hard to believe how many miles we've travelled and the change in temperature and elevation since we last left you four days ago at Everest Base Camp. In a nutshell we hiked from EBC at 17,500 feet back down to Gorak Shep, partway up 18,450 foot Kala Pattar for some great photos of Everest, then down to Pheriche (site of the Himalayan Rescue Association hi-altitude medical clinic) hiking as snow fell upon us until we reached Pangboche for the night. After a needed rest we continued on retracing our steps to Tengboche, Namche Bazaar, and eventually to Lukla at 9,350 feet where we celebrated our journey of approximately 85 miles by foot through spectacular Himalayan scenery and culturally rich experiences.

Along the way we also met some great people such as Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Charley Linville who lost his leg in Afghanistan but is back in action in a big way thanks to the Challenged Athletes Foundation. A small world and fortuitous encounter indeed!

One of the many rewarding aspects of this adventure has been the team's participation in our "Higher Education" curriculum throughout the trip. Thought-provoking questions and discussion topics have given each member of our team an opportunity to "Take a Step Back" (see  http://StepsToTheSummit.com - Step #10) and reflect upon values, life purpose, and both short and long-term goals. Being with an incredible group such as ours in an amazing outdoor setting like the Solukhumbu Valley, and away from the typical distractions of home and office, has fostered a wonderful environment for introspection, sharing, and growth. I am pleased to report that our Everest Executive Challenge has not only helped to achieve personal breakthroughs and memories of an adventure that will last a lifetime, we have also proudly made an impact through our fundraising efforts for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. Thank you all for following along and for your support!

http://www.challengedathletes.org/EverestExecutiveChallenge/fejtek