Peak Promotion

Today Mingmar and Nigma returned to base camp shortly after noon.  The weather forecast is for high winds starting tonight and continuing for several days.  We will watch the forecasts for a weather window to climb.

Mingmar, Nigma and another Sherpa got up to camp 4 with very heavy loads.  They carried all of the oxygen up from camp 2 to camp 3.  Than they picked up rope and hardware left at camp 3 to fix the route up to camp 4.  From camp 3 they followed the Everest route fixed line up past the Yellow Band.  About two thirds of the way between the Yellow Band and the Geneva Spur they started fixing about 200 meters of line up to Lhotse camp 4.  All went well and they were able to set up camp 4 and than return to camp 2 for the night.

Mingmar, Nigma and another Sherpa went up to camp 2.  The weather this morning was cloudy with snow showers, but light winds.  Hopefully the winds will stay low and snowfall light for the next few days.   I continue to stay at base camp.

My Sherpa’s and I are resting at base camp.  Mingmar is not a lot better, but has decided that he and Nigma will go back up to work on the route to camp 4 tomorrow.  I will continue to stay at base camp to rest for our summit push.  Mingmar has been able to recruit a Sherpa from another team to help carry rope and hardware up to camp 4.  They will also carry our oxygen up to camp 4 depending on the weather.

Rest day at base camp.  Light winds and snow flurries in the afternoon.  Mingmar talked with the HRA doctors and they confirmed that he had Bronchitis.  He will continue the antibiotics and also use a nasal spray to help him breath better at night.  According to Peter Hackett (one of the two HRA doctors here at base camp now) a large percentage of climbers here have some degree of Bronchitis.  You just have to live with the cough and try you best to keep your sinus clear at night and avoid breathing through your mouth, unless you enjoy a really sore throat in the morning.

When we woke up this morning it was still very windy and snowing.  We decided quickly that there was no chance of going up to establish camp 4 this morning.  Our only option was to go down to avoid using up food supplies at camp 3.  There was about six to eight inches of new snow with more falling.  We packed up and headed down by 9 AM.  Descending in white out conditions made progress slow, but we got back to camp 2 around 11 AM.  Visibility remained very poor all the way to camp 2.  We left our sleeping gear at camp 2 and took a short break before continuing on down to base camp.  Even in the icefall the visibility remained poor until just above base camp.  We were back at base camp by 2 PMwhere there were 3 to 4 inches of new snow and flurries continued through the afternoon.

We all moved up to camp 3 today.  Mingmar did not seem to be doing any worse today.  This was my first time up to camp 3 this year.  At the start of the face we had lots of spindrift while crossing the bergschrund (crevasse) at the base of the face.  After that the climb was mainly on ice with only spots of snow cover.  When we got to camp 3 Mingmar and Nigma set up a tent for me.  We settled into our tents and had dinner.  By early evening the wind picked up and snow began to fall.  The snow and wind continued through the night.  You could hear avalanches coming down the face throughout the night.  Fortunately camp 3 is located in a relatively safe location.

Mingmar, Nigma and I went back up to camp 2 today.  We made good time and got a fair amount of gear up to camp 2.   Weather above camp 1 was much warmer than on previous trips.  When the wind drops off and the sun comes out the Western Cum can be like walking in an oven.  Mingmar is starting to get sick.  I talked with a doctor at base camp (HRA) and he recommended that I give Mingmar Cipro (an antibiotic).   Hopefully that will keep him from the full effects of whatever he has caught.

Today was another rest day for me at base camp.  We had a meeting at our camp with everyone planning to climb Lhotse.  After a fair amount of discussion we were able to get some commitments for rope and hardware to fix the route to camp 4 and above.  Depending on weather Mingmar and Nigma will fix line to camp four by May 3rd.  The other climbers will get their share of gear up to camp 4 by May 4th or 5th.  After that Mingmar and Nigma will work on the route above camp 4.  Several Sherpa’s offered to help depending on their schedules for Everest climbers.

Rest day at base camp, Dried out gear and showered.  Typical weather – fairly clear in the morning with clouds and light snow in the afternoon.

After our second night at camp 2 we were up at 5:30 AM packed up and headed down to base camp by 6 AM.  It was quite windy with a light snowfall over night.  You could hear the really high winds up above on Everest and Lhotse.  Back at base camp the winds and light snow continued.

