The Final Summit Push

Hi Folks

 

Well we sat around the table until 10pm Tuesday night (13^th May) in our BC dining tent discussing all possible summit push options. Technical weather forecasts downloaded from the internet over the past 48 hours have not been showing the most ideal conditions for the coming week, creating a lot of discussion on what we think is the best option to pursue.

 

Contrary to the weather forecasts showing less than ideal summit conditions, actual conditions we are waking to each day reflect perfect summit conditions; this morning we woke to a most sensational Himalayan day – crystal clear white snow peaks shimmering against a cloudless, and windless dark blue sky!

 

Our lead Sirdar, Dewa Sherpa participated in those discussions last night and indicated that fixed lines from C4 to the summit had not yet been put in place, however both Jamie and he will be attending a meeting later this afternoon (Wednesday) to discuss which teams will have final responsibility for fixing lines above C4. It is anticipated these lines will be fixed within the next few days. There are reportedly some 30 expeditions on Everest this year (about 270 registered climbers or thereabouts), and each of the larger expedition team has to contribute either fixed line supplies (ropes, ice screws, stakes etc) for the route, and/or strong and experienced Sherpas for fixing the route.

 

We are all a bit anxious to get moving on the final summit push now that we have rested here at BC for a few days. Given the last few good days of weather, with clear skies and minimal wind, we are going to commence the push for the summit this Friday morning with an anticipated summit day, all going well, around the 21^st ~ 22^nd of May. As it turns out, 20^th May is will be a full moon and generally weather conditions around this date tends to be more favorable, albeit it colder, with clearer skies and the possibility of a moonlight night to guide the way to the summit!

 

It is a 7 day round trip from BC to the summit and back. The tentative schedule we will be targeting for over the coming week is as follows:

 

May 16 BC to C2 (6400m)

May 17 C2 Rest Day

May 18 C2 to C3 (7150m)

May 19 C3 Rest Day

May 20 C3 to C4 (known as the South Col)

May 21 Target Summit Day (full moon)

May 22 Target Summit Day

May 23 C4 to C2

May 24 C2 to BC

 

The tentative summit date of the 21~22^nd May is exactly that – it’s tentative! Any variables such as the final dates for fixed lines being put in place above C4, and especially any changes in the weather conditions over the course of the week could change this schedule around somewhat. This for us could mean a bit more sitting around at any one of the higher camps literally on standby waiting for that best window to go for it.

 

Our strategy above C3 up to the South Col and the Summit

 

At this point, the strategy is to spend one extra night at C3 just to better acclimatize, because at this point none of us have slept there. C3 is lower than expected this year at 7,150m, which at this elevation, does not really necessitate oxygen – it is around 7,500m that the pros vs cons come into play of carrying oxygen. At any time, when on oxygen, a climber must carrying two 4L oxygen bottles, which, when full, weigh some 3.7kg each – that’s a total of 7.4kg to carry which feels a heck of a lot heavier when climbing above 7,000m. The alternative is not to be on oxygen (yep - harder work on the lungs), however in doing so, we would not have to carry the extra weight of the bottles (thus less work on the lungs). It will become a personal choice whether or not we choose to be on oxygen from C3 or from higher above C3.

 

We can sense the excitement in our motivated Sherpa team of an approaching summit day. This is their livelihood for which we have them to thank so gratefully! They left BC this morning for C2, and then over the following days will then be making 2 trips from C2 up to C4 to stock the South Col camp.

 

Now the South Col (C4) is a barren, and often extremely windy camp which necessitates that all tents be well anchored down to prevent them from being blown away. The Sherpas will bury all supplies (tents, oxygen, food, fuel and stoves) in bags at C4 in preparation for our arrival on around 20^th May.

 

From C3, we will move further up, and then traverse the Lhotse Face through a section called the Yellow Rock Band, and then on up, one grueling step at a time, to the South Col which we might expect to take some 6 to 8 hours. We will arrive at the South Col late afternoon, and then muster what energy we can (everything at this altitude is so bloody tough and slow to do), to make it a priority to boil snow to hydrate and cook some simple foods to replenish our bodies of those depleted calories.

 

We plan to rest at the South Col for about 6-8 hours and then step at around 10pm make our first steps for the summit, some 850m above us. Climbing up along the ridgeline, the route is fixed most of the way. We will pass over the South summit (~8,750m), thereafter climb up the 40m Hillary Step (~8,810m) as the last final crux, and about 1 hour later, all climbing well, and weather remaining on our side, can expect to reach the summit of Everest some 10 hours or so after leaving the South Col.

 

We can expect to make the descent back down to arrive at the South Col by 2pm to rest there for the night on oxygen before then descending down to C2 the following day. Summit day we leave C4 with 2x 4L bottle of oxygen, each of which is expected to last 6~8 hours. A 3^rd bottle will be stashed at the South Summit in case additional oxygen is needed on the descent.

 

Typically there is about a 40% success rate of summiting Everest from the south side.

 

During our summit push, Jamie plans to post brief updates via sat phone to this same blog you are now reading www.spiritofeverest.blogspot.com. Also, he hopes to post the same updates to www.project-himalaya.com

 

This is all the blogging I now expect to do until after the summit attempt.

 

As one final note, I would like to personally thank you all following along this blog for the best and safe wishes you have emailed to me here at BC or posted on the website guestbook. Your supporting comments are a motivating force in my efforts, along with those of fellow team members, in attempting to summit Everest and return safely.

 

Bye for now……David