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Oct 25 - Nov 15, 1998

it was a sad walk to Lobuje (4900m) with Luther’s death weighing heavily on all of our minds. As somber as this segment of our journey was, we couldn’t help but to also be invigerated. We were getting closer to our main objective. Closer to our goal. Closer to Everest.

We would erect a small monument dedicated to Luther “Lute” Jerstead at the Everest base camp – placing prayer flags in his memory.

Lobuje was our first experience in dormitory sleeping "Everest style". Jeff, Emmy and Mike shared a bunk (real cozy.) The night was punctuated for Jeff by the smell of Mike’s rara ridden stink mouth. The rest of the room was treated to the melodious sound of Jeff’s nose horn. And Emmy was blessed with being immediately surrounded by both. it was also where we experienced our first signs of altitude sickness. Trouble breathing while sleeping and slight headaches.

We had been responsible for several rescues on this trip. Besides Luther’s body, Manny walked to Periche from Dugla and back alone in the dark, with a woman who was suffering from severe AMS, (the safest and most common way to cure AMS is to move immediately to a lower altitude.)

When we arrived in Lobuje Jeff noticed a Japanese woman crouching in the smoke filled kitchen on the Himalayan lodge turning blue. We moved her outside and Manny treated her with water, diamox (medicine for AMS) and a pill for cerebral edema (swelling of the brain.) Her porter put her in a basket and carried her on his back for three hours down the mountain to Periche.