Saturday 16 May 2009

Getting closer...


Well by the time this hits the Blog there is a good chance I will be on my way to the summit. Our plan is to climb from Base Camp to Camp 2 (5,300m to 6,400m) in one go and rest there for a day. We will then climb up the Lhotse Face to Camp 3 (7,300m). This is as high as we have been on our training climbs and is where we will potentially start using oxygen for the first time. The following day we will climbing to the South col (Camp 4 7,900m - just below the death zone at 8,000m). This will be more of a rest than a sleep as we will set off from here for the summit 8,850m anywhere from late evening to midnight.
After (hopefully!) reaching the summit, we will, after a few minutes, head back down to Camp 4 and, if we are strong enough, on down to Camp 2 where it is much safer. The summit day will probably be somewhere between 14 and 18 hours and it is said we will use between 14,000 and 18,000 calories! Looks like I might loose some more weight!

The team has been split into two and I will go with the first team. The team will consist of 11 clients, 12 Sherpas and 3 Western guides. We have each been assigned a Sherpa who will assist us on summit day. I have been very honoured to have been asigned Phuba, Russ's most experienced Sherpa, who now has 16 summits to his name and has already summited Everest this year when he fixed the ropes two weeks ago. Our western guides have 6 summits between them.

Just one photo this time of Phuba and me in Base Camp. I hope the next blog will contain photos of the summit!

9 comments:

Dover said...

Bear-

This is the moment. All those gym seesions, all that hiing, all that skinning. Don't doubt yourself you are strong mentally; listen to Russ and Phurba? (Sherpa dude who has summitted 16x -wow)

Remember think ONE STEP AT A TIME AND YOU WILL MAKE IT!

You probably will be climbing by now so "God" speed and may he guide you safely up and back down.

I restate the Summit Inspiration from early blog

IF

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Best of British

Dover- All of us Debby, and kids thinking of you.

Paul M said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Paul M said...

Great news Chris.. Could not be happier that its you and Phuba.. Safe summit mate, look forward to your next posting!

pscott said...

Fingers crossed that Phuba makes it 17 summits and that you're soon on top of the world. Looking forward to your next blog!!
PNAL

jdovell said...

Go GO Go....all that waiting and training. Good luck mate we all know u can do it - looking fwd to seeing that delightful yellow down suit on the summit! love from william/james/charlotte and barbara xxx - brother-john

joe said...

Chris ...been away but just looked at all the updates ...keep going mate ...cannot wait to see/read the next update !! joe

Angela said...

Good luck, take care, be safe!

'What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything' - Mary Ann Radmacher

Angela

Paul M said...

“It’s a really, really good night to go for a walk to the top of the world” quote from team leader Peter Whittaker in the group just ahead of Chris.. Lets all hope Chris has the same luck with the weather!
http://blog.firstascent.com/ this is addictive viewing..

Linh said...

Hi Chris. Hope you are well on course and that the weather is cooperating. What you've achieved is already out of this world so keep staying safe! And conditions permitting, I hope you can feel and hear all the support coming at you from family and friends, from all corners of the world for that last push to the top of the world. Bon chance mon ami! P,L,J xx