Mt. Everest 2005: Waldemar Niclevicz: The wind is still the obstacle

05/11/2005

51st day of the 10 Years of Brazil on Everest Expedition

Base Camp (5,400 m)

Dear Friends!

Unhappily we are still in base camp, because the weather forecasts still advice not to climb.

The wind, above 100 Km/h, continues blowing hard in higher altitudes.  Today, those Sherpas that tried to go to camp 3 and 4, came back after the daybreak to camp 2, where they didn't have much choice but to rest.  Tomorrow the wind should begin to diminish in intensity and the hope of the Sherpas, an all of us, is that the can finally get to the South Col, the location of Camp 4, practically at 8 thousand meters of altitude.

Yesterday I had a big meeting here in base camp, among the chiefs of the commercial expeditions (the bigger ones, with greater number of members and Sherpas, and the best organized). The main topic was how and when the route from the South Col (camp 4) to the summit will be equipped, using oxygen bottles and fixing ropes on the hardest part of the climb. A hard work, that leaves the trail open for the clients of the commercial expeditions. Of course, the climbers of the non commercial expeditions, like in our case, get benefits from this work. 

Well, our hope is to make a summit attack on the next few days, my dream was to get to the summit of Everest on May 14, exactly like it was 10 years ago, independently from the fact that there were fixed lines on the South Col route or not.  But unhappily the forecast is that right on the 14th there will be some storm or blizzard on Everest.  The situation should get worst around the 17th, and we still don't know what could happen with the weather later.

This instability in the weather is a danger for us climbers and also for Sherpas.  The wind is terrible, it makes the thermal sensation be lower and makes the risk of frostbite greater.  The snow can also betray, besides making progress more difficult, it also raises the risk of avalanches.

The sad example is what happened yesterday with Pema, the high altitude carrier of our Spanish friends from Valencia that are also part of our expedition.  The long exposition to the wind, on the way to camp 4, made two of his fingers to suffer serious frostbite.  The extreme situation forced this trip to the South Col to be interrupted, and the equipment the Sherpas were carrying, were left at 7,500m, deposited close to the so called Yellow Band.

We stayed late at night waiting for Pema here at base camp, but he didn't show until this morning, around 09h00.  We took him immediately to the medical post in base camp.  Dr. An who saw me weeks ago and recommended antibiotics to treat my throat, took care of the Sherpa of the Spanish. 

Pema continued then to the hospital (which is one day from base by foot) of HRAN in Periche to be treated, following recommendations from Dr. An, and also knowing that he could not work again as a high altitude porter on Everest for the rest of the season (coming back to Everest soon was his intention, he was not aware of the gravity of his frostbite!!!).  Pema is just 20 years old, he is married with a son three months old, and was the first time he was working as a high altitude porter on Everest.

Look at the picture of Pema being attended by Dr. An Janssen here in base camp.  Below, the sad situation of his frozen fingers.

Until tomorrow!

A big hug,

Waldemar Niclevicz

Translated from Portuguese by Jorge Rivera

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