Roger Red Hat and Billy Blue Hat

​No, it’s not an adult literature collection although blue helmet is very much a condition that affects climbers in cold weather my mind at base camp today is very much on our team and it’s components.
I refer to the team as components as it feels this is very much a machine which has essential components to make it function effectively.

Let me explain.
On the outside it will appear the objective is that Pete and I stand on top of both mountains, on paper although challenging it’s a pretty simple task. Especially as we are camping at the bottom of both.

Pete and I hate the word “teamwork” but it’s where my mind goes when looking at our amazing, truly motivated machine.

Roger, of the red hat fame was one of the first books I was forced to read at school, along with Billy, yes of the blue hat family used to get up to all sorts of shanagins but the key message was that it took co-operation to pull off the pranks and quite honestly petty theft of apples…..!

Today, Pete and I called a meeting so that we can plan our next stage.
It will appear this is the first time western customers have asked everyone to be involved.

We asked for each of our components to attend our coffee morning at 10:00.

We plan to get back onto Broad Peak as soon as possible, we plan to Summit Broad Peak as soon as the weather clears up. This of course was a surprise to our team BUT, amazingly they clapped at our decision.
EVERYONE in that meeting was overjoyed to hear of our plan and strategy.

Now I’ve been a manager for over 20 years in some capacity, schools, charities, private organisations and government bodies and without a doubt have made many, many mistakes, but as you would expect also learnt huge amounts from those mistakes which today, now we believe enables us to create this machine that will succeed.

We started the meeting with the thank yous and of course the acknowledgment of the loss of life on the mountain. The acknowledgement that every member of our team played a part in the recovery and successful search of over 14 life threatened climbers.

Seeing our “cook boy” Hassan, the person responsible for washing up, cleaning and general “goforing” looking sheepish it allowed me to explain in detail.

If Pete and I had not have been up on that mountain, on that day, on that time we could not have helped in the way we did.

If our HAPs Bishir and Mohammed had not have helped with getting tents and equipment up to camp 3, Pete and I would not have been on that mountain at that time.

If the chefs had not have been up early and gone to bed late making us quality food we would not have been fed and watered and given strength to climb and overcome adversity. Pete and I would not have been on that mountain at that time.

If our place to relax and grow is not clean and tidy, if Hassan did not clear away, sanitise or support our every whim, Pete and I would not have been on that mountain at that time.

Our machine at base camp is fucking awesome because we have allowed it to be. Each of our team knows how important it role is.
And when it comes to the petty theft of stealing apples there is no better team to do it.

During the night of the rescue it transpired that ALL of our team were up and playing a part in the rescue.
Not one member was in bed, not 1 member felt he wasn’t part of the team that was needed. And remember our team includes those 1000’s of miles away in a different time zones. Without our tracker, without our locations Mr Kim’s whereabouts would be unknown.

The warmth and love on our return has been unbelievable not only by the team but other teams and nationalities on the strip.

Pete and I are super lucky to be given these opportunities and tomorrow we are hosting a training for our team and those around base camp in basic rescue and rope techniques to assist In future ascents. Although you will acknowledge this information is somewhat late it has been a great, great honour to be asked to deliver it, now when the lack of knowledge has been identified there is no better time to help learn and no better time for students to want to learn.