27-04-2012 – Everest Base Camp – Rest Day Packing

Altitude: 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 558mbar

Trek:0km

Exciting day, it’s our time to get ready for the next rotation.

The combination of the night start (1am leave), the first time on Everest, the first time through the dreaded Khumbu Icefall, the knowledge that after this rotation, we will be ready and waiting for the right weather condition and the fact that this will be a long, hard day, all climax into an emotional day.There’s lots of activity around camp.

I’m going down to Gorek Shep (1 hour walk away) to post these latest updates to the blog as our satellite system has gone down.

I’m all pack, light I hope, and ready to go for it.

I’d love to push and get there quickly, to convince myself that I am fit and ready to go for the summit, but I also know that with the cough and rib issue, getting there will be good anyway, regardless in what time.

Back down on the 4^th then!!

26-04-2012 – Everest Base Camp – Rest Day

Altitude: 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 558mbar

Trek:0km

Another rest day for us, but it’s interesting to see the other group getting ready for their next rotation.

Adrian who is leading the 1^st group did a great brief, showing exactly what he was taking up, and justifying it all. It was very useful, and luckily I don’t think I am far off in term of clothing and layering system

I guess where we will differ is that I’m still intending to take my netbook up to Camp 2 (6400m) at least, to be able to download my Garmin watch, watch movie and blog. Who

knows, I might even take it up to Camp 3 at 7400m?? We’ll see, that would be crazy……

In his brief, he also covered the route we will be taking, highlighting the points for radio check in with Russell so he can keep track of where we are and our pace.

Obviously, the high risk area was also discussed, with the goal of going through as fast as possible, but without stopping.

The expected time from base camp to camp 2 is anything between 4 and 10 hours!!

For those of us who completely “blow up”, they will have to stop at Camp 1 and spend the day there to recover. As soon as the sun gets into the Western Cwm valley, we will be surrounded by huge snow and ice mirrors and the temperature will go from -15DegC to + 40 DegC and the whole thing become a sauna, which is why they prefer to stop the slower members early and wait for the heat to drop later on in the afternoon, or even go again at night.

Adrian also said that his worst cold experience was when he arrived at Camp 2 very early and had to wait for ever for the sun to appear and warm him up. Because we’re leaving at 1am, for those who make it in 4 hours, it leaves them with 3 hours of waiting for the sun to rise…… that downsuit might become very useful!!

At 10 O’clock, we all got together to chose what food we wanted to take up to Camp 3, most of us also took some “comfort” food for the week at Camp 2.

I also included some food I’d brought from England (Chai tea, Asparagus soup, jumbo nuts and peppermint tea) which should make keeping hydrated and taking energy in easier at altitude.

I too have also started to pack for the next rotation, trying to keep the backpack as light as possible.

In the afternoon, I went on the “practice” course which has been setup with rappels, ladders, steep sections and traverse to give us a “refresher” of what it will be like.

For me, the main learning was crossing the ladder, using the 2 safety ropes either sides to balance. Not that difficult I thought, but then again that was only a 2m single ladder, as suppose to the 6m, 3 ladders long crossing to come!

On the health side of things, I’m still in trouble ……….. I’ve been coughing so much due to the bronchitis that it would appear that I have bruised a rib on my right side. When I breath deeply, laugh, cough or even sit up in the tent, it hurts like hell. I’ve been refraining from taking pain killers to make sure I don’t do anymore damage and for now, I hope it’s not broken. Monica and Bruce (a Kiwi guide) had warned me a week or so back that in some cases, too much coughing can brake ribs……….. Let’s hope it doesn’t happen!!

This trip has been such a pain on the health side of things but I’m keeping positive and I’ve already checked with Monica that she has some strong pain killers at Camp 2, in case I’m really in trouble!!  Ohh, and my right ankle is giving me grief too, but I can cope with that.

Hoping to make it to Gorek Shep tomorrow morning to post some pictures on the blog, I’ve spend some time selecting some of them this afternoon, what a trip it’s been! This part of the world is awesome!!!

25-04-2012 – Everest Base Camp – Rest Day

Altitude: 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 558mbar

Trek: 5km / 2Hrs

We woke up to the sound of the heli at 7am, coming to pick up Chimu and take him on his way home.

The sun was a little late coming out, and the tent was still covered by frozen condensation, as every morning. If you touch anything, you get covered in snow, and when the sun warms up the tent, it starts to rain. That’s why everybody has developed the routine of getting the sleeping bag out to dry before they go for breakfast.

It felt bizarre this morning, the atmosphere was electric.

Rumors of other people leaving, group separation and mainly start date for the next rotation.

After breakfast, Russell gathered us all outside in the sun.

His first point was that the weather was still very windy, up at Camp 2 and Camp3. This meant that it would take the sherpas at least a further 2 days to fix the “double” ropes on the Lhotsee face and dig platforms for the tents at Camp 3. There’s been very little snow, so the sherpas will have to cut the platforms in hard, blue ice. Sounds like very hard work.

Russell also pointed out that the slope there is so steep that any objects dropped can become lethal and injure people lower down. He asked us to be aware of who and what was above us as well as asking us to have nothing strapped to the outside of our packs. Stories of oxygen bottles, water bottles, ice axes plummeting down the slope were mentioned.

Then he moved on to say that the icefall doctors couldn’t think of a better route through the ice fall, despite Russell going to see them 3 times in one day, what we had was the best they could do. Russell said the 3 big commercial companies at Base Cap thought about terminating the expeditions and going home due to the risk of seracs falling on the route, but decided against it. Instead, it’s down to us to make the decision and review the risk. It will take us 40mins to cross the high risk area, with the brief that if anything was to come down, to hide behind the house size ice blocks. Also, we will need to keep moving through that area, never stop………. This should be fun!! Lucky we only have to do this twice!!

