Dave Hahn

The North Col (Camp IV) team would potentially be our strongest if they made it through the good weather window. A good team to finish with, a good team to have looking after the rest of us I figured. As I tried to get comfortable for the night, I let myself think the best... it was now entirely possible that we'd all make the top. That kept me from sleep for a bit as it was not a thought I'd truly entertained before.

Eleven out of eleven with all the illnesses we'd suffered? No way. But it might start happening just the next day. No wind at Camp V, incredible, the tent not even rustling. I glanced at Jim and let myself think again with optimism. He'd climbed the past three days from ABC with more strength than at any other point of the trip. Not only would we get eleven climbers up, we'd guide the mountain as well. And for myself that would accomplish some big goals. Heck, I'd be a two time Everest summitter. I could reap twice the benefits I'd enjoyed since hitting the top four years before... now what were those benefits again? But even with Oxygen I couldn't solve such puzzles and I passed out for the night.

The morning had a bit of breeze as the sun hit our tents at 5am. Not a thing to worry about though, the North Ridge we were perched on is rarely calm. I switched on my radio to get the big news. Where would the summit team be? Answers came fast. Alex was talking to me from high camp, not a good sign. He'd nearly made it through the Yellow Band gully to the Northeast Ridge proper but had then turned around for freezing feet. He'd apparently taken action back at high camp to bring them back to sufficient life without damage, but that had ended his summit hopes.

Alex had been to high camp for a night in 1994, but guide work had kept him from a try then. I knew the decision to turn now had been not made frivolously. And so I worried for the others, was it so cold that they were going to the top with frostbite? Alex seemed to think not; they'd all been fine and moving fast when he turned, he'd just not been able to overcome several days of dehydration and the resulting susceptibility to cold. Sure enough, the radio web of ABC, BC and several up-mountain camps had sightings of Danuru, Lhakpa, and Craig moving well among the "Steps" of the NE Ridge.

I'd have done a better job fretting for their safety and success without big game of my own to prepare for. The route from V to VI is not terribly technical, but one can stage a spectacular death from most steps along the way if one chooses. One, obviously doesn't choose that, but a level of concentration is usually required that can be tiring.

The altitude can be a trifle tiring too, going to 27,200' is somewhat serious. When a 747 does that, it uses four engines the size of dump-trucks. And a passle of fossil fuel. Our fuel would be considerably more palatable, oatmeal and hot drinks with a Pop-Tart or two thrown in. Even Jim found himself able to choke it all down, which I found very encouraging. He'd had trouble keeping my cooking down earlier in the trip, insulting to me, of course, but more of a problem to him since he was probably burning about 8000 calories a day.

— Dave Hahn, International Mountain Guides' Expedition Leader

DISPATCHES

COMPLETE INDEX OF DISPATCHES