A walk across the sky    25 April 2005
Today's word was slow. Slow to get up, slow to eat breakfast, and slow to go for a walk up to the base of the huge Lhotse face you see pictured here, looming above camp 2. About halfway up this fa

The Cwm Shuffle    24 April 2005
Imagine if you can sticking some damp clothing in the freezer, then putting that cold clothing on, and then walking into an oven. Now this oven is different because the temperature keeps going from ho

Everest Ups and Downs    23 April 2005
After 18 hours of continuous resting and sleeping in our tents at Camp 1, even the most slovenly of us were ready for the warmth of the sun to announce a beginning to the day's activities. Conside

Camp 1    22 April 2005
Today we completed our first complete ascent of the Khumbu Icefall from Base Camp to Camp 1, 6000m. As I write this dispatch afternoon snow calmly falls onto our tents; members lie cozy and ensconced

Testing day    21 April 2005
Our last rest day today. Packing, hydrating, and to add insult to injury, the girls from Brown University, came by to test us in the realm of remote speech monitoring systems that try to pick up hypox

First snows    20 April 2005
Today has been a rest day. Shortly after breakfast a wall of cloud came up the valley, giving us a day of snow, our first for the trip. Gerrard, myself, and Pemba Sherpa made our first trip into the i

Khumbu Icefall    19 April 2005
Crampons bite into the ice on ever changing and often uneven terrain. Concentration and constant awareness are required to ensure as many of the ten crampon points on each foot penetrate the ice evenl

Technical Ice Course    18 April 2005
We awoke to yet another perfect day at BC. The main focus of today was negotiating a technical ice course at the base of the Khumbu Icefall. Paul and Luis rigged ropes over awkward and steep ice terra