Firat Eren

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

Good Morning in cyberland,

It’s another exciting morning for us as the team moves on up the mountain from Camp 3 to Camp 4. Today they will be meeting notable landmarks including the Yellow Band, the Geneva Spur, and the South Col itself. Our weather has been very warm, to the point that there was discussion this morning about whether to wear down suits or not. With the higher elevations we can expect the temperatures to be cooler, but the sun on the mountain has been intense. Some will wear their suits, others are deciding not to. Last night the team slept on oxygen for the first time, and today they will be climbing using oxygen for the first time. They’ve already noticed how much easier life is with a few extra O’s. The night at Camp 3 was much easier than the last time they were there. So far the weather is cooperating with sunny skies, mild temperatures, and almost no wind. We are watching the forecasts as they are calling for winds in the 10 to 30 knot range at the summit over the next few days. When the temperatures are below zero that makes things a little more chilly but not impossible. We’ll see what it really does. So far we are on track for leaving the South Col for the summit tomorrow night, and hopefully reaching the summit on the morning of May 22 (Nepal time).

Meanwhile, here at Base Camp we have valley clouds that are staying below the elevation of the climbers. We have beautiful views of the higher peaks peaking through the clouds and bathed in sunlight. Base Camp is busy this morning and filled with the music of yak bells. Some of the teams that have already reached the summit are now packing up and heading down the valley for home. In the next day or two all our close neighbors will be gone and our camp will be a small island in the middle of the glacier.

Check back for more news from the team after they reach Camp 4 later today.

Ellie Henke
Base Camp Manager