April 13 to May 25 2001.

Claires and Zeb´s summit story:

Base camp at 5200m, was reached by jeep truck. There we loaded the gear onto Yaks up to advanced base camp (ABC) 6400m, a 22 km trail further up. Here, we installed the most comfortable possible camp, with music, library, mess tent like toilet and shower.

It took us 5 days trekking the path which leads to ABC. On April 18 we headed out, spending peaceful nights on the trail, sleeping in camps rocked to sleep gently by the sound of the tingling yak bells. Departure the next morning, following one another tail to head in a long caravan on the moraine.

C1: North Col 7000 m. Tents, stove, sleeping bags, mattress, food. We spent four nights in total in this camp: 1 night during acclimatization on May 5, 1 night for our first attempt May 10. Finally 2 nights on our summit push May 19 and 20.

C2: 7900 m. Tent, stove, sleeping bags, mattress, food, paraglider, 8 bottles of oxygen. We remained at this camp 4.30pm to 10.30pm, before entering our final ascent on May 21.

The ascent: The climb of the North Col to Camp 2 was long and difficult. This immense spur never ends, that was at least the impression we had while on it! We reached 7500m after 5 hours struggle and decided to have a small break.

One hour later we set out again. We took 3,5 hours of very small steps to finally find our Camp 2 at 7900m. We were exhausted. Nevertheless, we still couldn´t tuck into our sleeping bags, it being crucial to make water and to eat before setting out again in 5 hours.

We rested rocked by the humming of the stove. The view was splendid; we were perched on a small ledge with a beautiful birds eye view of the Himalayas. The sun setting on the Tibetan plains was like a dream.

The night fell, and with it came stronger winds. In each one of us, apprehension grew. Will we make the summit, is this a good day, should we rather wait? At 10am, it was time. Our friends, Frederic and Christian were already on the path, our sherpa awaiting us. It took us an insane time to organize the oxygen gear for it was new to us. The mask was fogging the glasses, making it impossible to see where we put our feet, it was necessary to regulate the flow, be careful with the fixings, it was a whole tech science to be seized quickly.

Finally we were ready. At 10pm we started out. The oxygen provided wamth and strength. At 2 o'clock in the morning we reached 8300m where we must change oxygen bottles. The cap was frozen! Impossible to unscrew. We spent half an hour trying to solve the problem. Finally we forced it open with an ice axe. Unfortunately, in the mean time Claires regulator had laid in the snow where it froze. Upon filling up, it still indicated 0 bar.

We decided to act quickly because of hypothermia setting in as we now had spent more than one hour put. Lakpa turned back, leaving Claire his regulator. We set out again, this time not alone anymore, an Indian climbers line of small lamps joined us.

It was a splendid night, we approached the stars and the wind ceased. We continued our progress wide eyed. The landscape below, revealed by the sunrise, was awesome. Upon reaching the first step, motivation gave us wings. Now came the second step, the most technical passage of the ascent. To climb using that kind of technical climbing gear is rather a challenge. We now saw the summit clearly, it was just there! We suddenly realized with immense joy that we will summit. At the base of the summit slope we met Fred coming down, at 5 o'clock in the morning.

We were motivated more than ever by his report that the wind was weak. Great chance to fly? Another hour and we were there at 8 am. The sight was breathtaking! Not a cloud, the wind between 20-30mph. We were with the angels, what a strange sensation to live a dream. We were finally there, at the place so desired in the past month and a half, and we didn´t want to leave. 

Our moves were slow, after some photographs we must act again, to seek a site to take off. We must especially be careful not to be too close to the trail beyond 8000m where the winds can change abruptly. We found a place about 10m under the rather favorable summit, we strapped on our oxygen masks and prepared the sail as good as possible. All these tasks, so easy lower down, turned a struggle up here. We needed1 hour to get ready.

Then, sitting in front of Zeb and stepping out of the ledge, the mountain inflated the sail and very quickly the wind carried off with us leaving this mythical place. For a few minutes we transformed into birds. A rapid fall on the western face, then we left full north, direction the Chinese base Camp.

We marveled on the descent, it was magic, the paraglider gliding easy, and yet the landscape below was blurred. The conditions were however not as calm as it had appeared, the winds picked up on us. We must make a change of the flight plan, and chose direction ABC to the right. 

Claire & Zeb