Mt. Everest 2005: Catalan Team North Side

Tents (camp 1) North Col ©EverestNews.com

Update: Friday, April 29, 2005 - The tents are already in Camp 1 (7,000 meters) -

All our intention of today's journey was to finally arrive to the North Col, and we have done it partially, but the two Sherpas, Lhakpa and Migma, who have left ahead of us early in the morning have arrived to the North Col and they have faced the strong wind that made it hard to install the two tents they had planned and the other material they have carried (shovels, gas tanks, rope...).

We, who were loaded, have seen how the Sherpas have marched up with their rhythm while we marched more slowly, the weather has changed and the sky is covered, there is a strong wind and the snow that fell made the march harder even following the fixed lines on the wall of the North Col.  At two in the afternoon, conscious how much it was left to climb, we decided to deposit the materials we were carrying, at 6,900 meters and return to Advanced Base Camp amid a strong wind. 

We are very satisfied of the work we did today, tomorrow we will rest and plan the march to install Camp 2.

A windy and cold hug from ABC.

Thursday, April 28, 2005 - "Puja" at Advanced Base Camp -

Our second day at Advanced Base Camp started with a magnificent sun that illuminated the ice of the wall of the North Col, but even so it was really cold, the thermometer read -18ºC outside our tent.

This morning has been important, the ceremony of "Puja" was held, a ritual act when the "Sherpas" build a little Shorten surrounded by typical flags of prayers and everyone who has the intention to climb the mountain, including them, have placed their piolets and crampons there because the ceremonial act signifies the blessing of the gods.

We used the rest of the day, during which the weather changed radically - it's been snowing for two hours now - to prepare the materials and the stuff we want to carry to Camp 1, located on the North Col at 7.000 meters. 

Despite the altitude in which the Advanced Base Camp is located, at almost 6,500 meters, we have some "relative comforts" and if the acclimatization is good we hope we don't have to turn back down to the Chinese Base Camp at 5,300 meters.  Greetings and we say goodbye while we hope it stops snowing.

Namasté.  

Translated form Catalan by Jorge Rivera

Updates

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