Everest BC

Our 2010 Project Himalaya Everest Expedition 8848m dispatches

We return to Everest BC

26 April - to North Col

Today was a sad day. This was to be our first trip up to North Col, 7000m/24,000ft, to acclimatize. However a large serac partially collapsed and killed László Várkony. David Klein was also hit by debris but survived with only moderate bruising to one arm - lucky for him. I saw the whole thing.

Our team was well below the serac and the sherpas well above, already at North Col.

An avalanche only falls once, then the tension is taken out of the snow. A serac collapse can keep falling, and indeed a small part fell 10 minutes later. So we abandoned our acclimatization run.

After talking with Chewang, the rope fixing team leader and some of the Tibetan climber sherpas, I was not sure what would happen. It seemed like they would simply fix ropes under the serac again.

27 April - down to BC

As there was snow predicted we headed down to BC for some rest and recuperation. Fernando, Eric and Barry heading down today.

I was slower to pack, reorganizing camp with the sherpas, and Bali especially, was a great help. A real doer. I watched the Tibetan rope fixing team reroute the ropes up, around the side of the serac. The new route is steeper but safer; an amazing job by them, and finished this day.

Pemba (Tibetan climbing guide) looks up at the rope fixer's handiwork - Jamie

28 April - BC

I trekked down to BC today, and as one friend said, we seem to have more friends on the trail than in Kathmandu. It was a pleasure to meet friends, including Nima Tenzi and Nawang Chiri who have worked for us previously, and will work for us again.

The predicted snow was a few centimetres rather than almost a metre, although it has turned distinctly colder.

...

1 May - to Interim

After lazy days it is time to head back up again, and further acclimatize and get stronger. The weather forecasts are for some initially windy weather but then turning quite still and there is a rumour of snow. More like summits for some south side teams, perhaps, and a chance for the ropes to be fixed to the summit on the north side.

We are planning over the coming days to acclimatize with two nights at North Col then will return to BC for a quick rest and recovery prior to our summit push. So we won't be summitting any time soon as it will probably be rather cold - probably dangerously cold, at least on this side.

My thoughts go out to the Nepali people and my all friends in Kathmandu and hope that the Maoists wont do anything even more stupid than they already have with their power games.

Current Everest forecast by Mountain Meteo Services - thanks!