“Did you climb very slowly?”
When we tell people that our Everest 2009 expedition spanned 2.5 months, the first question we usually get is, “Why did you take so long? Did you climb very slowly?”
Well, there are 4 camps on Everest, and before we could even step anywhere near the mountain, we had to trek for over a week to reach Everest Base Camp as part of our acclimatisation process. This process was slow but extremely important for our bodies to get used to the thinner air up on high altitude.
Once we reached Everest, the acclimatisation cycles on the mountain began, this saw us reach various camps on Everest of increasing altitude before we are ready for the summit push. This entire process took a lot of waiting, for weather windows to open up, for our bodies to recuperate, for logistics to work out. We updated our friends and supporters back home via our team expedition blog, which has since been archived below.
Step inside and experience the journey we underwent.
Team Member Blogs
Read the blogs we kept in the run-up to the Everest climb:
SWET Team Blog
Follow the team as they make their ascent up Mount Everest:
June 2009
Heroes Behind The Mountain
Yes, we climbed Mt Everest and we summitted the mountain. But beyond the support of sponsors, individual donors, family and friends, there is a group of people whom we are grateful for - our sherpa guides. From the acclimatization climbs to the actual summit push, our sherpas have been with [...]
May 2009
Historic Success for NATAS Singapore Women’s Everest Team
Five years of preparation, training and fund-raising paid off when the NATAS Singapore Women's Everest Team (NATAS-SWET) put the first Singaporean women on the top of the world. On 20th May 2009, the first summit team saw success when members Lee Lihui, Esther Tan and team leader Jane Lee stood [...]
NATAS-SWET placed two more members on Everest Summit
(Picture: Joanne Soo, member of NATAS-SWET on the top of Mt Everest on 22 May 2009, 5.31am) On 22 May 2009, the NATAS Singapore Women's Everest Team added to their historic success by placing two more members on the summit of Mt Everest, the highest peak on earth at 8850m. Joanne [...]
NATAS-SWET reached Everest Summit!
(Picture: Jane Lee, leader of the NATAS Singapore Women's Everest Team reached the summit of Mt Everest on 20 May 2009, at 4.43am) On 20 May 2009, a historic feat for Singapore was achieved when the NATAS Singapore Women's Everest Team reached the summit of Mt. Everest, the highest peak on [...]
Weather Lets Up – Everest Summit, Here We Come!
(Picture: Clearing the snow from our tents) After a bout of turbulent weather which saw Everest Base Camp covered in 7cm-thick snow, the weather finally looks set for a summit window. Our tents at Everest Base Camp covered in snow that fell through the night The last couple of [...]
Jet Stream Complicates First Summit Attempt
The team's summit attempts have been postponed, due to weather changes. The weather window we were aiming for on the 11th and 12th of May got smaller, due to winds picking up as jet stream passed over the top of Mt. Everest. As stronger winds picked up in both the [...]
Off to the summit
It's crunch time! The acclimatization cycles are complete, the weather's looking good and we're feeling more prepared than ever. At the crack of tomorrow's dawn, we'll be headed for the summit push, towards the top of Mt Everest at 8,850m. Stay tuned, we hope to bring you good news from [...]
Kim Boon, our 7th Team Member
You may not have seen him in our pictures, or notice him at the airport send-off, but Mr Lim Kim Boon is an integral part of the team. Kim Boon is our capable Base Camp Manager, training coach, advisor, team liaison officer, and our beloved 7th member. He is one [...]
Final Acclimatization Rotation Complete
(Picture: Climbing up to just below the Yellow Band with the Summit on the background) Two days ago, we returned from Camp 3 (7,100m) on Everest, therefore completing the last of our acclimatization cycles before the summit bid! At 3.30am on 26th April, we set off once again up the [...]
April 2009
To Camp 2 and Back
(Picture: The way from Camp 1 to Camp 2) At the crack of dawn on 15 April, we set off for our 2nd acclimatization cycle, which brought us to Camps 1 (6,100m) and 2 (6,500m). This was the first time on this climb that we'd be reaching an altitude of [...]
NATAS-SWET EBC Support Trek
(Picture: NATAS-SWET EBC Trekkers) After weeks of anticipation, we were greeted by members of the NATAS-SWET Support Trek on 14 April. They were in good condition, having made their way from Gorak Shep (5,150m) to Kalapattar (5,500m) before coming to Everest Base Camp. Back in Singapore, we had given them a [...]
Communications on Everest
(Picture: a fine weather day, satellite phone conversations are a breeze) As we stay at Everest Base Camp at an altitude of 5,300m, it's amazing that we are able to keep in touch with sponsors, family and friends in Singapore. Thanks to SingTel, our link back home remains strong via internet [...]
Navigating through the Khumbu Icefall for the first time
(Overcoming a vertical section of the Khumbu Icefall amidst strong winds) The winds howled at 5am, the time we were supposed to wake up to get ready for our first practice climb on the Khumbu Icefall. Amidst the cold winds, we peeled ourselves out of our sleeping bags and strapped [...]
Visit from Christ Church Seconday School
(Picture: Group photo with Christ Church Sec. Sch.) Just as we were finishing our lunch today, there was a knock on our dining tent door. To our pleasant surprise, we found ourselves face to face with students and teachers from Christ Church Secondary School! They had come a long way, beginning [...]
Life at Everest Base Camp (EBC)
It's been 3 days since we've arrived at EBC. At a height of 5,300m, it is higher than the summits of most mountains in the European Alps. We are glad that we are settling down comfortably and have managed to carve out a cosy corner which we will call 'home' [...]
First Acclimatization Cycle Complete!
(Picture: Team on Lobuche Summit) We're currently at Everest Base Camp (5300m) as we bring you this update. After close to 5 years of preparation, we're finally here! Ascending a mixed section of rock & ice on the ridge of Lobuche Peak First off, let's conclude on the Lobuche [...]
March 2009
Dingboche (4200m)
(Picture: Enroute from Deboche to Dingboche) We arrived at Dingboche yesterday and we’ll be headed for Loboche Base Camp tomorrow. The weather has been kind to us, safe from the snowfall last night. Along the way, we met a Korean team and also volunteer doctors en route to the Himalayan Rescue [...]
Snowed in at Namche!
(Picture: Reading the map enroute to Namche) On our last day in Kathmandu, we woke up bright and early at 4am to catch the first domestic flight to Lukla (2820m). The plane landed us on the highest and shortest runway in the world and once we got off the aircraft, we [...]
Hello from Kathmandu!
(Picture: Our 33 duffel bags from Singapore arrived, much to our relief) THANK YOU for the resounding send-off at the airport! Our patron, sponsors, family and friends have moved us to tears with their well wishes. It's great to know that with the highest mountain in the world ahead of us, [...]
We’re ONE Day Away!
(Picture: Luggage Check-In) Singapore (highest point: 163m) After more than 1700 days of waiting, we only have one day left to go to the greatest climb of our lives—Mount Everest. This week has been a whirlwind of activities, with us busy with errands such as packing up our expedition food, final [...]