Sunday, April 13, 2008

Everest 2008- Into the Icefall

With our team's Puja completed we have made some tentative climbs through the icefall in the last few days, with this mornings climb reaching a couple of hundred vertical metres from Camp1. Politics have re-emerged and we are being prevented from moving to Camp 1 until the Nepali army arrive in Basecamp!!.

The icefall was always the part of the route that I had slight worries about, but in reality I enjoyed my first 2 forays. Pemba Tshering (1 of our Sherpas), who accompanied us through the icefall this morning told us that the route is longer this year but safer..good news. That said, crossing a couple of aluminium ladders strapped together, with a bottomless crevasse beneath your crampons, making sure your spikes straddle the rungs and trying to ignore the towering ice serac above your head ensures that this is still not a place to get complacent or for anyone of a nervous disposition!.

On the health news a few team mates have gone down with the cold, but I have avoided it thus far and despite living with only 50% of the oxygen that you are enjoying I have no symptoms to report...well apart peeing like a racehorse as my body excretes all the bi-carbonates it needs to balance the pH for this altitude!..a minor inconvenience!.
Our plans are to head up to Camp 1 early in the week unless more Everest 2008 politics emerge..what a year!.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great to see your picture, uncle Martin, but it looks very dangerous so it's a good job you are strong.Have you made a snowman yet? I am enjoying my school holidays and I am staying with Granny tonight.I will see you when you come home. Love Holly xxx

Anonymous said...

Hey Marty, we are all glad to hear you are getting on so well. We have been following your blog every week and we even have a mini martin on the wall travelling up the mountain! so good luck on the rest of your journey. Take Care, from all in Site Office 1 (U know who we are) Have fun! ;o)

Anonymous said...

Hey Martin!! Its been great reading your progress every week and glad you are getting on so well, all the best for the rest of your journey. Take Care.

Debbie x x

Anonymous said...

Martin, what an amazing experience so far, glad you are keeping healthy. hopefully by now some of the politics might be sorted out and you can keep progressing. Keeping our fingers crossed all goes well. take care Donna :-) x

Anonymous said...

Any sign of Uncle Hugh yet?! Mum x

Anonymous said...

Hi Martin, Alistair Sutcliffe here- brother in law of Pete McNaught. I finished the 7 summits with Carstenz last year, and Pete's just told me you@re on Everest. I wish you and the team all the very best, it's a great climb- I loved it. Stay healthy, drink plenty, eat well and climb safe. The view from the top is worth the wait. Cheers, Alistair.

James Kerr said...

'Good job you're strong'...but you've got ropes, ice axes, crampons and even ladders!!!! HiYa Martini, keeping my eye on the blog and thinking of you with all those cold mornings at Base Camp - shorts and T-shirts down here on the south coast today. Stay out of trouble in that icefall.James K