Bolivian Sajama ski expedition

June 2, 2004: Sorry for the delay in the dispatch.  The last three days have included a summit at 21,600 feet per our GPS, a ski of the peak, and getting out of La Paz before a major transportation strike.  We are reporting from Miami with little to no sleep, go, go, go.

But what a trip.  This was the best skiing above 20,000 feet we have ever had.  We are all well and very happy to be going home with the summit and ski.  I will have a full detail account when back in Colorado, as well as photos.  Sorry for the equipment problems; in short, the equipment just did not perform.  We will work the bugs out for the next one. Mike Marolt

Thanks to our Bolivian Sajama ski expedition sponsors

5/26/2004: Dispatch 1:The extreme Skiers are back!

5/29/2004: Dispatch 2: Going up for the bid from the top!

We are in final prep for our Bolivian Sajama ski expedition.  This is the first training camp in our bid to return to climb and ski Mt. Everest with no porters, drugs, or oxygen.  (See dispatches from our first attempt May 2003).  For this camp, we have the nucleus of our main team, my twin Steve Marolt, Jim Gile, and me. This project will cover the next 24 months with training camps to climb and ski from around 6500 (21,000) every 6 to 8 months to maintain long range acclimatization.  We are very fortunate to live in Colorado where we are able to climb and ski from 4,000 meters at least one day per week before or after work.  It really pays off given our more pure style of climbing.  So for the next 24 months and starting with Sajama, we have another planned training camp to Ecuador this coming fall season, and a couple of yet to be determined  camps down the road.  South American is a great place to train as we are able to take 10 to 12 days, door to door, to accomplish our training and it limits the time away from family and work.  It is also inexpensive and with no time difference, allows us to get in, get to work, and get out, given our tight time line.

  Altitude pre-
   acclimatization

   Ascenders

   Atlas snowshoes

   Black Diamond

   Botas

   Brunton

   Carabiners

   CaVa Climbing Shoes
   Clearance

   Clif Bar

   CMI

   Crampons

   Edelweiss ropes
   Eureka Tents

   Featured

   FoxRiver

   Garmin

   Granite Gear

   Harnesses
   Headlamps
   Helmets

   HighGear
   Ice Axes

   Kavu Eyewear

   Katadyn

   Kong

   Lekisport

   Lowepro

   Motorola

   Nalgene

   New England Ropes

   Nikwax

   Omega

   Outdoor Designs

   Pelican

   PowerBar

   Princeton Tec

   Prescription Glacier

   Glasses

   Primus

   Rope Bags

   Seattle Sports

   Serius
   Sleeping Bags

   Stubai

   Suunto

   Tents

   Trekking Poles
   Ushba
   and more here