Post 8 Base camp 24 hours before final summit push

After 6weeks we start up Saturday morning 2am through the Ice falls. the last 2 weeks have been painful waiting for a doctor to say I am good to continue came a week ago, waiting for ropes to be fixed that got done 4 days ago, ox to be positioned on the mountain finished yesterday and a good weather window which we still don't have.  We have had a lot of snow since we were at high camps 3 weeks ago and that is good the steep faces with black ice makes it hard on your feet to kick in crampons.  With snow you have steps and your crampons dig in plus there were people hit by falling rocks which the snow sticks to the face and not as much a issue. It is hard to see the impact the weather will have on us until we get to high camps and get exposed.  The strongest winds we have had so far were at base camp.

32 teams 330 climbers and Sherpa started pushing 3 days ago many racing to be the first to summit which went to a team of 9 Sherpa. Since then we see the head lamps moving through the ice falls at 2am about 50 a day are starting. When we leave their will be over half the climbers moving to high camps to wait for a summit push.  That gets very tricky on one rope areas like in the ice fall, western cwn some of the deep crevasse that you repel down one side and climb the other, Lotse face about a 1500 foot assent one rope, summit day has several more of these potential log jams that could possibly end a climb if you wait too long exposed and get cold. 

Our team is split into two groups now due to logistics not enough tents at high camps. James, Mike, Paula and Basia started two days ago and are on a rest day at camp 2 they were separated in the ice falls due to a overnight fall that the ice doctors had to fix delaying them 4 hours of what already was a 14 to 16 hour day.  2 climbers made it to camp 2 and 2 stopped short at camp one joining the team today. Haven't got report yet today but I hear Kaji on the radio with them now they said this morning one is sick. Group 2 will have me, George, Les, Dan (leader), and Jonas and Franse (Lotse) that will be splitting off at camp 3 and going to Lotse summit.  Franse without o2 he left with team 1 and made acclimatization climb to Lotse camp 4 and back to 2 today and will join us there in 2 days.

My first challenge will be making it to camp 2 on day one it will be a 4000 ft vertical elevation change that took me 16 hours over 2 days the first time through. If I make it I will meet up with my down suit and -40 bag left there 3 weeks ago.  I will be with a Sherpa all of the time his name is Tenzdu he climbed with me on first push and was with me when I started having problems in the ice falls, and while I was away at lower altitude eating pizza and cake he was making trips to high camps carrying supplies fixing ropes and tents. When I saw him he was noticeably thiner.  I have also lost a lot of weight unfortunately mussel mass my arms look like old man arms and my belt is 4 inches shorter than when I started.  Just fighting the cold burns calories and we eat mostly carbs and sugar very little protein it will give me something to work on when I get home.  Day 2 is rest day or trip from camp 1 , day 3 we move to camp 3 and will be on O2 until we come down, day 4 move to camp 4, day 5 rest until 9pmwhen our summit attempt starts 12 to 16 hours up and 6 hours back to camp 4 where we spend another night day 6 then in 2 big days go from camp 4 to 2 and 2 to BC. In total we should be back in BC in 8 days baring any delays due to bad weather. I am anxious wanting to get started so I can get home.  It has been very hard sitting around waiting the last 2 weeks other than the climb back to camp I have done very little not sure how my lungs or legs will hold up to 8 hard days.

My final doctors appointment was today and she oked me to go up.  She said if I have any shortness of breath, troubles sleeping, loss of appitite to come down unfortunately you ask anyone who ascends 4,000ft in one day they will have all 3 symptoms she agreed it should be easier now that I am acclimatized and now that I know what HAPE feels like I will be on the lookout for that also.  I forgot when I was trying to get down from camp 2 a heli landed and Mike from our team went to ask if I could get a ride down to the ER.  It was Allen Arnett?one of Everest biggest bloggers suffering with HAPE.  He told us no he wanted to ride down by himself he returned to Denver and is still blogging Everest stuff.  He probably won't add this story to his blog.  I walked thru the ice falls 12 hours to the ER and was diagnosed with the same ailment.

