ABC preparation

We prepare for our summit push.

17 May - to Interim

Everyone felt good getting up to Interim. Tshering Dorje (Tibetan; Da'Nuru's brother) was glad to see us; he has been minding the camp for much of the expedition. It is a simple camp and we had some fairly simple food rounded off with a large Toblerone for dessert.

18 May - the Korean

One Korean arrived last night too, at our camp, but ate little, saying he had diarrhea and vomiting, he had been sick for 3-4 days. This morning the Tibetans couldn't get him to come out of the tent, so I went to see him three or four times. He did not want any medicine and just wanted to stay, but I told him he must go down. I radioed up to the Koreans and suggested they send a few people to help look after him. Soon after I left Duncan walked past and he made the noise of a helicopter, and so Duncan had a look in, with one climber who was a doctor. Turns out he had appendicitis and was rapidly getting worse, so the two Tibetans there started carrying him down. He was is great pain.

Apparently his appendix burst on the way down, meaning you have around 24 hours to live. Of course we had arranged for a jeep and helicopter and by early 19 May he was in hospital in Kathmandu, being operated on.

He was very lucky that the DCXP climber had made the diagnosis.

Serious Duncan Chessell, DCXP leader and Eric Remza, assistant leader - Jamie

18 May - to ABC

The walking was definitely easier than the first time. We saw some filming for the Discovery Channel production and Jamie spent much of the time on the radio re the Korean. Then he came across the Jagged Globe Lhakpa Ri expedition, who had one sick climber and our pulse oximeter was left with them. They returned it on the 19th, with thanks.

Sherpa feats

The sherpas are the real heroes up here. Apparently the Nepal Government (perhaps the Ministry of Tourism) put up a one million rupee prize for the first Nepali (ie climbing sherpa) to summit Everest three times in one season. Now there is a challenge.

Apparently it has been a competition between two sherpas in particular, Tshering Dorje (Rolwaling) on the North side and Pema Dorje (Rolwaling, speed climber) on the South. Tshering Dorje (same name as our kitchen hand), the sirdar for the Indian Army team won. Yes, he did summit three times this season, in rapid succession, and one time taking a large Buddha statue to the top - see the next dispatch

19 May - the Koreans again

The Koreans in the camp beside us have had two teams summit safely; the third was up at 8300m, but with not enough oxygen to summit, the first two team using more than their share, so a very tricky situation. It took some firm negotiating but apparently they are coming down. Their original plan was to stay another night at 8300m, showing what sort of hypoxia you suffer up there.

19 May - ABC sorting

Today is preparation day, we plan to leave for North Col tomorrow, providing the forecast holds. So the team tried out gear and sorted food. This afternoon we will sort out radios and oxygen masks and regulators.

19 May - our sherpa team

They completed the load carrying a few days ago and now are resting up so that they can provide strong support.

The team

Yep, I won't get a proper team page up.

Johan

Been here previously and was sick at exactly the wrong time so he really wants to summit this time.

Gavin

Together with Erik Weihenmayer lead a team of blind Tibetan kids up to Lhakpa Ri in 2004. (Erik was the first blind person to summit Everest with Luis Benitez as guide).

Philippe

An ultra-distance racer (100 miles and more!) and bas been on Cho Oyu. A mean rock climber, 5.13d. Anna, his wife, came trekking in with us to ABC.

Kevin

A teacher, Kevin was base camp manager for Erik Weihenmayer's 2001 Everest expedition.

Kirsti

A pilot who flies big planes around the world, and has climbed in South America many times, and also climbed Pumori in Nepal.

Jamie

Enjoys organizing expeditions.

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