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19:30
GMT THURS MAY 09 2002 Report from Base Camp: Hi
everyone, Well the big news today is that Gavin
and Willie have decided to join forces with
Alexsei from Russia who they have become firm
friends with over the last month. He too will
try for the summit without oxygen. According to
Gavin, who I spoke to today, Alexsei has been on
the North Ridge route before so his experience
will be invaluable. Don't ask me how the rest of
the Russian team feel!
They
are still at Base Camp at the moment and are
preparing for the trek back to ABC via interim
camp in the next couple of days. Gavin told me
that they hope to be in the first wave of summit
attempts - which he predicts will be in the
middle of next week. This all depends on the
weather of course. Their main thinking behind
this is that they don't won't to be left alone
on the route as they are climbing without oxygen
and will consequently be slower.
As
regards weather - Gavin says it has been
beautifully sunny for the last couple of days.
lets hope the good conditions hold. Gavin says
both he and Will have rested well at Base Camp
and are mentally preparing themselves for the
task in hand. He said they are both feeling
nervous, but that is only to be expected.
The
overall view on the north side is that everyone
is beginning to move up the mountain now... The
Swiss team, the Spanish team and Russel Brice's
team to name but a few. The rough plan is that
once they get to ABC they will then go for the
summit without returning lower again. i.e. it
will be Camp 1 - Camp 2 - Camp 3 etc! Not Camp 1
- Camp 2 - Camp 1 - Camp 2 - Camp 3 - Camp 2
etc! As such they have finished their
acclimatisation plan ("climb high, sleep
low" was their mantra if you remember). I
hope that was understandable!
That's
all for know, Take care, Richard
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