Finally, groups and timing for the next rotation were announced / discussed. The soldiers are sticking together, with their 2 cameramen and Mark, leaving space for a couple of “civies”. Sergey and I will be joining them, although for this rotation, our group will go last, which Sergey is not best pleased about. I think it’s best to have a tentmate you get on with, especially for the next rotation which will be 5 nights in a tent.

So, we’ll be leaving on the 28^th at 2am to cross the icefall, directly for Camp 2 at 6400m.

- 29^th, rest day at Camp 2

- 30^th, short walk above Camp 2

- 1^st, rest day

- 2nd, move to Camp 3 for the night at 7400m, same altitude as the very highest camp on Manaslu (not much sleeping took place if I remember right!)

- 3^rd, back to Camp 2, rest day

- 4^th, 5am start, down to Base Camp.

- 5^th, rest day at Base camp, we’re now acclimatised and waiting to recover and for the right weather!!

After that, I went for a short walk along the glacier and got some nice shots of nature’s best work in ice sculptures, what a treat!

After lunch, Harry the guide, offered to take a walk in the icefall. It took us 30minutes to get to the bottom of the icefall, at our crampon points, then we walked up for 40minutes, amongst the ice rubble. It’s certainly not boring and makes the going very pleasing, going up and down ice slopes, fixed or no fixed ropes, plenty of fun.

However, as we were standing there at 2pm, we witness an avalanche from the dreaded seracs above the upper section of the route. After the snow cloud settled, we could also see people in that same area. Hopefully nobody got hurt….. time will tell.

So another 2 days to recover and get ready for the “real thing”.

I keep promising myself that I’ll go through the pictures and walk down to Gorek Shep (1 hour away) to add them to the blog as this is a much cheaper way to do this rather than pay €4 per picture from Base Camp, I’ll see what I can do.

24-04-2012 – Everest Base Camp – Puja

Altitude: 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 558mbar

Trek:0km

Nothing planned for today apart from the long expected Puja, the ceremony which protects the sherpas on the mountain. Until the ceremony takes place, they won’t go above Camp 2.

The ceremony kicks off at 10O’Clock, but as with every Puja, nobody knows how long it will last. Russell and all 50 of us sit patiently around the alter, waiting for Purba Tashi and 2 other lamas to go through the process. On Manaslu, we had heard of Puja lasting 8 hours, and the actual Manaslu puja finished under the snow / sleet.

Luckily, nothing that drastic for us today, Purba Tashi knows lunch is t 12, and the sun is making up for the fresh breeze. We’ve all been asked to choose a personal item to get blessed and, as per Manaslu, I’ve chosen my harness.

Also, yesterday, Chimu (from the USA) has announced that didn’t enjoy the time here, and that he was missing his 5 kids. He will be leaving by helicopter tomorrow morning.

This was his first expedition of this length and kind, and perhaps he wasn’t ready mentally on what was to come.

23-04-2012 – Everest Base Camp – rest day

Altitude: 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 558mbar

Trek:0km

Slept well, but not as deeply as I was expecting from being back in base camp.

It’s definitely colder up here, I went to bed to -13DegC in the tent.

Rest heart rate this morning was 64bpm, so still quite high, and I think I’m getting another cold…….. we’ll see.

I’m still coughing, and this should take a few days to go away, if it ever does!!

The mission for today is to get the washing done and benefit from the sun to do the drying. The problem we have at this altitude, is as soon as the sun goes, the clothes freeze!! Same goes if the wind becomes too strong, it doesn’t dry the clothes, it freezes them!!

As we were having breakfast, we saw Adrian coming back from his 1^st trip to Camp1 this year, and through the icefall. He’s set off at 3:30am with the sherpas, with “only” half a load of 10Kg.

He was not happy and quite “excited”. It would look like the crossing of the icefall is one of the easiest he’s seen, technically, but very, very exposed to seracs fall. It also seems to be very impressive!

It sounds like there will be a push by all the teams on the mountain to convince the icefall doctors to find a less exposed route. Luckily for us, we only need to go through it twice as we’ve acclimatised on Lobuche, everybody else need to go through it at least 4 times, including the slow 1^st and 2^nd times.

With the Puja scheduled tomorrow, and Lobuche behind us, we know that our next rotation will be on the real thing, and it’s not long before people start counting the “theoretical” number of days before summit if all goes to plan.

If the 1^st group sets off on the 26^th, for 6 days, followed by 4 rest days before summit attempt, we could be back down by mid May!! We can dream, can’t we!?!?

Still, we’re all excited!

22-04-2012 – Lobuche summit – Everest Base camp

Altitude: 6000m to 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 517mbar to 560mbar

Trek: 14kms / 4hrs

Slept very bad again, awake every hour due to tent platform not being flat, so always slipping down towards Jo the tent mate, and also, big bump under my back.

Listening to music and counting the hours down.

Finally, 6am comes, and I‘m ready in 30 mins and start the 1hour 30min to go down from 6000m summit to Lobuche base camp at 4850m.

Just in time for breakfast “en terrasse”, looking at the others coming down from Lobuche.

4 pancakes, 2 fried eggs and 2 cups of coffee later, I get change into my “trekking” gear, especially swapping my 8000m triple boots for my lighter weight trekking shoes. That feels nice!