The Sherpa are calling me Baji which means old man in a respectful way I think.  I look like a old man in Africa on Kilimanjaro they called me Baboo which was Swahili for grandpa. The Sherpa want me to make it to the top and will do everything they can to make sure it happens.  They can't control the weather or my health so many things are outside everyone's control. I just know I feel good and am ready to start. 

I will be dark for the 8 days of the push then the logistics of getting home I will probably not send another until the long flight home.  Then I can send photos and tell the ending. Thanks again for everyone's support the late night emails of encouragement. Till then stay warm.

Post 7: Pheriche 13,000ft temp 40's

We start down after a week above the Kumbu Ice falls.  Our plans are to go from camp 2 skip 1 and on to base camp.  It is a beautiful day not too cold sunny I am feeling a little better and start down with my Sherpa Tenzdu.  I get half way through the Ice and slow Dan catches me and we make it to the bottom after a few hours.  My breathing was giving me problems we walk by the clinic on the way to camp I stop for a checkup.

When we arrived in Base camp Dan brought the team to the Everest ER for a tour and to meet the doctors.  Over 60% of there patients are Sherpa and porters that they treat for free. We made a donation of $100 each and that would cover unlimited visits while in camp.  I thought that would be the last time I would be in the tent.  The doctors are from all over and are experts in high altitude ailments.  I meet with a Russian American Doctor Tatiana and local doctor Yogi they check o2 levels and they are good then listened to lungs and see her look at Yogi then I have 2 cold stethoscopes on my bare skin.  I agreed to let Discovery Channel film a episode of Everest ER 16 and I am standing infront of the camera hoping they don't ask me to take my pants off too.  The diagnoses is HAPE (high altitude pulmonary edema) treatment is a drug, and to descend immediately to lower altitude.  She orders a helicopter for the next morning to bring me to Pheriche which is at 13,000ft it has a fully staffed clinic and the plan is to stay there until my lungs clear and I can return to base camp or they tell me my climb is over. I talk George into flying with me and we are stuck there for 4 days.  Dr. Tatiana runs to Pheriche my last day a 15 mile run she is training for the Everest marathon she looks at the ultrasound and ask me to stop by when I return to base camp to let here look at my lungs again before summit attempt.  I am cleared to go back up.

 We walk up to Lobuche 5 hr from base camp and is where I am now.  It felt great coming up we carried 40 lbs and ran up the mountain already acclimatized.  It is may 6 we celebrate cinco de mayo a day late and I have my first beer in months. I take half day walks up the local hills my breathing, sleep and eating has gotten me back to normal.  There is bad weather high up and we are on hold until they finish fixing lines and carrying o2 and supplies.  We choose to wait it out here instead of a tent at base camp we have good internet and food and hope to meet everyone in a few days.

These events happened over the last week many dark moments, I have pulled the plug two times on the climb and after a conversation with doctors and leader decide to continue.  My body has held up well I am not the fastest but my climb is consistent and for me to turn around now will always haunt me that I didn't try.  My confidence level swings from 80% seeing myself on the summit to 20% asking myself why am I putting myself and family through this.

I know I am putting my family through hell and I feel terrible I think about them constantly on these long down days.  Today is Mother's Day which is making my day even harder.  I am in a tea house dining area with a lot of people around a pot belly stove that burns yak poop hopping the distraction is enough to keep the tears away. I think it will be easier when I start up and can see the end and my day is consumed by the climb.

Helicopter ride to Pheriche

Ice falls again

Cinco de Mayo, only one can is mine

Clinic in Pheriche

Training climbs local hills

Dining areas of Eco Lidge in Lobuche, poop stove and George

Post 6: Camp 2 21,500 temp cold

Going up.

