Daily Dispatches [CLICK FOR INDEX] Climber Eric Simonson Hahn and Anker Summit in Whiteout
Mon, May 17, 1999 — 3:30pm Tibet Time
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Satellite phones for Everest provided by MVS/USA

Hello, Eric Simonson from Advanced Base Camp with an update on the climb. The weather has taken a turn for the worse this afternoon. It's been snowing hard for the last four hours, and since the Second Step, things have gotten quite difficult.

Everest North Ridge Summit Bid Dave and Conrad reached the summit at 2:50pm. It took them almost four hours from the Second Step—near whiteout conditions, breaking trail. They're doing okay, but it's late in the day. They've been going now for over 13 hours straight, and they still have a long ways to go.

Everest North Ridge Summit Bid Tap and Jake are down at Camp VI brewing up and ready to meet them when they get down and to support them if they need any help, but it's going to be a pretty difficult another four, five, six hours until they get down. So we're all not celebrating yet. So we'll give you a call when they get back to Camp VI, and then we can celebrate. Until then, the climb's not over.

Okay, this is Eric at ABC signing off.

Eric Simonson, Expedition Leader
DISPATCHES