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Adventure
Consultants Everest Expedition 2002
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Thursday
16 May:
0745 hours Nepal time, Everest BC. Email report from
Guy Cotter;
Just spoke to Ang Dorjee and Dave Hiddleston at
South Summit. They have arrived along with Bill,
Ellen and Haraldur and Sherpas Ang Passang and
Lhakpa Dorje.
The team left the South Col at 2215 during the night
in clear and cold conditions. During the night Alan,
Rob and Tom turned around and returned to the South
Col. They put in their best effort but made the
decision to turn around based on how they were
feeling. Whilst we are disappointed for them that
they did not summit after all the work they put in
we respect their decision to turn around whilst they
had some in reserve and did not
wait until they were too spent too descend.
Whilst the weather could not be better, the snow
conditions found on the SE ridge above the balcony
consisted of deep snow. This part of the climb took
some time to make a trail and fix ropes. However,
the efforts of Ang Dorjee, Chuldim and 4 Sherpas
from other teams yesterday made the summit attempt
possible today. They left at 0500 yesterday morning
to make a trail in the deep snow and fix ropes on
the route above South Col to the balcony region. Ang
Dorjee reported waist deep snow. It is again a
credit to these Sherpas that they can work so hard
at extremely high altitudes several days in a row.
Ang Dorjee is heading towards his 8th Everest
summit!
There are many people up on South Summit and the
weather is perfectly fine with no wind and all the
members are feeling fine with plenty of oxygen
reserves for the rest of the day. Just now some
climbers and Sherpas have begun making the trail
along the summit ridge towards the Hillary step, a
steep rock section along the precipitous summit
ridge. From the top of the step it is about 30
minutes to the summit itself. We anticipate they
will reach the top at about 1000 hours this morning.
We'll update again soon!!! Guy Cotter
Thursday
16 May:
0830 hours Nepal time, Everest BC. Update by phone.
The
team have just left from the South Summit and are
heading towards the Hilary Step, which has already
had fixed ropes put in place. The weather is still
calm and clear. Alan, Rob and Tom are preparing to
leave from South Col with Phu Tashi in about one
hour to descend to Camp 2.
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