Brad crossing the ladder Photo by Wally Berg

This dispatch is coming to you from a gray and drizzly afternoon at Everest Base Camp on September 17.

Yesterday, September 16, was our first day in the icefall. The entire team moved together about 1100 feet up above base camp just to get a feel for moving together and to get some altitude under our belt, and to get some icefall mileage, you might say, under our belt.

Remember, this was Brad Johnson's first full day in Base Camp. Brad requested to have a private puja very early in the morning at our chorten in the middle of Base Camp before he went into the Icefall. He and Ang Temba did that together.

And soon afterwards we began upwards. We started on a beautiful clear day, as virtually every day has been so far. But as we climbed up, the fog and mist settled in, and the snow mixed with rain began.

All the same, we had a great day moving. It felt great to be moving. Maegan in particular was joyous at the activity and just moving across glacier and ice again, and of course in anticipation of the route ahead.

— Wally Berg, expedition leader