Call from Camp 2.

via Call from Camp 2.

Thinking up.

via Thinking up.

Scott just called from camp 2.  They have been there for a couple of nights with their backs pushed up against the sides of the tent against the wind.  He sounds great.  The foul days of initial acclimatizing are over.  The wind is too strong to go and stay at camp 3 up on the Lhotse Face so they are just going to head up and tag camp 3 today.  The Lhotse face climbs steeply out of the Western Cwm (“coom”) up to the South Col and camp 4 – the final camp.  Camp 3 is part way up the face.  It’s over 7000m so is an essential part of the acclimatization schedule.  After camp 3 on the actual summit bid, they will start using oxygen.
The team should be back at basecamp in 2 days.  They will then rest up and wait for the jet stream to back off.  The summit bid is likely to be mid-May, which is the gap when the jet stream backs off just before the monsoon.  Last time Scott summitted on May 16.  Mou Mou (Obie’s mouse) will be joining the summit team.  She has elected not to acclimatize and will be making an oxygenless ascent.  She is truly a remarkable mouse.  Last time Grey Mou Mou went to the summit but has lapsed into depression since because his public speaking career never took off.  That could be because he ended up in NZ.  
If you would like to read a balanced perspective on the debacle of last week (which I feel was biased in the Western media), check out this blog of a guide who is on the mountain as well:   http://alpenglowexpeditions.com/blog/everest-best-and-worst-0Photos are from 2010 but you get the gist:  1.  Climbers leaving camp 2 or 3 – they are heading up the Lhotse Face, 2.  Getting to the top of the Khumbu Icefall and 3.  Camp 4 at the South Col

Scott called this morning.  After about fifty tries from both sides, we got to talk.  It is worth noting that we are talking via the Nepal cell phone network, ncell at a cost of 6 rupees/minute to the US (about 1.5 cents a minute).  The closest tower is at Gorak Shep less than 2 hours walk down valley.  It’s pretty amazing. 

Scott, Karina, Pemba and Mingma have returned from two nights at Camp 2.  The first couple of loops up high are always brutal and Scott suffered from bad headaches, vomiting and the “Khumbu cough”. Fun. But as always, he kept working and carried the same loads everywhere as the Sherpas.  However, he is back in the relatively thick air of base camp.  They will rest a few days before heading up again and will journey up the Lhotse face to Camp 3. 

The Khumbu icefall is perhaps the most notorious part of the route.  Apparently this season there is a “squeeze chimney” where climbers have to turn sideways to move between the towering blocks of ice.  Those who know Scott well will remember issues with towering blocks of ice! 

You can text Scott at Basecamp on his US phone.  I am sure he’d love to get word.  Although spectacular – especially with the incredible full moon of the past few days – the whole experience is pretty grovelly (as we would say in NZ).  It’s life in a tent, it’s rocky, it’s icy, it’s cold and there are no showers.  It’s also high and altitude hurts at first.  You can send word of meals you are enjoying because all he is eating is dal bhat, the Nepalese staple of vegetables and lentils.  Best not to repeat his comments on dal bhat!

I hope to post pictures soon.

Anna

Scott and team have been waiting in base camp during a lurking storm over the past 5 days. Although the storm has not been particularly vigorous,the team has chosen to wait for better conditions before heading higher. There have been some forays and shooting in the Khumbu icefall on the meantime. The waxing moon has provided sublime lighting over the past couple of nights and Scott has found a running circuit near base camp (bizarre yes, 17600 feet jogging loop).
He also met up with Chad Kellogg whom he met in 2010. Chad seeks the elusive and challenging speed ascent – Sherpa-less and oxygen less. He got close in 2010 and 2011. Looking at his blog, it seems the dream lives on and he is once again happy or be back on mt Everest.
Scott also spent a day filming the Icefall Doctors. This band of Sherpas are responsible for fixing the convoluted route through the icefall. The route involves crossing ladders with crampons on, climbing aluminum ladders and is both frightening and impressive. The Icefall Doctors are administered by the SPCC (Sagamatha Pollution Control Committee). Scott also joined SPCC’s Kami Tsering and Gala Sherpa and was impressed with both men’s swift footwork and efficient anchor placement. He enjoyed the opportunity to move quickly through the terrain. Maintenance of the Icefall is an ongoing project through the season as the ice just keeps shifting.

Weather permitting, Scott, karina, Pemba and Mingma will head for camp 1 tomorrow.