Traverse over
28 May 2005    me-6400
I've been working the sat phone and email up here at Camp 2. In a nutshell, according to our north side agent, due to Piers crossing over to the north Base Camp last week, and his permit saying we were only supposed to go out, not come in and go out, it has left the Chinese officials so jittery as to what’s going on, they have pulled my permission to attempt the traverse. Period. I am not sure of the total story as they are shady to say the very least, but the more I push, the less response I get. Depressing to say the very least. 2 months of hard work, sacrifice, and hopes, down the shitter due to Chinese government lunacy. We still have 4 clients and are trying to commit to see the month thru. It is hard to imagine not being grateful about getting a 5th shot at the top, but motivation wise, if I make it and seeing down the north is good, it may just kill me not to be able to go, as jokes about ending up in a Lhasa prison abound! So lets see what’s left of the season, and what we can do with it, the winds come and go above, yet teams are headed to 3. Hopefully they will all be smart as the allure and pull of the summit is as strong as ever.

Thanks to you all for following along and all the good wishes...they were felt the whole way, I will keep on cybercasting as events warrant. Luis Benitez

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Camp 2 hold    27 May 2005
Yoo-hoo, back at camp 2!
Talk about full, EVERYONE is here. Every team's climbers, Sherpas, and support staff. What does this tell me? Stay away from the crowds, wait for them to pass, then ta

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Traverse Blues    25 May 2005
What can I say.....its amazing sometimes how we forget being up here isn't always about "when", it is very much sometimes about "if".
Piers has left to travel to the North sid

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All bets are off    22 May 2005
Strange creatures are about in the evenings around here, as seen in today's photo. Perhaps its just people blowing off steam due to all the weather delays? Or simply people losing their marbles...

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