I set off for Everest Base camp at 10O’clock, it feels much easier than the 1^st time around and I take more time to look around, take pictures and videos. There’s a blue sky, a light fresh breeze blowing behind me, my backpack is extra light and I’m very much enjoying the walking n my own. Perfect conditions!

I make it to Base camp by 12:30, just in time for lunch.

It feels great to be back in the luxury of base camp, great food, single tent, extra oxygen (56% instead of 51%) and…. Shower. As soon as lunch is out of the way, straight for a scrub. I might be French, but 7 days of sweat is too much, even for me!!

In the mean time, the 1^st group ( which I had left to recover from my bronchitis) has been back in Base camp for 2 days now. This afternoon, they’re training to cross ladders, which is a major headache for Martin, Jaco and Francis who have only 1 good arm / hand.

I’ve been told that as I tend to acclimatise quickly, the plan is for me to rejoin the group after the Puja ceremony (on the 24^th), and set off on the 25^th for the next rotation. This means 2 less days rest to recover. I’ll keep an eye on my resting heart rate as a sign of resting.

It’s always very difficult to explain “extreme altitude” to people.

People usually understand exercising for a long time (marathon, triathlon or even longer events), they also understand high intensity sport, but extreme altitude is something completely different, another dimension.

If your body can cope with altitude well, then it can be easy to forget the dangers of “getting high”.

When you explain that there is only 50% of the oxygen at sea level, it’s already hard to explain. It’s also difficult to explain the permanent gasping for air when going up a 50Deg slope with a heavy backpack, the dry mouth, being bent in 2 to help air getting in. Then, 6 to 12 hours after arriving at the camp for the night, the headache starts, the nausea feeling and the lack of appetite. Now way to sleep properly (and recover) when feeling like that. Drinking as soon as arriving sometimes help

There is a group of trekkers, involved with Walking With The Wounded, coming up, and 2 days ago, one of the lady complained about not feeling well, and eventually collapse due to cerebral eodema, she was at an altitude of 4300m! Fortunately, an helicopter was organized for her to go back down to lower altitude.

This is a good reminder that in some cases, the human body does not adapt.

I must admit, I seem to be very lucky from this point of view, my body adapts well and quickly, but not due to anything I do or train for.

We’ve just been exposed to 6000m and getting there was very difficult by any standards. A third of the group suffered from headaches, nausea or lack of appetite, but all are aware we still have a long way to go, including sleeping at 7,400m without oxygen the 1^st time. Much more pain to come!!

Whilst talking with my tent mate on top of Lobuche, we also realize that we are now half way through the trip. We have 1 more rotation planned (6 days above the ice fall), then some rest days, then……… wait for the right weather window. We could be setting off in 3 weeks…….. dream!

21-04-2012 – Lobuche summit – Rest Day

Altitude: 6000m

Atmospheric Pressure: 517mbar

Happy Birthday to my sister Helen!

Difficult night sleep, the platform where the tent is is not flat and I kept slipping towards Jo all night.

Also, since arriving yesterday, I’ve pee’d 4.5L in 18 hours!! This is the reaction from the body to altitude until acclimatised and this is why it’s important to drink, to avoid becoming dehydrated. As we spend more time up here, this should return to normal “quantities”.

Nothing to do up here all day, except going to the actual south summit, a further 100m higher. The previous have setup some fixed rope and its actually a nice excursion, only 500m both ways and 40 minutes, but we go on top of a small ridge, with very steep slopes either side… a great photo spot.

When we return, it’s back to the tent for some more drinking and snacking. I don’t have a headache, and the day is dragging on. I lay in the tent, listening to my Mp3 player counting the hours down, 18 to go!!!

I’m very happy to acclimatise so well at 6000m, some of the others didn’t leave the tent all day, with no appetite and nursing a headache.

However, when chatting with Jo, we realize we still have a huge 3000m to go to reach the summit of Everest, this feels like a huge task, considering how our bodies are behaving at 6000m!!! That made me realized how serious this climb is…….. just huge!!

20-04-2012 – Lobuche summit

Altitude: 4850m to 6000m

Atmospheric Pressure: 590mbar to 510mbar

Trek: 3.8kms / 4hrs

Up at 5am, off at 6am on a clear morning. No need for head torches, but I’m wearing my down jacket as it’s still bitterly cold in the shade.

A simple breakfast id layed for us, for those who feel like eating. They’ve banned fried eggs after the last group peppered the way up with the “rejects” due to poor digestion…

I take my time, having a couple of cups of coffee before setting off on my own.

A few of us and Brian the guide have gone 15min earlier.

My pack feels light, but as soon as I get moving, I feel too hot in my down jacket, the lack of wind helping.

I’ve decided on my “tactic” for the day. Never get out breath and take my time.

Going through the boulder field up to camp 1 is always frustrating, as I always get lost. The path sometimes disappears amongst the boulders and you have to guess the correct line.

I make it to camp 1 in good time, just as John B and Brian set off for the summit, having fitted their crampons.

I do the same and swap my trekking poles for my ice axe. The sun is now coming above the mountains and it’s nice and warm, too warm for my wooly hat….. and I can’t swap to my summer hat as I’m traveling light!! Lets hope I don’t get too sunburnt!!

The first section above Camp 1 is fairly “flat” although covered in snow, and after 30minutes, we find the first fixed ropes for the more technical section of the climb.

After 1 hour, I reach the bottom of the last 600m of steep, 50Deg slope.

I decide to stick to the plan, easy, never run out of breath and listen to my body.

I can not believe what is happening, because of my “casual” pace, not requiring any rest, I’m catching the people in front fast, I’m very excited, what a discovery!!

