Waiting-Planning

We wait for the summit window

First the ropes from 8300m to the summit should be fixed, then we can commit to a summit window.

15 May 2011 - all in BC

We are all down at Base Camp, and with an altitude of 5,180m, it is a good altitude to recover, and also a reasonable altitude to maintain real acclimatization. The issue is we need to exercise daily to maintain fitness, and also too much time down here means we are at slightly greater risk of feeling the 1200m jump in altitude to ABC over our now normal two program to trek there. So today we carefully analyzed the situation on the mountain to plan our next moves.

The vital component that many climbers are worried about is the rope fixing from 8300m (Camp 3) to the summit. The ropes were fixed quickly to 8300m by the Tibet Guide School climbers, but the weather hasn't been quite good enough to fix higher, risking fingers to frostbite, and it is distressing many climbers that the next possible summit window will instead be taken up by fixing rather than summitting.

There is plenty of talk of following the rope fixers to the summit.

Pre 2008 it used to be that Russell Brice's sherpa team would fix the ropes as Russell basically didn't trust anyone else to do it, and would ask teams to chip in some money, which invariably we did as the amounts were more than reasonable for a great job done. With Russell retreating to the south side, now the job has been taken over by the Tibet Guide School climbers with the compulsory fee collected by the CTMA (China Tibet Mountaineering Association).

16 May - plans formed

Over the last couple of days the likely weather has become more apparent, and today's forecasts plus some new data reconfirmed suspicions. We still have some time to wait so most of the team opted to head to Interim Camp today, and ABC tomorrow, then after a day there return to BC. This seems arduous but isn't, and is perhaps the best way to maintain condition.

Luke and Ismail climbed behind base camp to well over 6000m, mostly up the still frozen stream.

Phujung, Pasang

Phujung, Pasang Gelu, Kaji and Nima Griman enjoying dirdo in Base Camp - Jamie

17 May

Most of the team are trekking from Interim to ABC; I am updating the website and checking on the weather. So far no changes to our plans.