Location: Base Camp
Altitude: 5350m
Local Time: April 15, 2007. 17:30
Weather: Fine for most of the day, -9C overnight.
Hi Everyone,
It is Paul here, my first update to you from Base Camp.
It was a clear night last night, so the temperature dropped down to -9C inside my tent. (In case anyone is wondering how we get the temperatures, I have a thermometer in my watch.)
Checking out Base camp
This morning we went for a walk around base camp and up to the crampon point in the icefall. The crampon point is the name given to the place where we put on our crampons when we climb up the icefall.
I am not sure if I am imagining things, but base camp looks slightly bigger this year than last year. Along the way we saw two teams having their Puja ceremony, with the scent of juniper and sounds of chanting drifting our way. I’ll write more about the Puja ceremony when we have ours, which is scheduled for April 19. Members are not allowed to go up the icefall until after the Puja ceremony. Although this is a lot later than last year, I am not in any hurry to go up, as there is plenty of time, and I don’t want to be amongst the first summit attempts.
Tim and Dame marveled at the the way the sun, water & pressure sculpts the ice, making icicles, huge blocks over 5 meters high and a myriad of small pinnacles. All this beauty can be seen close up from base camp, without needing to go up the icefall.
Tim & Dame off tomorrow
Tonight is Tim and Dame’s last night before they head off to Lukla. The plan for them is to do this in 3 days. It’s been fantastic having them come along for the trek into base camp, and although they were a bit worried about their fitness levels leading up to the trek, they both handled the altitude and walking really well.
Your Messages
Hi Alan, I think we’ll be heading up to C1 sometime around April 20. I will try to spend just one night at C1 and then move onto C2 the next morning if I feel well. C1 feels very unsafe to me, with high risk of avalanches.
Hi MC, Yes it’s been great seeing them experience Nepal and the Khumbu. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Hi Brad, I have a really great tent this year. It’s much bigger than last and the ventilation works really well, so there is no buildup of ice crystals from your breath in the morning. So I think I have the spa suite!
Hi Dad & Mary, Tim’s throat is about the same – it will get better as he goes down.
Hi Mira, Thanks for the message and for passing on TA’s message as well. Its ironic that we can’t actually communicate directly yet we can both communicate with everyone on the web.
Dear Susan, It’s Steph. Thanks for your note – great that you are following our adventure. Just recovering from a bit of a stomach bug, but feeling much better now.
Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. All my best to you, Hans and the kids, Love Steph.
Hi Trudy, Going down is the best thing for TA. I did it last year, but didn’t stay down long enough. Up here you feel some pressure to be moving up, but this shouldn’t be the case. There is heaps of time.
Hi Marg, Our Hungarian contingent are the masters of making a comfortable camping area, so hopefully your tent will be near there’s and you can enjoy their patio and chairs that they have built.
Hi Liz, You’ll have no problem with the walking, and the program that Fiona has devised is very gradual, so you have the best chance possible of not having any altitude issues. Tim and Dame will be able to provide you with an updated report on the state of the Rhododendron blooms. I reckon you guys will time it about right.
All the best,
Paul
Wow, I am the first person to put a message on! I have never actually been on the computer at the time your update comes through. I have just got off the phone to Beck and she is beginning her packing tonight (it is 10.17pm now mind you!) as she leaves tomorrow night. She is excited and a little new nervous too!
Paul you said that Base Camp seems larger to you this year, I have a question: is your location at BC this year different from last year i.e. is the AT site located in a different spot than IMG’s? How far are both of them from the icefall?
Is this the last we will see/hear of Dame & Tim before they leave?
Congratulations to all at EBC, wishing you health and reading your postings with interest. I just read TA’s posting on the website and she mentioned a HRA clinic at EBC. Could you descibe the clinic, who is it sponsored and staffed by and who can access it? She stated her “Sats” were in the 80s, I assume those are oxygen saturation numbers–what is considered the normal range at EBC? I am a Nurse so these health details interest me particularly.
Best wishes to all, the setting sounds spectacular!
Alice (Steve’s sister)
Just wanted to say goodbye to Damien and Tim! it’s been really interesting reading your posts and having your take on the whole Everest adventure. I’m sure it will be really tough saying goodbye to Paul tomorrow.
Paul- what will you do for the next few days at Base Camp until the Puja Ceremony? Is it strictly rest time or can you do some other climbing (other than in the Icefall?)? Are there supplies and equipment that need to be organized or does Asian Trekking look after all of that for you? Also, my students wanted me to ask you if you have started reading the Everest books we sent you?! (Don’t feel bad if you haven’t – I’m just typing their question!) Hope you are able to sleep with all the snap, crackle and pop of the glacier every night!
Cheers,
Liane
their narratives and images. Congratulations to you both for making the trek to BC in such apparent ease, for two individuals who have not been training at the level Paul has been. And the display of love and support for your brother Paul. Hope that the trek to Lukla is fantastic…safe journeys.
Yesterday I went to my one hour/week gardening job at the building where GU is created and had fun with the realization that some of that GU was with Paul et al in Everest Base Camp at that very moment. The GU section of the building is very nondescript except for a decal on the window and doors, except that in the past two months they have installed vertical storage shelving for additional stocks of ingredients and added a much larger air compressor situated outside adjacent to the parking area, with an outside basketball hoop and recycling bins.
wp
Hi Paul, Tim and Damien,
I hope you three have had an amazing time over the past couple of weeks. I know the group here are getting excited about leaving (and nervous too!) and it won’t be long Paul until they are with you. In the meantime here’s hoping health stays on your side. Our thoughts are with you, Jacqui and Mark
Hi Tim, Damian & Paul,
I’d just like to wish Tim and Damian a big congratulations on their achievements and to thank them for their updates over that time. I know you’ve been great support and company for Paul. The time is fast approaching for the next group to leave here and they are looking forward to meeting up with Paul too. Good luck for your descent to Lukla.
Neil H
Have a great trek down from BC. It is so wonderful that you went with your brother Tim on this leg of his journey to the top of the world. Glad too that you had morning tea delivery. Have enjoyed all the postings and pictures so much. All the best,
Anne P / Florida
Schöne Grüße an Rudi von Heidi und Roland. Und immer
schön vorsichtig an die Sache ran gehen.
Also many thanks to Paul, for creating this website.
Godd Luck.