The
last post I made about Burke Khang and our historic first ascent
attempt, was from the Yak & Yeti Hotel in Kathmandu around this same
time last year.
click here to read it This story begins at the same
hotel, except Denise and I are not in Kathmandu this time, but instead
we are cheering on our good friend Bill Burke as he sets out on an
expedition to make another effort on his own namesake mountain.
After
returning home from our epic adventure with Bill high in the Himalayas last year, where we
reached within 500 feet of the summit of Burke Khang, Bill could not
resist the magnetic pull to go back and try again. We enjoyed many
discussions and debates about the feasibility of safely scaling those
last 500 feet of this steep and technically treacherous 22,775 foot
peak. And as much as we would like to be with Bill right now, the
decision to join him again was made largely by fate. ...and influenced by the
strong opinion of my orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kramer, who advised me that
my rotator cuff and labrum repair surgery of four months ago was not
yet ready for this kind of test. Although I am feeling much better now, I
would have to agree with the assessment as I still have a long way to
go to regain the strength and mobility of my left arm (which I
desperately need given the limited function of my right arm).
Burke
Khang is a demanding beast of a mountain and IF the summit can be
successfully reached, it will require every ounce of strength, skill,
mental fortitude, and a good dose of luck too. Please send your good
thoughts and prayers for safety to Bill, his Sherpa team, and his friend
and climbing partner David Liano, as they are already in Nepal and beginning their
expedition now. If you would like to follow along on Bill's blog
Eight Summits he is already posting along the way. Meanwhile all the best to you
and let's take a lesson from Bill and live life to the fullest everyday!
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| Farewell Dinner with Bill & Sharon Burke |
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| Bill at Camp 1 with Burke Khang in background - 2015 Expedition |
