Firat Eren

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

Sounds like we are getting close. Ellie from Base Camp just called in. She got off the radio with Lakpa. He was calling from the South Summit. He’s about in the middle of our group and said that he thought Dave and the group in front of him were just below the Hillary Step. We should be hearing from the team again soon hopefully from the summit.

Kristine

Additional message from Ellie that came in later when the satellites started working again: It’s been a frustrating experience trying to get these reports out to the website. All of our equipment is working perfectly but the satellite is unavailable. So hopefully this report will go. I got a call from Lakpa at 6:37 telling me he was standing on the South Summit. Some of the group is behind him still coming up. They will take a rest and soon start across the final traverse to the true summit. The group is doing very well and making very good time. I have been watching a small lenticular cloud forming on the top of Khumbutse above Base Camp, but Dave tells me they still aren’t having much wind where they are.

We also have a report that Amy Bullard was having difficulty breathing and was having a little rib pain, so she has returned to the South Col and will not be going to the summit. I have talked to her on the radio and she is sounding fine. She is planning to get checked out by a doctor at the South Col, taking a rest, and then possibly continuing on down to Camp 2. We’ll keep you posted on how she’s doing when she knows more.

So stand by as the team gets closer to the summit. Here at Base Camp we’re all getting ready to cheer for them when they reach the top.

Ellie at Base Camp