Kenton dealing with the heat of the day on route to camp 1
Rick and his crevasse acrobatics
Camp 1, with Lhotse in the distance
The Dream Guides team yesterday had to say goodbye to its finest member: David Galloway. Since coming back down from camp 1 his departure is all we have thought about. Yesterday the team started out with him on his journey back to the UK by trekking down to Gorak Shep, where Tom then presented David with being honourary counsel to the 113th Bengal Lancers- a very poignant moment.
This has meant that folks back home haven’t really heard anything about our trip to camp 1. Upon realising this, Kenton has dragged me into the comms tent to do a blog before its 7 followers start to think we’ve sacked the climb off and are heading back to Lukla with David at this very moment.
So, camp 1- all team members successfully made the ascent, with Kenton leading the way in about 4 hours, and Lynette and ‘the ankle’ proudly arriving within the 8 hour mark. Tom, Rick and I arrived together after 5 hours. I felt especially responsible for Rick who has a penchant for spreading his legs over either side of a crevasse and then taking photos of its icy depths. His wife Allie is staying in BC and the thought of having to explain why we had to drag her husband out of a crevasse doesn’t bare thinking about- but hey, he’s Rick- its fine.
Camp 1 is nestled on the floor of the beautiful Western Cwm, so named by Hillary after his love of the Welsh valleys (Kenton doesn’t think this is true but I am stating it as fact anyway). As we climbed over the top of the ice fall, a surprisingly flat walk welcomes us to this first base on the hill, a few crevasses for Rick to tempt fate with, and soon enough the yellow dots in the distance tell us that rest and hot tea is not far.
Arriving in camp 1, we spotted the great Mt. Lhotse and for some reason it felt right to hug and cheer over this- it is obvious we have all dreamed of seeing these sights for ourselves for so long. That great bloody mountain- the 4th highest in the world (?), was bang in front of us, almost beckoning us towards her. That would have to wait, as camp 1 would be the furthest we would venture this time.
Camp was un-eventful, katabatic winds set in at lunch time and did not abate until the next morning. One of the nicest things was someone playing their harmonica- every climber lying in their sleeping bag in camp would have heard the scratchy tunes, and smiled to themselves before falling back to sleep.
The next morning we all set off for BC in good spirits at about 8. All had slept pretty well and had no signs of altitude sickness. Tom and I were the first to encounter the fallen pinnacle on the descent. A huge mass of ice blocks met us off the bottom of a ladder, the fixed rope was completely buried, and safe passage non-existent. We gingerly climbed over the shattered remains as fast as possible, searching for some safe rope. Eventually we found it and hurried on. Kenton caught up with us later and his first words to Tom were: ‘you lucky bugger’. Turns out Tom had sat under that pinnacle the day before drinking orange juice and wondering allowed whether he was in a safe spot.
Within a few hours Tom and Kenton were back in BC and I arrived shortly after. Rick had elected to stay with Lynette in case her ankle went, and all arrived in dribs and drabs around lunch time.
So, what’s next?
Tomorrow the team are heading for a stint up high of between 5 and 6 days. We intend to stay one night at C1, two nights at C2, tag and perhaps sleep at C3 (up to KC), then a final night C1 or C2 before heading back to BC.
This means we hope to be back in BC on the 1st or 2nd May. After that, we are technically ready for the summit- though there is a high chance we will do another rotation up to C2, just to keep us on our toes, as the weather window could still be weeks away.
So today will be spent sorting kit for the next trip up, and eating and drinking loads whilst the altitude lets us.
For a more in-depth (boring?) story of our trip to C1, check my blog at www.bonitanorris.com
Over and out from BC.
Bonita
Kenton dealing with the heat of the day on route to camp 1
Rick and his crevasse acrobatics
Camp 1, with Lhotse in the distance
The Dream Guides team yesterday had to say goodbye to its finest member: David Galloway. Since coming back down from camp 1 his departure is all we have thought about. Yesterday the team started out with him on his journey back to the UK by trekking down to Gorak Shep, where Tom then presented David with being honourary counsel to the 113th Bengal Lancers- a very poignant moment.
This has meant that folks back home haven’t really heard anything about our trip to camp 1. Upon realising this, Kenton has dragged me into the comms tent to do a blog before its 7 followers start to think we’ve sacked the climb off and are heading back to Lukla with David at this very moment.
So, camp 1- all team members successfully made the ascent, with Kenton leading the way in about 4 hours, and Lynette and ‘the ankle’ proudly arriving within the 8 hour mark. Tom, Rick and I arrived together after 5 hours. I felt especially responsible for Rick who has a penchant for spreading his legs over either side of a crevasse and then taking photos of its icy depths. His wife Allie is staying in BC and the thought of having to explain why we had to drag her husband out of a crevasse doesn’t bare thinking about- but hey, he’s Rick- its fine.
Camp 1 is nestled on the floor of the beautiful Western Cwm, so named by Hillary after his love of the Welsh valleys (Kenton doesn’t think this is true but I am stating it as fact anyway). As we climbed over the top of the ice fall, a surprisingly flat walk welcomes us to this first base on the hill, a few crevasses for Rick to tempt fate with, and soon enough the yellow dots in the distance tell us that rest and hot tea is not far.
Arriving in camp 1, we spotted the great Mt. Lhotse and for some reason it felt right to hug and cheer over this- it is obvious we have all dreamed of seeing these sights for ourselves for so long. That great bloody mountain- the 4th highest in the world (?), was bang in front of us, almost beckoning us towards her. That would have to wait, as camp 1 would be the furthest we would venture this time.
Camp was un-eventful, katabatic winds set in at lunch time and did not abate until the next morning. One of the nicest things was someone playing their harmonica- every climber lying in their sleeping bag in camp would have heard the scratchy tunes, and smiled to themselves before falling back to sleep.
The next morning we all set off for BC in good spirits at about 8. All had slept pretty well and had no signs of altitude sickness. Tom and I were the first to encounter the fallen pinnacle on the descent. A huge mass of ice blocks met us off the bottom of a ladder, the fixed rope was completely buried, and safe passage non-existent. We gingerly climbed over the shattered remains as fast as possible, searching for some safe rope. Eventually we found it and hurried on. Kenton caught up with us later and his first words to Tom were: ‘you lucky bugger’. Turns out Tom had sat under that pinnacle the day before drinking orange juice and wondering allowed whether he was in a safe spot.
Within a few hours Tom and Kenton were back in BC and I arrived shortly after. Rick had elected to stay with Lynette in case her ankle went, and all arrived in dribs and drabs around lunch time.
So, what’s next?
Tomorrow the team are heading for a stint up high of between 5 and 6 days. We intend to stay one night at C1, two nights at C2, tag and perhaps sleep at C3 (up to KC), then a final night C1 or C2 before heading back to BC.
This means we hope to be back in BC on the 1st or 2nd May. After that, we are technically ready for the summit- though there is a high chance we will do another rotation up to C2, just to keep us on our toes, as the weather window could still be weeks away.
So today will be spent sorting kit for the next trip up, and eating and drinking loads whilst the altitude lets us.
For a more in-depth (boring?) story of our trip to C1, check my blog at www.bonitanorris.com
Over and out from BC.
Bonita