And at the end, I’m even catching up Brian, reaching the summit in 4 hours and only 6minutes behind him. Jo, my tent mate for the next couple of nights will arrive last and 3hr30min later!!

I feel fresh and ready to cope with the extra altitude!

Being first gives me the luxury to pick the tent, for it’s views and the proximity to fresh snow for melting.

After emptying y bag in the tent, I get melting snow for the next 3 hours. I need 2 liters to replenish my bottles, and an extra liter for Jo when he arrives.

Whenever reaching new altitude, drinking is the key to help the body acclimatise.

Tonight, we’re sleeping at 6000m, that higher than Kilimanjaro or Denali…not everybody will have fun….

The weather is not great, but we can just about see Everest. By the time we go to bed, the clouds are on us and visibility is only a few meters.

I’m delighted to have had such a great day and t seem that my body is recovering, lets hope it last.

19-04-2012 – Lobuche Base Camp – Rest Day

Altitude: 4850m

Atmospheric Pressure: 590mbar

Trek: 0km

Another rest day, and it’s surprising to see the effect on people.

Some think too much, finding it hard mentally to do nothing and can’t occupy themselves without going negative. They’re here to do something, and sitting around doesn’t add up with climbing up a mountain. This is the trick of high altitude climbing, waiting for the body to adapt is hard on the mind.

Fortunately I don’t have this problem, and I can switch my mind off very easily….

Some people think about going home, they want to be here to climb but they don’t want to be here doing nothing. They want to climb Everest as quickly as possible but forget to enjoy the mountain.

The other extreme, is the army guys who see the trip as a job and use the spare time to discuss and plan their holidays after the climb……….what a contrast.

I use the day to debate how to take tomorrow, going up to Lobuche summit.

I’m planning to go as light as possible, but I’m in 2 minds on whether I should go as fast as possible, which is good for the mind as you convince yourself that “you’re all OK” or to take it easy, go through the day without stressing the body and give it some more time to recover, especially when considering that sleeping at 6000m will also add stress on the body.

I’m also thinking about a comment I’ve heard from one of the guide about the fact that the last 600m steep slope of Lobuche is actually a third of what’s waiting for us on the Lhotsee face, so I’m thinking about using this opportunity to take it slowly and develop a pace I can keep for a long time.

Laying in bed tonight, I’m actually quite excited to go back up, and it takes me a long time to go to sleep, hoping that I am “fixed” and that things will go well.

I’m also thinking about the hardship to get up there, the constant gasping for breath and the probable head ache at the top, part of the acclimatizing process. As Adrian said before, everybody hurts, and we all have to pay our “duty” to the God of altitude.

It will be worse still when we sleep at Camp 3 on the Lotsee face, at 7300m.

For now we’re only at 6000m!!

18-04-2012 – Lobuche Base Camp – Rest Day

Altitude: 4850m

Atmospheric Pressure: 590mbar

Trek: 0km

I decided to watch a movie last night, always a weird feeling when it stops and you look around and realize you’re in a tent at 4850m and it’s cold, what a contrast from being on a sofa!

Good news is that my rest heart rate is down this morning, so my body is recovering slowly, lets hope this carries on.

It’s a nice day and I decide to walk up the hill, slowly. I can breath fully OK now and without triggering coughing which is good sign too.

17-04-2012 – Lobuche Base Camp – Rest Day

Altitude: 4850m

Atmospheric Pressure: 590mbar

Trek: 0km

I slept OK, considering. I spend the day thinking about the events from yesterday. On one side, I’m happy not to have given up and pushed to the summit, it was very hard, but a good mental strength check.

On the other side though, I’m wondering how quickly my body can heel at this altitude. The hours sleep have help me recovered mentally, but I’ll need my full lung capacity if I want to make it to the top.

I’ve got the rest of the day to make the decision of going up with the group tomorrow.

It would be nice to stay with the army guys, for the atmosphere, the banter and the pace, but can I really justify rushing into going back up rather than using the next 2 days recovering at this relatively low altitude.

Eventually, it’s Monica, again, who acts as the voice of reason, why rush? Stay down here for the next 2 days and go up with the next group.

I can’t really argue and deep down, I know this is the best decision, should I really compromise my chances of summit because I don’t want to swap group, or loose 2 days? Decision made then, feet up for the next 2 days!!

16-04-2012 – Lobuche summit

Altitude: 5260m to 6000m

Atmospheric Pressure: 590mbar to 510mbar

Trek: 6kms / 6Hrs

Slept Ok, probably 3 to 4 hours, spending the rest of the time listening to music.

I have fever, so sometimes need the sleeping bag fully open, sometime fully shut.

4 O’clock, Sergey goes out to answer a call of nature, and I use this early morning call to start getting dressed. I forgot how much mental strength is needed to get dressed in -10DegC tent with clothes at the same temperature, when you need to swap every item of clothing. When we start getting higher up the mountain, we usually go to bed fully dressed which make it easier.

Sergey who can witness all my coughing ask me whether I’m going for the summit, what a silly question J, even if deep down, I’m also asking the same thing. Would I do more damage to my lungs and throat by going up today? I reassure myself by pretending that I can always stop half way up and wait for the others to come back down.

We set off in the dark, with head torches just about being required.

It’s great to be back on the hill, walking in the snow, and soon, we also get to our first “fixed” rope, which provides us with safety if we were to fall in a crevasse, or just slip.

Also, when the slope become very steep, we can use the rope as additional help to get us up by pulling on it, although this is non preferred.

