May 14, 21:00hrs (NPT) Our members are now sleeping at the Camp 2, the team made it up in
good speed yesterday arriving just in time for lunch. The weather window is nicely spaced this year but a few cut it a bit short if they were looking at this window. To catch up they've been flying in to base camp today, I counted 21 helicopters bringing climbers back up to camp. Gee whiz, things sure have changed how this mountain is climbed.
Marty says Camp 2 is pretty quiet, later in the day a few more were starting to arrive.
Here's our plan:
- May 14: Camp 2
- May 15: Camp 2
- May 16: Camp 3 - sleep on oxygen
- May 17: South Col- Camp 4 - sleep on oxygen- rest one full day sipping oxygen. We've been going with the approach the past couple of years and we feel climbers really do themselves justice having this opportunity that we provide.
- May 18: night, usually around 9pm, earlier if there appears to be a lot climbers in the same wave.
- May 19: sunrise on the summit... We've put rocks in Patrick McKibben's pants to slow him down. I've warned him to slow it down or he'll be on top at 02:00hrs in the dark. If successful Patrick may be the youngest Canadian male to summit Everest. I'll have to check this of course with Elizabeth Hawley. The youngest female and record for youngest Canadian still today is Laura Mallory. The youngest Canadian male to date was Deryl Kelly at age 25.
Patrick has more than physical strength going for him. Very sadly his brother and climbing partner passed away on Mt. Hector in Alberta, Canada when Patrick was doing his first rotation to Camp 2. Patrick was very close to his brother and feels his spirit is with him throughout this journey to the top of the world.
So this is it, we have a very nice window for favorable winds and not to cold. Just the way we like it.
Over and out... Tim
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