Dave Hahn

Pinzo and Heather stopped just short of the ridge crest for a break and for the expected decision on whether to push on. I went a few feet past them to see what I wanted, what I knew was waiting. The absolutely vast and overwhelming view from the North East Ridge.

The Kangshung Face of Everest drops more steeply than the North Face, giving one the feeling of looking off the edge of a cloud. Makalu sits huge and fascinating and not so far away. Lhotse presents a seldom seen aspect of dizzying proportions and angles. In the distance, I could see the third highest mountain of the world, Kangchenjunga. I'd enjoyed this view before, true, but I couldn't get enough of it. This time there was a lot of cloud in the panorama though at many levels. A strong suggestion of instability.

"What we were in was annoying, but by no means terrible. What we could expect was anyone's guess..."

Looking back to the familiar North, out past Cho Oyu to Xixipangma, there was a high layer of cloud in addition to some low level valley filling. I couldn't shake a "gambling" feeling that I didn't like. It was windy enough that none of us were taking pictures, none were reaching for water or food. Not impossible to take a glove off, just not very smart under the circumstances. One look at Heather confirmed that she was just as concerned about the weather. Looking to Pinzo, veteran of twenty-eight 8000 meter peak expeditions, I was reminded that he was trusting me completely to make the right call on this one.

Jim was climbing quite well and strong. He knew I was wrestling with a decision, I knew how much he'd invested in this day and opportunity. I decided to put off the big call. Stall for a bit and see what the weather did. I knew that the next part of the climb was relatively straight-forward: walking along the ridge and easy ledges to the base of the First Step. Not far, but perhaps the wind would lessen or the clouds would show their intentions.

We set off on a faint, but easy to follow trail of boot tracks on snow and crampon scrapes on the downsloping rock. This area had no fixed rope, and although it was easy, I doubt that any of us avoided at least a suspicious glance or two down the big hungry North Face.

The wind was coming from the North, hitting us then on our right. That bothered me some as I knew that we'd find no shelter, no lee slope from such a wind on summit day. We reached the point where we'd have to traverse to the base of the First Step. I called for a stop, I looked for something to have improved, but I found nothing reliable. What we were in was annoying, but by no means terrible. What we could expect was anyone's guess and I didn't like that. That feeling of gambling was to prevalent. I informed Heather, Jim and Pinzo that we'd turn around. We spent another five minutes in that fine spot before beginning to retrace our steps.

— Dave Hahn, International Mountain Guides' Expedition Leader

DISPATCHES

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