Mt Everest 2006 Nepal side: Dirk camp 3 soon...

©EverestNews.com

Update: Greetings from Dirk to all of you! He spent two nights in camp 1 and one night in camp 2. The next days camp 3 will be established. It seems that Apa Sherpa tries to find and motivate additional Sherpas, since there a more climbers than Sherpas at the moment. He feels quite good, except some pain in the back due to spending more than 14 hours in the tent.

Earlier Update: Slowly the news seem to concentrate that the three sherpas were killed by several ice towers in the moment they have passed the ice fall on their way to camp 2. Five injured Sherpas arrived safely at the base camp. The spirit on the base camp is hit rock bottom. Dirk is extremely shock and his thoughts are with their families. regards from base camp in grief

Earlier Update: Yesterday on Good Friday there was the Puta ceremony which shall plead for the mountain's mercy. However the weather was very gracious, bright sunshine...  We think of the people in Katmandu which are still in a severe situation.... the base camp is too far to be affected. I meet the other climbers of the expedition, the No Limit team which I already learn to appreciate very much. So to say I sprained my ankle on the bad paths of the base camp and gained the professional help of them. According to their advices I take anti-inflammatory medicine and simply keep on going.

On Saturday I start at 6:00 am to challenge the icefall for the first time this year. The sun is covered by the Everest himself for the first two hours and I walk with cold feet until the sun heats up the whole valley drastically.  There are less ladders than last year. It takes me three hours to climb up to 6.000 mtrs and two hours to climb down. I am quite content since I feel much more air in my lungs than last year, optimism keeps you alive, but I do not dare to make conclusions to my overall future body conditions in higher altidutes. When they are about to establish camp 2 I am planning to spend the night in camp 1 to ascent further. After diner I am back in by tent, my ankle feels not bad. Thanks to the doctors of No Limit.

Happy Eastern to all of you.
Dirk

Dispatch Index

Millet One Sport Everest Boot for Spring 2009 has made some minor changes by adding more Kevlar. USES Expeditions / High altitude / Mountaineering in extremely cold conditions / Isothermal to -75°F Gore-Tex® Top dry / Evazote Reinforcements with aramid threads. Avg. Weight: 5 lbs 13 oz Sizes: 5 - 14 DESCRIPTION Boot with semi-rigid shell and built-in Gore-Tex® gaiter reinforced by aramid threads, and removable inner slipper Automatic crampon attachment Non-compressive fastening Double zip, so easier to put on Microcellular midsole to increase insulation Removable inner slipper in aluminized alveolate Fiberglass and carbon footbed Cordura + Evazote upper Elasticated collar. Expedition footwear for mountaineering in conditions of extreme cold.  NOTE US SIZES LISTED. See more here.

A cold weather, high altitude double boot for extreme conditions The Olympus Mons is the perfect choice for 8000-meter peaks. This super lightweight double boot has a PE thermal insulating inner boot that is coupled with a thermo-reflective outer boot with an integrated gaiter. We used a super insulating lightweight PE outsole to keep the weight down and the TPU midsole is excellent for crampon compatibility and stability on steep terrain. WEIGHT: 39.86 oz • 1130 g LAST: Olympus Mons CONSTRUCTION: Inner: Slip lasted Outer: Board Lasted OUTER BOOT: Cordura® upper lined with dual-density PE micro-cellular thermal insulating closed cell foam and thermo-reflective aluminium facing/ Insulated removable footbed/ Vibram® rubber rand See more here.

   Ascenders

   Atlas snowshoes

   Atomic

   Big Agnes

   Black Diamond

   Brunton

   Carabiners

   Chaco

   Cloudveil

   Columbia
   CMI

   Crampons

   Edelweiss ropes
   Eureka Tents

   Exofficio

   FiveTen

   Featured

   FoxRiver

   Gregory

   Granite Gear

   Harnesses
   Headlamps

   Hestra
   Helmets

   Helly Hansen

   HighGear

   HornyToad
   Ice Axes

   Julbo

   Kavu Eyewear

   Katadyn

   Kelty

   Kong

   Lekisport

   Life is Good

   Lowa

   Lowe Alpine

   Lowepro

   Millet

   Motorola

   Mountain Hardwear

   Mountainsmith

   MSR

   Nalgene

   New England Ropes

   Nikwax

   Omega

   Osprey

   Outdoor Research
   Patagonia

   Pelican

   Petzl

   Prana

   Princeton Tec

   Primus

   Rope Bags

   Royal Robbins

   Salomon

   Scarpa

   Scott

   Seattle Sports

   Serius
   Sleeping Bags

   Sterling Rope

   Stubai

   Suunto

   Tents

   Teva

   Thermarest

   Trango

   Tool Logic

   Trekking Poles
   Yaktrax
   and more here