We finally get started after a few days in base camp.  Sherpa are working mostly at night carrying loads to camp 1 and 2.  Ropes are fixed through ice falls and all the way to camp 3.  We cross the Ice falls at 2am get to camp 1 at noon, 10 hours later.  We made it through without event, walking over, under, around large blocks of ice, aluminum ladders span crevasse that you don't look for the bottom just at the next rung you place your crampon.  If the gap is not spanned by ladders you jump, one foot close to one side of the bottomless crevasse and hopefully your other lands on the other side.  Short burst of energy for jumping leaves me winded and takes a few breaths to get breathing back to normal same as a slip and energy to catch yourself. There are lots of broken ice blocks in the trail that have fell the previous evening that's why we leave at 2 the ice is more dangerous in afternoon heating or the refreezing after sunset so we are out by then. It makes noise lots of cracking, creaking reminds me of working in the coal mines after a while you get use to it but always reminds you of the danger. I have taken to the climbing part well it also is like a old job, lineman, a lot of the same principle apply, trust your equipment, relax and don't fight the harness, lock your legs out and rest when you can always pay attention to your safety attachments. If this was at sea level it would be a blast.

I am in the middle of the pack of the first group arriving at camp 1 our tents our on snow we have a mini Igloo with without a roof and a hole in the ice for a bathroom can't wait to break that in. Meals are served and we rest for a day and a half. My new tent mate Cat is great we talk like a couple of school girls about everything. Next day the rest of the team joins us. George is over his illness thanks to Everest ER Dr. Tatiana and Yogi.  Steve saw a large collapse and not sure he will be making it back thru the ice.  Everyone has a cough through the night and as we leave the next morning Rodgers cough is much deeper and since he has experience with it leading to broken ribs he calls for a rescue and flys to Kathmandu, Steve Joins him reaching his goal of crossing the ice falls but doesn't want to chance it again.  I am sad to see them leave Rodger was a lot of help during the trek and Steve was from Indy and Defuniack springs sure we would have a lot to talk about.

The wind blows rattling the tent makes you fill like your on the inside of a drum.  We move to camp 2 through the western cwm the weather lifts it is sunny we drop layers you can see camp 2 it looks so close but looks are deceiving we have a series of repels down and Jamar up the other side then we have a long walk and our camp is at the very top of camp 2 which took me an extra 2 hours to find, I strangle into camp last. Camp 2 is on Ice and rocks lots of debris from abandoned supplies last year. Our plans form camp 2 (22,000) is to rest for a few days walk to Lotse face one day and the next day climb to camp 3 (23,500)spend the night then in two days go all the way to base camp we will have a week off while they fix ropes to the top and carry oxygen.  Then return for the final summit push.  Magnus joined the team last minute his travel arrangement that have him going a day early he hopes to that to 7,000 meters turn around and heading to Kathmandu.  I hear him leave at 3am it is blowing and very cold.  He returns at 10am with a mild case of frost bite and will spend a extra night at camp.  I hear him leave the next morning to head down and the weather is calm and much warmer I hear him say why couldn't it been like this yesterday.  We get lots of forecast but you never know what the next day will bring.

My health gets worse get little sleep due to cough. I loose my tent mate and appetite put in isolation start taking antibiotics, George went thru the same drill and made it back.  Luckily It is time to desend and get to a better altitude to heal.

Tomato soup and prawn chips in tent

Out my tent; camp 2 pumori and cho oyu out my window

Camp 1 looking over western cwm

Me standing at the base of the Lhotse face; camp 3 yellow band over my head

Camp 2

Post 5: Basecamp 2F 17,500 ft

Been in Basecamp for 4 days now we have had snow about every afternoon cold at night and not bad during the day when the suns out.  We have been doing a series of training for both our crossing of the ice falls and our new home at camp 1 19,500ft.  We trained on Ice climbing with crampons and Ice axes, climbing with a Jumar, and both self belay with figure 8 and hand descend we also worked on the aluminum ladders that we will use to get up vertical and span crevasse very tricky with 8000 meter boots and crampons on.  We climbed to Pumori abc at 19,000 to get use to the altitude at camp 1 it also has the best view of Everest we then descended back to Everest base camp.  Pumori abc was the camp that radioed Hall and Fischer teams in 96 telling them there were people still on the top.

