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DCXP Second Summit Team forced back at 8500m, high winds
Jun 1, 2005 01: 32 EST
It's bad up there alright. Teams are suffering; the window just keep getting pushed back as the jet lingers nearby, throwing erratic spells of winds at Everest. In spite of a long, long season - climbers are forced down time after time, one after the other. Here's the latest from the DCXP/Project-Himalaya boys:
"Better down here wishin' you were up there than up there wishin' you were down here" - as my old flying instructor used to tell me. Thanks Charlie for that one, had all of us rolling on the ground."
On the Mountain - 350 meters below the summit!
"Jamie, Paul Boslooper and Namgyl just radioed from the high camp at 8250m, they started at midnight in strong 30-35 knot winds, blasting directly onto the North Face at them. Some stronger gusts buffeted them about and kept the temperature cold. They made it to the second step at about 8500m only 350m below the summit of Everest!"
Hands and feet are not negotiable items
"At this point everyone was getting very cold feet and hands and Jamie called it a day, they returned to high camp took off boots and gloves to rewarm in the tent and thankfully there are NO PROBLEMS. So good call Jamie, tough to make so close to the top but hands and feet are not negotiable items on this expedition."
"Jamie has done very well to have ALL his clients attempt a summit push, remain healthy all expedition and in good spirits, it is a good effort which is hard to match
After an hour of radio calls, weather reports downloads at ABC by Duncan they have decided to drop back to 7700m and wait for another promising window on the 4th of June, wow this is turning into a long summit push."
This season is just so late
"Jamie is descending to ABC to assist with packing up with ABC as our Yaks arrive on the 3rd to take all our equipment to BC on the 4th. So Paul an Namgyl have elected to remain on the mountain after we go! This ups the stakes for them, although they should summit the morning we are packing ABC, so if they have real problems we can hold the Yaks to initiate a rescue if required, not ideal but workable, this season is just so late this year."
New plan
"We will leave two porters for them to bring their equipment down to BC and hold back a jeep for their journey to Kathmandu."
"So all the best to Paul B and Namgyl - we will monitor their progress from ABC by radio and binoculars, radioing them weather forecasts and standing-by in case they need help until our Yaks take us away! Wishing them all the best in the 'new' plan.
Duncan Chessell from ABC "
For his 12th 8000m expedition Jamie McGuinness is providing professional support for a small team. Antoine Bonfils is promoting Paris's bid to host the 2012 Olympics on a suitably international team; nobody is from the same country.
Although Jamie isn't planning on summitting, having summitted three 8000m peaks last year, he isn't ruling out a quick, late climb. He summitted Everest previously in 2003 working as a climbing sherpa and organized the fixed rope money for the sherpas.
Duncan Chessell, 34, 2001 became the first South Australian to make it to the summit of Everest in 2001. This year, Duncan has emerged as the "king of dispatches" on Everest, with live positions, altitude tracking, several videos from the mountain and the season's first image from Everest summit.
He's the one who has reported on the status of the ropes, the different oxygen systems - and other meaty stuff from Everest's North Side.
Image of Julian (the teams summiteer) and Jamie, courtesy of Project Himalaya
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| Andrew Lock on Annapurna tragedy: "I wanted to keep on climbing" Jun 6, 2005 | | Gabriel Filippi and Sean Egan's soul, together on the summit of Everest Jun 6, 2005 | | "Supermom" Monica Kalozdi update: Everest Summit and hard descent Jun 5, 2005 | | Robert Milne dies during summit push Everest South Jun 5, 2005 | | Grania Willis summits Everest this morning Jun 5, 2005 | | ExplorersWeb Week-In-Review Jun 5, 2005 | | Himex summit - Update from climber Jun 4, 2005 | | No Mountain top too high, my Love Jun 4, 2005 | | Jagged Globe team summits again! Jun 4, 2005 | | More summits for DCXP/Project Himalaya this morning Jun 4, 2005 |
| | End of season... Jun 4, 2005 | | Ranulph Fiennes turns back on Everest Jun 3, 2005 |
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2004
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