Everest 2018: Inside the Mind During the Last Rotation

Setting the Fixed rope on the Lhotse Face on Everest

This week may be the most important week, including the summit attempt, of the Everest 2018 season. Climbers on both the Tibet and Nepal sides are making their last acclimatization rotations before the summit attempt, still a couple weeks away. Once completed they begin the waiting game back at base camp. They will need four to seven days of summit winds under 30mph/48kph with little to no snow for a safe summit push.

Focus on Red Blood Cells, and the Weather

As the 2nd of May comes to an end, there are climbers literally all over Everest. I try to keep track of their general locations on both sides with the Location Table, but it looks more like a scattergram today.  From the base camps to the Cols they are spending difficult nights in tents trying to sleep. The first, or even last, night at attitude makes sleeping nearly impossible. It’s a fitful night of constantly rolling in your bag, occasionally waking up gasping as your body “forgets” to breathe and gives you a “gentle” reminder with a near-death experience. This Cheyne-Stokes pattern is well documented and not dangerous but scary, especially for your tent mate, also struggeling, who hears you stop breathing all together!

There are no reports thus far of difficult snow or climbing conditions on either side. The ropes are making their way to the summit placed by superhuman efforts of Sherpas and Tibetans. The weather has been acceptable, just a bit of wind from time to time – actually a lot of wind but nothing too serious. The weather forecast looks decent for early May. There might be a front moving through this weekend bringing wind and snow above 7,000 meters. Winds near the summit will be over 50 mph/80 kph. Hopefully the Sherpas can get the ropes to the summit before this arrives and climbers can be at the lower camps.

This is Not Easy

Alain Riedacker hopped to summit Lhotse with IMG, but things went wrong:

My journey towards Lhotse’s summit has come to a point where my physical condition is too weak and too painful. I’m suffering from breathing issues for very basic movements during the day, and it is also very difficult to breathe during the night, preventing to recover quickly within this harsh environment. My condition has unfortunately been worsening since my first rotation, and pumps up all my mental and physical energy. Following the discussion with my expedition leader and climbing team mates, I decided to leave the expedition, as it would have been too painful to pursue the same efforts for an additional 4 weeks. I cherished all the journey towards my dream, and would like to thank strongly my family, friends, colleagues, and climbing team mates for their warm and solid support. It is now time for me to go back home, and work on my health issues, before settling back towards the city lifestyle.

There are over 400 foreigners with permits for Everest and Lhotse, but now 10, 15 or even 20% have ended their dream. That means perhaps a little over 300 hope to summit. Yes, the attrition rate is high. Sometime its fear, others its illness and then there is the human mind.

And for those back home, it is definitely not easy. Tiffany, the wife of David Snow climbing with Seven Summits Treks, posted an update that he just had their Puja and will begin their acclimatization process, albeit a bit later than most teams. What caught my eye was this part about how she felt last year when David made an attempt and he was out of touch for days:

This is the time period where I had a very small breakdown last year (ok, maybe not so small haha.) Dave didn’t have a way to communicate with me for about 4 days (no wifi and he wasn’t carrying a GPS device), he was super sick and I was getting some distressing intel from the guide and other group member’s wives.  Everything turned out fine and we all learned some great lessons…. like never climb without a GPS texting device unless you want a crazy wife.  Also, don’t accidentally omit information about being deathly ill to your wife (although he probably still would.)

As for some on the mountain, it is time for mind games. Mathieu Durand quit his 2017 Everest climb early as his health deteriorated. He worked hard to return but seems to be struggeling again. In a personal post he says:

I’m not ready to go, but I’m ready to let go. It’s not so much a reflection on Everest, but on my last 5 years. Thinking back on all the adventures and misadventures that I had during my 15 shipments. Traveling the 7 continents, meet great people and witnessed the world from the top of the mountains. Everything is beautiful in appearance, but on the other hand, I have spent over $ 250k, I sacrificed relationships and time with friends and family, I work just to pocket money to start, and I spend most of my time working out or recovered. Yes, the Seven Summits and especially Everest was a dream, but I think I now realize that there is more to do than climb in life. Edmund Hillary said “this is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves” and I guess I finally conquered me. I’m not sure I found exactly what I was looking for, but it clearly mountaineering has filled a gap in my life that needed attention. now I want to settle down and enjoy the city more trips and take a real vacation. mountain life is difficult and m ‘ allowed to grow as an individual in many ways, especially at times like the last camp Denali waiting for the storm for 5 days or when one is “lost” on Ixta Mexico. will -I get to the top of Everest. Hopefully! As I said, I’m not ready to leave the Everest in 2018 but I am willing to let go. If I do not make me the top, I’ll keep Big E in my dreams and that’s okay like that. I guess some dreams are destined to remain dreams. for sure, it Voya ge will be my last mountain trip for a while. For now, even 1 day wait to go see doctors for the go / no go. Regardless, I am at peace with myself knowing that the last 5 years have made me live experiences that many can only dream of living. For all the times I said one day I will visit you, now that I have lots of friends around the world, I will take my vacation to visit them instead to visit other mountains. Some pictures of different good times in recent years

Ticket to the Top

Camp 3
Camp 3

The last rotation in many ways is your last chance. If you don’t accomplish the objective to reach at least Camp 3 on the Lhotse Face or to the North Col, the chances of making the summit is reduced. As I was told one year, “This is your ticket to top.”

In some ways it should be the easiest because you are not going for the summit, thus reduced pressure, but you are marking your high point. If you have never climbed an 8000 meter peak, this is all new ground, which is why I always suggest climbing Cho Oyu, Manaslu or Gasherbrum II before Everest – at this point those who have not don’t know what they don’t know.

In the old days, circa 2011 :-), the usual schedule had climbers spend a difficult night at Camp 3 or the North Col without oxygen. Around 23,500/7100m this is extreme altitude and you will soon know if your would body would have any chance of surviving higher-  even with supplemental oxygen. If you struggled to get to this level, your chances of summiting were low. A hard, cruel fact that guides often deliver in hard cruel ways – for your protection.

Let’s go inside a climber’s head about this week’s activities.

Lhotse Face
Lhotse Face

Ballet on the Lhotse Face

“OK, listen up. Up at 2 am, boots on ground at 2:30 for Camp 2. Get breakfast and be ready to get to C2 arriving no later than 10 am. This is your last rotation before the summit push so you need to meet your times in style and perform well to get a chance for the summit.” The lead guide was firm in her instructions. You look down at your boots with the thousand yard stare. Really? I don’t need the tough love talk before going to bed. But you know what she is saying is true. You have struggled to get to Camp2 and your head is full of doubts if you can get to C3 in the allotted time. You looked at different guides who didn’t have “cut-off” time times but they seem to have lower safety records so you went with this one. Now, you are questioning them … or yourself.

Fixing rope on Lhotse Face

2 am comes early. Its dark at crampon point. Your headlamp shines on your boots as you strap on your crampons. Following Pasang, your personal Sherpa, you try to keep up. It only takes ten minutes and you are already gasping for breath – at 17,800’/5425m. “Oh my God.” you say out loud as you put your hands on your knees. This is your third time in the Icefall and it is not getting easier. Can I do this? Pasang pauses, quietly, patiently with no judgement in his voice, he asks you “Everything OK?” You look up from your death crouch to simply mutter “Yeah.” And you continue.

Each step into the Icefall is a familiar one. As you go higher, you feel better, more confident. Soon you reach the ladders at the top of the ‘fall. This time you scale them with ease. At the top, you catch your breath but something inside clicks and you smile. Pasang looks at you again with the eye of a caring mother or a stern father, you cannot tell the difference.

The trek up the Western Cwm is a bit easier this time, this is familiar territory but Camp 2 is a mirage. You see the dark spot to your left that marks the rocks where Camp 2 is situated but it never gets closer. The sun is now directly above, no clouds to block it today. You feel like bacon frying in a pan. Taking off layer after layer is not helping. There is no solution other than to push through. The last tiny hill to the gulley leading to Camp 2 feels like the summit, but you go on.  The last hundred meters to your Camp 2 hurts, but you go on. You are tired, you are hot, you need water but most of all you simply want to lie down, but you go on. Then you see it, your camp and all of a sudden you walk faster, your head lifts … there is hope.

