Nepal Expedition

Yamnuska High Altitude Expeditions

Three Peaks Nepal 2011

“The Plan”

By Margaret Imai-Compton

The Dream

On October 14, 2011 a team of 8 Yamnuska clients and Yamnuska Associate Director Barry Blanchard will embark on a 28 day high altitude expedition to Nepal.

The trip is the realization of long time Yamnuska clients Mark Rosin and Margaret Imai-Compton, who (separately and unbeknownst to each other) had dreamt for many years about trekking and climbing on the “Rooftop of the World”.

Early in 2010, on one of Barry Blanchard’s ice climbing adventures, Mark and Margaret discovered their shared passion and the plan was hatched… “Let’s ask Barry Blanchard to guide us in Nepal!”

It took over a year to put the plan in place.  Barry designed an itinerary and partnered with a Nepalese expedition company that will have us climbing three 6,000+ m peaks over four weeks, with plenty of acclimatization built into each climb.

Mark and I put out an “all call” to our alpine friends, and within weeks we had a team of seven Canadian alpinists, plus Jane Shadbolt representing Australia.  Mark Love from Uniglobe Travel in Canmore accomplished the unthinkable — in a matter of hours he designed and booked intricate itineraries that has us originating from Calgary, Toronto, Saskatoon and Sydney, and landing in Hong Kong, Kathmandu and Lukla.

Why Yamnuska Mountain Adventures?

When there are so many expedition companies offering treks and climbs in Nepal, why did we decide on Yamnuska Mountain Adventures?  To start with, how many climbers have the opportunity to be guided by Barry Blanchard, one of Canada’s most legendary and accomplished alpinists?

Barry is probably best known for his individual accomplishments as an ice climber, his first alpine ascents throughout the world and his climbing film work.  What a lot of people don’t know is that Barry is also one of Canada’s most prolific professional mountain guides, and derives great satisfaction and fulfillment from providing his clients with an outstanding alpine experience, whether it’s in his home base of the Canadian Rockies, or in other great mountain ranges around the world.

Having been on four other international expeditions with Yamnuska and Barry (New Zealand, Mexico, Peru and Bolivia), I know that Yamnuska has the resources and contacts to partner with excellent local expedition companies.  I also have a very high degree of confidence that, if things were to go off the rails at any point, Yamnuska will respond in a timely and professional manner.  So there’s certainly an expectation of safety and trust built on my past positive experience.

Most importantly, we are a guide and team that are familiar with each other, that have good communication, that can count on each other and that have shared values of safety, with the top priority being that we all return home, intact, to our families.

Up next – details on the itinerary!