Disabled
mountaineer Gary
Guller will attempt to summit Mt. Everest,
the highest mountain in the world at 8,850m,
in Spring 2001. While any attempt at Everest
is one of the greatest challenges one could
undertake, Gary's attempt will be especially
personal. In 1986, Gary suffered a spinal cord
injury in a climbing accident. His neck was
broken and the nerve roots going to his left
arm were pulled out of the spinal cord.
Despite experimental surgery, the paralysis
was irreparable and he made the decision to
have his left arm amputated.
May
9
Mike here.... "The best laid plans of mice
and men..." I was the first one off to
climb the Ice Fall at 0430 this morning. But it
was dismal and snowing persistently with low
clouds. I returned to the camp and Tunc and the
two Sherpas who were also going up today decided
to stay put.
Gary
here... Kipa and myself were planning to stay at
base camp today anyway and join everyone at Camp
2 the next day. We had some last minute oxygen
issues to deal with. All was sorted late last
night, so everything is ready to go.
I'm
still feeling quite strong even though over the
last day or so I've had a little stomach
problem, maybe more info than you really wanted
to know, but life here at base camp and higher
up on the hill isn't all fun and games - there's
always something testing your will to
continue. For me, one day it is those
"damn ladders in the Icefall", another
day, my craving for Texas BBQ, then I'm missing
my wife, next it's stomach problems and on and
on. But all I have to do is look around me at
the beautiful mountains, talk with team and the
Sherpas, have a laugh, and this keeps me
going...
MT...
The weather this year is atrocious. Normally we
get bad weather with a following period of good
weather during which we can make progress up the
mountain. This year however we have had long and
unpredictable spells of extremely unsettled
weather. We are not alone with this unseasonable
climate. Apparently South Asia as a whole is
suffering. No
Sherpas went up to the higher camps today, plus
3 ladders have broken in the Icefall.
The Icefall "doctor" Nima visited us
last night and went up early this morning to
repair. We at Arun Treks & Expeditions said
a sad good-bye to our homemade shower, that
consisted of a ladder and a bag balanced over a
huge rock. The ladder was required in the
Icefall, now our shower is no longer... too
funny really! The
next chance of going back up seems to be Friday,
11 May giving a summit date of 15 May.
If you read yesterday's dispatch you will know
what we intend to do when we get the opportunity
- but when that will be we are not sure.
GG
here, on another note: Our fantastic cook,
Buddha made and served the most fantastic
doughnuts this lunchtime. Everyone enjoyed them
immensely. Buddha has done a remarkable job thus
far; we all remain strong because of this fine
cook. We are all working together, which is so
important for success up here....
