Mt. Everest is the highest mountain in Asia and the highest mountain in the world at 29,035'. It is undoubtably the most difficult of the seven summits to climb with its extreme cold, high altitude, duration of time needed to climb, glacier and icefall travel, money, and logistics. Climbing Mt. Everest has always been a lifelong aspiration for Kristine and myself and the opportunity to climb the highest mountain in the world together would be the trip of a lifetime for us. We feel all of our past climbs, years of planning and organizing expeditions, and experiences in the mountains have been leading up to something bigger and seemingly larger than life. Only after all of these climbs and experiences have we realized that we have the technical and expedition knowledge as well as the mental and physical strength to try and climb the highest mountain on earth.
Everest's summit ridge with the Hillary Step visible just below the two climbers. Credit for all photos on this page: Rob Casserley.
Climbing the southeast ridge on summit day with Lhotse (27,939', the world's 4th highest mountain) behind.
Sunrise from camp 4 showing Everest's shadow on the horizon.
Climbing to camp 3 on the Lhotse face.
Camp 4 at the south col (26,300').
View from the summit looking south to Makalu (27,765', the world's 5th highest mountain).
SUPPORT OUR EVEREST 2010 CLIMB:
As you probably know, an expedition to Mt. Everest is not inexpensive by any stretch of the imagination. As we will be approaching the mountain from the nepalese side (south side), a climbing permit from the Nepal government costs upwards of $10,000. We will be doing much of the climbing, expedition planning, gear acquisition, and guiding ourselves; however, we will be supported by sherpas for cooking, load-ferrying, and other tasks and are so excited to have one or two sherpas as climbing companions as well. All of this combined together will probably run each of us in excess of $25,000 not to mention the flight to Kathmandu, Nepal from the United States. Nevertheless, for a chance to climb the highest mountain on earth and the tallest and most difficult of the seven summits together is a chance of a lifetime and we would do anything and everything in our power to make our 2010 Everest expedition become a reality.
This is where you can help us. Any monetary donation, no matter how great or small, would be greatly appreciated and surely contribute to the feasibility and hopeful success of our expedition. If you are a corporation or organization and would like to sponsor us, we would be more than happy to represent you by wearing your logo via a patch on our down parkas, carry you or your company's logo on a flag to Everest's summit, or anything else your and/or we can think of to help market you from the top of the world! In return for your corporate sponsorship, we would be more than happy to give a slideshow presentation for your corporation or organization upon our return and after we have organized our pictures and videos into a slideshow. Please see our Levels of Sponsorship below on how you can become a sponsor. Money raised for our expedition will go towards many expenses including:
Roundtrip flights to/from Kathmandu, Nepal
Climbing permits.
Sherpa support (sherpas for ferrying loads, climbing sherpas, and basecamp cook sherpas and helpers).
Bottled oxygen systems.
Food for 2 months.
Tents (high altitude tents and basecamp tents).
'Walkie-talkie' radios and satellite phones.
We greatly appreciate all levels of donations but would like to offer the following plans to companies who wish to gain publicity through sponsorship. Depending on the level of investment and the sponsor’s objectives, in return for sponsorship we will offer print recognition and advertising, public recognition, promotional opportunities, and/ or web advertising. In addition, upon returning from our expedition we will be speaking and giving slideshows.
Levels of Sponsorship:
Summit: $25,000
Title sponsorship - Your company name will be included in expedition title.
Guided climb - We will lead a team building, guided trip up an agreed upon Colorado 14er for your company and employees.
Company logo will be included on promotional materials and presentations of slideshows upon returning from Mt. Everest.
Slideshow presentation of our climb for your company upon returning from Mt. Everest. If presentation will take place outside of the state of Colorado, airfare will need to be purchased by sponsor.
Company logo will be printed in Vail Daily, Denver Post and other publications that highlight our expedition.
We will wear a patch with your company logo and, if so desired, carry a flag to the summit (patches and flag should be provided by sponsor).
After the expedition an ad will run in the Vail Daily thanking our key sponsors and including your company logo and name.
Camp 4: $10,000
Guided climb - We will lead a team building, guided trip up an agreed upon Colorado 14er for your company and employees.
Company logo will be included on promotional materials and presentations of slideshows upon returning from Mt. Everest.
Slideshow presentation of our climb for your company upon returning from Mt. Everest. If presentation will take place outside of the state of Colorado, airfare will need to be purchased by sponsor.
Company logo will be printed in Vail Daily, Denver Post and other publications that highlight our expedition.
We will wear a patch with your company logo and, if so desired, carry a flag to the summit (patches and flag should be provided by sponsor).
After the expedition an ad will run in the Vail Daily thanking our key sponsors and including your company logo and name.
Camp 3: $5,000
Company logo will be included on promotional materials and presentations of slideshows upon returning from Mt. Everest.
Company logo will be printed in Vail Daily, Denver Post and other publications that highlight our expedition.
Slideshow presentation of our climb for your company upon returning from Mt. Everest. If presentation will take place outside of the state of Colorado, airfare will need to be purchased by sponsor.
We will wear a patch with your company logo and, if so desired, carry a flag to the summit (patches and flag should be provided by sponsor).
After the expedition an ad will run in the Vail Daily thanking our key sponsors and including your company logo and name.
Camp 2: $1,000
Company logo will be included on promotional materials and presentations of slideshows upon returning from Mt. Everest.
We will wear a patch with your company logo and, if so desired, carry a flag to the summit (patches and flag should be provided by sponsor).
After the expedition an ad will run in the Vail Daily thanking our key sponsors and including your company logo and name.
Camp 1: $500
Company logo will be included on promotional materials and presentations of slideshows upon returning from Mt. Everest.
After the expedition an ad will run in the Vail Daily thanking our key sponsors and including your company logo and name.
