Everest BC planning

Our 2010 Project Himalaya Everest Expedition 8848m dispatches

We return to Everest BC

12 May - at Everest BC

Yes, everything is OK. We have made another rotation to North Col, this time more successful; last time a serac collapsed in front of us. This time the route had been changed to avoid it. Barry was first up and spent two nights there with myself, then Eric came up for a night, dropping back to BC directly to miss the windy weather. I carried a load to 7700m with the sherpas.

Fernando made plenty of day trips from ABC but didn't make it up to North Col, he still has a cough and is moving a little slowly. However he still feels good and we are working on it. Currently he is taking a break down at Zhangmu.

Today the wind really picked up and despite the order to tighten everything down we still lost one dining tent. I was in it at the time and when a big gust came, I supported the tent but the wind was too strong, it ripped and the pole snapped in two places.

Luckily we have spares. Our ABC and north Col tents are fine, although many other teams have lost tents. Duncan was on North Col and the one he was in exploded, flattened by wind.

Dorje - Jamie

13 May - BC

We are making plans...

Barry made a quick decision and headed to Interim Camp, and ABC tomorrow. So a quick hike up to aid acclimatization, and with him exercise definitely seems to help. he is feeling fit and strong.

Eric decided to stay at BC and exercise here, and is therefore also ready to take off up at a moment's notice if a summit window appears. He did an exercise program, and still cannot perform anything like at sea level - unsurprising, but is worth noting. even after nearly a month here, we still know we are at altitude.

I (Jamie) went to visit Tilman's Camp, the base camp for any Everest north face attempts. I was hoping to get some good photos of the complete face however the camp only has partial views. I met Ralf (AMICAL owner) and Gerlinde (Kaltenbrunner) and generously they shared their dinner and offered a spot on the dining tent floor but being motivated by photography I slept outside in a far windier spot and took a few rather ordinary shots at dawn.

Ralf Dujmovits and Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner with Everest and the Hornbien Couloir,
the right of centre slash, which is the top part of the route they aim to climb.
Note the Tibetan Snowcock by her knee - Jamie

15 May - All at BC

Finally today we were all reunited, Fernando returned from the warmth of Zhangmu, Barry returned from ABC and I am back. Eric was here all the time...

Fernando is healthier and thanks the Adventure Dynamics team for taking such good care of him. Barry slept surprisingly well at ABC, so feels more confident, and Eric is ready to go - has been all the time. At least we have worked out what he will eat - three legs of chicken an evening!

We are now reviewing weather forecasts and noting that even over a 12 hour span, summit windows seem to a appear and disappear just a quickly. My guess is that the volcanic ash from the Iceland eruption is messing with the computer models, probably they are not designed to cope with that sort of unusual event. So while I will look up lots of info on the internet, we will also make some educated guesses, and I think that conditions will suddenly turn better, better than expected or forecast in a week's time. Either that or we will get hit by a Bay of Bengal storm?!

Either way we will be prepared.

Dayula and the sherpa team just called in from North Col, they climbed there today and are ready for that really tough oxygen haul up to 8300m (actually 8210m). Imagine, they are climbing from the equivalent of slightly lower than Camp 2 on Cho Oyu (where there are 3 camps) and up to the summit - but with loads. 1200m vertical metres -brutal. This is Everest though, the highest mountain in the world - on our summit push we will sleep at the same height as Cho Oyu, the 6th highest on the planet.

Also my thoughts are with friends on Makalu (Chris and Chhiring Dorje), Shishapangma (Mark Hose) and Manaslu (Clive). And thank-you to Marlon, who gave us some special high altitude tea that really is rather nice.

Current Everest forecast by Mountain Meteo Services - thanks!