5th April:
Alpine Ascents – Mark Shuttleworth UK, Leanna Shuttleworth UK, Laurence Clark UK
oday they rigged there harnesses for the fixed lines, checked there climbing gear, and then practiced ladder crossing in camp for a few hours. Everyone is in good spirits, they had a wonderful dinner of sushi prepared by our chef. Tomorrow they look forward to there puja ceremony.
Adventure Consultants – Leader: Victor Saunders UK, Neil Beard UK, Paul Keleher UK
This morning the main team made their first foray into the icefall proper. The Khumbu Icefall is the name given to the tumultuous cascade of ice between BC and Camp 1. The sky was perfectly clear and it was crisp, probably -10 or so. Two hours of cramponing took them to an area of jumbled ice known as the ‘popcorn’ section. This was there designated high point. An hour into the day a massive avalanche released from the upper slopes of Nuptse; an awe inspiring and frightening sight that had them believing they would be engulfed in a powder cloud. Fortunately this was not the case! Soon fiery rotor clouds appeared and the heat wave we experienced on the descent soon changed to late morning snowfall and time for reclining indoors. The plan is to spend a couple more days before heading up to Camp 1 for the first overnight.
Jagged Globe – Leader: David Hamilton UK, Ian Ridley UK, Phil Purdy UK, Jeff Crooke UK, Nick B UK, Bruno B UK, Brett Hammond UK, Cian O’Brolchain (Ireland), Warmer R UK
Today the team got up at 4:00am and left Base Camp at 5:00 am to have a serious go at climbing the Ice Field. The plan was to climb about 30% but they probably did a little more. They attained an altitude of 5,700 metres. It was not unpleasant walking in the cool air. The climb consisted of crossing a range of crevasses using ladders. En route there was an avalanche to the right of our position and they noticed that it created a blanket of snow below. They were back in Base Camp by 9:45 and only had to contend with the hot sun for the last 3/4 of an hour. Tomorrow is there Puja ceremony.
14th April:
Alpine Ascents – Mark Shuttleworth UK, Leanna Shuttleworth UK, Laurence Clark UK
The team arrived in to Base Camp yesterday, 13th April.
Adventure Consultants – Leader: Victor Saunders UK, Neil Beard UK, Paul Keleher UK
The first training day saw the team clambering across ladders, jumarring up ice pinnacles, and rappelling down the other side. The guides set up two circuits and the team went round and round till it all seemed automatic.
Adventure Peaks – Ceri Harris UK, Conor McGahon UK, Ian Spalding UK, Peter Ellis UK
The Adventure Peaks team reached Base Camp on the 10th April. Everyone was in awe of the amazing view presented to them, the North Face. There will be a couple days of rest, sorting out gear and a few acclimatisation walks.
13th April:
Adventure Consultants – Leader: Victor Saunders UK, Neil Beard UK, Paul Keleher UK
The team woke up to brilliant blue skies this morning. Today was there Puja ceremony. This is to ask for permission to climb and to be blessed a safe trip. All of this is accompanied by a few glasses of wine, chang, beer or whiskey, depending on your choice! There were also plenty of snacks to offer to the Gods and tide us over to lunch. Later the team checked their equipment and made final adjustments ahead of their first day of icefall training tomorrow.
Jagged Globe – Leader: David Hamilton UK, Ian Ridley UK, Phil Purdy UK, Jeff Crooke UK, Nick B UK, Bruno B UK, Brett Hammond UK, Cian O’Brolchain (Ireland), Warmer R UK
On the 10th April the morning was spent checking our mountain food and checking the personal climbing equipment. On the 11th April they made there first visit to the ice fall and spent hours practicing techniques with crampons and ice axe. It was very hot and tiring in the ice fall. Yesterday the 12th April, they had been into the ice fall again and done further practice work on ice. Again it was very hot and tiring. They have started having movie nights to pass the time. These have been of mixed success. Last night we had “Million Dollar Baby” however the DVD was so damaged it kept stalling, so the experience was not good. The going is very tough. This is a combination of the altitude, the acclimatisation process and general lack of sleep. The weather can be quite warm during the day but it is very cold at night.
12th April (Evening):
Adventure Consultants – Leader: Victor Saunders UK, Neil Beard UK, Paul Keleher UK
The team headed up Kala Pattar after a leisurely and rather sumptuous breakfast complete with kiwi bacon this morning. They missed the views but had a good acclimatization trip with lots of wind. The Sherpa’s were busy preparing for tomorrows Puja. Today was also about showers and washing and coffee!
Jagged Globe – Leader: David Hamilton UK, Ian Ridley UK, Phil Purdy UK, Jeff Crooke UK, Nick B UK, Bruno B UK, Brett Hammond UK, Cian O’Brolchain (Ireland), Warmer R UK
Over the Easter Weekend everyone in the team had reached Base Camp, all fit and well apart from splutters and coughs.
12th April:
Himalayan Experience (Walking With The Wounded): Leader: Adrian Ballinger UK, Martin Hewitt UK, Jaco Van Gass South Africa, Karl Hinnett UK, David Wiseman UK, Francis Atkinson UK
The team arrived at Base Camp two days ago.On their second day at base camp, some of the members went for a stroll up to the main camp while others did their laundry, enjoyed the White Pod or in the case of the Walking with the Wounded (WWTW) crew, went for a brief ice climbing practice just outside our camp. In between these small activities, the members popped in to see our expedition doctor Monica to undergo a brief medical test to make sure they are adjusting well to the higher elevation of base camp. The group will spend another two nights at base camp before they will head back down to Lobuje to start their first acclimatisation rotation on Lobuje East.
11th April:
Dream Guides – Leader: Kenton Cool UK – Mollie Hughes UK, Roger Owen UK
Kenton Cool and his team have arrived at Base Camp. Kenton reports that it’s a starry cold night at Everest Base Camp but great to finally be here.
10th April (Evening):
Adventure Consultants – Leader: Victor Saunders UK, Neil Beard UK, Paul Keleher UThe team have arrived at Base Camp.
Everest Base Camp is situated on the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and is a small sprawling tent town with hundreds of tents belonging to many different expeditions. It was with great excitement that everyone arrived in the middle of the day. For most it was a relief that there was no more uphill. For the climbers, this is a major milestone because it marks the completion of the trek and a shift to the more serious business of climbing.
10th April:
Himalayan Experience (Walking With The Wounded): Leader: Adrian Ballinger UK, Martin Hewitt UK, Jaco Van Gass South Africa, Karl Hinnett UK, David Wiseman UK, Francis Atkinson UK
The team have arrived at Base Camp.
Walking With The Wounded team member and roving cameraman, Daniel Majid, gives his account of arriving with the team at base camp.
“Hi everyone, it’s Dan in Nepal. I am calling you from Base Camp – we’ve made it. The whole team is feeling good and strong. We’ve just about settled in to Base Camp – it’s absolutely amazing. I can’t believe the infrastructure that’s here and it’s all sat on a moving glacier.
Weather has clouded over. It’s 4 o’clock in the afternoon here so that’s the usual sort of thing that happens. Tomorrow more rest days; I think we’ve got about four days here at Base Camp, so just resting and acclimatising. Everyone is feeling really strong and everyone has got their kit, we’re all settled in.
The walk in to Base Camp it has been amazing. Turning up at Lukhla, going from the alpine heading to just the sort of alpine pass, heading up into the high altitude sort of scrub land and now ending up on the Khumbu glacier. Absolutely amazing.
Original source :http://www.everest1953.co.uk