|
Ok, no point beating about the bush
there's only one statement you all want to hear first:-
31st May
Chung summitted @ 4:45am Nepali time (with Pulbar Sherpa our Team's
Sirdar)
Tony summitted @ 7:03am Nepali time (with Dorje Sherpa)
Sue summitted @ 7:15am Nepali time (with Dawa Sherpa)
this makes 100% success for the Himex 2003 North Side Expedition this
is a staggering achievement in the light of the number of teams who
attempted in this 50th anniversay year and who failed either due to
the wind storms or the other difficulties described in our previous
summit attempt on the 22nd May - a credit to Himex and Russell's organisational
ability.
As I did in Dispatch 9 for the other summitteers, here are their thoughts:-
Sue
(in her own words) After a voluntarily aborted attempt on 22nd May,
I understandably felt nervous about whether a 2nd window would actually
present itself as predicted for the end of the month. I had to hold
my trust in the forecast and my ability to perform at the given time.
I did however feel good about our bid. Significantly, we were in a small
cohesive team with a strong resolve and anticipation of what lay ahead.
Not having been above 7500m previously, I was fully absorbed by the
terrain and surrounding environs as we moved up to 8300m and our last
camp.
An early start (11:00pm) was fortuitous as suggested by Pulbar. The
summit day route compromised one rock problem after the next. Each one
stimulating and challenging. Although I knew of "steps" and
ridges on the route, I had not anticipated such sustained rock climbing
at altitude. It was very satisfying whilst physically demanding. Weather
conditions were absolutely perfect. It was arguably the best day of
the season.
Chung, Tony and myself made steady progress to the summit arriving soon
after the sun rose (with our capable sherpa partners) and were treated
with views and experiences that could not be repeated. We were elated
by our efforts. We agreed at ABC afterwards that the safe, steady style
with which we conducted our climb was as satisfying as winning the summit
itself. The patience and perseverance had paid off and our summit day
experiences were very, very special in every way. The 31st May 2003
will be with me for the rest of my life.
Chung
(words from a conversation with Tony)
For Everest on the north side you need rock climbing technique. But
even though I had read books and seen photos the "steps" were
harder than expected. I wonder at the pioneers on Everest and how high
the standard of climbing was. Today I am a rock climber and I'm surprised
that the technical requirement is so hard.
I have tried for several years and attempts to climb the mountain and
was not able to break my record. But arriving at 8300m was already breaking
my record. The weather was good. Without this stable weather for a couple
of days we could not climb the mountain. Staying at 7500m for two days
was very hard and I almost had to go down. But I stick with it.
So now I have climbed Mount Everest and completed a 10 year dream and
I am happy to return home. Thanks to the Sherpas, to Russell and all
in support.
Tony
(again as perviously I'll use my piece to give you both my own flavour
of the climb (you'll have figured by now I'm a little more "wordy"
than some of the others, hopefully its of interest) and also to fill
in some of the background not mentioned or assumed in Sue and Chung's
notes)
For reference: The Climbs Chronological Progress
(note: when we set off the original target summit day was 30th May and
we set off with the intent of missing out C2 and moving from C1 direct
to C3 this is tough but we needed to keep the pace on - although personnally
I needed the extra day this gave in ABC to help towards recovery from
the previous attempt only 9 days prior which had left me somewhat "knackered")
A key to remember is that we are now in the last few days of the season,
almost everyone else has gone home and so we have the route to ourselves.
In fact on summit day the three of us plus sherpas along with only two
other westerners and sherpas were on the route. By the Exit Cracks we'd
seperated and therefore effectively each of us had the entire north
side route to ourselves. This was almost unique in todays climbing experience
and contributed immensly to that desperately illusive "wilderness,
high mountain" experience.
