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Special Report on the three Everest
climbers, Guy Cotter, Ed Viesturs & Veikka Gustafsson, that are climbing
Dhaulagiri Spring 98.
ADVENTURE CONSULTANTS LIMITED - High Altitude Expeditions
EXPEDITION Update : Guy Cotter, Ed Viesturs & Veikka
Gustafsson leave Dhaulagiri base camp on May 8 for their summit attempt on the 8167 m
peak, they hope to summit on May 10.
Update 5/7/98:
Guy Cotter has managed to get a message out as to how the expedition is coming along. An
the result so far is very nicely thanks ! Three acclimatization trips have been completed
on the mountain and the intrepid three are now waiting and watching the weather to decide
when to start their summit attempt.
On the third trip to Camp III height, they spent two nights
at Camp I on April 29 and 30 while a storm lashed the Dhaulagiri Himal. They were then
able to move up to Camp II for three nights which is a snowcave whilst moving gear to Camp
III and acclimatizing, and were back to base camp by the evening of May 5.
A tent was missing from the Camp III stash once they
arrived there most recently - it appeared that it had been knocked away down the hill if
the tracks going through the stash were anything to go by ! The Basque team had been
making a summit attempt and may have blundered through the equipment on their way down,
never mind ! The Basques came within 100 m of the summit and no one else has summitted so
far, although all 5 teams now remaining in base camp are poised to do so.
Plans are to possibly depart on May 8 for a summit attempt on May 10. We will have to wait
until they get back down to receive any news of the climb though. Over and out from AC
base Wanaka NZ.
Update: 5/12/98 from ADVENTURE CONSULTANTS LIMITED
EXPEDITION Update : Guy Cotter, Ed Viesturs & Veikka
Gustafsson leave Dhaulagiri base camp on May 12 for their summit attempt on the 8167
m peak, they hope to summit on May 14 - visit the ADVENTURE CONSULTANTS LIMITED - on
our links page for updates.
Wednesday 5/13/98: From ADVENTURE CONSULTANTS LIMITED
Update re. Guy Cotter, Veikka Gustafsson & Ed Viesturs
on the Adventure Consultants Dhaulagiri Expedition 1998
News in from western Nepal indicates that summit attempts
on Dhaulagiri have been delayed because of storms affecting the region. A lightening storm
kept all in their tents on Friday May 8 which was described as 'like a light bulb being
turned on and off in your tent all night - Veikka was particularly scared !' and three
more days were spent waiting at base camp. Entertainment to while away the time included
the arrival of beer by a trusty porter, vege rolls and pancakes with cream and jam. Monday
May 5 was another stormy day delaying things further but all three climbers left base camp
finally on Tuesday May 6 to start their summit attempt. No one has summitted so far this
season due to the recent storms and avoiding the mountain on the weekend had allowed the
avalanche cycle to settle down, other teams who had been stuck at their high camps in the
storms have returned to base camp over the past few days.
Guy Cotter turned around and returned to base camp on
Tuesday after experiencing severe problems with his stomach. He has decided not to return
back up the mountain on this expedition. He is philosophical about the retreat and thought
it expedient to descend and listen to his body, this being the first time he has turned
back on an 8000er due to his own health. Veikka and Ed continued and reached Camp II, and
then on to Camp III on Wednesday May 13 in preparation for a summit attempt on Thursday
May 14. The weather is amazingly fine and it is reportedly calm up high.
Saturday 5/17/98: After waiting two days for the weather to clear enough to
allow a summit attempt, Veikka Gustafsson and Ed Viesturs went for the summit in the early
hours of Saturday morning Nepal Time. They encountered deep drifted snow on a huge
unfriendly slope so called it off. Hence, they retreated back down on Saturday afternoon
and will now leave for civilization, the expedition and summit attempts are over. Porters
arrive today and then they along with Guy Cotter can start the trek to Jomsom for the
flight to Pokhara and then onto Kathmandu by road. Source: ADVENTURE CONSULTANTS LIMITED
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