The last week has been nuts!!

Never in our wildest dreams would we have imagined the response that we have had with our discovery of George Mallory. I think it is a real testimony to the vision and accomplishments of the early pioneers on Everest that we still find their spirit of adventure so compelling, even 75 years after the climb.

On behalf of the team, I just want to say thank you to everyone that has sent good wishes. My only regret is that we can not respond personally to every one of your e mails!

We are ready to leave for ABC and start the final search and summit climb. We'll be looking hard for Sandy Irvine and the camera, and we have some ideas where we want to go this time, based on what we've found so far. The summit climb will be interesting too. We're still hoping to find additional evidence of the 1924 climb up on the summit ridge, and the Second Step will be a heck of a challenge to free climb.

I also wanted to say a few words about the documentary, which the BBC and PBS / NOVA crew has been working on. Our understanding is that they are hoping to get it done by the end of the year. Its going to be 50 minutes of history, climbing, science, and entertainment. Today the crew was down at Rongbuk monastery filming. We'll have lots of good high altitude footage in there too, from Thom and Dave.

Finally, before we leave for one more trip to the Death Zone (I'm not trying to be melodramatic, but make no mistake, there is nothing trivial about hanging out at 27,000 feet and above). I wanted to thank one more time our sponsors. Without them this trip wouldn't have been possible. They had vision back when a lot of people were calling us crazy. Thanks again to:

• BBC / PBS-Nova
  
• MountainZone.com
  
• Lincoln LS
  
• Slumberjack
  
• Eureka!
  
• Outdoor Research
  
• Lowe Alpine
  
• Vasque
  
• Mountain Hardwear

• Eric Simonson, leader
  
• Dave Hahn, climber and DV cameraman
  
• Conrad Anker, climber
  
• Jake Norton, climber
  
• Tap Richards, climber
  
• Andy Politz, climber
  
• Graham Hoyland, departed climber
  
• Thom Pollard, DV cameraman
  
• Ned Johnston, film cameraman
  
• Jyoti Lal Rana, sound technician
  
• Liesel Clark, producer
  
• Peter Firstbrook, producer
  
• Pemba Tshering and Passang Nuru, cooks
  
• Lhakpa and Passang Chirring, cookboys
  
• Kesang (Tibetan helper)
  
• Dawa Nuru (Sirdar) and the following great Sherpas:
  
• Ang Passang
  
• Kami
  
• Phinjo
  
• Lhakpa Rita
  
• Tashi
  
• Panuru
  
• Danuru
  
• Liu Feng (Liaison Officer)
  
• Zhao Lin Lin (Liaison Officer)
  
• Pupu Tsering (jeep driver)
  
• Zou Zaow Chong (Interpreter)

—Eric Simonson, Expedition Leader

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