Every family has one. That person who is different. The one who isn’t like the rest. They have different interests and get very single-focused about them. We have one in our family. My stepson Adam is our different drummer. He flew an airplane before he rode a bike. That kind of different. He lives across the country from us so we don’t see him day-to-day. It’s probably better like that. When we do hear, it’s always something astounding. Late last year he said he was going to climb Mt. Everest. Yes, that’s the one in the Himalayas by Nepal and Tibet. The one where people routinely die.
Personally I can never figure out why people want to climb mountains. It’s not like there are going to be umbrella drinks with a huarache band at the top. Once you get up there, you have to get down. Did you know that more people die on the way down than on the way up? Yikes!
He left in April and came back at the end of May. Fortunately, he contacted us that he was home safe the day before we heard the news report that three climbers had died. We haven’t had a chance to really talk to him yet but he did send us some pretty awesome pictures that I want to share with you. After viewing the pictures, beautiful as they are, I still don’t intend to add this to my bucket list.
Here is the mountain in all its majesty. (Update: Adam tells me this really isn’t Mt. Everest but one of the shorter ones nearby but heck, all these mountains looks alike anyhow!)
This is Namcha bazaar. I wonder if you get lopsided walking around these places.
He was part of a group of adventurers from all over the world.
This was home for the weeks he spent there. Hmmmm….it doesn’t say Hilton!
On the photo below the group is crossing an icefalls.
Another shot climbing vertically.
They encountered crevasses that would scare the stuffings out of me!
They put a ladder over the crevasse to get across.
This is Adam walking across the ladder. Even I couldn’t recognize him!
A trip is not complete without photos of the lovely cuisine. I think this is stir-fried snow.
He had a great time. He climbed to Camp 3 which is 24,000 ft. The summit is at 29,000 ft. His goal wasn’t to reach the summit — at least not for this trip. As for me, I’ll stick to warm spots with umbrella drinks and steel guitars!
All photos were taken by Adam Jones
Views and Mews by Coffee Kat 
These are beautiful and I am glad he did this, for himself. Personally I have never understood the mountain climbing or the desert treking. I am glad he returned safetly
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Amazing photos…thanks so much for sharing them. What an experiences. BTW, I thinks it’s really cold on Mt. E…making that the first of many good reasons why we wouldn’t be vacationing there!
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WOW such pictures!
No way I could deal with crevasses (shivering just from photos) And the lack of oxygen would be an issue for me….
Glad he made it safely – it’s been a bad year for that mountain.
(We actually have that little stove – used it on the sailboat – and found it great for use during outages from storms and hurricanes – you can cook anything on one of those!)
We have an adventurer in our family, too…reminds me I’d better check and she where she is. (My brother says inquiring about her trips only encourages her – but she’s going no matter what they say – and I’m interested in hearing the stories!)
Thanks for sharing the trip here!
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I’m with you…. Not on my bucket list either.
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In Australia, some aboriginal tribes have a tradition of living in the outback as a rite of passage. Climbing is a passion that few understand and even fewer share. The simplest way to explain it is that the heights of ecstasy must be preceded by the depths of tribulation. Some of us are called to trial in different ways. Thank you for sharing.
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I guess if there weren’t people who are adventuresome and daring we would all be sitting around the fire in our caves instead of blogging.
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You are right. People probably thought Christopher Columbus was nuts!
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He wasn’t?
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I read “Into Thin Air,” too, and have seen multiple documentaries on trips such as these! I am fascinated with the way some people seem to have the adventurous spirit that just cannot be contained. Your stepson is a marvel! I’m glad he is safe and that he has such an accomplishment under his belt! I am fascinated…I’ll read and watch the documentaries, but I do not have this kind of adventure gene! 🙂 Thanks for sharing his adventure with us, Kate. It’s really something special. Debra
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He finally called last night. I wasn’t home but he talked to his dad over an hour. He was still very excited and plans to go back sometime in the future (after he saves up both vacation time and $$).
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Thanks, but no thanks. The ladder across the crevasse looks like it might choose to slide into the abyss with someone only 1/2-way across. Great shots, though.
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Thanks for sharing Adam’s photos. Beautiful views. But, I’ve had no interest in climbing any mountain after reading Jon Krakauer’s “Into Thin Air” about the May 1996 disaster which claimed 5 lives. He was there at the time.
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Me too. In researching this, I came across Krakauer’s views in articles and also many other articles but I didn’t read the book. I found it really interesting to read about but not to do. I am not fond of the incline on my street!
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I pity the guy who had to carry the ladder.
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Indeed! The glory goes to the climbers but the sherpas set up everything and do a lot of prep work.
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wow amazing I kind of wish I could do that but then I love my comfort too 🙂
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The photos were amazing! I’m with you, Kate, no matter how beautiful, climbing Mt. Everest won’t be on my bucket list. I’ll meet you by the pool.
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With umbrella drink in hand!
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Thank goodness for the different drummers of the world, how else would we get to appreciate these amazing photos. Kudos to Adam for being so daring! I heard they have a great party at the bottom of the mountain, that is where you would find me.
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Way, way down at the bottom is where I’ll be. I wonder if it’s cold there too.
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