We had our final Puja ceremony where a monk blessed our climbing gear.  The two hour ceremony was kind of like a food fight we would throw flower, rice, rice beer called Chang and rice whiskey on our gear and each other.  I just changed into new clothes and had a shower.  The Sherpa took it very serious just like the blessing in Pangboche.  The monk didn't offer us any guidance like the first one did he told us we would have a bad storm but go left and go right and we will be ok. I am learning the do's and don't s never walk over a prayer flag always walk around gupas or Stupas to the right the prayer wheels are spun up the mountain. Yangie would correct me if I were doing it wrong but she will not be going to higher camps.  She got altitude sickness on the climb up Pumori and the leader pulled her from going any higher she was looking forward to working with her dad in high camps.  Too bad she was strong she will continue to serve meals and work in the kitchen which she did on top of her guiding role.  The senior leadership of the Sherpas is very good lots of experience starting with Dan Mazure that's not a Sherpa but the leader and has more experience than anyone up here he plans to go to the summit with us.  The boss Sherpa is Jumba he has two lead Sherpa Mingma and Lockba the camp boss is Kenzie they have a group of younger Sherpas that we see very little because they are crossing the Ice flows every night carrying supplies to high camps and back early in the morning.

Our crossing will start at 1am and unlike Sherpas that do it in 3 hours our crossing will take 8. We have bags packed and will be in harness,helmets and ice gear.  We should arrive in camp 1 around 10 am and will be zombies have 2 rest days before going higher.   Dan respects the ice falls and once we get above them we will stay a week going all the way to camp 3 at 23,500ft. We then spent one night there and return to base camp to rest for the summit push.

I will not have much com and will be sharing a tent at high camps with a guy from Phenix that I have met and got along with well, he is stopping at camp 3 and not going for the summit he is a very strong climber and will hate to see him and 3 others leave after camp 3.  We have another team doing Lotse which is a sister peak to Everest only a few hundred  meters shorter.  There is still a lot to the climb and we are already taking on some illness George probably the strongest climber has fever and chills and has been in his tent for 2 days unable to go on he is hopping for recovery and seeing the doctor daily and will join us later. Lot of people with the Kumbu cough that you get from breathing cold dry air.  The key is to keep it from getting infected filtering the air when you sleep and covering it when you climb.  I can't do it I need all the air intake I can get so I sleep like a turtle in my bag with just my face exposed and walk slow so I don't breath deep thru my mouth exposing my lungs to cold air. Rodger from Australia fractured his rib from a bad cough on his last attempt having to stop short and has been giving me good tips.

There is a lot of excitement about this season because the last 2 have been disasters and mountain closed.  Climbers are down 60% but many of this team have returned for 2 and 3 try's many going deep in debt to chase a dream.  Every step I take is somewhere or something new and it's absolutely thrilling last night was a full moon wind calmed and the fresh snow glowed.  I got up at 1am and couldn't go back to sleep until after 2:30 even though it was -2 f.  I hate that my family and friends worry but if they could see the things that I have seen and will see they would understand better.  I am feeling good, and surrounded by good experienced people.  I will have dark days, Mountaineering is a miserable hobby and part of the beauty is overcoming those days to look for nights like last night. I think life is a lot like climbing a mountain it is overcoming fears, bad days, constant preparation, and dedication to a goal or a summit.

My next post will be a week to 10 days away and will be about the higher camps.  See you then

My college wrestling teammate. Fraternity brother, CMSU alum was diagnosed with MS a few years ago and a group of friends have reunited to help, the past year we have seen him push back the effects of MS in his words "without drugs but with a bike and friends"we created a fund raiser that raised over 40,000 dollars for the wrestling program and MS society, rode several trips on the Katy trail, and rekindled old friendships and even changed some people's lives. I am climbing these mountains everyone thinks is hard but it is easy compared to the mountain Les and people with MS have to climb every day . Every time I start listening to the pain or the cold I think to myself how blessed I am to be able to do this and how people with MS will trade me spots any day. Follow this link to go to the fundraising page at https://www.fundraise.com/everest2016#donate