Mt. Everest 2005: Four Friends To Climb Everest For A Cure: The Everest Waiting Game

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Update: May 18 - 20 The Everest Waiting Game  from Rob Chang - May 20th

Well our plans along with many other teams were scrubbed for heading up on the 19th to Camp 2 for our summit push - bad forecasts for high winds and cold weather made many teams including ours to make a prudent decision to wait out a bit more before heading up.

Morale around BC has been one of apprehension and talk of a season with no summits but we are still in mid-stride in terms of believing we will get our shot.  There have been many reports of bad frostbite on the Northside with an ascent in progress.  We have been sitting out hearing 4-6 other teams that headed up to attempt a summit for the 21st on the Southside but as of today (the 20th Nepal time) a few have aborted for sure heading back down from Camp 3 to Camp 2, as the forecasts have not improved.  There are reports that there are 2 teams still heading up for the summit.

As for our team, we are still doing hikes and our BC Manager has organized a Base Camp Bazaar for teams to trade out gear and food that is available for trading.  We are tired of our muesili and tuna and I have a set of down booties up for trade.

As for up on the mountain, the more experienced teams have opted to wait out a possible window between the 25th and 31st and we will probably be somewhere in this mix.

The definite strain of on again off again schedules to summit the highest peak on earth can be a relentless exercise of psychological torment for all of us.  As experienced climbers, we know this is the process, but it is no easier to go through in real life even with our levels of experience.  With our exit plans being discussed, bonuses for our staff, rounding out owed group monies, all these things are self-evident, yet not to know even if there will be a window is a heartbreaking and difficult situation to assess.

Out team has members that are here for their 3rd and 4th attempts, and the personal commitment these individuals have put forward show the difficult lifestyle a mountaineer leads.  Conversation has touched on whether this is the last time for some, regardless of a summit or not, and these are hard words to come by, even for the most seasoned climber. 

The daily process to dissect our weather forecasts has become a task of hope and despair in a sense.  There is news of the monsoon developing and improving weather, but with this, brings a tempered sentiment of pessimism as that has happened twice already with the weather not improving, and our windows to summit being scrubbed.

In terms of team, we still have maintained our sense of humor and realism, coming to the belief that climbing is not everything, and that we must have a balanced view of what we are doing since we have been bottled into the Everest focus for almost 2 months now.  For me, our project to inspire others and to promote our cancer awareness project has been a great success.  I hope only to have the great chance have a shot at the top to world.... Rob

Rob Chang Everest Climber, author and motivational speaker. To book Rob e-mail

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