The Rest of Everest: Episode 60

To start our Thursday morning off right, we've got a new episode of The Rest of Everest. This one is entitled Packing Up & Shipping Out, and that title couldn't be more fitting.

The expedition is nearly over and it's time, at long last, to leave Everest Base Camp. Jon is once again joined by lead climber Ben Clark, as they look back on their final day on the mountain. The climb is over, but the work is not done, as the team has to pack up all their gear and prepare for their return to Kathmandu. The episode demonstrates another element of an Everest climb that you never see in any other films on the mountain. Generally, you see the climbers standing on the summit, and possibly returning to BC at the end to receive congratulations from the other climbers, and the show ends there, but the Rest of Everest really does show us the whole "expedition experience", as there is still a lot of tasks to be done, like taking down the tents, and packing away all the extra supplies and gear.

Jon and Ben talk about how, at this point, everyone was excited to leave base camp. After 2+ months on the mountain, and with the climb successful, and over, thoughts turn to home and reuniting with friends and family. It's hard to believe that we started with Episode 0, following these guys as they went to Walmart to buy the last of their supplies before heading out to Nepal. Now, we have one Episode left for the 2003 expedition, and everything has come full circle. Over the course of the podcast, I know that I've personally come to see elements of an Everest expedition that I never knew anything about and I've learned a lot about the climb along the way as well. I'll be sad to see this expedition come to an end, however, Jon assures us all that The Rest of Everest is not done, and that there will be plenty more to come in the future. So while this chapter closes, stay tuned for more.

And as a personal note, I'd like to thank Jon for taking us along on this expedition. You do an amazing job week in and week out, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us next.