Phillip Ling Everest/Lhotse
This is Philip Ling with the latest news from the Summit climb Everest/Lhotse expedition 2007. Our combined Everest/Lhotse team is currently back in Basecamp after Our latest acclimatization round up the mountain.
On the 23rd of April we departed base camp and climbed through the Khumbu Icefall again to Camp 1 at 6000m, where we spent the night. As usual the route was different to our previous foray due to the ice constantly shifting. This keeps things
interesting! Mark felt unwell and returned to base camp along with his personal Sherpa, Lhakpa Chiri.
The following morning we all climbed to Camp 2 at 6400m, where we spent the night. The next morning Dan Mazur, Philip Ling, Bruce Manning and Bill Burke climbed to the Bergshrund at the base of the Lhotse face at around 6700m as an acclimatization hike in preparation for climbing to Camp 3 at 7350m the following morning. We looked in awe at this sheer wall of blue ice towering 2000 vertical meters above us and the Western Cwm before returning to Camp 2to sleep.
The next morning the whole team arose early and climbed back up towards The
Bergshrund, this time with the intention of climbing the Lhotse Face to Camp 3 at 7350m. As we approached the Bergshrund I learned that there had been an accident involving a Sherpa. Within minutes I was at the scene. It was veryevident that the Sherpa had suffered a massive head trauma caused by afalling block of ice or rock from above. Kenton Cool and Sergio Martini were already there and had dragged the body away from the fixed ropes. I helped clean up the bloody mess at the base of the fixed ropes and to cover the body with snow.
Out of respect for the dead Sherpa and the wishes of our own team of Sherpas, who like all Sherpa people are very superstitous, we decided not to proceed to Camp 3 that day and returned to Camp 2. The following morning it had started snowing and the winds had increased, so we decided to forgo our acclimatisation hike to Camp 3 and return instead to Basecamp. On the way down we met Mark who had since recovered from his illness and his Sherpa Lhakpa climbing up to Camp 2. They are currently still in Camp 2 acclimatising.
We plan to rest here in basecamp for a few more days before heading up the mountain again. We will climb to Camp 3, spend the night there and the following morning do acclimatization hike towards 8000m, and then spend another night in Camp 3 before descending back to basecamp. With our acclimatization program complete, we will rest again before heading up a final time for the summit push. Keep following along!
Philip Ling on behalf of Summitclimb.com
On the 23rd of April we departed base camp and climbed through the Khumbu Icefall again to Camp 1 at 6000m, where we spent the night. As usual the route was different to our previous foray due to the ice constantly shifting. This keeps things
interesting! Mark felt unwell and returned to base camp along with his personal Sherpa, Lhakpa Chiri.
The following morning we all climbed to Camp 2 at 6400m, where we spent the night. The next morning Dan Mazur, Philip Ling, Bruce Manning and Bill Burke climbed to the Bergshrund at the base of the Lhotse face at around 6700m as an acclimatization hike in preparation for climbing to Camp 3 at 7350m the following morning. We looked in awe at this sheer wall of blue ice towering 2000 vertical meters above us and the Western Cwm before returning to Camp 2to sleep.
The next morning the whole team arose early and climbed back up towards The
Bergshrund, this time with the intention of climbing the Lhotse Face to Camp 3 at 7350m. As we approached the Bergshrund I learned that there had been an accident involving a Sherpa. Within minutes I was at the scene. It was veryevident that the Sherpa had suffered a massive head trauma caused by afalling block of ice or rock from above. Kenton Cool and Sergio Martini were already there and had dragged the body away from the fixed ropes. I helped clean up the bloody mess at the base of the fixed ropes and to cover the body with snow.
Out of respect for the dead Sherpa and the wishes of our own team of Sherpas, who like all Sherpa people are very superstitous, we decided not to proceed to Camp 3 that day and returned to Camp 2. The following morning it had started snowing and the winds had increased, so we decided to forgo our acclimatisation hike to Camp 3 and return instead to Basecamp. On the way down we met Mark who had since recovered from his illness and his Sherpa Lhakpa climbing up to Camp 2. They are currently still in Camp 2 acclimatising.
We plan to rest here in basecamp for a few more days before heading up the mountain again. We will climb to Camp 3, spend the night there and the following morning do acclimatization hike towards 8000m, and then spend another night in Camp 3 before descending back to basecamp. With our acclimatization program complete, we will rest again before heading up a final time for the summit push. Keep following along!
Philip Ling on behalf of Summitclimb.com
posted by Laurel Barrett | 4:44 PM
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