Firat Eren

From a series of dispatches from the Alpine Ascents 2007 Everest Expedition team.

Hello from Base Camp.
I notice that we seem to be missing a report about the team moving up from Base Camp to Camp 1. So until I can entice one from the folks who actually did the hard work, here in the base camp perspective. The first move up above Base Camp is always a special day – in many ways it is the day when the climb actually begins, so it is pretty exciting for everyone. The adventure actually begins the day before with packing food, warm clothes, sleeping bags, and other gear to go up the mountain. The climbers always carry their own survival gear: warm clothes, lunch for the day, water, and climbing gear (including harnesses rigged for traveling on fixed lines, crampons, and ice axes). Our excellent team of sherpas help them out by carrying sleeping bags and other food, and by having the tents already set up at Camp 1 before the climbers arrive. Only the western climbers sleep at Camp 1, so it is more of a temporary camp that is taken down as soon as they leave. The sherpas only sleep at Base Camp, Camp 2, and Camp 4 at the South Col.

The big day actually begins in the dark, with everyone rolling out of bed at about 3:00 am. This time we started in two teams of 8 climbers and guides each, so the folks in the second team got to sleep in a little later. We do this so everyone can get a little more spread out on the fixed lines. At this time of the morning the stars are shining and a glow-worm of headlamps can be seen of other teams starting up the icefall. Our team enjoyed a power breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and bacon before putting on their climbing harnesses and backpacks and heading out. The first steps always include a stop at the puja altar to offer a prayer and ask for safety by throwing blessed rice three times. The second stop is a hundred yards or so out of camp to put on crampons for safe walking on the fins of ice.

Here at Base Camp I am awake with the climbers. I start monitoring the radio as soon as they leave Base Camp and stay with them all the way to Camp 1. When the first daylight comes at around 5:00 am I can see our team in many places as they progress through the icefall. They check in periodically to let me know everything is ok. Normal is for the climbers to reach Camp 1 in 8 to 10 hours, and that was the case with this team as well. Everyone is tired by the time they get there, and are glad to lay out their sleeping bags, get hot drinks, a little dinner, and fall asleep.

Ellie Henke
Base Camp Manager