Home
   Today's News
   8000 Meters Facts
  
Banners Ads
   Bookstore
   Classified Ads
   Climb for Peace
  
Contact

   Downloads
   E-mail (Free)
  
Educational
  
Expeditions
  
Facts
  
Games
  
Gear
  
History
  
Interviews

   Mailing List
   Media

   Medical
  
News (current)
   News Archives
   Sat Phones
   Search
   Seven Summits
   Snowboard
   Speakers
   Students
   Readers Guide
   Risks

   Trip Reports
   Visitor Agreement

   Volunteer/help

 

    
  

 

  




  Canadian Mt. Everest 2005: Sean is still suffering from a respiratory bug


©EverestNews.com

Update: Monday 25th April, 8pm. Everest Camp Two
(EST is 9 hours 45mins behind Nepal)

Sean is still suffering from a respiratory bug

Diary by Harold Mah

I am at Camp Two (20,500 feet, barometric pressure 462) after a hard but not dangerous climb up 1,200 feet.

Sean has stayed at Camp One for another night. After a night in which all I could hear was Sean doing his best yak impressions and mumbling about his girlfriend, Sean got up this morning and announced that he did not have the energy to climb to Camp Two. In fact, he did not feel up to descending to Base Camp either and has decided to wait it out at Camp One for another day. There is lots of food there and medicine so he’ll be fine and he is in good spirits. But, the respiratory bug is taking its toll and although he feels strong, he is not sure what is wrong with him. He may have to go further down the mountain than Base Camp in order to shake it off. It seems like quite a few climbers have the bug, according to our Sherpas and it’s very similar to what I had when I arrived at Base Camp. So the good news for Sean is that I recovered from the bug quite quickly and hopefully he’ll have the same experience.

We had a sunny start to the day as I climbed up to Camp Two. It’s not as technical a climb as the Ice Fall but everyone starts slowing down, due to the altitude. I met climbers from the US, Japan, Spain, Russia and the UK as well as Pemba Dorjee who holds the world record for a successful summit climb on Everest of 8 hours and 10 minutes on May 21st 2004.

Of interest today were the 5-storey crevasses that we had to go through. They were quite safe but dramatically huge. At one point there was a 3 ladder crossing over a huge crevasse. The main challenge was the 80 degree heat in the Western Cwm. It’s like climbing over a giant satellite dish with all the sun’s heat reflected off the startling white snow on to your neck and in to your face and eyes. After the heat of the day it’s now sub-zero and getting colder, so I will be huddled back in my sleeping bag soon.

Camp Two has been set up with a mess tent and sleeping tents. We are again sleeping on a block of ice but this time it is not poking through my back! The Sherpas have already carried our food supplies and the oxygen for Sean’s summit bid and the supplies are in place and ready. Lunch today was a traditional sherpa meal of rice and meat. They have been throwing in some pasta in to their dishes, for the westerners, but I have asked them to feed me whatever they eat. I am the only westerner in this party and I love their food, so it seems unnecessary to make me something special. They had a big sherpa party today with lots of hot juice which was a lot of fun. I can’t understand everything they are saying, as they don’t speak English all the time, but it was easy to understand their spirit and enthusiasm.

At Camp Two we enter the true climbing area. Camp Three is cut in to the snow and ice of a yellow band of fossils and rock on the Lhotse face. It leads to the South Col where Camp Four is located from where climbers prepare for their final assault. Tonight I’ll sleep well and prepare for the climb to Camp Three.

More later, Harold

Dispatches

 

 

Built to handle a myriad of different climbing pursuits, the Ultralight Universal is our best selling crampon. This crampon lives for trekking, glacier travel, or steep couloirs and snowfields. Totally adjustable Zytel straps make this crampon durable and easy to use. Fits everything from moon boots to flip-flops, our lightest crampon available. Weight: 590g Points: 10. See more here.

 






 

   Ascenders

   Atlas snowshoes

   Atomic

   Black Diamond

   Botas

   Brunton

   Carabiners

   CaVa Climbing Shoes

   Chaco

   Clearance

   Clif Bar

   Cloudveil

   CMI

   Crampons

   Edelweiss ropes
  
Eureka Tents

   Exofficio

   Featured

   FoxRiver

   Garmin

   Granite Gear

   Harnesses
  
Headlamps

   Hestra
  
Helmets

   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

   Patagonia

   Pelican

   Petzl

   PowerBar

   Princeton Tec

   Prescription Glacier

   Glasses

   Primus

   Rope Bags

   Salomon

   Scarpa

   Seattle Sports

   Serius
  
Sleeping Bags

   Stubai

   Suunto

   Tents

   Teva

   Thermarest

   Trango

   Tool Logic

   Trekking Poles
  
Yaktrax
  
and more here

 



Send email to     •   Copyright© 1998-2005 EverestNews.com
All rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Disclaimer, Privacy Policy, Visitor Agreement, Legal Notes: Read it