Freedom of the Hills “Passing through the towering ice pinnacles of Phantom Alley, we entered the rock-strewn valley floor at the bottom of a huge amphitheater... Here (the Icefall) turned sharply to flow southward as the Khumbu Glacier. We set up our Base Camp at 17,800 feet on the lateral moraine that formed the outer edge of the turn. Huge boulders lent an air of solidity to the place, but the rolling rubble underfoot corrected the misimpression. All that one could see and feel and hear - of Icefall, moraine, avalanche, cold - was of a world not intended for human habitation. No water flowed, nothing grew - only destruction and decay... This would be home for the next several months until the mountain was climbed.” -Thomas F. Hornbein, Everest: The West Edge For those of you who seek the challenge of climbing, The Backpackers Shop® can outfit you for your next adventure, no matter how big or small. Choose from gear from Black Diamond, Mammut, Climb High, Petzl, Scarpa, Beal, Franklin Climbing, and more. Our inventory includes harnesses, helmets, carabiners, belay & rappel devices, prussicks/ascenders, ropes, climbing shoes, mountaineering boots, chalk bags, stoppers, hexes, cams, climbing packs, pulleys, ice axes, ice screws, snow shovels, avalanche probes, and the list goes on....