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Archived News from Mount Everest April 21 through May 4, 2004 Return
to the Mountain News page for stories from
Marshall's summit push on Mount Everest May 17 through May 25, 2004. See the Mountaineering page for general information about Marshall's Quest for the Seven Summits. See the Clothing page for ordering information for all Stray Dogs clothing, including Everest '04 hats and T-shirts. |
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| Hike out of BC. May 4, 2004 This morning I decided to take a hike up the Main Rongbuk Glacier. This is the glacier that goes almost straight south out of BC to the north face of Mount Everest. This is where the Russian National team is attempting to establish a new route, one that has never been attempted, going straight up the north face (see the story and photos on mounteverest.net for more information). They have an advanced base camp set up somewhere near the base of the mountain, and I headed off to try to find it.
I hiked for over three hours on rough terrain trying to follow their trail, sometimes loosing it, but then always finding it again. The winds were stiff, but generally very tolerable. As the glacier turned to the east directly toward the mountain, I climbed to the top of high hill and Everest finally came into full view. What an amazing site!
Because the jet stream is right over Everest, I could vividly see the snow plume above 26,000 feet being stripped from the top. To me, it looked like those winds were at least 75 miles per hour. When we were up at ABC a couple of days ago, you could hear the roar of the jet stream very well. The roar would start up and, within 15 seconds to 30 minutes, the wind would hit camp with a fury. The large tent is still down and repairs will have to be made when we return to ABC.
I never did find the advanced base camp of Russian National Team. It must have been another five miles or so around the glaciated corner. But, having already hiked for three hours, and reaching approximately 19,000 feet (for an altitude gain of almost 2,000 feet) I had had enough for the day, and decided to turn around and return to BC. Of course, I had to take a few photos of the new view of Everest first!
As I started back, I thought about how it was unlikely that there would have been anyone on the top of that hill before me. A couple of more steps proved me wrong, as I found an old rusted tin can. I could only imagine who it was that would have been there, for what reason, and how long ago. For an instant my concentration surrounding the dance across the boulders and scree was interrupted. This dance is very much like a rhythm that one has when doing activities such as bicycling, rowing, or running. After contemplating who could have left the can, my focus turned back to the rocks and trying to keep my bearings as I returned to BC.
Returning to BC, it appeared the same – like I had never left six hours earlier. Some members of the team were still reading, others playing chess. Then it occurred to me that the two Italians were absent. When I left for my hike in the morning, I knew that they were leaving, but also knew that calling for jeep pickup at BC is not like calling a cab…you never know when they might actually show up! The prior day they had made an attempt to reach the North Col only to be turned back by winds. Reaching the North Col had been their only goal after they decided a week ago that they would head home. I felt badly for them, but they seemed to be okay with the whole idea. My regret now was that they had been able to get transportation out while I had been on the mountain, and I could not see them off properly. I will definitely miss them.
Maybe sometime one or both of them will return to Everest and she will allow them passage to the top. Or, it could be that they may have made a friend that, in the future, they will simply look back and say farewell to a good friend indeed.
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| Lessons at BC. May 3, 2004 Zippers...they can be a thing of beauty or an item to be cursed. It seems that the focus of one's life can be diverted from the things that are important and reduced to everyday things that we need to survive.
For instance, as I mentioned to my wife, some of the hardest things about climbing Mount Everest are dealing with the boredom of just waiting for good weather, hoping for good health, or coping with a lack of sleep. But by far the hardest part is being away from my loved ones and dealing with the frustration of not being able to contact them for long periods of time. And then, just when I think that I am going to drive myself crazy obsessing about this whole situation, I climb out of my tent and, like clockwork, the zipper sticks.
Maybe there is a reason for that zipper sticking. Perhaps to bring me back to the reality of where I am, remind me of the comforts of home, and ensure that I remain focused and have safe passage. The safe passage to enable me to return home to the most important things: my wife and children. Nothing else really matters in the whole scheme of things. I am blessed with my wife and children…those children will be the legacy that I leave. It will not be the accomplishments, such as climbing Mount Everest, that I leave behind which will be remarkable; it will be my family.
So, today as I sit writing, I am thinking of Alex and the other four members of our team who are headed down from ABC to join the rest of us at BC to wait out the raging wind on Everest. I am also thinking about the fact that three of the tents were destroyed at ABC over the last two days. Those are all things that can be fixed. Even more so, I am thinking about my family. About those who are dearest to me. I am hoping that all is well with them and wishing that they are able to bear the upcoming storms—and jammed zippers—in their lives.
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| Descent from ABC to BC. May 2, 2004 Last night the wind blew violently. I would estimate that the gusts were up to 50 or 60 miles per hour. One of the cook tents and the main 50 foot mess tent were flattened. The larger one seems to have some broken tent poles, and we're not sure that it can be fixed.
The five members of team who had headed up the mountain yesterday were successful in spending the night at (a windy!) Camp 1, and descended to ABC this morning.
