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Chilean
Women Everest 2001 Expedition
First
South American Women Expedition to Mount Everest
Four
Chilean women started an expedition to Mount Everest.
They are Vivianne Cuq (leader), Cristina Prieto,
Patricia Soto y Andrea Munoz. They are joined by three
high-altitude cameramen: Christian Cuq, Philippe Reuter
and Francisco Medina. The rest of expedition includes
one doctor, one producer and one professional cameraman
from Chilean National Television. Total: 10 persons,
all Chilean, except Philippe Reuter, who is from
France, but lives in Chile.
Update
5/28/2001:
Friends, Today is the 28th and we are leaving Base
Camp, and if all goes well we will be in Kathmandu on
the 30th May or 1st June. The following is a round -up
of recent events.
Cristina, Andrea and I left for Camp 2 on the 19th May
to meet up with the rest of the group. The next day we
rested and we went to Camp 3 on the 21st. While I was
climbing up, I saw someone coming down, who fell very
near me. He was an Englishman who had just attempted
Lhotse - he was exhausted.
I gave him water and some energy food. I began to
wonder whether we would end like this coming down. I
hoped not. On leaving Camp 3, Andrea, Cristina and I
were roped together. That night we slept with oxygen
for the first time, taking 0.5 liters a minute. It is
extremely uncomfortable, so much so I woke up to find
I had torn the mask off.
The following day, the three of us left at 7am, the
rest of the group left at 4.30. We preferred to leave
later due to the cold.
There were more than 40 of us going from Camps 3 to 4.
For me it was very special to find out that there was
a Sherpa waiting for me. The surprise was that it was
a Sherpa from Willy Benegas' expedition (an Argentine
guide.)
He was very nice and never left me alone. We arrived
at the famous South Col and I felt very good. The time
had arrived.
We arrived at about 1pm and we were melting ice until
6pm. We only got an hour's rest because at 7pm we were
getting ready to go, At about 10pm, we left together
for the summit. Despite the wind, it was not cold. We
were a line of climbing lanterns. Speaking for myself,
I was started off half asleep. When we left at Camp 5
(8400 meters) we changed over oxygen bottles and left
together for the summit. For the fist time, I climbed
with a Sherpa, just as well because I was alone, the
group having split up.
Climb, climb, climb - that was the deal. The hill is
so steep, I could only rest my legs on two occasions.
The sun began to rise and I noticed lights on the
Tibetan side - people who were climbing up. It was marvelous.
To see the shadow of Everest reminded me of Aconcagua.
Climb, climb, climb until I got to the south summit
and for the first time I saw the famous Hillary Step.
In 20 minutes I was there, where Willy Benegas along
with his sherpas were fixing the ropes. The route was
open, it was time to go.
For the first time, I thought I would succeed, I
nearly cried, but I couldn't. I had to concentrate -
care was needed, even with fixed ropes. In fact I
secured myself with a knot in order to lift me up and
get over an obstacle. The ropes broke, but nothing
happened, because I was fixed to another one.
From the step to the summit, I had had enough. They
had told me it was 10 minutes, but it seemed like an
eternity. When I saw people I finally realized I Was
at the summit, I had succeeded.
Willy turned round, hugged me and congratulated me.
Then he asked me who I was. That amused me because we
were so well clothed, it is impossible to know who is
who. In fact someone greeted me after that and to this
day I still don't know who they were.
The day was fantastic. I had succeeded. I was on the
roof of the world. I still can't believe it.
Everything had been so marvelous, the mountain waited
for me. Even sick, I had managed to succeed.
Cristina arrived, then Vivianne and Phillipe.
Christian arrived later, we met him on our way down.
The descent....it wasn't easy for me. Phillipe had to
help me because I was exhausted.
My oxygen ran out on the summit, which cost me a lot
on the descent to the south summit, where we had left
reserve bottles. A new bottle, 2.5 liters per minute,
the same that I used on the ascent. Only on the way
down, did I realize the distance we had climbed and
the places we had passed. I tell you this because if I
had gone up in the daytime I wouldn't have succeeded.
On the descent, the corpses on the route appeared.
Thank God I didn't see one on the way up, although
apparently I passed within 5 meters of two of them.
On arriving at the Col and taking a break, we didn't
have the strength to reach camp 3 that day. We slept
like logs. I woke at 5am, crying, I realized I had
climbed Everest. I still don't believe it.
The descent was slow but sure although I confess that
I was most scared going through the Icefall for the
last time. Avalanches were coming down, it was
horrible. But we arrived safe and sound at Base Camp.
I have more to say, but we are beginning our
departure, there will be other times.
I want to end by saying it has been a marvelous
experience, not only for having succeeded, but also
because I have met so many admirable people. So I
don't want to say good bye without thanking Carlos
Soria, Willy Benegas and his sherpas, Juan Benegas,
Fabrizio and Ivan from Ecuador - my guardian angels.
To my friend Andrea - although she didn't reach the
top, she was there with me. I wouldn't have done it
without her. Nor without my team mates. And of course
I would like to thank the people who supported us from
Chile, especially our families and sponsors without
whom we would not have realized our dreams.
You see that dreams come true - it only needs a bit of
hard work and a lot of faith. Patricia Soto
Translated
by Adrian Sutton For
full dispatches in Spanish see there site here.
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