Updates From Everest Tumpach Altitude Getting to Climbers Monday, September 15, 1997 (Everest North Face Advance Base Camp, Tibet) Yesterday, Sept. 14 a few things happened. When we woke up at 6.30am we discovered our cook Sherpa PHURBA was very sick so I made the decision to send him down to BC. He's had a headache for three days and it did not get better; it got worse yesterday so I had no other alternative but to send him down before he develops PULMONARY EDEMA. [Pulmonary Edema is a form of altitude illness. Click here for more on High-Altitude Physiology.] The Spanish team doctor also got very sick late yesterday afternoon; to the point that the team members, along with a doctor from Colombian team, had to use a Gamow bag to make her condition stable. It was too late to take her to BC so after several hours in the bag her condition improved and she slept with OXYGEN under constant watch by her teammates. This morning, Sept. 15, she went to the BC. The SWISS three member team tried to SUMMIT on the 13th at midnight, with the one Japanese, and after reaching 7500m they had to return because of waist deep snow. The SWISS Team returned to BC and one of them, Stephan Shaffter, is going back to SWITZERLAND after two attempts. The other two will probably try one more time depending on the snow conditions within a few days. Their permit is EXPIRING on the 20TH of September. The Korean team was packing up yesterday and tomorrow 16 YAKS will come to pick up their supplies and they will be storing them at RONGBUCK MONASTARY for the next season. They will return with their leader Mr. SOO. Personally, I am feeling a very bad SINUS cold which I can not shake off, but I know I will. It is little more difficult to get better quickly at 21500m. Tomorrow my Sherpas will carry a second load of supplies to North Col and will be going up for acclimatization. That is all for today. — George Tumpach PREVIOUS UPDATE | UPDATES HOME | NEXT UPDATE