The trek down to BC was fast. David, who had been up at Camp 1, and I covered the distance of 13 miles on almost exclusively scree trails in a bit over four hours. On the way down there had been an ice slide that came from the mountain above and covered the trail for about 500 feet. We cautiously crossed this obstacle and continued on our way down. Despite the wind blowing in our faces, it was rather pleasant going downhill…instead of up. I couldn't help but think about the (now extra) trip that I would have to make in a couple of days back up to ABC, and beyond.
The night before last night we heard a rather funny conversation that Alex had with the cook who is at BC. Alex had requested some meat to come up and it didn't arrive by porter. So Alex looked at our cook at ABC and asked him "What you think, we are vegetarians," and proceeded very calmly to get on the radio with the cook at BC and said, "If you no bring any meat up tomorrow, I will come down there and kill you." Of course, he was joking, but with his Russian accent, it was rather funny. Needless to say, last night we had meat on the table!
No one is above ABC at this time and most of us are back down at BC. While my plan was to reach Camp 2 when I was up this last time, because of weather, that just wasn't going to happen! Snow is one thing, but wind is entirely different! Some of the winds at the summit were reported to be much higher. So nothing is happening from Camp 1 and above.
Down here at BC the weather is much warmer, since we are more than 4,000 feet lower than ABC. But the wind is blowing at a fair clip down here, which we will be plagued with for the next couple of days, as it is not supposed to start letting up until Wednesday or even Thursday.
So I will be here in BC for the next three or four days. I feel tired, and I'm sure it is because, once again, I have spent a couple of days above 21,000 feet. The altitude really takes it out of you and, unfortunately, does not allow for any recovery whatsoever. Here at BC, it is a bit better.
As of today, including the five team members that slept at the North Col last night, plus Dmitry and I, there are a total of seven of us ready to move up to Camp 2, as soon as the weather breaks. It does seem like a slow process. I'm looking forward to reaching Camp 2 because then, after another rest, we would be in a position to make a summit attempt on the next trip up the mountain…if all goes well.
Patiently waiting on the weather…that is much of what Everest is about.
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Winds at ABC. May 1, 2004 The wind blew through the night and afforded me very little sleep. A jet stream has entered the area above 24,600 feet and it could be heard throughout the night and all day today. The prayer flags that are strung throughout the camp are flying horizontal and the tent flies and doors, if not secured, are much like the flags… it's just a matter of time before the tents will be destroyed.
Luckily, the jet stream has stayed just above the North Col, allowing five people from our group to head up to the North Col today to spend the night at High Camp 1 at 23,000 feet. Ilya, Arkadiy, Vladimir, David, and Dilmurad were the ones headed up, and we have just gotten word that Dmitry has already made it to the top and is preparing the tent. If all goes well for this part of team, and they are able to spend the night at High Camp 1, there will be seven of us who will be acclimated to that point, and will continue to Camp 2 when the weather clears.
Because Dmitry and I have already spent the night at High Camp 1, it is not critical for us to make the trip again this time. In fact, Dmitry decided to stay at BC yesterday while the rest of us made the trip to ABC. Due to the windy conditions, and the lack of necessity for me to go to Camp 1, I decided to stay here at ABC today.
In addition to me, Alexander and Artur remained behind, along with the two Italians, Giorgio and Gianni, who are waiting to see if the weather will break. Word has it that it is not supposed to even start breaking until Tuesday. So there is a good chance that we will head down to BC tomorrow and wait the storm out there. No one (from any expedition) is climbing past the North Col, as the winds are very heavy above that altitude and are suppose to get even worse over the next couple of days. So, for now, it's a waiting game.
As I reported yesterday, my plan was originally to go from ABC (where I am now) to Camp 1 and sleep, then go to Camp 2 and sleep, then go down. However, it looks like the windy weather will mean another additional trip up this part of the mountain, and yet another trip back down to BC. But, so it goes on Everest, as the weather (and your health) dictates everything. Fortunately for us, forecasting these days is excellent, so we know days ahead of time what is going to happen on a fairly reliable basis. We can only hope that on summit day (and the days leading to it) that the forecasts are accurate.
When the sun came out today, the temperatures in the tent would approach 80 degrees. This is in sharp contrast to when the sun goes down, and the temperatures in the tent fall below zero. And, of course, it's even colder outside!
It is very difficult to be away from my family and the nights at altitude are very long and hard. When sleep does come, much of it is spent with very restless dreams, waking to feelings of claustrophobia and shortness of breath. I don't know what the solution is, but it is very unnerving. Even small things such as e-mails from home and pictures of my wife and children add the most comfort, second only to the motivation provided by the fundraising efforts.
