We summit!

At last we summit, even if conditions are not perfect.

1 June - to North Col, 7000m

By climbing in very similar times to previously we show we haven't lost fitness nor deteriorated too much.

2 June - North Col, 7000m

Duncan, at ABC on Jamie's computer picked up the latest weather forecast and it looks better we summit on the 5th of June, rather than the 4th. So we stay an extra night at North Col, which anyway feels good for acclimatization.

3 June - to Camp 2, 7650m

We cruise up here, passing some of the DCXP team who are on oxygen from above North Col - we are not yet, but then we also haven't spent 10 days at ABC, 6400m. We have been down to BC, 5150m, recently to recover.

We do open up the oxygen at Camp 2 though, sleeping on it.

See below to understand! - Jamie

Taken on the drive in - Jamie

4 June - to Camp 3, 8210m

On oxygen, we climb up to our highest camp, the sherpas moving ahead to put up the tents. We are staying in two of the futuristic Mountain Hardwear EV3's, with the three sherpas in a Mountain Hardwear Annapurna tent. The sherpas up there with us are Pasang Gombu, Mindu and Ngima Chhiri.

5 June - Gavin turns back

It takes a long time to get ready, Kirsti woke up at around 10pm and was completely ready a little before midnight, when she and Mindu started climbing. Jamie, Gavin and Kevin started at around 12:45am. We each carried two new oxygen bottles and the sherpas each had two for themselves, and a third as backup/spare.

I (Jamie) climbed at the back and near the top of the exit cracks started pushing Gavin, who was moving slowly. He said he had jelly legs and felt weak, and so after continuing up for a while longer just to check on this, and after checking the oxygen system etc (which was OK), sadly, Gavin turned around, the best thing to do. This was 3am Nepali time. He had been fit and fast throughout the expedition, although had struggled slightly more on the last day or two.

It wasn't the oxygen (new) or regulator, as he had changed this from the day prior. It could have been the beginning of an infection or something else unknown. It could have been burnout as he has been the fastest into Camp 2, but this is less likely.

5 June - Summit!

As soon as Gavin started descending with Pasang Gombu, Jamie's head lamp went out, batteries dead. I had extra batteries in my backpack but instead of messing around in the semi-dark, just started climbing without a headlamp, knowing that it would get light in an hour or so. I caught up Kirsti and Mindu and climbed behind them.

Kevin and Ngima Chhiri were ahead, we could see them leave the summit just as we first caught sight of it. So they must have summitted around 7am, and Kirsti and Mindu and myself summitted around 8am (Nepal time, which is 10:15am Chinese time).

It was windy and cold enough (-22C) that we didn't get banners out or make phone calls, only took a few quick photos and then headed down.

Kevin on the summit - Ngima Chhiri