The first couple of hours go well, and I’m really enjoying the view and the feeling to be in the mountain at last. This is so different trekking, and it feels good to be up here, much less busy, and with a long and harder day ahead of us.

As the day progresses, I get more and more in pain with my throat and my lungs. I get the feeling that I only have 50% of my lung capacity available. Whenever I try to use more, it triggers a coughing fit which sets my throat and lungs on fire. This is becoming agony!

I start looking at the altitude on my watch: 5500m, not even half way. To increase the difficulty, the way to the summit is a continual slope, of more than 50Deg, covered with fresh snow, resulting in one step up, slide one step down!

This is very quickly becoming a mental fight. I know I can stop and turn around, but this would be the first time I give up on something like that, and I’m not quite ready yet.

I convince myself to go up for another 50m, trying not to breathe too deeply.

Eventually, Bruce, one of the guides catches up with me and sees how much in trouble I am. He’s telling me to slow down, 2 steps up, stop, take 4 breaths and so on.

What surprises me, is that he makes me realize that nobody is behind me. I’m feeling so slow and I’m in pain, but it would seem after all that it is the same for the others.

With my throat feeling like a 1000 knives, I eventually make it to the summit, completely worn out and in much discomfort. I’ve tried to drink some of my water, but even keeping it in my down jacket, it starts to freeze up and doesn’t really relieves the pain in my throat.

I spend 1 hour at 6000m, looking around and taking in the views, but also shivering from the occasional snow drifts.

I think my head is fine with the altitude, it’s only the issue of the throat and lungs which cause me trouble.

It takes me 1 hour to get back to high camp to gather the kit I had left over from last night, including sleeping mat, food, etc… and I push on to Lobuche base camp.

It’s 11:30, but I can’t wait to make it back down, and go straight to bed.

As I walk down, I start to think about the issue with my lungs. Did I do the right thing to go to the summit today? Have I done any damage to my lungs and throat? Are my lungs full of mucus and fluid, which is why I can’t breath fully in? I must admit that the thought crosses my mind that I might have to call it a day and go back home……. without having  chance to have a go at getting to the summit of Everest, and brought down by a silly cold (at 5300m!!). Even as the path flattens, I have to stop at the smallest climb to catch my breath and in some cases sit down. Things are looking very bleak.

As I get to base camp, the next group is there, waiting for some news on how hard the day has been. They’re going up to high camp this afternoon and up to the summit tomorrow.

I don’t feel most sociable, and retire in the dinning tents, to drink hot water with honey and eat some Pringles and Bounty…. Energy.

I manage to wait for lunch, but afterwards, it’s straight to bed until dinner, when Monica gives me some pills for my throat and also some paracetamol for my temperature.

I must admit, I still cough a lot (which triggers hot flushes), but I feel mentally better. After all, I can always switch group, buying me a further 2 days of recovery, and luckily, we have another 8 days before the Puja. Hopefully, my body will have recovered by then……… I hope.

It’s a rest day tomorrow, so we’ll see how I feel tomorrow night and decide whether to go up in 1 day (1400m ascent) and spend 2 nights at the summit, fingers crossed.

It’s been a very, very tough day mentally, with lots going through my mind and even the thought of having to give up on Everest. Hopefully it won’t be the case, and my body will work it’s magic and recover once again.

15-04-2012 – Lobuche base camp – High camp Lobuche

Altitude: 4850m to 5260m

Atmospheric Pressure: 558mbar to 590mbar

Trek: 2.3kms / 1:30Hrs

I didn’t sleep very well, with the blocked up nose still causing me trouble to sleep.

The plan for today is to leave for Lobuche “high camp” after lunch.

This gives us the morning to get ready for what will be our first night on the mountain, packing warm clothe, food and mountaineering gear (harness, jumar, big 8000m boots, etc…).

After a nice lunch then, we set of for high camp, which we can just about see form the base camp.

We’re all dressed up for the mountain, with our big boots on which we’ll fit crampons higher up, and our harness.

We make it to high camp in the snow in 1Hr30, which is a sensible time.

This will also be the first time we share a tent. I’m lucky to share with Sergey the crazy Russian, who enjoys skiing down any kind of scary slope. He skied down from the summit of Manaslu last year, and was pushing hard to ski down from the suit of Everest, but so far, Russell is holding strong against it.

I’m looking forward to share with Sergey, he speaks great French, since he spends lots of time in Chamonix, and also has a very friendly character.

As soon as we arrive in camp, we all retreat to our tents to get settle.

For this year, Russell has negotiated a sponsorship deal with Toread for clothing and tents, but everybody seem to agree that the tents are not anywhere as good and roomy as last year.

We squeeze in all our gear, still wet from the snow, and set off to get some to water boiling. This is a very “dirty” camp, and Monica has advised to boil the water for at least 3 minutes.

When we finished eating, the activity outside seem to pint out that the snow has stopped.

Indeed, as we look out of the tent, the snow has stopped, leaving a 5Cm thick layer, and also, the clouds have sunk into the valley below, leaving us with the spectacle of the sun setting on Everest and Lhotsee. Fantastic!!

I cough a lot as the cold has gone down to my chest, and Sergey is already readying himself for a noisy night.

5am leave tomorrow!

14-04-2012 – Everest Base Camp – Lobuche Base Camp

Altitude: 5300m to 4850m

Atmospheric Pressure: 558mbar to 590mbar

Trek: 10km / 2Hrs

A bad night, I felt it coming at the end of yesterday, when the glands in my throat started to swell up.

I don’t think I had temperature, but my nose was always bunged up.

