Nearly summit

Jamie, Paul and Namgyal get close; see the other dispatch for Julian's summit

Enjoy the photos!

28 May - the second summit push begins

Moe and Jamie climbed to the North Col, Sukhi, Dawa and Da'Oangchu climbed to the 7000m camp.

Moe heading up to North Col

Moe climbing up towards North Col, and yes, that sherpa is running down.

29 May - rest day

30 May - to 7700m

Namgyal and Paul heading up from North Col (see the tents above Paul's ice axe), around 7500m.

31 May - to Camp 3

Paul and Namgyal set off, Sukhi a little behind. I tidied the camp and talked with sherpas, Humphrey also came thru, pleased he had made the summit but couldn't carry all his gear down. I set off at least half an hour later, perhaps more. I could still see Sukhi, she was moving too slowly to make it to the 8300m camp 3. She wanted the oxygen turned up, but the problem with that is if you move fast you can use a higher setting without running out before you get the to the camp; 3 litres a minute lasts around  hours. If you move more slowly then you need to use a lower setting, say 1.5 litres a minute, and that will last 8-10 hours. I had to turn Sukhi back, she wasn't going to reach camp until well after dark, if she could reach it at all. She had spent too many nights at 7700m.

Paul, myself and Namgyal got to camp around 3:30pm, and conditions were worsening.

Camp 3, in blowing snow it is hard to imagine a bleaker place; the camera is level!

In our tent the mood is better; Jamie temporarily sucking on some oxygen, Namgyal is also in the tent but unseen, three of us plus loads of gear in a two person tent. We had one of the best spots at Camp 3, usually said to be 8300m, but is actually 8210m by GPS.

1 June - summit attempt

We set of at around 1:30am, Nepali Time, many climbers would consider this late but we moved fast and we could have set off later. The wind was coming in gusts. When we set off the wind was strong, and conditions didn't seem particularly good, but we were counting on the wind decreasing in the morning. It didn't, in fact as we moved higher it seemed to be getting stronger. It was coming at exactly the wrong angle, there wasn't a single bit of shelter. During the strongest gusts we were bent over double, hanging onto the rope, ice axe in. The wind was strong.

After reaching the ridge Paul motioned that we might turn around. We couldn't talk, or discuss, this is where you realize whether you really can communicate with someone. I motioned we keep going; I was hoping the wind would drop. At the base of the First Step I wondered why I was getting cold - out of oxygen. Since I was following I didn't notice that I was slowing, and I didn't have that suffocating feeling that many people talk about. Changing the bottle over I could feel my fingers freezing, but with a new bottle hooked up they tingled back to life. My feet were numb but I could still move them.

We wondered if we waited for the sun whether it would make a difference but I knew with the wind that strong it wouldn't. There would be no shelter, and above the Second Step the ridge is fully exposed to the wind, and no rope to hang onto - we would have to lie down during the strongest gusts - serious. The decision was simple, even though we didn't actually discuss; the summit and frostbite or turn back. We turned back just as the sky was lightening.

Back to where the climb hits the ridge top.
Makalu (with Makalu II more in the centre, and Chomo Lonzo to the left), and Kanchenjunga is the distance. 4:45am, on the way back down.

Namgyal looking back towards the summit; we reached a fraction below the rocky 'second summit', which is the First Step. So close but not the top.