No chance

The weather systems are against us

6 Oct - ABC analysis

OK, Jamie finally admits it - there is no chance of the weather improving enough for a real summit attempt. At least Clive, Francis and Gord, with Pasang Gombu and Nima Tenzi in support, found this out the very hard way. The rest of us only found out the hard way.

Quite simply from when we arrived at ABC I could see that the weather system was stuck in a fairly stable and unfavourable pattern. To the north-west of us is the jet stream (throwing some southwest to westerly wind our way) and to the south the ill-timed Bay of Bengal storm dumped snow here, but more importantly, even when it degenerated, it and the similar systems following just kept spinning clockwise and this just kept and is still keeping the wind running south-west over us, a double-whammy. We had hoped for a slight dip in the winds for a quick summit push, at least for the more hardy climbers, but no, and it is likely not to change to better for at least three weeks. We had also hoped for a possible complete change, but that was an outside chance and didn't happen. At least we tried, seriously tried.

Can we blame global warming? Not entirely, this sort of system can just happen. However combined with our failure on GII, which was also a bad run of weather, the odds are looking worse. A couple of years ago the monsoon retreated and then made a brutal resurgence in Nepal; this is happening this year too. Certainly there are changes and we will adapt to these.

I feel for the team, most climbers wanted the chance to 8000m prove themselves, and for Clive this was his second time here. Last year we were beaten by unsafe snow, this year the weather, even with Clive pushing it. We have had plenty of success on 8000m mountains, but not this season.

6 Oct - all at ABC; lets get out of here

We are all at ABC with eight of the team leaving for Zhangmu (that delightful border town) tomorrow. The early team is: Alan A, Andrew Lock, Julie, Joe C, Joe F, Ursula, Martin and Mark, and they should reach Kathmandu on the 8th. The rest of us will wait for the yaks, and head down to BC on the 9th, reaching Kathmandu on the 10th or perhaps the 11th.

5 Oct: The world according to Gord

There I was surrounded by four sherpas. It was unclear exactly what was being said in Nepali over the walkie talkie between Namgyal and Jamie. I think "bhayo"* might mean wimp, Pasang nodded in agreement. It seems I was not staying at Camp 1, and the time midnight was mentioned. So it's a retreat from Camp 3 to ABC on a forced march after our two windy nights at 7100m waiting for the weather window that never came. Waiting with enough gear to hang for a week and enough fixed line to haul a pony to the summit. More about the pony later.

Frances, Clive, Pasang Gombu, Nima Tenzi, and I had valiantly waited for the rumored, fictional, non-existent weather window at 7100m our planned high camp. We all agreed with Pasang Gombu that 24 hours with no wind would do the trick. But, like a down proof summit suit, it's a tough trick to pull off. After two nights of hammering winds and suffocation terror I knew it was time to pull the plug. The other guys were motivated by things like weather forecasts and on-site observations. Each to his own. When the Russian team bailed it was time to go. Four of the five of us packed in an organized manner and started breaking trail down the mountain. Pasang Gombu and Nima Tenzi were pulling haul bags in addition to 80L packs. I brought up the rear like a little old man just off an angioplasty. Lets blame to reduced caloric content of Ramen noodles.

The radio conversation at Camp 1 went on while Frances and Clive were already enjoying a frosty Lhasa beer at ABC after an effortless and unassisted descent, so perhaps the wimp comment was somewhat justified. But what about customer service in the 8000m environment? If a climber wants to stay at Camp 1, or get a pony ride from Depot camp to ABC for that matter, then why not? Life does not always go the way one plans, witness the weather, so it seems this was destined to evolve into one of those "be all you can be" opportunities, if being all you can be includes having Namgyal haul my pack. I resisted, but he assured me it was all part of the plan. Operation ABC or bust. I took a little white pill often found at American truck stops, put on all my down in anticipation of a bivi in the penitentes, and started seeing spots before my eyes. Namgyal took my med kit for safekeeping.

We were on the Depot to ABC trail, still about two hours from ABC when it got dark. I know the whole trip takes less than two hours, thanks. I was in the lonely, dark midnight of the soul where the (totally legal) medication had long since worn off. But I still had all my down on. The soft, soft down would never leave me. Nor would Namgyal and Da'Yula. I imagine even a climbing sherpa feels frustrated when a climber suggests a pace of slowly-slowly should be changed to slowly-slowly-slowly, but I didn't feel that. Two additional Tibetan staff were dispatched with food, lights, and drinks now raising the total staff for Operation ABC or bust to six. Kind of reminds me of a North Shore Rescue operation [his work] except there's no subject...wait a minute!

In the end I'm glad I was lashed down to ABC. An exercise in mental toughness, if crying like a little girl counts as tough. And I did it all without a pony.

*Bhayo means "finished".

6 Oct - fire sale

Mark reckons the weather has beaten him, his second time here, so the sherpa team are particularly happy, being beneficiaries of some nice gear - thanks, Mark!

Tristan pulling out Mark's tent with Shishapangma in the background - Jamie