BRAZILIAN EVEREST LHOTSE EXPEDITION is sponsored by

O BOTICÁRIO, VOLKSWAGEN and PETROBRÁS

41st day of the Brazilian Expedition to the Top of the World.
Base Camp (5,400m). Planning the summit attack.

After getting up to 7,300m, the altitude of Camp 3, and feeling so close to the Top of the World, I could hardly sleep last night, imagining the take off of our great adventure.

We will probably do just one more attack to higher altitudes, using Camp 2 as base, we will install equipment on the Yellow Band (after Camp 3) and we'll open the trail up to the South Col (the location for Camp 4, 8,000m).

The date of a probable attack to Everest would be between the 24th and 28th of September.  For the Sherpas, the best day would be September 27th, according to recommendations from the Lama, who came to our Base Camp to celebrate the Puja, a religious ceremony.

When I left Brazil, I was willing to do the final attack on Everest on September 21st, with a full moon, but the delay caused by the opening of the route through the Ice Fall by the SPCC, ended delaying my plans in one week.  But, is this route not open anymore?  It is, but our body needs a few more days to adapt to the thin air of higher altitudes.  That means that, just after the night that we spent on Camp 3 (7,300m) we could attempt to go up to 8,000m (Camp 4).  It very important to respect our body, and let it naturally adapt to this extreme environment.

I am enthusiastic with the weather, which is really stable above Camp 2, with a clear sky and calm winds, however it snows a little almost all day here at Base.  I am afraid that this propitious situation changes after the full moon, and that is why I am trying to convince other expeditions to go back to work as soon as possible, because even more effort would be needed to achieve the next phase of our climb, the arrival to the South Col.  The best would be to join our efforts, since we have a big common objective.

I could not forget to tell you about Lhotse.  We want to climb this big mountain and then Everest, in the same attack.  But, as you well know, a hundred different situations could happen.  It is important to wish for the weather to help us, and then, I am sure, our plans will come true with perfection.

BRAZILIAN EVEREST LHOTSE EXPEDITION is sponsored by O BOTICÁRIO, VOLKSWAGEN and PETROBRÁS

Dispatches

Translated from Portuguese by Jorge Rivera