Up and Down 1/10

We summited at about 8.00am Nepalese time!

I found it much harder than Everest, where I used oxygen. Apart from the physical side of it, I have felt really cold.
My fingers gave me trouble and I was shivering from the cold, so we wasted no time at the top.
I did not phone Dad or take too many photos, as I did not want to take my gloves off.

I am more satisfied with this climb than Everest.

We are safely down to C3, and are heading down today to C2 at 7000m.
Tomorrow we should make it back to ABC.

Regards,
Blair

High Camp 30/9

We reached C3 this afternoon and are resting up for a summit attempt this evening, with an early tomorrow morning summit.

We are feeling really good and strong and are looking forward to tomorrow.
It is still fine, but windy, and some groups using oxygen did summit today.

Thanks for following the climb.

Blair

Going Up 29/9

We are now at C2 preparing to sleep the night. Tomorrow we plan to climb to C3, rest or sleep until midnight then push for the summit early on the 1/10/06.
The weather is excellent and the snow has not been too bad.
The teams that went up to set the route said they could have summited, so it is looking good.

My only doubt now is how I will go, as I am not using oxygen. I felt that using oxygen on Everest was a hollow victory, so this time it is au naturel.

Cheers,
Blair

Ready to go 27/9

The snow has now been stopped for a couple of days and many groups are preparing for summit attempts. We leave tomorrow morning for C1, next day C2, next day C3, and then leave for summit about midnight.So if all goes to plan we should summit early on the morning of the 1st of October.
We won't know how serious the snow is until we get higher, so fingers crossed it is OK. I will phone Dad from higher on the hill so he can keep you updated on progress.
That's all for now,
Blair (via Roger)

Snowed In 24/9

We are still at ABC experiencing the most prolonged snowstorm I have ever encountered!
It hasn't been that heavy, but it has hardly stopped for five days. Many groups are having to leave the mountain as they are on restricted time frames.
I am hoping to wait it out, but nobody knows how deep or bad the snow will be higher up the hill. At the moment it is lots of reading, Ipods and social visits.
Hopefully we will have better news next call in.
Thank you for your interest.
Blair (via Roger)
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Back to ABC 18/9

We are back down at ABC now, waiting for a route to be fixed on the upper part of the mountain.

The snow above C2 is very soft so we must wait for it to firm up enough to climb over. Then it will be a push straight to the summit.

C1 Sleepnight, C2 Sleep, C3 Short sleep then the summit.
Anyhow that is the plan.

All the best,

Blair (via Roger)

Waiting 15/9/6

At present we are experiencing unusually warm weather and deep soft snow. This is delaying further progress at this stage. So far it has delayed our climb by two days.
We are hoping for the sun to melt away the soft snow so that the constant passing of people will form a track.

It was our first really cold evening yesterday, so as the temperature drops the snow should firm up and be easier to travel on.

Tomorrow we hope to leave ABC, climb to Camp 1 at 6400m and stay the night. The next day we will leave at 5.00am and climb in the shadows when the snow is still firm, up to camp 2 at 7000m, erect our tent and leave gear for later, then back down to camp 1 or hopefully ABC.

Thanks for following our climb.

Blair (via Roger)

Camp 1 and back 12/9/06

I left advanced base camp (ABC) 5600m at 7.00am with my sherpa Lakapa and three other sherpas from Alpine Ascents International (AAI) from Seattle.
We all carried heavy loads to stock camp 1 at 6400m.
It is a horrible walk up on loose rock huraine scree for about 8km, then ramps up into a long difficult hill for 1 to 2.5 hours depending on loose rock. Two steps up, one back!
Usually it is rock all the way, but at the moment there is about 300m of slushy snow...fun!

We retied our tent more securely so that it will not get blown off the mountain, then helped the others dig platforms in the snow for their tents later.

Then back down to ABC by about 1am.

All as told to me by sat phone.

Roger