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| BC to ABC - for a second time. April 30, 2004 Today we woke early, ate breakfast, and out of Base Camp (BC) at about 8:30 a.m. on our way to Advanced Base Camp (ABC). Gianni and I left first, with the rest of the group following, and Alex bringing up the rear about one hour behind us. It was cold, as the Rongbuk Valley has been deeply carved out by the glacier, and is protected by two to three thousand foot cliffs on either side. That means that the sun doesn't hit the valley floor until about 9:30.
The sky was partly cloudy with high cirrus clouds ever-present, usually indicating a change in the weather. This expected change in the weather is one of the reasons we decided to head up and position ourselves at ABC. If the forecasts are right, it is suppose to start storming tomorrow through Monday or even Tuesday. So we want to move today in order to position ourselves to be able to head up the mountain to respective camps when the weather does break. I hope to be able to move up to High Camp 1 at 23,000 feet, spend the night, then go up to High Camp 2 at 25,400 feet and spend the night there. After that, I would return back down to ABC, spend the night, and then go all the way back down to BC – and maybe even lower – to recuperate. This is a basic acclimatization program.
After resting and recuperating at the lower altitude, we would then move up the mountain again, staying at the major camps along the way—BC, ABC, High Camp 1, High Camp 2, and then High Camp 3 at 27,390 feet, where we would wait for good weather in order to make a summit attempt. However, because of the altitude (this is the highest camp in the world!), it is not possible to stay more than a couple of nights as the body starts deteriorating and weakening, even on oxygen.
The hike up was still amazing, as every time I look I see something new. It is very tiring to ascend, and a person must watch where they step as the higher you get, the more jagged the rocks get. But one cannot help but notice the immense glaciers on either side that reflect the sun rays brilliantly; as well as the pointed, 100-foot, towers of ice that dwarf everything around them.
Not as many yaks were present as the last time I made the trip to ABC. But, when I would see them I could not help but to think yet again that they are truly interesting animals. Their heads, shoulders, and horns remind me of the American Bison (or buffalo). But, the yaks' hair streams down over their legs and is up to a foot or eighteen inches long. The yaks, along with the porters, haul incredible loads up the mountain. A curious thing to me is that they travel at approximately the same speed whether it's up or down hill, or level terrain.
After arriving at ABC around 4:00 p.m. we are relaxing and catching up on communicating with our loved ones. I'm looking forward to jumping in the sleeping bag a bit early tonight, and dreaming dreams that are spun deep in the mountains and valleys of the Himalayas.
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| Base Camp - Dream. April 29, 2004 Last night before I went to bed I looked up at the sky. The moon's reflection on Mount Everest lit it up, making it dominate the horizon. The stars and planets speckled the sky as if in an artificial planetarium. As I snuggled into my sleeping bag for the night I stared at the yellow dome that formed the canopy ceiling and fell fast asleep. I was awoken by a dream that I had about being in an elevator that operated within the Statue of Liberty. I was the only one in the elevator and, as it started up to the top, it rose extremely fast, pressing my feet squarely to the floor and intensifying my weight tenfold. It came to a sudden stop and opened in the Denver International Airport. There, my wife and a few close friends were waiting to greet me as if I had just gotten off of a plane. I felt confused and wondered why they were all greeting me and why they were all so happy. I continued to be confused, not wanting to ask whether or not I had summited Mount Everest and if that was what this was all about. Nothing was said about climbing the mountain, and I was afraid to ask until everyone left and I turned to my wife, Heather, and asked if I had made the summit. She looked at me strangely and replied, “Well of course you did.” That's when I awoke; again staring at the tent ceiling, wanting to believe that it was all true. These are the type of fanciful dreams that happen at altitude. Trying to make something out of these dreams is pointless. I am just thankful that, most of the time, I have the more benign dreams as I described. I look at it as affirmative programming. The rest of the night was spent tossing and turning, and thinking. About the mysteries of life such as "why are we here?" and thinking about those that are most important in my life, including my wife and children. My oldest child, Elaine, thinks that this (attempting Everest) is the one most selfish things that I have ever done, and she may be right. One can justify almost anything in their mind, as I attempt to justify being here on Everest. Perhaps because of the loss of my first wife Jean (Elaine's mother) when Elaine was three, I understand that every day is a gift. We don't know when our life will cease to exist. Maybe being here on Everest is part of my attempt to make the most of the time I do have? I can say that it is not fair to squander life by "sweating the small stuff." In January 1990 my wife was involved in an accident in the Bering Sea near Adak, Alaska, while working as a volunteer with the US Fish & Wildlife Service. She was in a boat with three others and was caught out to sea in a storm. The boat capsized, and one person made it to shore (although they did not know it at the time) leaving three people, including my wife, trapped in the overturned boat. The other two people died during the night, but Heather survived. Her gratitude for living is now profound. And somehow, on some level, she understands why it is that I am climbing this mountain. Clarity. We are always seeking clarity in our lives. That is what keeps us alive, the discovery process—it does not destroy us; rather, it defines who we are. Two weeks ago on the way to Everest I was stopped in the village called Xegar by a young man. He was holding a rock about five inches in diameter that was cracked around the outside. It looked like any other rock but, when he opened it up, what was revealed inside was a fossil snail-like creature frozen in time. Tibet, after all, was at one time under water and the fossil came from that time long ago. We are as that fossil frozen in time, here for a finite fraction of time. That shell that encompassed the fossil for possibly millions of years represents our fears which paralyze us, holding us steady, starving us of spiritual and intellectual growth. We have no way of knowing what tomorrow may bring, but owe it to ourselves and those around us to make the most of the precious time that we have here and now. Better not to fear the inevitable. The day is almost gone now and I now have the opportunity to retrace my steps up the trail that leads to Mount Everest and ABC. So, now I must pack and tomorrow will bring that new day that may bring me closer to that clarity that we all seek.