When I discuss this in the morning with Monica, she tells me that 4 guides have been down with sinusitis (?) and were on antibiotics. Another disease caught then!!

The danger with this one is that I don’t want it to go down to my lungs. High altitude already causes coughing, but if on top of that I have mucus down my lungs, it’s not going to help.

Anyway, time will tell how this goes. In the mean time, today we’re starting our 1^st rotation, this is when we move above base camp to trigger our bodies to acclimatise at higher altitude, then come back down to recover and let nature do it’s stuff and create more red blood cells.

The problem we have, using the South route on Everest, is that we would have to cross the dangerous Khumbu Icefall, which takes much longer when not acclimatise and therefore increases risks of accidents..

So, with Himex, we acclimatise on another mountain, up to 6100m, using Lobuche peak.

So today, we get down (unfortunately) to Lobuche base camp at 4850m.

It’s only a little way down the valley, so the whole group decided to set off after lunch, making most of the base camp comfort.

Unfortunately, the weather worsens after lunch, and we end up making the trip in the cold wind, with light snow blowing in our faces.

I’m not feeling too sporty, but push regardless. It’s hard going, and everybody comments on how far it feels. I make it down in less than 2 hours, which is very good going, but as soon as I arrive at Lobuche base camp, I elect to go straight to bed (after negotiating another 3 day course of antibiotics with Monica) lets hope those will do the trick again.

13-04-2012 – Everest Base Camp – Rest Day

Altitude: 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 558mbar

Trek: 0km

It’s cold this morning, -12DegC, and luckily, the sun eventually manage to shine pass the top pf the peaks surrounding us to warm the tents. It’s good for warmth, but also has the downside of transforming the ice on the inside of the tent into droplets of water, and I stay hidden in my sleeping bag until we have to get out for breakfast at 8am.

Today is a rest day, when we find out who will be heading off for Lobuche tomorrow for the next rotation.

Luckily, I make the cut, and I will be joining the 6 soldiers from Walking with the Wounded, with their 2 cameramen (for the documentary) and the press representative.

In the group, there is also Mark, and ex Marine and Sergey, a Russian who skied down Manaslu at the end of last year.

I spend the morning doing some “admin”, washing clothes and shaving. I’m hoping the sun will help drying the washing, but the cold wind seems to freeze my wet socks rather than dry them.

Also, all trekkers are going down this morning, so we’re down to just the group of people doing Everest, until the group of people going up Lotse arrive that is.

It means the atmosphere is a little more “specific, with all the day briefs just for us and we’re also more aware that we’re here for much longer, to do something “special”!

After lunch, we get together in the white pod to review our gear for tomorrow, harness, jumar, crampons and boots.

The rest of the afternoon is spend trying to update the blog, again, but this time with success, even if I decide to shy away from uploading pictures, as they seem to use up quite a bit of data transfer, and at 4 Euro per Megabite of data, I need to be careful and more selective.

As the afternoon passes, I also feel a cold coming. 4 of the guides have been suffering quite a bit in the last couple of days and I guess it’s my turn!! Just in time for the next loop of acclimatization!

The timing for the next few days is:

-         14^th: Trek down to Lobuche base camp (4850m), depart after lunch and this should take us a couple of hours only.

-         15^th: up to Camp 1 on Lobuche (5300m) for the night, and only 2 hours to reach it.

-         16^th: Summit of Lobuche, then back to Lobuche base camp

-         17^th: Rest day

-         18^th: direct to summit from base camp, sleep on summit

-         19^th: “rest day on summit of Lobuche. Nothing to do but drink to avoid headaches!!

-         20^th: Back down to Lobuche base camp then to Everest Base camp to recover

-         21^st: rest day

-         22^nd: ladder training and rest day

-         23^rd: Rest day

-         24^th: Puja ceremony, meaning we’re OK to go up on the mountain afterwards!! Next, up through the ice fall!!

12-04-2012 – Everest Base Camp – Kala Patar

Altitude: 5300m to 5600m

Atmospheric Pressure: 558mbar

Trek: 9km / 3Hrs 30mins

We were told that today would be used to decide the teams for our next rotation on Lobuche. There isn’t enough room on the mountain to set up 18 tents, so we will be going in 2 groups, 2 days apart. I’m hoping that if I show good pace, I will be able to join the group of soldiers, with whom I get on better (they’re English, and I know them from Manaslu).

So as we set off, I ‘m right on the heels of Adrian, and soon we get to the base of Kala Patar, at 5200m, faced with the 400m ascent.

The path is very straight forward, no snow, and only some big rocks as we got close to the top.

During the ascent, my heart rate never falls below 145bpm, and I make it to the summit with Adrian, and 15 minutes ahead of the next climber (Hector). The breathing was hard, but nothing compare to what is to be expected when we get higher up.

The view from the top of Kala Patar is fantastic, this is the most we’ve seen of Everest during this trip.

We can see all of the South col just below 8000m and Adrian points out the Hilary Step, just below the summit. This mountain does really look mean!!

We stay at the top for 30 mins, to get some acclimatization, then head down at a similar pace, but cutting across the moraine and hills. It’s good fun, and Adrian is still pushing quite hard.

During the way back, we hear a loud noise, and soon spot the avalanche taking place just above the ice fall, lower than where we will start, but still, a reminder that those things happen!!

We finally make it back to Base Camp in 3hrs 30mins, just in time for lunch.

I must say that after pushing that hard, I expect (deserve?) a headache, but this was never to come!! Sometimes you just get lucky J. It’s a good sign with regards to being acclimatised at 5300m.