To help make our dream of climbing Everest become a reality, please click on the PayPal link below and make a donation. Once on the PayPal page below, if you wish to make a donation, please enter the amount of your donation and click 'update total'. If you already have a PayPal account, you can then log on to your account and pay through your account. If you do not have a PayPal account and do not wish to set one up, you can pay via credit card/checking account/savings account.
And for those who do not wish to make a donation online, you can send your donation via mail to:
Brandon Chalk
PO Box 152
Avon, CO 81620
jbchalk@gmail.com
Thanks for making our dream of climbing Everest and climbing
the Seven Summits together come true!
Thanks to the following people & corporations for contributing to Brandon & Kristine's 2010 Everest Fund!
CORPORATE DONATIONS: CORPORATE SPONSORS:
Hansen Construction - Aspen, CO
INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS:
Ursula Hlavacek - Charlotte, NC
Frederick Mueller - Boulder, CO
Anne Warren - Charlotte, NC
Ryan Beasley - Sylvania, GA
Henry Herring - Melbourne, Australia
Jamie Buckley - Chicago, IL
John & Ann Chalk - Charlotte, NC
Marc & Via Sacconi - Vail, CO
Scott & Darci Hook - Oahu, Hawaii
Logan & Ransome Foose - Charlotte, NC
David Levinson - Washington, DC
Lynn & Kevin Brennan - Stow, MA
Bryson & Sarah Datt - Pittsburgh, PA
Mary Lindsey Warren - Charlotte, NC
David & Kelly Lyle - Edwards, CO
Ralph & Sally McMillan - Charlotte, NC
Michael & Ann Tarwater - Charlotte, NC
Bryan Fingland - Denver, CO
Amy Calce - Genoa, Italy
Lizzy Hechenbleikner - Washington, DC
Dr. Lee & Tommie Lokey - Atlanta, GA
Jordan Weyand - Breckenridge, CO
Peyton Biddle - Roanoke, VA
Dan & Christie Cleary - Blue River, CO
Taylor & Cathy Beaupain - Los Angeles, CA
Cole & Kate Chalk - Winston Salem, NC
Bill & Larissa Larson - Edwards, CO
Bryan & Mary Chalk - Rockingham, NC
Lee & Julie Chalk - Winston Salem, NC
Lee & Betsy Hoffman - Conifer, CO
Joel Gratz - Boulder, CO
Evon Chalk - Charlotte, NC
Pete & Delores Donohue - Fort Worth, TX
Bob & Jeanne Vernazza - Arlington, MA
Lauren Merrill - Vail, CO
Joe & Jeannie Yochem - Charlotte, NC
Jesse Hill - Denver, CO
Edmund & Corinne Green - Stow, MA
Becky Dion - Denver, CO
Nick Gurnon - Winston Salem, NC
Tom Wiseley & Marcia Falzone - Denver, CO
Nico & Celeste Cizik - Golden, CO
Hosts of our engagement party - Charlotte, NC
Michael & Yvonne Muchard - Newbury, NH
Gail Webb - Huntington, VT
Rick & Jane Wicklund - Sonoma, CA
The Faculty of Red Sandstone Elementary - Vail, CO
Lat & Kathy Purser - Charlotte, NC
John Halloran & Maggie Pavlik - Eagle-Vail, CO
Jesup & Megan Szatkowski - Dartmouth, NH
Gaby Meola - Brielle, NJ
Brett & Carrie Richer - Jackson, WY
Sandy & Betsy Weathersbee - Charlotte, NC
Jared Jones - Chicago, IL
Ryan & Becky Baugh - Eagle, CO
Trinity Wall - Edwards, CO
Craig Donaldson - Silt, CO
Lauren McKeone - Vail, CO
Chuck & Jean Wimbrow - Charlotte, NC
James & Kelly Waechter - Denver, CO
Rebecca Barrett - Charlotte, NC
etown restaurant & bar - Edwards, CO
Marki Knopp - Telluride, CO
Chris & Sarah Zarek - Salt Lake City, UT
Wes Hoke - Atlanta, GA
Miles Cox - London, England
Nancy Ehringhaus - Charlotte, NC
Melanie Robbins - Rocky Mount, NC
Lisa Alexander - Charlotte, NC
The current brothers & alumni of the
Pi Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha -
Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA
OUR 2010 EVEREST EXPEDITION TEAM:
Kristine Chalk - Fifth grade teacher in Vail, Colorado, Kristine first discovered a love of climbing upon moving to Colorado in 2001. Since then, Kristine has climbed Denali, Mt. Elbrus, Mont Blanc, Mt. Rainier twice, Mt. Baker, the Grand Teton, and over 40 of Colorado’s 54 14,000’ peaks. She shares her passion for the mountains with her class and knows that this extraordinary expedition will be an unforgettable lesson for herself and her students.
Brandon Chalk – Mechanical engineer in Vail, Colorado, Brandon has always had a passion for
climbing since his family vacationed in the Tetons in the early 1990s. Brandon has climbed Denali, Aconcagua, Mt. Elbrus, El Pico de Orizaba, Mont Blanc, Mt. Rainier twice, several of the Tetons including the Grand Teton twice, Mt. Hood, Mt. Baker, Mt. Adams, and all of Colorado’s 54 14,000’ peaks.
Dr. Rob Casserley – Family practitioner in Bathe, England, Rob has had a passion for climbing since his climb of Mt. Kenya in 1995 while on a 3 month tour of duty in Kenya with the British Army. Since then, Rob’s passion for high altitude climbing, medical knowledge, and skills with the camera have taken him to great heights. He has climbed Everest five times with a double summit of Everest in 2007, Ama Dablam, Manasalu, Cho Oyu twice, Denali twice, Kilimanjaro, and Mt. Elbrus.
