Updates From Everest Tumpach The Wicked Winds Tuesday, September 23, 1997 (Everest North Face Base Camp, Tibet) Today the weather on the mountain above NORTH COL-7000m was not any different than yesterday- VERY WINDY. At ABC, the weather is not bad because its location is protected. For the first time today, the winds on the upper part of EVEREST were so strong that most of the day there have been "LENTICULAR" clouds forming, very typical. When such a cloud is forming over the mountain, you know that the winds are reaching over 100 mph. As I mentioned yesterday, all the teams came down except the COLOMBIAN TEAM. They are trying to wait at ABC for a window of opportunity to summit. They have been at ABC for a long period of time, which affects the physical condition of any climber staying at 21500' for longer than ten days, even if you do nothing. The Swiss, two member team left today for ABC. The single Japanese climber — MASAFUMI TODAKA — returned today from LHASA and tomorrow will go to ABC to join the SWISS team to go to the summit, ALPINE STYLE. Their goal is to go from ABC to SUMMIT and back in 48 hours, weather and conditions permitting. The Colombian team is hoping to follow them, even the route from Camp #3, NORTH COL-7000m, to CAMP #4-8200m is not established and the fix rope is not in place. That makes the route and situation very critical and dangerous. The BRITISH, Spanish and Canadian teams (my team) will go back to ABC on Sept. 25. It takes two days to reach ABC, which is 18 km away. In mid-camp, the English team has two tents to stay overnight. Coming down from ABC to BC takes only seven hours, but going up takes much longer; a two day, easy trek. For Sherpas, it takes only one day, eight hours of quick trek. From ABC to North Col., SHERPAS take three hours; for other climbers, it takes five to six hours. — George Tumpach PREVIOUS UPDATE | UPDATES HOME | NEXT UPDATE