Return to Everest Update: 24 March: Scott Parazynski: Requisite Haircut Day and Other Logistics
Day 4/March 25, 2009 (Wednesday)
Many last minute expedition details to attend to today, not the least of which is getting a “pre-mission haircut.” For each of my Shuttle missions, I would generally get a trim a day or two prior to going into quarantine (a week-long isolation from the general public, such that we didn’t take a cold or flu bug up with us in the confined, closed environment of a spacecraft). On Everest, this will be my last trim for 6-8 weeks, so I’ll most definitely be a bit shaggy on the other side of the expedition!
Day 4/March 25, 2009 (Wednesday)
Many last minute expedition details to attend to today, not the least of which is getting a “pre-mission haircut.” For each of my Shuttle missions, I would generally get a trim a day or two prior to going into quarantine (a week-long isolation from the general public, such that we didn’t take a cold or flu bug up with us in the confined, closed environment of a spacecraft). On Everest, this will be my last trim for 6-8 weeks, so I’ll most definitely be a bit shaggy on the other side of the expedition!
I also need to verify that my gear is properly sorted: one enormous duffel bag will go directly to Everest Base Camp (EBC), while a second will travel in tandem with me and the rest of the group as we trek, allowing nightly access to my sleeping bag and other gear. Being a “veteran” gives me a substantial advantage here, as I was able to pack in Houston using my gear list from last year, plus taking advantage of substantial lessons learned last time. I knew to bring more protein bars — you end up craving it, and the diet is biased toward carbohydrates – and I was able to scratch off my gear list things I didn’t touch last year.
This afternoon I’ll head over to the Beyul offices (Ang Jangbu’s outfitting company, that is partnered with Eric’s IMG) to review medical gear heading up the trail, and specifically the kits that will be deployed at our 4 high camps. Then, at 0500 tomorrow morning, we’ll leave the hotel for the airport, and our flight to Lukla’s Tenzing-Hillary “International” Airport, whereupon the trek begins!
The “Why’s?” of Everest, the “How’s?” to follow…
If you’ve ever been asked a question over and over again, you might relate to Mallory’s somewhat flippant reply to a question from the media: “Why do you want to go climb Everest?” The pioneering mountaineer quipped: “Because it is there.” Although the quote has been attributed significant philosophical depth – I can certainly read into it quite a bit – it was not originally meant in this context. So as to get this out in the open, why would I – a father and ostensibly an educated and reasonably successful person – or anyone else for that matter want to pursue such folly, particularly since its been done before?
The short answer is that there’s no short answer, and for each individual mountaineer there is likely a unique reasoning. For me, the quest to travel to places that are hard to reach, that few others have ever been, is a true gift. Seeing a sunrise on a summit ridge high above the cloud deck, once experienced, is never forgotten, and the desire to return there never leaves you. It is true that Everest has been scaled many times now: I believe over 3000 summits have been logged since May of 1953 (many of these summits belong to Sherpa climbers, who have climbed to the top as many as 18 times! The number of unique climbers is substantially fewer.)*. That said, the allure of the highest summit on Earth is as strong as ever for those who are afflicted by mountaineering, and it will always be so. There are other climbed and unclimbed routes on other major mountains of the world, but none can match its sheer “gravitational pull” or the claim of being Roof of the World.
I am here because I would personally love to stand on “The Roof”, even for just 5 minutes, and savor that experience for the rest of my life. There’s also good work to be done on the mountain, for educational outreach (which our team hopes to share broadly on this web site) and for science (we’ll be conducting quite a bit of astrobiology and geology field work, as well as field testing new devices for use in harsh environments). In all honesty, I wouldn’t be here conducting this education and public outreach or field work without the personal aspiration of Everest’s summit, but I hope that the byproducts of my expedition will help inspire another generation of explorers in some small way. Climb on!
I used to know the stats. I believe I was something like the 364th person to travel in space (aboard STS-66), and roughly the 250th American in space. This year, more than 500 individuals will have been in Earth orbit. By comparison, more than 3,000 people have reached the summit of Mt. Everest.
Since my first Shuttle mission, many people have traveled into space to conduct important science and engineering work, and the prospects for future work and discoveries on the moon and Mars will result in many others following our footsteps in the years to come. We all stand upon the shoulders of those who came before us. We’re all part of a chain of accomplishment and exploration. That said, just because a first bootprint has been made by one person on the moon or on the summit of a lofty mountain – that accomplishment does not – and should not – reduce the personal value of each achievement – big or small. Nor does it reduce the potential of these environments for enabling future discoveries.
Namaste
Scott
