Updates From Everest Tumpach Probing the Conditions Higher Up Friday, September 12, 1997 (Everest North Face advance base camp, Tibet) The Korean Team today, for the 4th day, was unsuccessfully searching for the body of their team member Mr. Chang, who was 34-years-old. Today was their last day for the search. The KOREAN team is abandoning the climb of EVEREST and within a few days will return back down to BC and back to KOREA. Today was a beautiful day, as far as the weather is concerned, in ABC. During the night, the temperature dropped to 10F= -13C. During the day it was in the high 80s. Right now, at 6 pm, it is 60F=15C. The conditions on EVEREST are NOT GOOD for safe climbing on the North Col. Today two Spanish members and two Sherpas climbed halfway to get a firsthand look at the avalanche and snow conditions. They returned safe with the observation that it is OK to climb to North Col. Above North Col at 7000 meters, there is too much snow for a safe climb, so we have to wait for the snow to melt. Tonight two COLOMBIAN members left ABC to climb to NORTH COL to their established campsite to see the condition of it because they have not been there for the last 10 days. NO ONE HAS BEEN PAST ABC for the last 10 days. The snow condition is too dangerous. Tomorrow we will have more news. — George Tumpach PREVIOUS UPDATE | UPDATES HOME | NEXT UPDATE