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Everest Base Camp, 28 May 2005:
It was a sort of reunion up at Camp 2 when Group 2 and their two directors
arrived yesterday. Today, they found time to discuss the final push and
getting last minute advice, realising that this would be the last occasion
when all the climbers and expedition directors would be together. After
dinner, Robert gave a pep talk, reinforcing the importance of taking care of
themselves and emphasising safety as top priority, while urging them to take
full advantage of this opportunity of a lifetime, for which they had spent
three years preparing and training. Some expressed gratitude to NUS and the
directors, without which the team would not be there. It was an emotional
session.
It was also an early night as Group 1 -- Lindley and Ernest -- was due to
leave the next morning for Camp 3.
The ascent has begun!
Everest Base Camp, 27 May 2005:
Group 2 members, Stefen and Yen Kai, left this morning for Camp 2 with expedition leaders Robert and Edwin. Their target summit date was (at that time) May 31, as group 1 members Lndley and Ernest had decided to summit the day before.
They arrived at about 1pm, in good time and good spirits.
A team of Sherpas from several expeditions had assembled at Camp 2 to prepare to fix the ropes to the summit.
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Stefen (first from right) posing beside
Yen Kai before heading for Camp 2 |
During a meeting in the afternoon, it transpired that they may be fixing the ropes only on May 30. That put paid to Group 1's summit plan. A decision was then made that they would wait and postpone their summit date to May 31, which meant moving Group 2's date to June 1.
Frustrated as everyone was, it is important to remember not to let
impatience affect the team's judgment. The weather forecasts have been
predicting better weather for early June.
Khong Lean decided to get some exercise and trekked to the bottom of
Lhotse Face. There, he encountered strong winds, and some climbers who had
hoped to summit early, turning back from Camp 3 to Camp 2.
Patience has its rewards.
Everest Base Camp, 26 May 2005:
The decision is finally made that Group 1, already at Camp 2, will aim to summit on May 30. Group 2 will do so the following day.The changes in the target summit days have been frustrating and it was a relief that they have finally been fixed.
Just before lunch a call came through from the Make It Real team. The six NUS undergraduates had summitted Island Peak a few days earlier, a highly laudable achievement for a group of new mountaineers. They had arrived at Gorak Shep, just three hours trek away, so we invited them to EBC.
They arrived at about 4.30pm and it was delightful to see them. All looked fit and well except for bouts of cough and sore throat, which were quickly treated by our doctor Nguk. Their visit was also special because it reminded the expedition directors of the first MIR team that visited their base camp at Xixabangma in 2002. That pioneer MIR team included Khong Lean and Stefen, now in the NUS Everest team. Stefen was pleased to be at EBC to greet the members of MIR 4!
Meanwhile, up in Camp 2, Lindley felt restless and decided to get some exercise by trekking to the foot of Lhotse Face. It was an enjoyable trek which would prepare him well when he leaves for Camp 3 on May 28 with Ernest.
Everest Base Camp, 25 May 2005:
The weather forecasts the last two days indicate that the likely summit date for Group 1 is 29th or 30th. This means Lindley and Ernest will be remaining in Camp 2 for a couple more days.
Group 2 members have thus decided that they would leave only when the possible summit dates are confirmed as they do not want to remain in Camp 2 longer than the necessary one-day rest.
However, Khong Lean felt he wanted to stay at Camp 2 for an extra night or two to acclimatise.
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Khong Lean (left) with Kim Boon just
before their early headstart to Camp 2
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Thus this morning at 5am, he and expedition director Kim Boon departed Base Camp and headed for Camp 2. The rest of the members and directors stayed behind, keeping a keen eye on the forecasts.
Everyone has to keep check on his impatience to summit as the ropes up had yet to be established. A group of Sherpas gathered from several expeditions at Base Camp would be discussing this task tomorrow. These super-fit men will be fixing the ropes up to the summit on 28th or 29th, depending on the weather. Once this is done, Group 1 will be able to start their ascent above Camp 2.
Everest Base Camp, 24 May 2005:
Lindley and Ernest left this morning for Camp 2, thus finally launching their summit bid. After a pre-dawn breakfast, the two men left Base Camp at 5am, when the sky is already bright. As Group 1 of the NUS team, they will be poised to summit on May 29 or 30, depending on the establishment of the fixed ropes to the summit as well as the weather, which will be relayed to them from Base Camp.
Group 2, comprising the rest of the team, will leave the next day or so and aim to summit the day after Group 1.
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Lindley (left) and Ernest posing for the
camera before leaving Base Camp
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This is the final push. Three years of training has come down to the next few days. It is important to remember that many factors are not within the control of the members. Like any worthwhile pursuit, there are risks -- some calculated, others perhaps unpredictable. But we have faith in their judgement and maturity, and confidence in their abilities.
Everest Base Camp, 23 May 2005:
The decision is finally made: Group 1 -- Lindley and Ernest -- are leaving for Camp 2 tomorrow to start their summit bid. There was relief among the members that the long wait was over, yet some apprehension remained as the weather forecasts were less than ideal. But with June staring at us in the face, hard decisions have to be made. The strategy in place is to move up the mountain if the weather forecast predicts better weather on May 28 or 29. Group 2 will leave either the next day or day after, again depending on the weather.
Many of the climbers in other expeditions have said this is one of the latest summit windows on Everest. One group has even decided to aim to summit in early June! There has not been an Everest summit in June in anyone's recent memory. But after monitoring the weather for several weeks, we are reasonably certain the winds will weaken sufficiently by the month's end for a summit bid.
Our members have trained hard to counter high winds, as they have shown on Island Peak. They are confident that they will be able to face similar conditions on Everest. They are not short of determination and fitness. They just need clement weather and a bit of luck.
Everest Base Camp, 22 May 2005:
The whole camp is still waiting for fixed ropes to be established to the summit, which will take place only when the weather allows.
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