Mandy Moore reached base camp on Mount Everest
Growing up, climbing Mt. Everest was a unit of measurement to explain how impossible a task was. So I was stunned to find out that Mandy Moore just did it! Not to the summit (29,029 feet above sea level), but to the Everest Base Camp (17,600 feet). I’m only specifying that because Mandy did on her Instagram so as not to take away from those who make it to the summit. Since the closest I’ll ever come to conquering Everest is looking at Mandy’s Instagram photos of it, I’m going to be impressed regardless of how far she went up. Here’s the photo she posted to commemorate her climb:
Her caption is so heartfelt, there is no doubt how much this meant to her:
There is so much magic in these mountains. They represent adventure in the grandest form and in a language all their own. The idea of standing at the base of the world's tallest peak with @eddiebauer, a brand that has been outfitting record-setting climbers since the beginning – from the first American ascent in 1963 (Jim Whittaker) to our guide @melissaarnot, the first American Woman to ascend and descend Everest without oxygen, is truly beyond my wildest imagination. Traversing this terrain has its challenges. Breathing at altitude, for instance, is not easy. One of the greatest gifts/lessons that Melissa simultaneously bestowed on us during this trek was the fine art of pressure breathing. It makes all the difference as you climb higher. It’s essentially a big inhale and a sharp, forceful exhale, like you’re blowing out a candle across the room, to open up your lungs, allowing you to use more oxygen, etc… Besides hydration and staying nourished, breathing is THE vital key in the fight against altitude sickness. It’s also a major takeaway that I will be employing back to the real world whether I’m in the midst of a tough workout or a weird day. Mind blown. So as we weaved around the Himalayas from 14,400ft-16,200ft-17,600ft: this particular technique was essential in propelling us forward. Needless to say, this part of the world holds a very special place in @melissaarnot’s heart so her willingness to share it, as well as her time, knowledge and endless trove of stories were so appreciated by all of us lucky enough to walk alongside her this past week. Her belief in our abilities to keep moving and ultimately make it to the base of the Mighty, Mighty Mt. Everest was so powerful. Spoiler alert: we made it!!! It’s impossible to be lucky enough to arrive at the foot of these mammoth peaks and not be attuned to the palpable energy of all of those who came before and lost their lives in these mountains. The wave of emotion: respect, reverence, appreciation….that washed over us as we took in the prayer flags and yellow domed tents of basecamp AND sat on the rocks regarding the chortens that dot the hillside of the Tukla Pass the day before, profoundly
Mandy’s a big hiker but it was reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro that made her thirsty to hit some new summits. She’s partnering with Eddie Bauer on The Juniper Fund and they are outfitting her for her climbs. She spent her honeymoon hiking all over Chile. On Busy Tonight in April, Mandy said she’d never been camping before she climbed Kilimanjaro. That’s a big feat for a novice. Also during that appearance, Busy helped Mandy *practice* the Everest hike by putting on packs and climbing on an elliptical (2:20 mark). It’s pretty cute. It is also the only way I’ll make any kind of climb myself.
It’s nice to read such a positive story coming from an Everest trip, considering how bad a year they’ve been having. I’m glad Mandy is focusing so much on preparing for the journey properly and emphasizing that the base camp and the summit are two very different animals. Not that they aren’t both big accomplishments, but one is certainly much more dangerous.
Photo credit: Instagram and WENN Photos
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