Everest 2003: Himalayan Guides 2003 Everest Expedition
Featuring reports from Ian Mackay

We left Base Camp at 6AM on 18th April to climb through the Icefall to Camp 2. The purpose of leaving early was to get to the top of the Icefall before the sun hits it at about mid morning. The sun is so strong it drains a lot of strength from climbers. The climb through the Icefall was uneventful until near the top when we encountered congestion at some of the bigger ice faces and ladders. Unfortunately this is the most dangerous area of the Icefall due to the potential movement of the seracs (ice blocks) This is where the Khumbu Glacier spills out of the lip of the Western Cwm and begins to tumble downward as the Icefall. As it passes over the lip to begin its journey downwards, the glacier cracks into huge blocks of ice sometimes as big as apartment blocks with crevasses between them hundreds of feet deep. Since the whole mass is moving slowly downhill the blocks gradually tilt in that direction threatening to topple at anytime. As well as  the threat of being crushed by falling ice the movement of the icefall also creates voids which may open up under a climber swallowing them up if they are not clipped in to the ropes. These dangers make every second standing, waiting at the bottom of a crowded ladder seem like hours. It is easy to pass slower climbers on most of the icefall, but these upper sections, at the foot of ice cliffs and ladders - everyone must wait their turn.

Eventually we reached the top of the icefall and began the trek up the Western Cwm, past camp 1 to camp 2. The gradual climb to camp 2 had to be undertaken in the full sun which I found particularly exhausting. The main danger here is narrow but very deep crevasses so it is essential not to stray off the route. 

On 21st we had intended to climb the Lhotse face to camp 3, turn around and return to camp 2. However, we woke to piercing winds coming off Everest/Lhotse. By the time we reached the foot of the Lhotse Face, I was entertaining severe doubts about the adequacy of my clothing. I was wearing long johns, fleeces and a windsuit on top, despite this, I was shivering uncontrollably whenever we stopped. The wind seemed to blow straight through my clothes, chilling me to the bone. We stopped, and after a short discussion, Henry (to my great relief) decided that conditions were too bad and that we should go back to camp 2 (a decision that was later vindicated when conditions worsened considerably later in the day).

As we descended towards the icefall, we noticed no one was coming in the other direction. Henry radioed Padowa at base camp to be told that there had been a serious accident at the top of the icefall, where a 3 section ladder had collapsed and 2 Sherpas had been injured, one with a suspected broken back. After having a snack at camp 1, we descended to the icefall where we came upon frantic activity repairing the route. The ladders were actually being re-roped in place as we hurriedly passed over them. After that we passed pile after pile of rucksacks that had been left by the route by their Sherpa owners as they hurried to get their injured colleagues down to base camp. It was a disturbing scene which reminded us yet again of the risks inherent in our venture. When we arrived in base camp, the snow began to fall and we hurried into our sleeping bags. The most seriously injured Sherpa was helicoptered back to Kathmandu. We have no further news of him. [The update from the team is here.]

The timing of our summit attempt will be weather dependent, but other factors will also come into play. The most significant other factor will be the position of the other large expeditions on the mountain. These include the Indian/Nepalese army team which has more than 40 members and the French team which has 25 members. It is our intention to avoid, as far as possible, going for the summit at the same time as many of these larger expeditions, because we believe that there is a real possibility of a serious incident resulting from large numbers of climbers on the upper part of the mountain at the same time.

Dispatches