A note from Heather: A good friend of ours, Murray Griffin, who lives and works (as a psychologist teaching at university) in the UK wrote to me the other day. We had been discussing Marshal 's Everest attempt and the reaction of some of those—including myself, of course—close to him. Part of Murray 's message was, "As the transatlantic rowers that I worked with said – its better to have memories rather than dreams." I couldn't agree more!
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| Base Camp - Personal Equipment/Sponsors. April 28, 2004 I guess one night of good rest is enough as last night I only slept for a few hours again. Evidently my body thinks it doesn't need to catch up on sleep! At any rate, before turning in there was a quarter moon that, surprisingly, lit up the sky. The reflection on Everest illuminated the summit so that it was set against the stars, forming a beautiful picture. Unfortunately, my camera has a fixed shutter so I could only capture the image in my mind. My plan is to wait until the moon is closer to full when I may be able to capture it frozen in time. Today I will spend time, once again, packing for Friday, April 30, when I will return to ABC. The difference between this time and going up the last time is that I will do it without using an intermediate camp. Most of the others are returning to IBC tomorrow, April 29. They are taking this slower acclimation approach because they haven't been to High Camp 1 and they have spent and extra day or two here at BC. Alex and Dmitry will probably accompany me on Friday in one straight shot from BC to ABC. Equipment The equipment has changed over the years and, fortunately, The North Face and several other manufacturers are sponsoring me on this expedition with the best equipment available. For lower altitudes, The North Face provided Gore-Tex bib pants and a jacket for wind protection, as well as protection from rain, if the temperatures are warm enough. I also have a heavy weight down coat provided by The North Face that is good for temperatures to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit and two down sleeping bags good for minus 30 (one for BC and one for ABC...so one doesn't then have to carry bags back and forth). The North Face also provided a special summit suit that has a water proof breathable shell and is filled with high quality down. It is a full length body suit complete with hood, and is good for fifty below zero. Fine Merino wool underwear and socks were provided by Ullfrotte, a company that makes undergarments for polar expeditions, the Norwegian Navy, and oil platform workers in the North Sea . I have this in different weights for use at different altitudes and temperatures. The advantage of the natural wool is that it is warm when wet and, unlike most polypro, it can be worn day after day and doesn't retain any smell. Believe me…THIS is important on a two-month expedition! Steger Mukluks, designed for polar expeditions, were given to me to keep my feet warm at the base camps, and Advocare nutritional supplements make the long, tough days easier. Around camp, I can use my lightweight, collapsible Leki trekking poles and wear rugged, functional Exofficio shirts and pants. Go Lite provided me with an approximately 2,500 cubic inch summit backpack that I use on an everyday basis. Camp USA provided me with all necessary climbing equipment: jumars, carabineers, climbing harness, and crampons, and Pacific Outdoor Equipment provided Insulmat sleeping mats and WXtex waterproof duffle bags I used to transport all of my equipment to Tibet. Last but not least, I purchased Millet One Sport climbing (8,000 meter) boots that are a lined waterproof boot with a built in Gore-Tex gaiter. I purchase a custom formed boot liner from Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder, CO which, combined with the One Sport boot, will keep my feet warm to 50 below zero. Incidentals include baklavas, sunglasses, goggles, and hats. Amazingly these items add up to over $5,000! Without product sponsorship from The North Face and the other companies, it would not be possible for me to participate in an Everest expedition, let alone raise money to help the impoverished kids in the world. All of this equipment is the best the industries have to offer. I recommend them all not because many of them sponsor me, but because they are the best. See the Mountaineering page of the Stray Dogs Web site for more information on many of these products and additional links to the manufacturers' Web sites. Thoughts More and more BC and ABC are becoming more familiar and comfortable for me. However, I do think a lot about all of the luxuries of home. The lack of those luxuries, during this long expedition, teaches me gratitude for what I do have in my life. My thoughts drift to High Camp 1…the cramped tent; the cold, cold morning; and the altitude that is like a cloak of darkness that fills the mind. Maybe, in my mind, I will be able to accept that harsh environment with grace and gratitude, and be able to enjoy the sheer beauty of Everest.