Also, as we were coming down, the first in the group, we heard a call on the radio from Russell to Monica (the expedition doctor), asking her to come back to base camp as soon as possible.

As we return, we find out that one of the trekker, who had been feeling bad for the last couple of days has taken a turn for the worst. His rest heart rate is now 130bpm, 40DegC of fever, coupled with nausea and diarrhea!! He’s even too weak to walk and has to get carried to the medical tent by Purba Tashi, giving him a piggy back!!

He seems a little delirious, which could be the fever, but Monica also suspect he has early stages of HACE (High Altitude Cerebral Eodema), causing swelling of the brain.

He’s put on a saline drip, and on 2L/min of oxygen, which seems to help.

Unfortunately, by the time Monica and Russ manage to get hold of his insurance, to clear the rescue by helicopter, it’s too late in the day and he will have to spend the night here, at 5300m!!

Monica and Russ will take turn by his side during the night, to keep an eye on his condition and give him some more medicine.

11-04-2012 – Everest Base Camp – Rest day

Altitude: 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 558mbar

Trek: 0km

Another easy day today.

Monica is doing medical checks on all the Everest members, to use the recorded figures as a baseline for when we go higher up in the mountain.

I have 86% oxygen saturation, 70bpm heart rate ad 110/70 blood pressure, which is very healthy.

Before lunch, we also use the time to walk to the bottom of the icefall. It takes us 45mins, and this also makes us aware of the rest of the base camp population. This place is huge, and according to Adrian, this is only half the people expected this year. He thinks there will be around 400 climbers attempting the summit, plus Sherpas and guides!!

When we finally make it to the bottom of the icefall, the sun is out and there is no wind, which makes me realize how quickly the temperature can change at this altitude, under the affect of wind and clouds, but for now, I’m steaming and decide to head back to the comfort of our base camp.

After lunch, I try to connect again onto the internet, but still no luck, so the blog update will have to wait another day.

I also use the free time to have a shower. It’s great to feel all clean, and knowing that we have another couple of days of rest, I shouldn’t get too sweaty.

The mission for tomorrow is to shave and do some washing, hoping the sun will be out to dry the clothes. Typical temperatures in the day with no sun out can be around -5DegC.

Since the beginning of the trip, this is the first time I have access to the internet, so I get to updating the blog, sorry for taking so long.

10-04-2012 – Everest Base Camp – Rest day

Altitude: 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 558mbar

Trek: 0km

I wake up and remember that I am at Everest Base Camp!! So, so pleased to be here.

After trekking all the way in, with days which felt too easy, I know being at 5300m is not “benign”, and 5 people have decided to miss breakfast, feeling down with nausea, splitting headache or throat troubles.

For all the trekkers, this is their “summit” and they’ve achieved their goal, in the next few days, they’ll be back in Kathmandu. For us, we’ve got another 50 days……

After breakfast, I retire to my tent, the wind is freezing, but when sheltered, the sun is transforming the tent in a sauna, and I find myself without top with the thermometer reading 30DegC, enjoying the morning.

However, by lunchtime, the clouds move in, and the temperature plummets to -4DegC.

A group of 7 is going down to Lobuche tomorrow morning to reach the summit, and we’ll follow in a few days.

9-04-2012 – Lobuche Base Camp– Everest Base Camp

Altitude: 4850m to 5300m

Atmospheric Pressure: 587mbar to 558mbar

Trek: 3Hrs / 10kms

Slept really well and this morning my rest heart rate is the same as at sea level, surely a good sign that I am acclimatizing well.

Exciting day ahead, we’re on our way to Everest Base camp, which should take 4 hours for the fastest people. I opt for breakfast outside again, looking at the mountains around us under a bright sunshine.

I must admit that I have made a mistake yesterday, during our rest day.

Everyday so far, when we were trekking, I’ve always been very careful to apply sun screen and cover my face. However, yesterday, I didn’t do either, and it would appear that when I was sitting outside, having a nice chat with the guides, I got quite badly sun burnt….. DOHHHHH!! I must try to be more careful from now on.

I set off at the front, just behind Adrian. There’s one rule we’ve all painfully learnt whilst on Manaslu, it’s to never try to follow Adrian. He’s a machine and you just burn out when trying to follow him.

I carefully follow his pace, which still makes me breath heavily, a good stimulus for my body, I say to myself. After all, we have 4 to 5 days of rest once at Base camp to recover.

The path starts quite flat, but ondulates a lot towards base camp, and the going is quite tough. I can feel the headache coming, so decide to slow down a little bit.

The views are fantastic, we’re surrounded by the tall mountains around us. We catch a better view of the summit of Lobuche, with our “camp site” at the top, where we’ll be spending a couple of nights next week.

The path follows the glacier which comes down from the Khumbu Ice fall and Western Cwm. We follow the path on the side and eventually can see Everest base camp in the distance.

As we get closer, we can make out the Himex camp, recognizable with its “White Pod”. This looks the biggest camp by far.

Eventually, the path drops down onto the glacier, and after walking around a small lake in the ice, we finally reach base camp where we meet up with Russell who welcomes us to Base Camp.

This place is amazing, and so rough. The sherpas have been here 19 days to set it all up amongst the very unfriendly shape of the glacier. This can not be an easy job!!

Also, from the base camp we can easily see the Khumbu Ice Fall. I must admit, this is much, much worse than anything I ever imagined. It is HUGE!! Who ever thought it was a good idea to cross this monster must have been smoking something they shouldn’t have had!!

As dinner approaches, I feel the headache settling in, I did push quite hard today and this is the (expected) result.

