Walkie Talkies and Duffel Bags

Orange tents staked to frozen fields. Snow whipping off steep cliffs. Sir Edmond Hilary with his goggles. Tattered prayer flags flapping in the wind. My images of Everest.

Now I also imagine duffel bags, walkie talkies and my friend Linden. This spring, Linden is helping coordinate an Eddie Bauer-sponsored trip up Everest. From what I gather the company formerly known for it’s high wasted khakis and boat shoes wants to be known instead for gortex vests and polar tec gloves. It wants to move away from golfers and tea to skiers and Red Bull. So they’ve gathered a team of professional climbers, a film crew from National Geographic and Linden’s guiding company (RMI) to launch a new “Expedition Line” with a summit of the world’s highest mountain.

Linden is coordinating the trip’s logistics. He filled out paperwork for their satellite phones and escorted 17 duffel bags of cheese, Snickers bars and other high altitude essentials to Nepal. Now he’s spending the next two months at Everest Base camp.

Infinitely jealous, I’ve been watching his team’s dispatches every day. Linden debuted in yesterday's (April 7th) with some serious walkie talky talk. Not to miss… Over.

Its a little bit hard to look at pictures like this from an office in Kathmandu. More drool-worthy photos on their website.