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Showers and radios at base camp

April 18, 2007 By paul.adler 12 Comments

Configuring the radios I will use to communicate with base camp while I am climbing Everest. Picture Paul Adler.
Configuring the radios I will use to communicate with base camp while I am climbing Everest. Picture Paul Adler.

Local time: 18 April, 17:30
Location: Base Camp
Altitude: 5300m
Weather: Snowing for most of the day. -6C overnight.

Hi Everyone, It’s Paul at lightly snow covered Everest base camp. Today was a rest day for me, so I decided to have my first shower at base camp, plus I wanted to setup the radios.

Taking a Shower
After breakfast it was reasonably warm (I would guess 15C in the sun), so I decided to have my first shower since Lobuche. We have a shower tent setup, which is basically a small tent about 2 meters square, and just tall enough for me to stand inside. The cook staff delivered me a bucket of hot water and a small cup, which you use to scoop the water over you. It sounds pretty primitive, but it works well. I was able to wash my hair, have a shave and get rid of a weeks worth of dirt. I can tell you it feels great to be clean now.

Configuring the Radios
After lunch I configured my radios. I am using two different sets this year – a VHF set which is used by almost all other expeditions and a GMRS set, which is only used by Asian Trekking. Last year we used VHF radios and whilst they are powerful, we couldn’t easily communicate with base camp from the South Col or when below the South Summit. Sometimes our radios worked from the South Col, but sometimes we had to walk to the edge of the Lhotse face to get a signal. When I ran out of oxygen just below the South Summit, I initially could not talk directly to base camp, which was a big concern for me, on top of my other worries :). When I spoke with other climbers from AT from last year, they reported no difficulties, so I decided to buy my own GMRS set, with the highest reported range. The reported range is done in ideal line of sight conditions, which we don’t have on Everest, so as a backup I am also taking one of the more tried and true VHF systems. This is also important as it enables communication with the other teams on the mountain and especially the HRA medical service. Today I programmed all the different frequencies into the VHF handset, so that I can easily dial up any team. I am interested to know which works better, VHF or GMRS and having both will allow me to test firsthand and let you know.

Tomorrow is the puja and I look forward to bringing you some of the sights and sounds of this.

My health is holding up really well. I am so impressed with my psolar mask. There is no doubt that it helps my sore throat more than any medication. Yesterday I had bit of a sore throat after going up Pumori, but wearing my mask in the afternoon and evening improved it out of sight. I have been sleeping in the mask at night too. I have also have a psolar balaclava, but it’s a bit uncomfortable on your ears to sleep in, but the mask is perfect.

Your Messages
Hi Chris, Glad to hear the market is still going up.

Hi Cathy, I would imagine that the Mallory and Irvine film would have been about the North side, and I am on the South, but same mountain 🙂

Hi MC, Yes it was an amazing cake that Birbal made. Tasted like a tea cake and really moist. I didn’t write about it because I guessed that Damien and Tim would.

Regards,
Paul.

Our Final Day of Trekking
Luxurious Namche

Filed Under: Everest 2007

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. MC says

    April 18, 2007 at 8:22 am

    Hi Paul

    I have often thought that three things would be extremely difficult for me if I had ever decided to take on Everest. The thin air, the Icefall and no showers for weeks at a time! A shower at EBC must feel like a million bucks.

    It will be interesting to see which radio set works better, VHF or GMRS. You are wise to use both. I like the photo of you configuring the radios. It reminded me of MacGyver with a great smile!

    So glad your health is holding up. The psolar mask seems to have been a great investment.

    MC

    Reply
  2. veronicamc says

    April 18, 2007 at 8:45 am

    hi Paul, great to hear you have settled in and are well. I have a couple of questions for you. How many people (or crews) are at base camp for the season and is this a small amount or the usual number? I was also wondering what the average amount of people on the mountain during the season is?, and how many of these will actually make it to the top?
    regards cathy

    Reply
  3. Bill and Michele says

    April 18, 2007 at 11:35 am

    I have been following your path on google earth and can see small blue rectangles when I zoom really close in at basecamp. Are these large tents that are visible? Pat Hickey is our friend who is also at basecamp now. He said you might know and to ask. We again thank you for all the help and information you have given. We are hoping you all have a successful climb to the top. Michele

    Reply
  4. RoseMc says

    April 18, 2007 at 3:57 pm

    Hi Paul
    It sounds like you have settled in well at Base Camp, it must almost feel like coming home!!