That night at Camp 2 you reflect on the day. It was a long climb from base camp. You felt like turning back a few times but you didn’t. Now you wonder if you really have what it takes to get to Camp 3, another 2,000’/600m higher. It’s not that far. You have done more in one day. You begin the process of bargaining. You need to have this conversation now, not halfway up the Lhotse Face. You drift off to sleep in college style debate – with no winner.

Jumar on Everest

After a day at C2, your mission has sunk in. Climb the steep and icy Lhotse Face to Camp 3, rest for a short time and come back down. Now its time. You know the routine by now, up early, struggle to get your clothes and boots on, try to force down some semblance of breakfast, wiggle the harness on, then strap the crampons to your boots, meet up with Pasang and start moving.

The walk to the base of the Lhotse Face feels almost flat even though it gains a few hundred feet. You arrive at the base and stop in your tracks. The Face seemingly becomes vertical. You know it’s really only 30 degrees, similar to a staircase but you are overwhelmed for a moment. Once again you fight the doubts. Moving towards the end of the rope, you take your jumar off your harness and quickly attach it to the safety line. You tug on the mechanical  device feeling the teeth dig into the nylon rope. Your ‘biner is next. This technique has been hammered into you for two weeks now along with “always have one device clipped into the fixed rope at all times. Never, ever be unclipped!” The guide’s words echo in your mind, and now you internalize why. If you slip now, the fall will end badly.

You cross the only ladder over the bergschrund at the base of the Face. All of a sudden you feel like you are climbing. Using your hands you pull on the rope – you know you aren’t supposed to, but you do. Each step requires thought. This is not walking. Your head is tilted down, watching your feet, the rope, the icy surface. It’s that surface that is giving you pause. Your crampons were sharp when you left home but after the last two weeks, they are a bit duller and don’t bite into the ice as quickly as you would like. One step, then another. Pause to breathe. “This going to take forever!” you say again to no one in particular.

The Sherpa behind you mutters something and you stop. He passes you doing a ballet move. He move close enough to you, that you can feel his breath. His pack is huge, towering over his head. It has two oxygen bottles strapped to the sides. It must weigh 40 pounds. Yours has an extra pair of gloves and a water bottle. You stand still, trying not to lose your balance. He unclips his carabiner from the fixed line and moves it around and above you on the rope. Swiftly and with ease he does the same with his jumar. Within a minute he disappears over a rise on the Face. You stand silent, in awe of his skill and strength.

With a deep breathe, now you take one step higher, and pause again.

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

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11 thoughts on “Everest 2018: Inside the Mind During the Last Rotation

  1. Wow! Inside the climbers head reading is amazing I can almost see it my head in the comfort of my home. Almost feel out of breath reading it. The Sherpa with his balletic move is amazing carrying all that weight. Its just too impressive for words.

  2. Dear Alan – absolutely impressive article. You have really put us inside the mind someone heading towards C3. Please continue tomorrow with the remaining “inside” experience till you do reach C3 for the rotation.

    All the best from one of your unconditional fans in Spain.

  3. Magic, couldn’t wait to get on night shift to read your blog tonight so read it before the shift starts Lol keep up the great work 😎

  4. “Its not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves” This, always!

    Captivating writing, thank you!

  5. Hey Alan and thank you for your coverage. I have been wondering about something… How is the procedure for doing #1 or worse #2 on the mountain with risk of frostbite and high winds?

    1. Not a major problem for most people, just face away from the wind! Some people will take Imodium to stop bowel activity on the summit push but the best practice is to empty bowels in a “blue bag” before you start climbing and take the bag back to base camp for proper disposal. That said, I’ve known people who just pee in their down suit while on the summit push!

      1. Lol – I suspect a bit of wee in your down suit is the least of your worries as you struggle up the Hillary Step!

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