First Mountain Rotation – A Sufferfest

We have completed our first rotation for acclimitization and to learn the route up on the mountain. Two days ago we left Advanced Base Camp (18,600) at 7:30 am with moderately heavy packs. We were mostly carrying high altitude clothing for later pushes up the mountain. Our Sherpas had carried tents and supplies up the previous day. The weather was nice but my energy was low – I was bent over my ski poles after the first hour trying to catch my breath – not a good sign.

We walked up and down over glacial moraine for about 2 miles in parallel to a stagnant train of ice pinnacles. We hiked to 19,700 at a half way point by 10:30 am.

Then the hard work began – a 1,200 foot rise on loose rock, scree and dirt, mixed with a little snow. For those of you that have done Aconcaqua, in Argentina, it was a lot like the Candeleta.

It was tough going. I had felt sick all day. My stomach problem had cleared up, but I had picked up the cold/cough/virus going around. So I was suffering and slow. At 20,000 feet I had to take 2 breaths per step. At 20,500 feet, three breaths per step. Any faster and I went anaerobic. It was a sufferfest.

Still, I made it to Camp 1 before the desired cutoff time of 2 PM, so I guess it turned out alright. Our leader and the two Sherpas, Danuru and “K2″, had the stoves going so hot liquids soon helped. Everyone was mildly suffering, but no crushing headaches, and everyone ate dinner – a good sign.

The view during dinner was spectacular. Our 5 tents were perched on a narrow rock crest at 20,996 feet. Surrounding us 360 degrees were a series of snow-covered 23,000 to 26,000 foot peaks. The biggest and most obvious was Cho Oyu including the route above us to Camp 2. We ate fast and got in our sleeping bags. It was a cold, rough night camped out at 20,996 feet – lots of coughing fits through camp. I had a recurring sense of “not enough oxygen” about every 1.5 hours (almost on the dot – a REM sleep cycle thing?) so the 12 hours in the tent seemed like a long night. I did manage to get some decent sleep though.

Around 6 am, we piled on the layers and dragged ourselves outside. As we ate breakfast, the glaciers below us stretched for miles. The primary purpose of this trip was to reach, and sleep at, Camp 1 for acclimitization. Mission acheived. While most of us had a rough night, no one was seriously ill, and everyone ate breakfast – an even better sign. My blood oxygen level was up, and my heart rate was down. Mission accomplished. So, leaving most of our gear behind for later, and higher use, we headed downhill at a much faster rate. The 1,200 foot scree slope that took me 2.5 suffer-filled hours to ascend the day before, was descended easily in 40 minutes today.

On the walk back to ABC, I was traveling with our leader, Greg, so we stopped to talk to team leaders from four other expeditions. After chatting a while, we discovered that one guide, Marty, had been on Aconcaqua in 1987 at the precise time as me and my CSU OAP teammates, and we shared a few mutual acquaintances. Small world.

So now, we rest. We will be at the realatively “low” ABC for 3 days or so, preparing our bodies and our minds, for another rotation up the mountain. The next rotation will be to Camp 2 at 23,400 feet.

During this rest period at ABC, we will eat, sleep, read, and, most importantly, hydrate. The monsoon is still here, with afternoon snow every day now, for 13 days. We are hoping that the monsoon will break soon. If the mountain gods are smiling on us, then the post-monsoon window of good weather will arrive in sync for our planned summit push around September 23-27.

Until then, I wish you well with your daily adventures.

Jim