Update 4: 4:15PM Nepal: All No Guts Know Glory members are resting in camps three and four. After arriving in C4, Rob and Teng Dorje Sherpa discovered five oxygen cylinders were missing from the team’s supplies. We do not know, at this time, who took them. Some quick thinking on the part of the team led to sourcing five bottles from our neighbours, Asian Trekking, who’s clients summited this morning and did not use up their supply. Disaster averted.
John and Darrell will join Rob in C4 tomorrow before noon. Rob has elected to wait in C4 rather than try to summit early tomorrow morning. We have enough oxygen for him to sleep and rest comfortably. Said Rob: “I’m happy that we’re going to put the team back together. I would rather summit with Darrell and John than by myself. It’s worth the small risk of me becoming tired up here at 8000 meters. There will be a lot less people on the mountain tomorrow. It was crowded coming up today. We’ll let them get ahead and then have smooth sailing as a team.”
Update 3: 12:15PM Nepal: John and Darrell have been in camp three for a little over an hour. They report clear skies and light winds. They will spend the afternoon resting, refueling and re-hydrating. Their plan is a very early start to camp four tomorrow, likely around 5AM or earlier.
Rob has arrived in camp four at the South Col, over 27,000 feet above sea level (just under 8000 meters). He reports feeling fantastic after today’s climb through the Yellow Band. He made excellent time, just over 6 hours from camp three. He is also resting, refueling and re-hydrating. He will decide by 3PM local time if he will try to summit tonight or wait for John and Darrell to come up from camp three and then all go together tomorrow evening.
Update 2: 10:15AM Nepal: John and Darrell are 30 minutes from camp three. “Turning around below the Lhotse Face yesterday and getting some more rest was the right call,” said John. “We feel like rock stars today. Super strong!” They will reach camp three in around five hours of climbing time.
Still no update from Rob yet. John reports seeing a long line of climbers, perhaps close to 50, waiting in turn to navigate the Yellow Band, a rocky section of the route that kicks up very steep. Rob is likely in this grouping, along with Teng Dorje and Pimba Sherpas.
Update: 8:00AM Nepal: John and Darrell are above the Bergschrund, just below the Lhotse Face. They are about three or four hours away from Camp 3. Mingma and Dawa Sherpas are climbing alongside them today. Darrell’s face broke into a wide grin when he learned the CEO of Canada Post is following his progress up Everest. Both climber and guide say they feel great, the weather is fantastic with low winds and they are climbing strong today.
Rob has his radio turned off, conserving batteries. He will check in later today to update his progress, most likely from above the Yellow Band, but below camp four. We expect him in camp four around 1PM or 2PM local time.
7:00AM Nepal: Rob, Teng Dorje and Pimba Sherpa left camp three this morning before 6AM. Rob reported light winds and a little over night snow. Clear skies and crisp morning air greeted the climbers as they set out after a hot breakfast (Teng Dorje had come up from camp two very early). Rob is breathing bottled oxygen while he climbs at a moderate flow rate.
Darrell and John plan to climb today. We expect to hear from them shortly, most likely at the bottom of the Lhotse Face.
Depending on when Rob arrives at the South Col (C4), he may choose to spend the night and wait for Darrell and John to arrive tomorrow before heading for the summit. We’ll update this post as soon as we get more details.
Several other teams are on the summit today. The weather looks good for the next few days with gradually diminishing winds.
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