Dave Hahn

We still have a relatively good weather pattern here. The big winds up high just don't seem to be there this year. In their absence, cumulus clouds form by mid-day and the snow falls. Superficially, the North Face is made very pretty by all that snow. As climbers, we'd just as soon see all that snow blow toward Texas before we get on the summit terrain.

At present, it makes things a bit more difficult for our climbers going to the North Col and Camp V to be breaking trail each day even in an accumulation of just a few inches. The trick of course, is to let someone else's team break trail, but some times even that trail is still more work than normal. But as I say, "normal" often is too windy to climb in, so you accept the extra work of a bit of snow.

Heather MacDonald and Slowman got some gear up to 25,000' today. The two of them have been healthy and strong all trip, and so it is not surprising that they've currently got our non-sherpa altitude record. They will sleep at the North Col tonight before heading to base camp tomorrow for some rest.

Panuru and the Sherpas are enjoying the first of two rest days at ABC, having successfully established Camp V at 25,700' and stocked it with some Oxygen the next day. Alex carried to the North Col yesterday and so is a sucker today for Pemba's ABC cooking.

Down at base camp, land of coughs, myself and Jim Findley are completing a planned rest that we may have to extend. Seems we both torched our throats on that last tour of duty. For me, it was a classic case of working hard and sleeping little at the Col for two nights, then coming down and neglecting to "re-stock" fully on food and water at ABC before making the long dry march to base camp. Someone needs to guide the guide.

Craig John was doing well enough at ABC when he made the mistake of having someone look at the inside of his throat. So he is down here while the spots go away... we feed him with a long stick and make him sit just outside the dining tent. Richard made a break from the sick ward this morning, darn near sprinting to IC, intermediate camp (half way to ABC), to get away from all perceived base camp cooties.

Bob Parzick, having mastered the physical and technical problems of the North Col slopes, decided for personal reasons to end his Everest climb. He will spend a day or two with the coughing people at base camp waiting for a jeep homeward. Bob will be missed, and his decision respected.

— Dave Hahn, International Mountain Guides' Expedition Leader

DISPATCHES

COMPLETE INDEX OF DISPATCHES