Scott has arrived in basecamp (EBC) and has pimped out his tent for the long haul. Anyone who’s hung out with him knows he’s a master organizer! He’ll be based at EBC for the next month at least.  All is going well – they crossed Chukung Ri (a pass) then climbed Lobuche East (20075 ft / 6119 m) to hasten their acclimatization without going through the dangerous Khumbu Icefall too many times.

The Puja took place today (or yesterday depending on who is reading this and where).  Thus blessings are completed and the process of climbing Mt Everest will begin in the next few days.  First:  an acclimatization round to Camp 2 or Camp 3, all going well.  He’ll be on the mountain for about a week then they will return to EBC for a rest before doing at least one other acclimatization round.  The purpose of all this upping and downing is to allow the blood to adapt to the thin air way up in the jet stream parts of our atmosphere.  As an example – if you or I went to the summit of Mt Everest (say we parachuted out of a jet), we’d be dead of asphyxia within 5 minutes.  Hence the need for a gradual ascent.  Fitness doesn’t really play into it much – although the better shape you are, the better your coping mechanisms.

Here are some images from the Puja: