12th
May Everyone has now successfully visited
Camp 3 at 7100m and are safely back at Camp 2 for a rest day. The
Lhotse Face was very icy but the fixed lines now extend to the South
Col opening the way to the summit. Tomorrow they will make the climb
to Camp 3 again with the intention of climbing higher and spending
a night above 7000m.
9th
May The Nepalese Army and Tourism Ministry
called a meeting at Base Camp yesterday and thanked all the teams
for their support of the restrictions imposed this year. These have
now been lifted and the route is opening to the summit. The fixed
line now extends to Camp 3 and Nuru is heavily involved in completing
the route to the South Col.
The
whole team have now arrived back at Camp 2 at the end of the Western
Cwm and are all going well. The plan is to have a rest day tomorrow,
touch Camp 3 on the 11th, rest on the 12th and hopefully spend a
night at Camp 3 on the 13th. This slightly unusual acclimatisation
program should put us out of synch with the majority of other teams
and give us a clear shot at the summit around the 21st or 22nd,
weather permitting.
8th
May This morning at 0920 local time
(GMT 0120) the Olympic torch reached the summit of Mount Everest.
The team, made up of Tibetans and Han Chinese, set off several hours
earlier from their camp at 8,300m. Low winds and a clear sky
provided perfect climbing conditions. The first and last of
the torch bearers were Tibetan women and one of the mountaineers
commented that they had 'lit this flame on the top of the world
for harmony and peace'. We should now see a lifting of the
restrictions on summit teams who can begin their Everest bid in
earnest.
5th
May Stu emailed to say the team will
be heading back up to camp 2 on 8 May and onwards to camp 3 on the
10 May providing the rope fixing is finished. There will be
an option for people to spend the night at camp 3. At this
early stage and weather depending, they are looking at a possible
summit day around the 20 May.
4th
May And still we wait for the Olympic
torch to reach the summit...some estimate it will be after the 5th
May. It snowed yesterday although the weather is still quite
warm. Stu and the team have decided to sit it out at Base
Camp with plans for the next time up to reach Camp 3 and spend some
time there before heading back down.
2nd
May The luxuries of Base Camp are becoming
too much for our grizzled expedition leader! The thriving DVD market
among the teams on the mountain has left Stu bemoaning the lack
of a good old game of cards! However everyone is doing well and
getting nicely rested before the next acclimatisation climb to Camp
3 in a couple of days.
1st
May Yesterday Stu and the team welcomed
Adam and the Adventure Peaks' Ultimate Everest trek members as they
reached base camp. Luxury items including jelly beans and
chocolate biscuits went down a storm and the group settled down
to watch a film being premiered at Adventure Peaks base camp!
They left this morning on their journey to Gokyo Lakes.
29th
April Stu phoned today to report everyone
is well. The plan is to wait at Base Camp for the Chinese
to summit from the North with the Olympic Flame (hopefully in the
first few days of May) before heading back up to Camp 2 around the
3 May. The weather remains good with little snow.
Peter
W, Winnie the Pooh & Matt above Camp 2 with the Lhotse Face
in the background
Looking
up the Western Cwm from Camp 1
The
SW Face & South Col of Everest looking very bare of snow &
ice.
28th
April We've just had the latest update
from Stu and things are progressing extremely nicely. Everyone has
just returned from a night at Camp 2 at the very head of the Western
Cwm. Despite some very hot temperatures in the Cwm everyone's
in good spirits and ready for a well deserved rest at Base Camp.
After a few day recovery, during which the Chinese are planning
to summit from the North with the Olympic flame, our team are hoping
to head back and visit Camp 3 for their final acclimatisation climb.
Peter
B at the top of the Khumba Icefall with the Western Cwm & Lhotse
in the background
Peter
B & Mark P (on ladder) in the Khumba Icefall
21st
April Everyone is safely back at Base
Camp after their first foray into the Western Cwm and looking forward
to a couple of days rest. The whole team has now spent at least
one night at Camp 1. Our Sherpas are now in the process of establishing
Camp 2, at the foot of the Lhotse Face, which will be the next target
for the team. Everyone's going well and things should feel a lot
easier the next time they head up. On his second climb through the
icefall Stu was up in 5.5 hours and down in 2.
19th
April The whole team, apart from Pete
B, went to Camp 1 yesterday. The first time through the icefall
was a lot further than people imagined and took around 6.5 to 8
hours. Stu has now returned to Base Camp and will head back up with
Pete tomorrow. Everyone else is spending a second night at Camp
1 to aid their aclimatisation.