This morning Nigma and I headed up towards camp 3.  We hiked up to the base of the Lhotse face.  Nigma had some gear for camp 3, so he headed up the face.  I followed up the face several rope lengths until a near miss with a rock.  Not knowing we were going up the face I had not brought my helmet.  After the near miss I headed back to camp 2.  Nigma got back to camp several hours later.

We made our second carry up the mountain today.  We again left around 3 AM.  I made much better time up to camp 1, where we took a break.  After the break we went on up to camp 2.  This time Nigma and I stayed the night at camp 2.  Mingmar and Lakpa went back to base camp.  The morning was clear with clouds forming in the afternoon.  By the time we settled in at camp 2 there were light snow showers.

Another rest day and I feel better.  There is a cold (affects the head and stomach) making its way around base camp and I am finally getting over mine.  Several of the camp staff and Sherpa’s are also fighting the same cold.  David Breashers left base camp today on his way back to the states.

Rest day at base camp today.  I was still not feeling well.  No breakfast, but I was able to eat some lunch and dinner.  The chills were gone but I still felt rather weak.  This is one of the challenges of climbing here in Nepal.  You have to stay as healthy as possible.

We were to get up at 2 AM, but I managed to set my alarm and get up at 1 AM.  I thought it was pretty quiet, but went ahead with getting dressed and boots on before realizing no one else was getting up.  After sitting in my tent for nearly an hour I got up, had some tea and prepared to leave with Mingmar.  Nigma was also joining us.  He was going to be the climbing Sherpa for Vaughn Fetzer, a friend of mine from Fairbanks Alaska.  Unfortunately after Vaughn and his girl friend Erin finished their trek earlier in March, he decided to go back to Fairbanks instead of the planned climb of Lhotse.  This left me with two Sherpa’s to climb Lhotse with.  Lakpa was also carrying a load up with us.  He is one of two climbing Sherpa’s for a Chinese climber (Huang Nubo) at our camp.

We left base camp at a little after 3 AM.  I did not feel real good today and my energy began to fall about 1/3 of the way up the icefall.  Mingmar and Lakpa had gone on ahead, but Nigma was staying with me.  Finally about 2/3 of the way up the icefall I told Nigma to go on ahead.  I struggled on to camp 1, where I waited for Nigma, Mingmar and Lakpa to return from camp 2.  It had taken me just over five hours to reach camp 1.

Lakpa stayed with me on the way back to base camp.  As we descended I felt worse.  At base camp I laid down and fought chills through the evening, no lunch or dinner.

Our Puja started at about 9 AM and lasted until after noon.  During the Puja David Breashers was busy filming the event along with everyone else taking many pictures.  All went well with beer, chang and shots of whiskey at the conclusion of the ceremony.  After lunch everyone at base camp settled back down to the business of our climbs.  We will make our first carry up the mountain tomorrow.

Nothing of note today we are just waiting for our Puja, so that we can start our climb.

Mingmar and I hiked from base camp up to camp one and back.  I felt good going up, but was actually quite tired on the way back down.  That should improve as I continue to adjust to the altitude.  When I got back to base camp I hung my laundry up to dry.  The weather over the past few has been clear in the morning and than clouding up with light snow in the afternoon.  This requires taking the laundry down before the light snow starts and than putting it back up the next day to finish drying.  For small items like socks I hang them inside my tent.

I got a shower today and Nigma (one of the base camp cooks) did my laundry.  Mingmar and Nigma (another climbing Sherpa decided to move their tent near mine.  . They also wanted a quieter location.

With our Puja scheduled for the 21st we have time to get settled into camp.  The first thing this morning I started working on a more quiet location for my tent.  Mainly I wanted to get away from the cook and dinning tents.  Several of the Sherpa’s helped me level an area.  Shortly after lunch I was moving into my new location and sorting gear.

Today we hiked from Pangboche to Everest base camp.  Mingmar, my climbing Sherpa for Lhotse, and I arrived at 5:30 PM and the yaks with our gear arrived about 30 minutes later.  They had left Pangboche several hours before we did.  It was a long day for them, but they arrived in time to unload, get a meal and head back to Gorak Shep for the night.

We had dinner and met the folks already at Peak Promotions base camp.  There were tents available for Mingmar and I for the night.