Mt. Everest 2005: Team Alongi 2005 at Chinese Advanced Base camp

Picture: the last ladder in just before the North Col. The ridge to the higher camps is visible in the upper left of the photo. The four gentlemen in the upper left are my outstanding sherpa staff - Lakpa, Dangima, Tsering, and Dorje - and this couldn't happen without their support. Even though our team members are all pulling their share of the load carrying. We just aren't having the Sherpa's carry nearly everything like most teams.

We're at ABC.  Been here for several days now.  It's very high, over 21,000ft, and we plan to spend most of the expedition here.  It took two long days to trek here from base camp.  The winds are always very high and our tents are reinforced with heavy webbing nets, so they don't blow away - even with us inside!

I made two consecutive trips to the North Col (C1) and I must admit it's a long haul to the first camp at 23k ft.  I was the first westerner to arrive at the No Col this season, and the Sherpas were excited about it.  Loads are really heavy up here!

Regardless of what's being nobody is in top position on the mountain. We just finished paying rope and ladders to the No Col Yesterday, and a few of the expeditions claimed their property. Right now, all the teams are busy stocking C1 and that's hardly putting yourself in 1st place.  Roughly half of the teams have arrived at ABC.

The rest of the guys on the team are making their first trip to C1 today. They are in for some surprises.  Vertical jugging on hard water ice with full loads!  Sustained slopes of 40-65 degrees, with solid blue glacier ice under foot...  Only a few ladders this season, and they do make it interesting at times.

I'm resting today and catching up on business.  I put my laptop in the sun for a while and it finally worked!  It's been too cold for it to boot up. Hence the delayed updates to EverestNews.com

Tomorrow, I plan to haul another load to C1.  Then, I'll move up to C1 and spend at least 2-3 nights.  I plan to establish C2 (24,700ft) before coming down.

The team is looking strong and has been doing very well with the altitude. Everyone has had their share of headaches and nasty feelings, but that's what we all signed up for.  The pains, difficulties, and uncertainties are what make it so much more elusive than other sports.  Why we do it?  That's a subject for a dinner party and some good food.

That's the scoop for the climb thus far.

From Mt. Everest North Side ABC,

Brook Alongi - Team Leader

Team Ogawa 2005

Ogawa Mountain Adventures

Dispatches

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