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| Base Camp - Sherpas. April 27, 2004 After a It was cold and clear when we woke up this morning. I felt great as I woke up only a few times during the night and, for the most part, got a good night's sleep. Seems like these days, I must take what I can get. I should have another two to three nights of very good sleep here at BC allowing my body to recuperate from the previous days being as high as 23,000 feet. What seemed high – here at BC when we first arrived – seems almost normal after being even higher and the mountain...almost like coming home. It truly amazes me how the human body can adapt to different living conditions. Throughout the day it was sunny and the few inches of snow that we got last night is now gone. The sun is very intense and we were able, because of no wind, to walk around in short sleeve shirts! The snow was gone by four in the afternoon and because of the dryness and altitude, it makes the ground moist, but there is no water derived from it. I spent the day sunning myself and reading...trying to get refueled and put some weight back on. Interesting things are being discovered everyday – about the mountain, as well as the native people. For whatever reason, the Tibetan's don't go above ABC at 21,450 feet. They apparently don't have the desire or the reputation of supporting climbers higher on the mountain. Therefore, all of the high altitude Sherpas are exclusively Nepalese, no other nationality. So, when climbing up high, "namaste," which is a traditional Nepalese and Indian greeting, is used without question when greeting a Sherpa, as you can be assured that they are Nepalese. The Sherpas are anywhere from in their early twenties to late thirties. They are slight of build and 5' 4" to maybe 5' 6" tall. They are deceivingly strong and can climb up steep grades with loads of about 50 pounds. They carry loads, set up camps, cook, and generally take care of clients when hired on a private basis. Everest is currently almost entirely covered with snow (despite the sun and melting taking place here at lower altitudes). It is magnificent as occasionally clouds will hug the summit and create a veil that leaves the mysteries of the mountain intact. In that cold and high world that exists at the summit, little is known. Only a few will scratch the surface and be allowed to discover just a bit of that unknown world.
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| Camp 1/North Col, Through ABC, to BC. April 26, 2004 After a very cold, relatively sleepless night at High Camp 1 on the North Col, Dmitry and I woke up to beautiful blue skies. We shook the frost that clung onto our tent and busied ourselves with the task of getting ready to descend from the North Col to ABC. It didn't take long, and within an hour and fifteen minutes, I was down and at ABC. While the climb up the headwall yesterday was long, today I repelled most of the fixed line, and it went very quickly. Forty minutes later Dmitry was down and we met with Alex in the mess tent trying to decide what to do. Do we stay there at ABC and get more acclimatization? Or do we continue on down to BC for three to four days rest to regain our strength, catch up on sleep, and try and put some weight back on? Despite a relatively good appetite and the homemade cookies, I think I have already lost 5 to 10 pounds. Alex had some business to take care of at BC with the Chinese Liaison Officer, so we all decided to head down the mountain. It took me about 5 hours to travel the half marathon (13 mile) distance. When I arrived at BC I learned that Gianni and Giorgio were seriously considering leaving the expedition and going home. Giorgio had hired Gianni, who is a professional guide, to guide him up the mountain. While Gianni is doing well, Giorgio has had a throat infection for over a week and can't get rid of it. In addition, he hurt his leg and is having trouble getting around. I would be very sorry to see them go, to say the least. I enjoy their company, and it is always difficult to have your group reduced in size for any reason. Another member of the team, Arkadiy, is having problems as well. It seems that he is having a relapse of malaria, which he had some time ago. Every day about 4:00 p.m. he starts running a fever. I don't know how serious this is at this point as I just got into BC and have not seen him. I can only hope that it will not be serious enough to cause him to leave the expedition. Knock on wood, things are going well for me with the exception of lack of sleep and lack of appetite, both of which are very common. But I feel great and seem to be getting stronger, although leaner. I am looking forward to tomorrow and the next couple of days to rest. The last few days, climbing up to ABC, spending a few days there, then climbing to Camp 1 and spending the night, followed by the one-day descent to BC, have been a push. I do not want to upset that balance of doing enough, but too much. Tonight I will enjoy some good food and try and cram in as many calories in as possible. I miss everyone back home. Especially my wife and kids. A person really has to want to climb Everest in order to accomplish it, as being away from home is very hard.
