Costa Mesa, Ca.
April 5, 2017
Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seat belts. Have your “E” ticket ready. If you are afraid of heights or have a weak heart, this would be a good time to step out of line and wait for your family and friends at the exit doors. Smelling salts are available for those who may feel light-headed or dizzy. Hand-held viewing devices are banned. This ride must be viewed only on a large screen in a dark room.
The video you are about to see was shot on March 18, 2017 from the front seat of a helicopter piloted by a brave aviator. It begins with some screen shots identifying iconic mountains, passes and glaciers in the Gokyo and Khumbu Valleys of the High Himalaya.** See how many you can find in the video. It ends with a landing at Lukla Airport, rated the most dangerous in the world.
Since the Everest 2017 climbing season is now underway, I have added bonus footage from my April, 2015 helicopter reconnaissance of Burke-Khang. This footage shows Everest Base Camp, the Khumbu Icefall and the Western Cwm, up close and very personal. The footage was shot just weeks before the devastating earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people in Nepal and 19 people at Everest Base Camp.
I hope you enjoy this movie as much as I enjoyed making it. Please watch this video in full screen mode.
I’m planning my next move on the great chess board of life. In case you are wondering, nothing has been ruled out.
Bill
*For context, please read my post about the 2017 expedition
**Identification completed by Dawa Steven Sherpa of Asian Trekking
That was absolutely amazing!!! Beautiful; God’s country!!! You , Mr. Burke, have accomplished a remarkable feat. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Fantastic! Absolutely incredible. What a beautiful mountain!
Oh my God…
Life is truly what you make of it.
That was quite amazing. Thank you for sharing!
Amazing!! Burk-Khang looked fierce!! Thank you for sharing all of your mountaineering experiences … I felt like I climbed Everest twice … almost =o)
Bill,
Swollowing hard with incredible excitement. You chose well.
Rick
Neat little playground you got there. Loved seeing it on video. This will be as close to seeing it in person for many of us.
Bill, leaves me speechless with sweaty palms….the best One Thousand Dollar investment.
So thankful you all came home safely with a grand experience of a lifetime. Thanks, once again, for ‘taking me along’…..you have graciously allowed me to experience this adventure….WOW!!
Awesome Bill. In one of those turns, I saw what it looked like the face of Jesus. My imagination at work:)) Blessings
Bill
“A WILD RIDE” to say the least. Thank you for sharing.
Steve
That was absolutely fantastic!
So impressive mountain – named after great mountain legend.
This one is the closest to my understanding of unclimbable mountain.
Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Bill for sharing your fly over. Mighty impressive to see the views. Watched your Tibetean Everest Climb. You are just AMAZING.
What a thrilling end to your adventure! I flew in a helicopter once, and know how it feels to be able to almost reach out and touch the surroundings. Your adrenalin must have been off the charts. Thanks for giving us a look at your Himalayan playground.
Hi Bill,
Just got around to watching your video on a large screen. The summit of Burke Khang is spectacular and quite daunting. No wonder it demands more than two attempts to climb! Fantastic footage and thrilling ride. Having trekked to EBC twice, including atop Gokyo Ri, and being familiar with the terrain, I was absorbed by the aerial perspectives and replayed sections of the video numerous times. Indeed we look forward to your next play on life’s chessboard.
Warm wishes,
k;-)
PS: Ever find out what the “red light” indicated?
I always enjoy your postings.
Today i read that ::
Famed Swiss climber Ueli Steck died in a mountaineering accident on Mount Everest in Nepal after slipping and falling 3,000 ft.
I had always thought that the climbers were always roped together.
Please tell me he wasn’t solo climbing.
thanks
carol ca92623@gmail.com
This view is really great! You did what I never dare to try. One thing I have to remind you is to pay attention to safety.