Also the weather was perfect and I mean perfect: no wind through the
night and in the early hours perhaps a maximum of a couple of miles
per hour. Clear blue skies once sun up for as far as we could see on
every horizon. By 7 ish the wind on the summit was just starting to
pick up but we'd nailed it by then. This was a perfect summit day, the
best day of the season and one of the best summit days in years.
actual:-
27th May - move to C1 - North Col - 7050m (a straight forward yomp on
beautiful day)
28th May - move to C2 - 7500m (climbing through 40 and 50 knot winds
which was exhausting)
29th May - wait 1 day @ C2 due to high winds(60knots +) and revised
forecasting suggesting now 31st is optimal summit day
30th May - move to C4 - 8300m directly missing out C3 (making this section
an aggressive 800m height gain) - start push 11:00pm
31st May - summit day - plus descent (Chung to ABC, Tony to North Col,
Sue makes it back to 7500m)
In my case since I had seen all the route up to less than 50m from the
top there was no nervousness about the unknown. I was mentally very
strong and new that all things being equal I could climb this mountain
(after all I'd damn near done it a few days ago) with the exception
of one thing - was I asking too much of my mangy old middle age body
to deliver a second summit of the highest mountain on the world only
9 days after the first. This was going to hurt and its was going to
push me into an unknown zone where "will" was going to make
the machine keep delivering long after all its systems has said nothing
left in the tank and somehow I would have to work out how much of that
"running on vapour" I would have to keep in reserve to get
me off this hill. Also we had decided to climb the route more aggressively
than last time, missing out a camp and this might be the desider and
could break me before getting to top camp.
In fact we climbed and descended the route in an almost continuous push
for 33 hours starting from C2 at around 9:00am on 30th up to C4 with
then a few hours brewing, sorting and resting before moving straight
off at 11:00pm towards the Exit Cracks on the north east ridge and onto
summit in the early hours of 31st morning before commencing a 10hrs
or so descent to safety.
I was desperate to remain on schedule and not compromise anything in
this attempt and had been fastidious in preparation nevertheless a few
things went amiss even at the last minute. Three hours before we were
due to depart my head torch developed an intermittent fault (on/off
randomly etc.) this would not do and could scupper the attempt. Deducing
it was a break in a wire, using my leatherman I slit the cable sheath
for four inches until I found a break in the neutral and the problem
was solved. In close proximity with someone in a tent their issues sometimes
become yours. In the last few minutes prior to departure Sue announces
that she has lost her spare Video Camera battery and since she is shooting
for Australian television this is a bit critical. Said battery is discovered
relatively quickly. It had found a warm niche having slipped down the
back of her down suit and tucked itself in her knickers in the crack
of her bum. Its a mystery how it got there. Its more of mystery to me
that she didn't notice it was there since its the size of about four
boxes of matches. But if you had to keep a battery warm (and its another
critical task in this environment of extreme cold) its a cosy spot (not
my preferred option but each to there own). Notably, the camcorder worked
at full power on the summit....
Another key element of prep. for me was changing my hydration system
from the one I had used on the 22nd. So all the way up the mountain
I had been experimenting with a "camelbak". This is a drink
bladder in an insulated casing and with an insulated hose. I had previously
used a Nalgene (ie. wide mouthed plastic drinks) bottle in an insulated
pouch kept in my pac. This is pretty convential and a system used by
most. One of my conclusions from the previous attempt was that I was
dehydrated much if not all of the time.
The Camelbak was designed to be used on the back or in a back pac but
I used it on my chest and inside the down suit and below the first layer
of fleece. The hose was extracted from the camelbak and stored between
the camelbak and my chest thereby keeping it from freezing (since if
it froze my chest hairs would also be frozen and I was probably near
dead already in which case a nice sip of carbo. loaded fluided wasn't
going to be the kick start I needed).
The last thing I did before putting my boots on to leave the tent was
give the old left big toe another drilling to release the pressure of
gunge built up (it was starting to hurt) and then dress it to help prevent
frostbite.
I left C4 ahead of both Sue and Chung slightly who were still getting
ready and also all the Sherpas including Dorje my own partner. The drive
up the Exit Cracks to N.E. ridge was relatively straight forward although
finding myself once out of camp quickly in my own small pool of head
torch light and having to decide which route to climb through the Yellow
Band was both novel, a little nervy and very exciting. Even though there
is fixed rope indicating the way its just laying across the rock and
at a micro climbing level one can still choose whether to use this crack
system or series of holds or that one. Chung seemed to be running on
rocket fuel after being diesel fired all month and shot past in the
wake of Pulbar and Tsering. I couldn't keep up and anyway was resigned
to a pace that I thought would get me there and was within the depleted
delivery systems my body could support. Sue was a little way behind
and at some of the rock climbing difficulties we'd occassionally come
together and exchange some encouragements.