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Advanced Base Camp to Camp 1/North Col. April 25, 2004 This morning brought another change of plans. Alex will remain here in ABC to tend to business—the never ending job of an expedition leader. David, Vladimir, and Artur have decided to head down to BC, leaving Dmitry and I to attempt to reach High Camp 1 at the North Col. This camp is significant to me because, as I mentioned yesterday, it is slightly higher than Aconcagua and thus will set a new personal high altitude record. And, rather than just visiting the summit of Aconcagua, this time I will attempt to sleep at 23,000 feet. As a reminder, this portion of the climb and the overnight stay will both be done without oxygen. I left camp about 11:00 a.m., alone. Dmitry followed about an hour and a half later. Shortly after that, the three Sherpas also left ABC with all of the necessary gear to set up Camp 1 at 23,000 feet. I made good time – an hour and fifteen minutes – getting over to the base of the headwall and the start of the fixed ropes. After quickly putting on my harness and crampons, I got on the fixed line and started up the approximate 45 degree slope. While I thought it might take me about two hours to climb the headwall, I soon discovered that this was wishful thinking. The wall was almost always at a 45 to 50 degree slope, and at times was closer to 80 degrees. I was always clipped into the rope, and used ascenders (jumars) to aid my ascent. These jumars are designed to be pushed forward (up) on the rope, then lock in place, and you can use them to steady yourself, or to help pull yourself up, as your crampon tips find secure footholds along the ice wall. If your feet slip off the wall the jumars (which are secured to your harness) lock into place and keep you from falling. I was amazed at how difficult it was to perform such a simple task due to the altitude, and the two hours that I thought it might take me to climb the headwall quickly turn into three and a quarter hours. Once a person is acclimated, climbing should be quicker (they say!). But, the only way to acclimate is to spend time at attitude...so there was nothing to do but to continue, however slowly, up the headwall. The seemly ever present snow obscured the view for most of the climb but, when it would clear, even if just for a second, the view of the Rongbuk valley was amazing! About half way up the wall I caught a glimpse of where I came from—ABC appeared to be just small specks of color off in the distance. On the ropes I spoke with a New Zealander, two Dutchmen, two Indians, and a couple of Brits. The world does tend to shrink, especially when that common thread that exists is Everest and a small 10 mm rope that you are all clinging to! Finally I negotiated the last slope and Camp 1 at approximately 23,000 feet came into view. I unclipped from the rope, and made my way into camp. I recognized some of the climbers, and introduced myself to some others that were already there. As we visited I was again amazed, as I always am when I undertake an adventure, to learn of all of the places around the world that these people were from. Yet, here we all were, together, on Everest. What draws us all here? Or on any adventure? The answers are probably as varied as the people and the places. After about 30 minutes the strongest of the three Sherpas arrived and we waited for the other two, who were another 30 minutes behind. We set up a tent for Dmitry and I, and I tried to take a short nap with no success. Another 30 minutes passed and Dmitry was beating on the tent. We got organized and melted some snow for drinking water, then boiled some dried fruit to eat. By then it was dark and time to try yet again to get some sleep. Throughout the night I slept very little; maybe a couple of hours. At this altitude it is very hard to sleep as the lack of oxygen makes you wake up, gasping for air. When we get to High Camp 2 at 25,400 feet we will sleep with oxygen, and use it continuously for both sleeping and climbing above that altitude. It will be interesting to see how that goes!
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Equipment Day at Advanced Base Camp. April 24, 2004 As will happen on Everest, plans changed this morning. Five of our team members were having trouble with headaches, upset stomachs, or fatigue. Ilya, Arkadiy, Dilmurad, Gianni, and Giorgio headed down the mountain to BC. The rest of us, Alex, Dimitry, Artur, David, Vladimir, and I are staying here at ABC. The last three days that we have been here it has snowed anywhere from 2 to 4 inches each day, starting at around four in the afternoon until close to morning. It has been cold during the night, reaching temperatures somewhere close to -10°F. It really makes a person not want to get out of the sleeping bag in the morning! The last couple of nights I haven't slept more than 2 to 4 hours per night, which is pretty typical at this altitude. My appetite has been good, but the food is somewhat unappealing. I brought some homemade cookies with me, including some with protein powder added in, and a couple of cookies each day has helped a lot. At this altitude, it's a struggle to keep weight on. Fortunately there are less than half of the people here at ABC this year as compared to last year. That is a good thing, as when we get set on summit day we will run across less teams and it will make it easier (that is, less backups and bottlenecks along the fixed ropes, in particular). Today, I climbed up to the base of the headwall at 22,000 feet just below the North Col. David and Dimitry also reached the base of the headwall. Artur turned around about half way to the wall, and Vladimir made it up the wall using the newly-installed fixed ropes to the North Col, and then turned around and descended back to ABC. The climb was beautiful. Snow everywhere! At about the halfway point, we got onto the main east Rongbuk glacier and started crampon travel across the glacier to the fixed ropes. It was partly cloudy and I was wearing just a couple of pair of light long underwear (thanks to Ulfrotte!), a jumpsuit, heavy sweater, sun hat, and gloves. The sun is very intense up here and warms things effectively. Tomorrow (Sunday, April 25) the plan is to climb to High Camp 1 on the North Col at spend the night. At approximately 23,000 feet, this will be a personal altitude record for me (my previous high altitude record was the summit of Aconcagua in Argentina, South America, at 22,841 feet in February 2003 ). The next day (Monday, April 26) we plan to descend to ABC, then go all the way down to BC the next day (Tuesday, April 27) for a three or four day rest. This is a very typical acclimation program: go up the mountain to certain altitude, then back down to recover. Then, go a bit further up the mountain the next time, then back to recover yet again. Then go back up…well…you get the idea! After returning from the acclimation hike to the headwall, I worked on the generator, as yesterday Alex was having trouble keeping it running. Imagine that, a generator not running so well at 21,000 feet! At any rate it seems to be running well now. The rest of the night will be free time in preparation for our 45 to 60 degree climb up the headwall to the North Col tomorrow. So, we will be trying to "get ourselves running properly" much like the generator. It is difficult to move at this altitude!