17th
April The team have had their Puja today
and are planning to head up to Camp 1 tomorrow for one or two nights.
If everyone is feeling ok they will then take a walk out towards
Camp 2, otherwise they'll head back to Base Camp. Meanwhile,
they are enjoying their acclimatisation and rest time amid the bustle
of camp life.
15th
April Base camp is getting pretty busy
and folk are getting a feel for the restrictions imposed this year
by the Nepalese with respect to the Olympic flame relay. Yesterday
Stu and the other team leaders had a very productive meeting with
the Army Major who's overseeing the basecamp. We'll still have very
good communication with the team but it'll be a little more involved
for individuals to pick up their messages so please don't worry
if you don't hear from folk for a couple of days.
Everyone's
heading back up into the icefall tomorrow morning hoping to get
as high as possible. They'll now hold the Puja during a rest day
on Thursday before planning to spend their first night at Camp 1
on the Friday.
First
climb through the Khumba Icefall heading towards Camp 1
14th
April Stu emailed today to let us know
the team are now well established at base camp and getting used
to their new surroundings. All except Matt and Mark P (rest
day) went up into the Icefall and reached a height of 5700m before
heading back down. Stu plans to take Matt and Mark P up tomorrow.
They are hopeful that the last part of the route to camp 1 is fixed
today or tomorrow. The team plan to have their Puja (religious
blessing) tomorrow afternoon. Meanwhile, the TV is working
a treat and the group have watched a couple of DVDs. The luxury
barrels arrived today, bringing smiles to everyone's faces.
The first pack of pringles has been opened ....
12th
April An email arrived from Stu today.
The team have arrived safely at Base Camp this morning. They
have set up the lighting, generator, TV and laptop. Everyone
is well and soaking up the atmosphere and buzz as the different
summit teams prepare for the task ahead; Stu estimates there are
somewhere in the region of 270 climbers this year. The weather
has been cloudy with a little snow in the early afternoon but generally
fairly good. The team are itching to put on their crampons
and begin acclimatisation walks. The Sherpas are still in
the process of securing the fixed lines on the Khumbu Icefall, a
task which should be completed in the next few days. A slight
technical hitch meant that although they managed to download emails
they have not been able to read them.
Please can friends and family resend these emails which they should
now be able to receive.
The team just above Namche
Bazaar with their first views of Everest
7th
April The team have now reached the monastery
at Tengboche and had their first views of Everest hidden away behind
Nuptse & Lhotse. They've just been overtaken by the 3.5 tons
of base camp equipment which will be in place by the time they get
there. Yesterday was spent resting and acclimatising around
Namche Bazaar with visits to the Sherpa Museum and a sighting of
a yeti (skull)! There's been a reasonable dump of snow today but
they've made good time with some amazing views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse
& Everest through the clouds.
5th
April After an enjoyable flight and a
couple of days trekking the team have now arrived in Namche Bazaar.
Everyone's doing fine and not even a hint of a headache after the
infamous Namche hill. It rained briefly this afternoon and it's
been too cloudy for their first view of Everest but everyone's settling
into the Hotel Norling and looking forward to the rest/acclimatisation
day tomorrow. For those folk at home it's just worth noting the
team won't have access to the base camp email address until they
reach base camp in about one week. However a number of internet
cafes have sprung up along the walk in and you should be able to
contact them on their regular email addresses.
3rd
April Our permit has now been issued
and we're all good to go. After all the uncertainty and logistical
challenge of moving the expedition to the South side of Everest,
Stu has now got his hands on the permit. Early tomorrow morning
the team will fly to Lukla and begin the trek towards the mountain
exactly on schedule. The Khumbu Ice Fall team have started work
and the route should be established by the time they get to Base
Camp. Early reports are that the mountain received very little snow
last winter and temperatures are pretty cold for this time of the
year which means the ice fall should be in a pretty stable condition.
1st
April It always somehow seems appropriate
to start an Everest expedition on April Fools Day but everything
is going according to plan. The whole team are now together in Kathmandu
and taking it easy before the serious business starts. Stu &
the Sherpas have more than 2 tons of equipment and supplies to check
off before it can be flown by helicopter up to Lukla.
31st
March After a busy final few days Stu
has left us to it in the office and headed to Nepal. Good luck to
the whole team.
19th
March The team will depart from the UK
on the 31st March to begin their journey to the South Side of Everest.
They'll have a few days to enjoy Kathmandu and complete their final
preparations before flying into Lukla on the 4th April.
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