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Presents Everest Autumn 2000 ! |
Dispatches
9/17/2000:
Icefall
active
Five
Korean mountaineers planned an overnight stay at Camp
I, yet a damaged ladder made them change plans.
The
Icefall, which was already fully equipped with ladders
and fixed ropes, is a very tricky section due to
oscillating temperatures. Five Koreans planned to stay
this night at Camp I set up three days ago, yet
falling seracs stopped them. The seracs damaged one of
the ladders across the crevasse, and the Koreans were
forced to turn back. We could follow them from the
base camp by means of a 600m telescope. In the
afternoon the locals [Sherpa Climbers] fixed the
ladder. The Koreans will make another try tomorrow.
The six-member Slovenian team will attempt the Icefall
on Monday, after tomorrow's consecration. The Sherpas
believe that the expedition cannot tackle Everest
before the consecration ceremony is held.
Dispatches (2) 9/16/2000:
Gear
check
Today's
cold and cloudy day was spent checking the
mountaineering gear. Karnicar examined his skis.
With
tomorrow's base camp consecration ahead, and an ascent
across the Icefall to the first advance camp planned
for the following day, we were today checking the
gear. All the things needed for climbing in the ice
were taken out and examined: crampons, axes, climbing
girdles, karabiners and other pieces. Karnicar also
examined the skis to find out that they have arrived
undamaged all the way from Slovenia.
Birthday
party on the third day at the base camp
Tadej
Golob, 'young and with good prospects', as Davo
Karnicar christened him, entered Christ's age (33)
yesterday here at Everest base camp.
We
were completely taken by surprise: our three cooks
baked such a cake which would give hard times any
Western bakery. No oven, no whipped cream or magic
cream powders around. On his 33rd birthday, Tadej
received from his fellow mountaineers a unique
birthday card made of birch bark, with a dried
Nepalese edelweiss. His wish was though an "undried
Well", let's leave some secrets buried under the
mighty mountains.
Dispatches (2) 9/15/2000:
Measurements
of blood oxygen saturation
After
arrival to the base camp members of the expedition
were measured oxygen saturation levels. Results in
line with expectations.
Blood
oxygen saturation level (SpO2), one of the best
indicators of physical adjustment to altitude,
according to statistical data at the altitude of
Everest base camp, where there is only 50% as much
oxygen in the air as there is at sea level, never
exceeds 85%. For your information a healthy person's
oxygen saturation level in low-lying countries equals
100%.
Measurements
showed that expedition members' values rank between 75
and 85%. It is expected that after several days spent
at the base camp those values will stabilize at the
upper level. The Sherpas' values are, after staying at
the base camp for a few days, around 85%.
Despite
all measurements, the best indicator of adjustment to
altitude is how everybody feels; all members of the
expedition are feeling very well. The only one with
altitude difficulty is our communications officer,
Suresh Acharya, who followed the doctor's advice and
descended to a lower altitude for a couple of days.
Preparations
in the base camp
The
second day after arriving at Everest base camp was
spent preparing the base for a longer stay. An
electric generator was fixed and base camp
electrified, storage reorganized and cold room dug.
The
main output of today's work at the base camp is
electricity supply set up for communications gear and
for lighting the kitchen tent. Two fuel generators
have been brought from Kathmandu, each 650kW of power,
which shall yield between 300 and 400kW at this
altitude. Both are streamlined for operating at 5,000m
and now function impeccably, and also very quietly
(56dB).
Bags
which the porters and the yaks have brought to the
base camp were reorganized. Cold room for meat storage
was dug into ice though perhaps too late; a beef joint
brought from the valley is stinking already...The
weather has slightly improved. The sun which started
to shine around noon almost completely melted
yesterday's snow.
Dispatch 9/14/2000:
Arrived
at the base camp
After
a seven day trek, with breaks for acclimatizing tours, the expedition arrived at Everest base camp.
Just as the tents were set up and the supplies taken
care of, the snow began to fall.
The
SI.MOBIL Extreme Ski Everest 2000 expedition arrived
at the edge of the Khumbu glacier, to set base camp
according to plans at an altitude of 5,340m. We made
it just in time, before the snow in the evening. Due
to gradual acclimatisation, no member of the team so
far experienced any altitude problems.
The
Icefall, the first obstacle on the way to the top, is
equipped already. Today we saw some Korean
mountaineers (who apart from us and a lonely Spanish guy
are the only base camp dwellers) ascending to the first
higher camp (6,000m).
For
tomorrow, a day of rest is planned. Weather
permitting, we expect to set for the mountain on
Monday, after the Buddhist consecration of the base
camp. The ascent is postponed upon request made by our
Sherpa companions.
Dispatches (3) 9/13/2000:
Arrival
at Lobuche
The
expedition has arrived at Lobuche, the last stop
before the base camp.
After
a five hours' hike, all expedition members reached
Lobuche the lodge nearby the Italian Pyramid (5,050m),
a scientific research centre established and
maintained by Italians. The Pyramid focuses on
environmental projects (weather, flora, fauna),
especially on the Everest water system. One of the two
researchers who arrived the same day as our expedition
even summited Everest in 1992.
After
settling at the lodge, we enjoyed the Italian influence
(where it was great to finally have spaghetti that actually
tasted like spaghetti!). We ascended another 500 height meters,
and for the first time exceeded the altitude of the
base camp (5,340m).
In
the meantime, all
the cargo has arrived on the backs of the
porters and the yaks safely at the base camp;
we shall follow tomorrow.
Everest
Reminders
of the gravity of Everest summit bid.
Hiking
towards the base camp, we come across reminders which
warn the mountaineer about the seriousness and the
danger awaiting Everest bidders. One such reminder is
the chorten which we saw along the path between Pheriche
and Lobuche, dedicated to Scott Fischer, one
of the best American mountaineers in the Himalaya, who
died during a tremendous storm in 1996, at an altitude
of around 8,200m.
At
5000 meters
As
part of preparations for a bearable stay at the base
camp, the members of the expedition today ascended to
an elevation of five kilometers.
Today's
day of rest was used for an acclimatisation ascent
along a herdsmen's path above the settlement, which
ended at a steep rocky crest decorated with Buddhist
flags at an altitude of around 5,000m. After a couple
of hours' stay at this altitude we returned to the
valley.
So
far none of the team has had any altitude problems.
Ever since landing at Lukla we progressed gradually
and slowly, to avoid these difficulties. Tomorrow we
head for Lobuche (5018 meters). After Lobuche, there is
only one day's hike to the base camp.
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