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Rest Day at Advanced Base Camp. April 23, 2004 We awoke late today, somewhere around 9:30 a.m., to cold temperatures – I would guess somewhere about -10°F. It had started snowing yesterday as we finished setting up the tents and had continued to snow until about sunset. It may have snowed a bit more over night, as we awoke about 4 inches of snow this morning. Today was a rest day here at 21,450-foot ABC. It was beautiful, but somehow inhospitable, for anyone or anything attempting to live up this high. We spent the rest of the morning and afternoon pitching the rest of the tents so each member of the team could have their own living space. We also erected the large dining/office/storage tent, similar to the one at BC. During that process, Tenzing Sherpa got his finger wedged between two rocks and peeled a bit of skin back. Gianni and I put some antibiotic on it and bandaged it up. It looks like he might loose his finger nail, and it is difficult for the body to heal at this altitude, but Tenzing simply went on with his business. Some members of the team are not feeling quite right, including Arkadiy, who was running a fever and couldn't stop shivering. Giorgio had a hard time making it into camp yesterday and seems to be in a weakened condition. A couple of others have lost their appetite, but looked to be okay. Other than not sleeping soundly, I feel very good and continue to breathe easily, even at night. This was the first time I slept this high, and I can only hope that things will continue well. Tomorrow there were four of us who had planned to on to High Camp 1 and spend the night. But, the Sherpas have not had a break in over a week, so tomorrow will be a training and equipment testing day for us, and a rest day for the Sherpas. The Sherpas are fantastic and unbelievably strong. I have yet to pick the Sherpa that will accompany me to the summit but, based upon first impressions, my choice would be Tenzing Sherpa. He is slightly older than the other Sherpa, has an unbelievable mind set, and would do anything for anyone. Between all of the groups here at ABC, there appear to be about 100 tents. My thought is that some will disappear as time goes on. Already we see two or three people heading down the mountain, and we have no way of knowing if we will ever see them again. Everywhere there are people coughing, which is somewhat normal, and gasping for breath. Across the moraine I watched as some people were getting lessons on how to use crampons, jumars, and descenders. Not to sound presumptuous, but it almost scared me to think that these people were just getting lessons on these basic mountaineering skills here at ABC on Everest…while attempting to climb Everest! In addition to all of the teams I met at BC, the Korean and Dutch teams are here at ABC. It really is quite an international mountain that attracts people from all around the world. David went to an expedition leaders meeting and found out that a significant amount of new rope will be set this year, including double rope at the 2nd step, which has extreme exposure associated with it. In addition to setting new rope, the old rope must be cut so that there is no confusion between new, secure rope and potentially insecure old rope. This is an important problem to address, as people have died clipping onto an old rope that isn't secure or has broken. All of the teams get together and pay the Sherpas to set new rope and cut the old rope along the route. The higher that a teams' Sherpas set the rope, the more they get paid. The total cost for setting the ropes and the materials is close to $30,000, which is shared by all the teams. Right now ropes are set to Camp 1 at 23,000. Within the next week and a half, they should be set to the top. The next couple of days should be interesting for me…sleeping up high and trying to acclimate. Hopefully things will go well for all of us on the team.
