|
After weeks of acclimatizing it is finally time for an
attempt. It has not been a good month on the north
side of the mountain. Strong winds have hampered the
Sherpas fixing the route high up. Several of our
tents were blown down or completely away at Advanced
Base Camp. Weeks of wind are followed by several
days of snow.
About 1/3 of our team has departed due to illness or
discouragement. The remainder is subdivided into pairs
or small groups. All of us have suffered various
degrees of Acute Mountain Sickness, headaches,
insomnia, diarrhea, and decreased appetite. All of us
look very thin and everyone has a chronic cough.
I have been climbing up and down with Patrick.
Different members of the team have different levels of
support from sherpas, oxygen, etc.
Our oxygen saturations have been in the 70’s for
weeks. We have made several acclimatization climbs to
the North Col. (7000m) and above.
A few of our group have summited. Not necessarily
the strongest or most experienced but those that
happened to be in the right place when the weather
window opened for a day or two. Some have taken big
risks. Andre summited at 2 PM in a whiteout. That
day 14 people summited and 3 of them died during the
descent. Chris turned back but suffered frostbitten
feet.
Patrick and I have spent two nights on the N. Col.
We made an attempt to get to 7600m (25,000ft.)but
winds were literally knocking us to our knees. We
were the only ones on the route that day and turned
back at 7.3
We have tried to be patient and wait for our best
chance. Now the forecast is for better weather the
next 3 to 4 days. It’s time to go!
I do not feel well climbing to the N. Col for the 3rd
time. I am slower than on the previous 2 trips.
Patrick is well ahead of me. I am weak (maybe from
stomach upset day before) and worried I will not be
able to go higher the next day. Mike (South Africa)
is behind me but turning back at the short ice pitch
we term the “Marilyn Step”. I found out later he had
hemeoptysis. I am barely able to trudge the last
little pitch into North Col camp.
We are in the tent when 3 Sherpas come down literally
dragging a Swiss climber who has been high on mountain
for 8 days. He is totally exhausted and unable to
stand. Oxygen saturation is 88% on 4 L./minute of
bottled oxygen. Probably he is primarily dehydrated
but I give him Decadron anyway. What he really needs
is an IV. Patrick says he “saw death in his eyes”.
The Sherpas are also very tired but wrap him in mats
and lower him down the ropes.
Spent an okay night though the tent floor is very
“dished” due to snowmelt.
That morning, Patrick is up early and very anxious to
climb. He leaves 15-30 minutes before me. We elect
to use oxygen with 1 L/min as I have 6 bottles and it
looks like this will be our only attempt. Weather is
clear with only moderate winds. I now feel well and
strong. Very shortly I catch up to Patrick, which
surprises me as he had been so much faster yesterday.
He is kneeling and short of breath. He feels he
cannot get any air and has increased his oxygen to 4
L/min. We had previously been higher without oxygen.
He is claustrophobic when he tries to wear his mask.
He indicates for me to go on ahead. I expect he will
follow.
I feel very strong and am finally enjoying the climb
after weeks of sitting and waiting. The route above
N. Col. has wide-open views whereas N. Col. is rather
a cul-de-sac. I am staying with a couple of our
Sherpas (though they are not using oxygen).
I look back and think I can see Patrick in his yellow
suit and green boots.
The route is mostly steep snow with snow and rocks
from 7.5-7.6. I had anticipated a hard 7 ½ hours but
arrive in just over 5 hours. We have 5 tents dug into
snow and secured with cargo nets against wind.
I have collected snow, cleared the tent of gas
canisters and oxygen bottles, and have stove melting
snow when Dan arrives. He tells me Patrick turned back
and we share a tent. The space is small due to a
cliff on one side and snow pressing on other side.
Mick and Bruce arrive as well as Jangbu, then Tim and
Eric who came from ABC. Oxygen saturation is ~74% and
1 L puts me up to low 80’s. We eat quite well, Rara
noodles, freeze-dried meals, snacks and drink water to
hydrate for following day.
I have no headache or nausea and am happy about that.
With oxygen at 1 L/min and my down suit and bag I am
comfortable in spite of the rocks in my back and hip
and sleep better than I generally have at ABC.
However, the winds pick-up during the night and we
elect to wait another 24 hours for the anticipated
better weather. Tim and Eric decide to go up with
their Sherpa Tenzi (7 time Everest Summiter). They
are younger, stronger and more experienced than I.
They will summit the next day in spite of marginal
weather. Dan and I spend the day in our tent reading
Moby Dick.
After another reasonable night I am ready and anxious
to go up. This is the day! Moderate winds but clear.
Jangbu sticks his head in. Going “up” I say. Dan
goes out to talk with Mick and Bruce. I pack my gear
and put on outer boots, harness, and crampons. Pick
a fresh full bottle of oxygen. Even manage to use the
“facilities” in a rock crevasse without oxygen.
I am ready to go. Jangbu and I are clipping to rope
when Dan says “You better listen to this forecast.”
He holds the radio to my ear and Duane in ABC reads
the forecast off Patrick’s PDA.
Winds predicted 17-22 m/sec (35-45 mph) in next 24
hours. This is not good when you’re in the “windiest
camp in the world.”
My pre-expedition research indicated few people can
summit safely in winds greater than 17 m/sec. We
debate the odds. Mick had turned back at 7.8 on a
previous expedition. We know if we go down we will
not have another chance—too late in season and another
group of our climbers are in ABC waiting to come up
next. I feel strong. Sure I can make it to 8.3 but
waiting out a storm there??? Dan says it can be tough
to descend in high winds. He has done 7-8000 m peaks
and he is going down. I think of seven deaths and the
injuries we have seen.
I had promised Janice I would only go up if
conditions looked good. 40+ mph winds are not good.
The safest course is to go down.
I am frustrated and descend quickly to N. Col. I
pick up Patrick’s gear, add it to my own, and descend
the ropes to ABC with a huge pack plus a duffle bag.
Heavy but I feel better working hard.
That night I awaken several times—there is no wind.
The wind does not start till the following
afternoon—we would have been on our way down. It’s
too late now. We hire some yaks and start the trudge
down to Chinese Base Camp for the last time.
Back in Katmandu we are eating vast quantities of
food and taking long showers. It's nice to eat
without concern over implications of getting sick.
After weeks of forcing ourselves to eat and losing
weight we are now recovering. Still waking up at
night thinking about going up and then realizing where
I am and that it is not going to happen. I am anxious
to get home!
|
