11:46 am CDT Apr 29, 2008
(MountEverest.net) "There is a small police post at 6400m (ed: camp 2) on Everest and the one armed soldier does the rounds each day, with conspicuous sniper rifle, however they mostly give a friendly Namaste," is the latest report to ExWeb from Everest south side.
In addition, word is that the major in charge at BC has done a good job "between negotiating with the government officials rather unrealistic demands and he has arranged something that means climbers can't disrupt the torch, but can still acclimatize and don’t have to fear for all our gear being stolen or destroyed."
"Our main worry is that the best weather window will be immediately after the Chinese summit, that will be a long window, but that we will miss it all the same."
The weather
Many climbers around Himalaya have reported weather forecasts showing a storm approaching end April/early May (the Chinese torch summit bid). Seems that could be wishful thinking though.
Veteran high altitude forecaster Javier Corripio is well know to most international Himalaya mountaineers and he says that the Chinese have a very good chance of summiting on
the 3rd of May. "There is a severe cyclonic storm ("Nargis") SW of the Bay of Bengal, but it won't bother Everest," Javier says.
Right now, it seems rather calm after May the 3rd with weak winds, warmer temperatures and clear summits, though it will be cloudy below summit level. Javier however points out that forecast reliability after 5 days "is approaching zero very, very quickly."
Reuters reports from Everest north side that journalists there are cold, altitude sick and miserable, hanging out somewhere near BC. There's no word about the torch.
On Everest south side, BBC (expelled yesterday) reported that a tourism ministry official there, Prabodh Dhakal, said that climbers were not allowed to hold even informal chats with media, in fact, if any mountaineer talked to the BBC, he or she would be expelled.
"We are doing this for our friend, China," Dhakal said.
And finally a word from Lhasa: State media reports that a Chinese court on Tuesday sentenced 30 people, including six monks, to jail terms ranging from three years to life in prison for their alleged roles in deadly riots in the Tibetan capital last month. (Fox News).
Other Himalaya
Check below for the correct link to Joao Garcia’s blog from Makalu, and also yesterday ExWeb crew was lost in translation in Amical's dispatches. Ralf didn't say that the leader from an European islands expedition had never used crampons before but that a Military Expedition from a European Island had members partly using crampons for their first time.
Links to teams on Everest and Himalaya:
The "Climbers Without Borders" Everest 2008 hotline allows climbers, their relatives and friends to report anonymously from the mountain as long as the caller is known to ExWeb. Pls call (1) 206-666-2407 (from a sat phone pls dial 001-206-666-2407). State your name and message (your name will be withheld).
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