The N.E ridge is incredibley exposed and wonderful climbing and light
began to dawn just as I was climbing the 2nd Step. This fairly technical
(at sea level it would be straight forward UK grade Severe or Hard Very
Severe perhaps - but in near darkness, with heavy high altitude boots
on, crampons, a down suit, an oxygen mask that prevents you seeing your
feet and down mittens its a rather different ball game) section of rock
climbing has a couple of wonderfully exposed moves where you must swing
out over the entire north face (a mile or so of fresh air between your
legs). Fantastic and spectacular to be making these moves just as dawn
was breaking giving the full vertical exposure but also the stunning
horizons of some of the worlds biggest mountains (and we're higher than
all of them doing some bouldering!)
Clearing the 3rd step was straightforward although again a wonderful
little piece of technical climbing. The snow slope on the summit pyramid
was an absolute pleasure in clear blue windless skies. It was about
5 in the morning now and with an 11 o'clock cut off and the sure knowledge
the oxygen supplies where completely under control I knew it was going
to go now and I nearly got a bit tearful but figured in a couple of
hours I'd be well justified anyway. Dorje was constant calm and professionalism
in support behind me. There when help was needed in an oxygen change
over or if I wanted some advice on a particular rock move and with a
couple of words of encouragement when he could see that the weary legs
were displaying all too clearly that the last time they had pushed over
that particular piece of rock and snow was only 9 days ago with his
mate Dawa alongside.
Around 6:00am'ish, maybe a little after I reached the point that Dawa
and I had turned back. We had traversed off the snow field around the
north side of the summit pyramid and were at the bottom of a short 30m
or so rock climb. A couple of bouldering moves, a short slab and bit
of a scramble and we're on the summit ridge with maybe a 100m horizontal
to go. A short push up a gentle slope for 10minutes and cresting a rise
I can see in the distance a prayer flag cluster and nothing beyond.
A couple more rolling rises and some snow steps spiralling around the
north side of the summit proper and at 7:03 Nepali time Dorje and I
are on top of Mount Everest.
There's enough room for about half a dozen people on the top. Jamie
McGuiness and his sherpa were there from the Irish team and in ten minutes
or so I'm joined by Sue and Dawa so its full. Initially we are all in
awe and staggered to be there. The views are breathtaking with clear
blue skies and massive peaks as far as we can see in every direction
(of course not quite so massive as the one we are standing on). We all
get organised taking photo's and its a bit busy as we mill about on
this rare space the size of a small dinner table. Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu
are all just right there within reach it seems. Just before us is the
South Summit and the final approaches from the Nepal side of the mountain.
No-one approaches whilst we are on top although we hear afterward that
several summitted later that morning.
The top was important. The journey (inspite of the fact its the second
time on Everest, fourth attempt and barring the last 30 or 40 metres
the second time over every yard of the ascent) remarkable, and the people
along the way amazing (many are already good friends and others will
become friends for life). My old friend David will be bored with me
repeating the following quote but since it was him that tipped me off
I'll come back to these words that have stuck with me for the last 10
years or so:-
"What ever you think you can do, or dream you can, do it. For boldness
has genius, power and magic in it!" Goethe.
Sue, Chung and myself are back in BC now.
Russ is breaking up the camp and we'll be moving out to Kathmandu on
the 4th ready to head back home around the 7th. Nevertheless he still
found time to organise us a party last night. Moet & Chandon, Pabst
Beer, Drambuie, Grouse Scotch and Napoleon brandy help wash down sizzling
chicken platters (how did he pull that off at 17000 feet in the middle
of nowhere?) was astonishing, almost more than our pea sized stomaches
could handle and guaranteed to ensure that breakfast was late and sluggish
for most.
Its been a pleasure telling the story
But signing off for the the last time
your correspondent and climber
Tony Kelly
Base Camp
Mount Everest
|
Expeditions