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| Intermediate Base Camp to Advanced Base Camp. April 22, 2004 We awoke after a relatively restful night at Intermediate Base Camp (IBC) at 19,800 feet. After a quick breakfast we left camp about 10:00 a.m. , just ahead of our yaks, on our way to Advanced Base Camp (ABC) at 21,450. Vladimir set a strong and confident pace and I thought that I would go along with him and see if that pace suited me. There were other yak trains, supporting other teams on the mountain, just ahead of us that had left earlier than our group. To me, it seemed a bit like an ancient pilgrimage to some destination that would, hopefully, bring us to a better place, either in reality or in our minds and souls. As we traveled along, Vladimir's pace seemed a bit much for me, as I planed to work hard but not tax myself to the point where it would start breaking me down. Dmitry had mentioned that it was very common to take around 7 hours to cover the distance of about 7 miles between IBC and ABC, gaining 1,650 feet in elevation. At Vladimir's pace, I knew it would take us much less than the estimated 7 hours, so I decided to back it off a bit, and take a more relaxed pace that suited me, traveling along this ribbon of this scree moraine at a relatively easy pace. As I traveled a bit further, the giant ice pinnacles became larger and slowly crowded the rocky path until it was no more than 10 feet wide in places. They looked surrealistic and very much like inverted, colossal icicles, reaching upwards into the sky. Some appeared to reach close to 100 feet in height and looked at times completely normal as they were surrounded by thousands that made up the Rongbuk glacier on each side. After loosing site of Vladamir, I walked around the Changheng (Chinese spelling) peak at almost 7,000 meters (22,966 feet), and continued on to form an almost half circle on the east Rongbuk Glacier. As I approached a suspicious ridge to the right, I suspected I was getting close to camp. Then, about 1,000 feet away, attached to a high ridge, I noticed some prayer flags. I knew if I could see where these flags were secured below, that is where ABC would lie. The grade increased, became steeper and, after taking a few short rests, I popped over the ridge to ABC at 21,450 feet. Vladimir had arrived about 30 minutes before me. It had taken me about 3 1/2 hours to make the trip. Two hours later, Arkadiy arrived. David and the rest of the team arrived with the next hour and a half, putting everyone into camp within the 7-hour estimated window to travel between IBC and ABC. While we were waiting for the rest of team, Vladimir and I started leveling the rocks to make suitable campsites. By the time everyone had arrived, and with the help of others, we had 5 tent sites leveled out, enough for everyone to double up and settle in for the night. After a quick bite to eat, we turned in about 10:00 p.m. We all looked forward to a rest after two relatively hard days traveling at altitude. No doubt the night would be a long restless one.
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| Base Camp to Intermediate Base Camp. April 21, 2004 We spent the night here at Base Camp (BC), woke up, and ate breakfast around 9:00 a.m. Our first task for the day was to make sure that everything was ready to go onto the yaks for the trip up to Intermediate Base Camp (IBC). While each yak is supposed to be able to carry from 80 to 90 pounds, what I discovered by watching them during the day is that all yaks are not created equal. Some looked to be bigger and stronger and had, I would guess, as much as 100- or 120-pound loads. Not only were these beasts of burden able to carry more weight but, for instance, the ones with the necessary kitchen equipment needed to arrive at camp earlier, making it necessary for them to move quicker along the trail. Some of the yaks, and their herders, were well up to the task, while others lagged behind a bit. As we left BC we gradually climbed up the main Rongbuk Glacier for about three miles. Then, we veered to the left heading up the East Rongbuk Glacier. At first it was a gentle grade and we traveled along a scree-cover moraine along a trail that was mostly visible and easy to follow. The yaks were incredible to watch, as were the herders who followed behind and occasionally would yell "dah" which means go. Every once in a while, when a yak would veer off the trail, the herder would whistle a command and, if the yak would not obey, he would hurdle a rock in the vicinity of the yak and the yak would then return to its position in line. The area is somewhat void of wildlife, except for crows and ravens, but I had the privilege of seeing and get a couple of photographs, from a distance, of Himalayan turkeys. It is said that if a man sees one of these during his lifetime, it promises happiness. Dilmurad from Armenia said that people from his country would pay up to $1,000 to acquire one. It wasn't clear to me what they do with them once they acquire them, but the indication was that they could be kept – or eaten! Speaking of eating…as I followed a herder up the moraine, I noticed he had a small, dead goat in his backpack that I am sure they were planning to devour once they reached IBC camp. Continuing up the valley it was rather pleasant as the herders would occasionally break into song, one singing, then another, and at times all together. These people struggle to survive, but seem very peaceful and happy. As we approached IBC, we began to see a few huge ice pinnacles. They were formed of pure, clean ice on a base about 80 feet in diameter, then tapered to a point that soared 50 to 80 feet into the sky. After approximately 5 hours of hiking we arrived at IBC and began hurriedly setting up camp as the temperature was falling rapidly. Vladimir (from Germany who is planning on summiting with out oxygen), was the first to arrive, followed by Gianni and myself, with the rest straggling in over the next hour and a half. Some were tired enough that they had no strength to help set up camp. After all, anything is more difficult at 19,800 feet, higher than the summit of Kilimanjaro in Africa (19,340 feet)! A quick dinner and it was close to 11:00 p.m. before we turned in. Visions of yaks and herders yelps danced through my head throughout the night and somehow it was hard to imagine that here…that I was heading east around the entire base of Everest in an attempt to head up the North Ridge to the summit.
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| Archived News For news from the final summit push (May 17 through May 25), return to the Mountain News page. For news from Everest for May 5 through May 16, see the Archived News-May 5-16. For news from Marshall for April 18th through April 20th, as well as updates from Heather for April 21st-22nd, 25th, and 28th, see the Archived News-April-18-20 plus Heather's updates page. For news from Marshall for April 11th through April 17th, see the Archived News-April-11-17 page. For news from Marshall for April 5th through April 10th, see the Archived News-April4-10 page.
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