Everest 2012: Base Camp Open for Business!

As expected this weekend saw several teams arrive at Everest Base Camp on the South side after their week long trek from Lukla. Many more are scheduled to arrive today and tomorrow. Over on the north at least two teams have posted that they are en route. I will now begin to update the location table.

Axe posted a good update on his trek before leaving for Tibet with an excellent picture of the sunrise over the Phewa Lake. Take a moment and read his entire post.

Phil Purdy with Jagged Globe (JG) posted this nice update on arriving at EBC:

In Everest Base Camp with all trekkers. The weather during the day is baking hot but it is very cold at night -14 deg C. The views are simply stunning! Periodically you hear a sharp crack, find indicating yet another avalanche! The tents are pitched on the ice and you can hear the ice cracking throughout the night. The trekkers are with us for 2 days – it will be interesting to see how they cope with the temperatures at night!. They are all in good spirits and have enjoyed the trip. It will be interesting to get a perspective from them!

Also with JG is Joe Martinet, search who noted that they will be acclimatizing on Lobuche Peak.. This is a growing trend with Himex and IMG using this technique for several years now. This eliminates at least one trip through the Icefall.

Today we arrived at Everest Base Camp for the first time. The hike in was good, I balanced my speed about medium for me and I seem to be feeling better, many others aren’t feeling so good so I’m happy I’m doing ok. I’m just happy to be here. We have moved into tents in this – what seems like – huge city! All my gear made it here, but now I have to remember where and what everything is! The white pod is very cool! We will now rest a few days then hike back to Lobuche to hike and summit that peak (hopefully!) before returning to Everest Base Camp to rest and start the big one!

Finally a comment on the weather at EBC from Ian Ridley

After a particularly cold night eveybody agreed at breakfast that they hadn’t slept well, mainly because of the altitude. According to my thermometer it got down to-16 outside my tent last night and -14 inside! Talking of tents we’ve each got a MSR four man tent which means we’ve got acres of space to spread our kit out. This morning we were able to have a shower and do some washing. Whilst its about 21 degrees c in the tent when the sunshines in the shade it’s only 2 degrees c which means some of my clothes have literally been ‘freeze dried’! Perhaps that will help to kill the bacteria!! Sleeping on a glacier is an unusual experience as through the night you are woken to the fairly frequent noise of creacking and cracking as the glacier moves beneath us. We’ve been told that we’ll have to repitch the tents at least once during the trip as the glacier is continuously moving. I just hope a crevasse doesn’t open up beneath my tent. Subsidence could take on a whole new meaning here! Well I hope you are all having an enjoyable Easter. Not a chocolate egg in sight here.

Everest Base Camp

Arriving at EBC is one of those moments, as you have read from these dispatches. You are tired from the trek but full of energy knowing the real work is about to begin.

Seeing your tent bring everything into focus. Thus far you have shared a room in a teahouse with one of your teammates and enjoyed sitting on wooden benches with a real roof over your head. This is about to change.

The Sherpas are already there, have been for a couple of weeks setting up your camp through building rock walls, leveling tent platforms, setting up tents and gathering water – back breaking work. You greet them with their smiles and laughs – it feels good.

But the first time you crawl into your nylon walled home for the next six weeks the emotions push through your body like a damn breaking loose. It feels small yet big; warm yet cold; dark yet bright . One by one you take out your critical items: an extra air mattress, your 0 degree sleeping bag, your water bottle and headlamp. And your photo book from home.

Flipping the pages slowly, one by one, lost in your thoughts you consider where you are, and why.

Suddenly a cacophony of voices, laughter, sounds outside your tent breaks your moment and you realize you are not alone. Leaning over your expedition duffel inside your tent you strain to see what is going on. You see the fracas but your eyes drift upward, towards the Icefall. It is real, you are here.

The Icefall becomes a daily sight, a morning tradition. Your look encapsulates both fear and desire. You trace the route, even though you have never experienced it. You look at the West Shoulder of Everest, with a constant guard that an avalanche may occur at any moment.

You are at Everest base camp.

Elsewhere

If you are interested in what else is going on in the Himalayas this spring, follow Adventure Consultants Manaslu climb and Lance Metz over on Cho Oyu. Both are doing frequent updates.

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything