Resting and Waiting

Starting on Sunday the 7th, our team is in rest and recuperate mode.  We've been through this routine before but that doesn't make it easier.  The first day or two isn't bad because we're actually pretty beat up internally (malnourished, dehydrated and plain old tired).  After that, we just want to get back up on the mountain and finish this thing.

Having a shower Saturday was the first order of business after getting a bite to eat.  It's a real luxury that we appreciate considering the water is from a nearby melting glacier, pumped with solar power and the heating is accomplished via propane tanks that were carried all the way up here from Lukla along the same route we trekked.

Sunday was pretty low key.  The morning was nice and sunny which was perfect for doing laundry.  I had accumulated a nice pile from the last rest day week plus the camp 3 rotation.  This means it took an extra cup of coffee to get me motivated to get it done.  It's a manual process as you've seen previously and took a solid half hour of labor to finish.  All of the clothes just fit on my tent by using the tent clothes line as before and draping some items on the roof.  Then it snowed.

Well, maybe the new snow soak and freeze cycle will help improve freshness.

Later in the day, IMG guide Dallas Glass held an impromptu anchor building class in the dining tent.  Since my interest in ice climbing has increased over the past couple of years, I decided to join in.  Besides, it was either that or head back to the tent and sleeping bag which I wasn't ready to do.

Monday the 8th was my mom's birthday so first order of business after breakfast was to send a happy birthday email.  Feeling fairly well-rested and mostly stir crazy already, Pat and I went for a hike down to Gorak Shep.  This is the closest "town" to base camp and about an hour walk away.  It's basically a chance for a change of scenery, get a snack and drink at a tea house and make a phone call back home.  The day started off very cloudy and by the time we reached town, it was snowing heavily.

We stayed at the tea house for almost an hour before heading back to base camp.  Staying any longer would most certainly cost us our lunch and we knew the heavy snow would make the normally mindless trail somewhat treacherous.  Along the route, we came upon a Sherpa porter taking a rest break at a memorial site for a fallen climber.

Reaching base camp after an hour and a half of careful "don't sprain an ankle" walking, we were struck by how beautiful all the prayer flags looked against a backdrop of fresh snow.

The scene back at my tent was also quite nice.  Fresh snow combined with the gray afternoon light gave contrast to the landscape.  Behind my tent you can see the west shoulder of Mt Everest and the Khumbu Icefall.  It's a view I'll never get tired of and will most surely miss when I'm gone.  Thankfully the ground and air temperature wasn't too cold so we only had an inch or so of accumulation in most places.  Just enough to pretty our world up a bit.

Tuesday was a lazy day.  More clouds, some snow and only a touch of sunshine in the afternoon made everyone want to rest in their tents including me.  Reading, listening to music and napping were the order of business.

Today is Wednesday the 10th.  We've been here in base camp since returning from camp 2 on Saturday morning at 9:00 or so.  It's safe to say that all of us want to get back to climbing.  The next push is to the summit and will take 6 days start to finish.  Unfortunately the winds and weather have not been cooperating.  The field lines are in place up to the balcony but it's still a long way from there to the summit.  Our Sherpa fixing team had to come all the way back to base camp yesterday so we're now trapped in a waiting game.  We may leave in a day or two or it may be four.  At this point, we really don't know.  Whatever the schedule is, you can be sure that safety for all of us is paramount in the decision making process.

This morning we said goodbye to one of our teammates.  Kriss and I climbed Vinson Massif in Antarctica with Mathieu a couple of years ago.  Unfortunately summiting Everest is not in the cards for him this year.  It's a continuous challenge to keep your body strong and healthy for so long.  Ironically, the summit push is where you need the most strength of the entire expedition and it occurs when you are the weakest and most strung out.  Ah, the paradox of climbing big mountains.

 

More news on our schedule to come....

Namaste