Summited 21st May 2008

Hi Folks,

 

Andy, Anselm, Jamie, and myself, along with supporting Sherpas Pasang Gumbu, Zhang Bu, and Chewang Sherpa all successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest just after 11am on 21^st May 2008 and returned safely to Camp 4 – refer to www.project-himalaya.com for latest dispatch and summit picture.

 

It was a near 24hr round trip to the summit in good (warm and windless) conditions however we are completely exhausted for it. Gina, Jamie, and Raphael have abandoned their summit attempt.

 

The summit day was not without incident for other unfortunate climbers (on other teams) in which a Swiss climber died (attempting to summit without oxygen), and the rescue of an Omanian and Korean climber. These events unfolded upon the descent - more info can be read at www.mounteverest.net. Jamie supported these rescue efforts.

 

We are all safe and have just arrived back at Base Camp today (Sat 24^th May) after a 3 day descent from the South Col, having traveled through the Ice Fall for the final time!

 

We will celebrate with our Sherpa team tonight here at BC over a carton of beer; then tomorrow we all start packing up camp for the 3 day journey back to Kathmandu and the much now talked about, onward flight home!

 

Bye for now……David