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May
3, 2002 – Ben Clark
Situated in the safety of base camp underneath the 12,000' North Face of
Dhaulagiri, our team spirit and strength continues to grow stronger.........as
do the fierce winds from overhead. Our
days now revolve around resting and making preparations for our summit assault.
When our margin of safety is increased by a trend in the weather, which
will not leave our team up to our thighs in snow and up to our necks in peril,
the anticipation of a summit attempt will be put into action.
As for life here in base
camp, there are few complaints about trading our cold cracking fingertips for
the warm paper cut’s caused by any number of books we may have read throughout
the last few days. When not reading
many of the group have spent hours dueling it out over chess matches, sharpening
cramp-ons, repairing gear, and discussing the warm tropical climate and
beautiful sunny beaches of Thailand not forgetting the many amenities found
there, none of which exist here in base camp. In the days to come we anticipate
the opportunity to ascend to camp two once again and from that vantage our team
hopes to make a safe and calculated attempt on the summit rewarding us for the
patience and dedication we have all put into this climb.
Keep
Dreaming,
Ben
Clark
May
5, 2002 – Jerry Clark – Ben’s Father
Sunday
evening, May 5, 2002 7:15
PM CST
Ben
left a message on our cell phone this morning at 7:48
AM, but didn't call back.
He said that they were about 23,000 feet, wished Anne a Happy Birthday
(today is her birthday) and said he was tired and was going to get some rest and
wouldn't call back today. He said
the weather outside was miserable. I
don't know what that means for sure but probably means it was cloudy, windy,
cold and maybe snowing.
From
what he said, they are probably at Camp 3 at 23,600 feet (that is where they are
supposed to be). I have checked the
Pokhara weather and it was cloudy, so it could have been snowing and windy.
Forecast for the next several days in Pokhara is for clear and sunny
skies with light NE winds. I'm not sure what that means for the mountain, but
clear skies should be good.
If
they move up Monday (Nepal - Sunday night here) to Camp 4, then a summit attempt
will probably be made Tuesday (Nepal - Monday night here) as planned.
Will keep you advised of
further messages.
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