Resting Safely at EBC

With my Sherpa, PK, just ahead of me and members of my team climbing out of the bergschrund at the bottom of the Lhotse face, I wait in anticipation of the six-hour challenge ahead.

Little did I know this would be the most physically and mentally exhausting climbing day of my life!

The steep terrain to Camp 3 is relentless, much of it over bulging blue ice, hard to claw a crampon into. A few inches of fresh snow made it doubly hard as I’d often slide back as if in sand.

My tent mate, Johnny, was having a bad day. He has the reputation of being one of the strongest North American guides in the business, but has been struggling with some GI issues for the past week. He finally caught me with about 500 feet to go as I was taking a break, and offered great words of encouragement. True to his word he stayed right behind me for the next two hours and we made it into Camp 3 together.

All seven of us made it, the last coming in about 5:20 pm.  We’d departed Camp 2 at 5:20 am.  The one who came in late needed a little oxygen during the night but was otherwise okay.

The Sherpa boiled water and I added it to two packs of Ramen Noodles for dinner. By the time I was done everyone was in their sleeping bag trying to sleep. I made a short sat phone call to Jude and started what would be the longest night of my life.

I tried to share my pad with Johnny, since his hadn’t arrived, but ended up on the cold tent floor trying to suck the little oxygen at 24,000 feet. I thought the night would never end, but it eventually did.

PK brought lukewarm water and I gagged down some oatmeal. Everyone was in a hurry to get back to Camp 2, but I needed to, well, you know. It wasn’t easy in a one-piece summit suit, on a ledge, but I managed.

We rappelled part way and hand rapped part way and were down the 2,500 feet to Camp 2 in 90 minutes. I passed four other teammates who had needed a rest day yesterday and who were now on their way to Camp 3, somewhere near the bergschrund. Three of the four later returned unable to make it.

It was good to get back to Camp 2 where we rested and prepared to descend to EBC the next day.

It took three and a half hours to return, and here I am back in my little cozy tent safe and sound.

The gun is “locked and loaded,” as Johnny says. Now we rest up and wait for the good weather forecast and head for the summit.