By the time I make it to bed, it’s quite bad and I decide to take a couple of Neurofen’s.

To help me take my mind of it, I decide to watch a movie on my laptop, which works a treat.

8-04-2012 – Lobuche Base Camp– Rest Day

Altitude: 4850m

Atmospheric Pressure: 587mbar

Well, 1^st night in a tent indeed. As I got into my tent after dinner, the thermometer was reading -8DegC and I was feeling it. Luckily, I’d filled up my water bottle with hot water and I soon felt very cozy in my sleeping bag, although any exposed skin was feeling a little chilly.

As we’d walked out of the dining tent, we’d been greeted by the full moon lighting the whole camp site, and I didn’t need my head torch to get to my tent. The downside of this however is that is was light for most of the night.

I slept fairly well, enjoying my own space and woke up a few time for a “pitstop” and soon my 1.5L pee bottle was brimmed.

In the morning, it sounded like I wasn’t the only one to have this side effect of altitude and most of the people in the camp whished they’d have a bigger pee bottle!!

A couple of us didn’t even have one and had resorted to using empty boxes of Pringles (apparently they are water tight)!! No joke!!

As I lay awake at 2am, I listen to the noises of the campsite and I can confirm another side effect of high altitude: HAFE (High Altitude Flatulence Expulsion). It’s a miracle nobody dies of suffocation!!

For the first time this trip, we’re all woken up at 7am with hot towel to wash our faces and a cup of hot sweet tea before we get to breakfast at 8am.

The sun is racing across the plain and soon melts the ice outside and inside the tents.

Not everybody had a good night sleep, and there are a few sore faces at breakfast. Headaches, twitchy stomachs and even throat infection are a sign that this altitude is already catching out the human body. I must admit, I feel fine, and my rest heart rate (52bpm) is only slightly up from sea level (42bpm), and definitely down compare to when I was sick (65bpm). My appetite is good and I stop myself from eating too much, as I don’t think we’re burning that many calories yet, between short days walk and rest days. I don’t seem to suffer from headache so far, which is good news and I make sure I keep hydrated (at least to 3 liters per days).

I decide to have breakfast outside and pull a chair in front of the dining tent and it’s not long before others realize it’s a shame to be sitting inside when you can eat at the terrace!

In fact, as we stare at the summit of Lobuche (6100m), we spot a team of climbers making their way up the snow field, on their way to the summit. This will be us in a week’s time and we all make comments on how hard and slow it looks, this should be fun!!

After breakfast, I make most of the sun to go for a short walk up the hill to get a better view down the valley. We’re surrounded by 6000m+ peaks and the views on this sunny morning are fantastic. I also have a nice view down to the camp, laid up with military precision.

The camp reflects Russell’s eye for details, with stainless sinks, tents lined up, dining tents filled up with hot drinks (multitude of tea flavor, coffee, hot chocolate) and snacks (Pringles, M&Ms, biscuits,, etc…) .

It’s all there to make the climbers feel like home, without thinking about being at home.

On the mountain, there is so much down time, from rest days to waiting for weather window, that mentally, it is very helpful to have such comfort around us, especially when thinking we’ve got up to 9 weeks ahead of us in this environment.

One could imagine that the temptation of going home, back to the luxury, the warmth and families could be quite high and not very productive up here, so everything is organize as to make us feel “happy” here and I have to say, everybody seem to agree that Russell’s the best at delivering this.

7-04-2012 – Pheriche - Lobuche

Altitude: 4240m to 4850m

Atmospheric Pressure: 630mbar to 587mbar

Trek: 6.2km / 2Hrs

Last night in a bed then, slept all the way through without problem. Waking up only due to dry nose and mouth due to the altitude and also to use the pee bottle.

After breakfast, we set off to a crisp morning. The ground is frozen and the fresh breeze forces everybody to wear gloves and wind proof until the sun gets out of behind the clouds.

To keep warm, I decide to follow Brian at the front, leading the group to Lobuche base Camp.

The pace is good and eventually we stop to take layers off as the sun is warming us up.

The whole day should be between 3 and 5 hours, but we get to base camp in 2 hours.

A small group of us stuck to Brian who wanted to “stretch” his legs and kept the pace high, even through the last 200m climb.

Today is quite a big jump in altitude (600m), and we end up sleeping at the same height as Mont-Blanc and Monica is expecting a few headaches for the people pushing too hard.

I feel good again, and the stomach bug is definitely behind me, great news.

Just before we get to camp, we walk through the memorial of some of the people who’s bodies are still up on Everest, Rob hall, Scott Fisher to name just the most famous ones.

As we reach the top of the wall, we can see the massive, 54 tents, camp site which will be our base camp for Lobuche. Even the other people on the trail stop to have a look at the site, with all its green tents lined up and the 4 big mess tents, it looks very professional.

As we move into the camp, it all feels so familiar as it is the same layout as for Manaslu and we’re all calling home already. With a tent each and 2 dinning tents, full of hot drinks and snacks…. it’s heaven!! It feels great to be back in this environment, so much better than the lodges.

We all pick our individual tent for the next couple of nights and get settled in.

This year, Russell has made a deal with a new sponsor (Toread, the Chinese outdoor company), and all the tents are new, with that nice fresh smell, luxury!

It might have been our last night in a bed for a while, but it’s nice to have a tent each.

I guess the down side will be how cold it gets at night, but we’ll see that later on today.

Once settled, we all meet up in the dining tents for snacks and hot drinks until our bags arrive and everybody seem to be excited to be here, the atmosphere is of laughter and banter (not always good to be French in those cases ).