Project Himalaya
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13 June 2012
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On the south side 2012 Project Himalaya Everest Expedition Wasfia Nazreen succeeded, being the second Bangladesh female and 4th person from Bangladesh to summit, so ticking off one more of the Seven Summits. She was the first Bangladeshi to summit Aconcagua (and summitted with us). Sadly Raffi and Sam has unusual health issues and didn't summit. Neither did Chris the leader, who got sick with diarrhea and vomiting en route to the summit from the dirty conditions on South Col and had to turn back. A huge thanks though to Chris for so ably leading and managing the expedition.
Mountain Trip's 2012 Everest expedition had safe success as usual, under the capable leadership of Scott Woolums. Expedition Himalaya and myself provide the crew and logistics for the team and the crew especially appreciate the expedition's generous tips. Thanks, team!
29 May 2012
Back at ABC
24 May 2012
08 May 2012
06 May 2012
As easy as ABC
05 May 2012
North Col and ABC trek team
Above, subjectively Base Camp has fewer tents than previous years.
Some of the team on an acclimatization trip 200m above BC: James, Debbie, Jo (leader), Mike and Jena
First some south side thoughts. Alan Arnette (.com) has a good summary with support from blogs. Certainly it is an unusual season, although every season does seem to be in its own way. I also heard of five injuries to the rope fixers and think it is not worth pushing the route up until the rockfall danger has subsided. Perhaps with the coming snows it will suddenly dramatically change; but I hope the avalanche danger doesn’t suddenly increase. It certainly is a game of patience, and perhaps the soundest plan is having everything ready at C2 to pull the trigger. In general Everest is a game of patience and at this stage there is still plenty of time so I see no reason yet to push risk levels.
Luckily all our teams and sherpas are safe, and I am thankful for everybody’s good judgment there. Let's keep everyone safe...
On the north side, Tom and Bali and Pasang Gyelu are now in ABC, the sherpas have carried a load to North Col (7000m) and Tom is having a rest day in preparation for going to sleep on the Col tomorrow. The plan is to spend a couple of nights there. After he returns to ABC, let's see what the forecast tells us. However more than likely we will return to Base Camp for a quick recovery then only in later May head up for the summit push.
It seems most teams are now at ABC and with sherpas pushing loads up. This season’s fixed ropes are still only as far as 7900m (I haven't heard otherwise) and so most teams will push supplies up as far as there. It may be that last year’s ropes are still OK, and some sherpas simply use them to drop oxygen at 8210m, but I feel there is still some small but real risk there. Hopefully the rope fixers will return soon instead.
Are we/everybody behind? Certainly we are not ahead of the game, but it is a stretch to say that teams are behind, and North Col is fully loaded by most teams. It is still relatively early days and it just takes one or a couple of good days of hard work and all of a sudden everything is in place. Anyway, myself, Phil Crampton and others prefer to summit later rather than earlier. It is often warmer and therefore just that much less difficult.
We now have the North Col and ABC trek group here in ABC, and they are on their third day of acclimatizing here. Tomorrow they (and myself) will head up to Interim for a couple of nights, then ABC. Jo Chaffer might write more soon.
03 May 2012
Everest BC
Above, Kami extracts the last of three pizzas from our wonderful gas oven. We have fresh bread too, a pleasant luxury.
Our camp, the white and blue tents, and Everest – Chomolungma – behind.
Pizza! I promised not too many more Tom and food photos, but we did enjoy that first meal back at BC. Although we thought we felt good enough at ABC, 6400m, returning to the relatively thicker air, slightly more than 50% of the sea level oxygen (!), at 5150m, feels really good. Sleeping the night through unbroken. The trick is to exercise enough. The trouble is Phil and the team at Altitude Drunkies are good friends, enough said!
Today, our North Col and ABC trek teams arrived after a journey through Lhasa, and everyone is fit and healthy. We have had a great meal here, quite a change from the Chinese food and so everyone is also surprisingly comfortable at our homely BC.