    I hope you don’t miss Tim and Damien too much, it must have been nice having them on the journey into base camp. When is Fiona’s party due?

    I’ll be watching progress from afar.

    Rose

    Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    April 18, 2007 at 4:50 pm

    Paul,
    I’ve been dropping in on your site too while keeping up on news from Pat.
    Just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate all that you have done for Pat.
    It has been so wonderful to be able to watch his progress and communicate during these long 2 months! Also, please tell Fiona thanks for the info she sent to me about the SMS. Is she arriving soon to visit you at BC?
    I wish you a safe journey to the summit and hope that one day I can meet you and Fiona (somewhere lower than 20,000 feet). Guess S Carolina & Australia would both work! Good luck!
    Carol

    Reply
  6. moneal says

    April 18, 2007 at 5:49 pm

    Paul:
    Are you using the Psolar EX mask or the lightweight LX version?

    Mark

    Reply
  7. Anonymous says

    April 18, 2007 at 8:21 pm

    Hi paully,
    thank goodness you managed to have a shower – can smell you from here…
    Looking forward to seeing dame and speaking to tim and hearing all about their trek into base camp. We had lou’s birthday dinner on Tuesday night (it is her birthday today) – the smallest birthday dinner in years. Lou, chris, mum, mama and me. John was sick, Danny in Nagambie, Beck in Ballarat and Fiona at the Comedy Festival. The rest of the family contingent is in, around or on the way to Everest! We went to thai in Church Street – heaps of food and all very tasty. We gave lou her present and she seemed very happy with the selection (she had picked it so no real suprise there!). Good to hear you are feeling so well.
    Take care, love meals

    Reply
  8. Anonymous says

    April 18, 2007 at 8:58 pm

    hi Paul
    You even look clean!!!!
    Wish we’d had those radios last year…they sound great.
    We had Lou’s birthday dinner “in a phone box”!! our family is so small at the moment! ……..have just read Meals’ message…ditto from me!! I was going to tell you all about it but she got in first!
    Hope the boys get out of Lukla tonight…I am sure they will be looking forward to getting home after all their adventures.
    Glad the throat seems to be ok- you must look like the Lone Ranger with your mask on!
    lots of love
    Dad and Mare

    Reply
  9. sharvey says

    April 18, 2007 at 10:14 pm

    We are year 5/6 students in Mrs Harvey’s ICT class and she showed us your website. At school we are learning about You Can Do It foundations and one of these is “persistence” …….we all think you are an inspiration for having another go! We have read about training to prepare for this attempt-you sound really fit. You have a lot of gear, how do you carry it all? Do you think you are on schedule? Can you tell us what you are eating whilst on the climb? Good Luck Paul.
    Sue H and the students from SRO

    Reply
  10. Demento says

    April 19, 2007 at 3:17 pm

    Paul, I’ve been following your progress, along with Pat’s. I’m an ER Doc, specializing in Altitude Medicine, in Colorado. I’d be happy to be a resource for any medical questions, should the need arise. Good luck. David Gray

    Reply
  11. VCAL group says

    April 19, 2007 at 8:38 pm

    we are following your journey, it must have felt good having a shower. What is a Puja ceremony? What is it for? What does it mean? from Vedat, Mark, Robert and Jarrod

    Reply
  12. Mira says

    April 20, 2007 at 4:18 am

    At the moment I am in Copenhagen but cannot miss any lines and following your path from here as well. I have just heard from the other Hungarian expeditions, they were in ABC at 6400 m (they are climbing from Tingri) but they headed back today to their Base Camp due to European Weather Service weather forecast predicts snowing for the next 7 days (between 5000 and 7000 m)

    I would have an other question. Some guys just got me with this regarding Attila’s climb if pass this question for him and especially Mingma that would be very kind. Does Mingma know anything about Hungarian-Tibetian relationship? Especially does he know about DobogókÅ‘, what is upon the ezotheric minds, the heart-chakra of our Planet Earth (DobogókÅ‘ is in Pilis mountains, near to the Hungarian capital city, Budapest.)

    Thanks,
    Good luck,
    Mira

    Reply

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In 2007, Paul returned to climb Mt Everest after missing out on reaching the summit by 100 metres the previous year. In 2006, Paul and Fiona both climbed together and although Fiona successfully summited, problems with Paul's oxygen system forced him to turn around. On 23 May 2007, exactly a year to the day later, he reached the summit. This is the daily blog from this climb.
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