Up the hill we go

With today being the final rest day before the team heads up for another acclimatization trip up the mountain, the day was spent prepping kit and packing mountain food. The plan is to spend a night a Camp 1 (5700m) before going through the ice fall to spend two nights at Camp 2 (6300m). Those who feel up to it will head up and drop kit at Camp 3 (6700m) in preparation for the summit push. The blog will be updated again when we return to Base Camp in 5 days time.

 Jon has done a great job sourcing the food with 6 options for main meal and more options for lunch than we can carry in our packs. Everybody packed enough food for 4 days above Camp 1 weighing in at approximately 5Kg. A big thanks to Mountain House and Extreme Adventure Food for supporting the expedition.

Chris C and Rob have been studying the weather provided by Mark De Keyser (Weather4expeditions) to predict the best weather window for our summit attempt. On a weather front snow over night at Base Camp has resulted in a number of avalanches higher up. We are quite safe at Base Camp although the noise can be quite unsettling  with rumbles throughout the night.

On a disappointing note, young Chris has had a flight to Kathmandu to have a few medical checkups. He is now recuperating in British Gurkha Nepal.

 

On a final note, we wish the Development Team safe travels to Nepal, and look forward to seeing them here at the end of the month.

Base Camp R&R

16/09/13

The first of two rest days for the team have brought welcome lay ins, albeit only 07.30 but it was greatly appreciated by us all. The morning was taken up by general admin, many a boxer short and sock blew in the morning wind. We were visted by the HIMEX leader Russell Brice, and Phil Crampton owner of Altitude Junkies. General chat was had over many brews alongside an epic cheese board, to determine the next rotation of climbing up the mountain. Kit and equipment was discussed, with orders put in for more harness metal work.

The cook staff treated us all to a resturaunt standard sizzling chicken dish  to entertain the pallete, complete with the actual metal sizzling dish halfway up the mountain! After dinner entertainment consisted of a questionable film with mixed reviews however the Sherpas and cook staff who joined us thoroughly enjoyed it. With the moon shining brightly in the sky there was no need for head torches retiring to our tents.

 

 

17/09/13

An even later lay in had all of us half concious at the breakfast table around 08.30 adequately refreshed. Fuelled up on chocolate pancakes Jon conducted low level training on movement with a jumar on fixed ropes. As well as using both a figure eight and body abseil techniques with and without gloves. After a quick spot of lunch Jim orchestrated the issuing, fitting, and use of the oxygen masks and cylinders. The oppurtunity was taken to inhale copious amounts of oxygen. Everyone cut away to try on the masks with personal goggles and headwear to ensure correct fitting. As is the norm with rest days we are settling down to pizza and another film, hopefully better than last nights mistake! “Sucka Punch” which was ill recieved by many except the Sherpas.

For those who have asked,  all expedition photos are copyright of REMEC.

Acclimatisation Camp 1 13 - 15 Sept 13

With the team officially blessed to step foot on the mountain we decided to waste no time and go up to Camp 1 for a couple of nights. An epic lunch of fried spam and chips set the team up for a sluggish start. The team is camped at the lower end of base camp and it takes about 30 minutes of weaving around tents, guide ropes and Puja monuments before we are out on the moraine (loose rock ridge created by a glacier) and climbing up towards the glacier.  After around 2hrs we reached Crampon Point which is the end of the Moraine and the point where we have to put on crampons and a harness before setting off up the Glacier.

At the moment glacier is dry (no fresh snow) which enables the team to travel fast and spot the crevasses. Where there is a real danger of falling into a big hole or a steep slope negotiated, a fixed rope is in place to clip yourself to and keep safe. The glacier is fairly gentle until the final 300m of ascent into Camp 1 which is really handy at the end of a tiring day with a fairly heavy pack. Ben got to within 100m of Camp 1 before suffering from a headache and nausea and returning to base camp to fight another day. Having a lovely day he suffered with his heavy pack for 4hrs up before turning around and returning to Base Camp in 2hrs. The remainder of the group arrived in tact but with headaches and loss of appetite which is to be expected with the jump in altitude.

The majority of the group opted to rest at Camp 1 and spent the next 24hrs rehydrating and eating. Rob and Geordie feeling better than the rest opted to recce the route to Camp 2 through the ice fall, they both came back reporting a hard yet exciting route.

The team is now back a Base Camp for a couple of days rest before heading back up to sleep at Camp 2. Ben is now getting stick for being out performed by people almost twice his age.  Jon and Geordie are contemplating a small continental larger with our steak dinner, gratefully provided by Russell Brice.  

Epic Puja - 13 Sept 13

 

The team awoke to the banging of a drum and the religious chanting of a Buddist Llama, the Puja had begun. A Puja is basically a religious blessing conducted by a local Llama of the people and some of the equipment which will go on the mountain. It probably has the most significance to the Sherpa’s who will spend more time going up and down the mountain than we will. The ceremony lasted around 3 hours and evolved the blessing of food and beer with lots of throwing of rich and flour whilst the burning of Juniper and the banging of drums set the scene. At the end of the ceremony as rather suspicious ‘oil container’ was passed around. This turned out the be the local rice beer called Raishe (excuse spelling) this went down a hit with the Sherpa’s but was approached with caution by the team.  It’s not everyday you drink beer out of an oil container. After the Puja the team sat down for an early lunch with the Sherpa’s opting for a liquid lunch from the oil container. Luckily for them they had a day off while the team made their first ascent to Camp 1 at 5700.