Page 14 - RAFMA Winter 2003

Glen. Later most set off to recce on approach to the glacier that led to o col ot c5800m which in turn led to Tilman's Col (5700m).
The climb (10-21 April)
19 Apr
20 Apr
21 Apr
22 Apr
Today was the turning point of the expedition. Ade set off at 0445 with the 400m of rope towards Camp 2 and nearly made it before being met by Tensing who had come down to help. He then went back to Camp 1 in order to take the, now very ill (HACE?) Bri down too Base Camp. Luckily Ade and Bri met Andy, Simon and Elpi at the intermediate col so that Simon could descend with Bri whilst Andy, Ade and Elpi could return to Camp 1 - Elpi going only in order to drop off supplies. As Andy and Ade arrived at Camp 1, the news came down from the ridge that there was no possible way of continuing. No small
disappointment. A wild storm of lightening, wind and snow underlined this news.
Wind and snow blasting across Camps 1 and 2. It took a long time too raise Stew at Camp 2 - he and the Sherpas were storm bound. Andy and Ade holed up at Camp 1 to await there decision. In the early afternoon Stew, Tensing and Perma descended but sadly dropped a bag off the side of the ridge. Andy and Ade recover this whilst Tensing and Perma go up again to recover the rest of Camp 2. The rest of the day was spent sorting the kit for the retreat to Base Camp.
Shuttle runs at 5800m! The day was spent recovering all the equipment to the intermediate col, it actually only took two, very heavily laden runs to do it. After that we took what we needed and continued the descent to Base Camp. Almost all of the day's work was carried out in whiteout conditions making navigation on the glacier interesting for us and terrifying for the Sherpas.
A rest day for the climbers whilst the porters went up to the intermediate col to collect the rest of the kit.
10 Apr
11 Apr 12 Apr
13 Apr
14 Apr
15 Apr
16 Apr
17 Apr
18 Apr
The day started with a Puja ceremony to bless the climb. Following this we set off for Tilman's Col to dump the kit there. In the event, we formed a stash at the intermediate col at 5820m, but not without some serious moaning from the porters. As usual money sorted the problem out for them.
Rest doy at Base Comp.
Stew, Andy, Bri and Ade plus Tensing and Perma collect kit from
the intermediate col and then continue to Tilman's Col in order to form Camp 1. Predictably deep snow was encountered on the route, but at least the first part of the ridge looked simple.
Stew and Andy pushed up the ridge to c6140m where they found a level below a steep ice wall. Meanwhile, Bri, Ade, Tensing and Perma collected more equipment from the intermediate col and took it to Camp 1. Later Tensing and Perma took some of the kit required for Comp 2 up the ridge.
The whole team moved up to c6140m to form Camp 2 at the level spot found by Stew and Andy yesterday. Deep snow with a breakable crust all the way and light continuous snow all afternoon.
We awoke to a dangerous situation, perched on a small level below a ice wall in the middle of a 600m/45deg slope. An avalanche had missed us by about 10m in the night. Andy was feeling sick and Bri was suffering from a headache. Stew, Ade, Tensing and Perma go down to Camp 1 to pick up more supplies to take up tomorrow. Later they were to receive a call from Andy who has decided to go down to Base Camp tomorrow.
Andy sets off back to Base Camp. Meanwhile the others return to Camp 2 with more supplies. During the afternoon Ade and the Sherpas fix the ice wall behind camp 2 in high wind and spin drift. The good news is that the ridge becomes easy once more after the ice wall, the bad news is that the snow conditions are getting worse. Bri is considering going down tomorrow as his condition is worsening.
Another rough night resulting in about 2ft of new snow by the morning. Bri heads down to Camp 1, Stew takes a rest day at Camp 2 and Andy and Simon are at Base Camp Ade, Tensing and Perma push on up the ridge too c6350m, fixing where necessary and leaving a spare 300m of rope at their high point. This 200m took them 7 hours there and back! Masses of deep, loose, steep snow made the climbing both unpleasant and dangerous.
Ade goes down to Camp 1 to rest. Meanwhile Stew and the Sherpas continue to push up the Bridge with the 300m of rope that we had dumped yesterday. The plan was set for tomorrow; Ade would take 400m of fixed rope and snow stakes to Camp 2 and Andy would come up from Base Camp with more supplies. On the down side, Bri doesn't seem to be improving and may have to go down further. Ade and Bri are treated to an enormous rock fall during the evening, very close, very frightening!
The walk out (23 - 27Apr)
23 Apr 24 Apr
25 Apr 26 Apr
27 Apr
A long day down to Pemthang Karpo, the day seemed to go on forever, but it was good to be off the glacier at last.
Descended down past Langshisha Karka, where we met the trekking team who had been similarly disappointed with the weather conditions. Both teams had lunch together before continuing down to Kyangjin Gompa for a sociable evening together.
Both teams continued down together to Lama Hotel.
Finished the descent to Syabru Bensi, arriving at lunchtime. The evening was a wonderfully cultural event including the pay parade for the Sherpas, cooks and porters and the usual porter party that follows. A good night was had by all to end the expedition.
The long, long drive back to Kathmandu, the least said the better.