Adventure Consultants 04 - Dispatches

party people

Let the monsoon begin....please
21 May 2005
Today has been a big day at base camp for members and guides alike. As the traditional climbing season for Everest moves into its final weeks with limited success, we discussed our summit day strategy. We depend on the weather gods giving us a window to climb. We are hoping for the best, but we also have to grapple with the possibility that this year the delay of the monsoon moving north from the Bay of Bengal might require us to climb in early June.
On a lighter note, we had a great party last night. A Swiss team of three with Kiwi guide Mark Whetu added to the crew and fun was had by all.

Base Camp Deliberations and Booze 20 May 2005
While waiting at BC for summit attempt one is constantly on weather watch and assessing the progress of other teams. How strong are the winds aloft? Is the forecast accurate? Has today's forecast

Reuniting at Base Camp 19 May 2005
Today Piers and Phil returned to BC from their down valley sojourn in Pangboche. Piers has become a great advocate of the 'drop back': relatively thick air; sun soaked grass meadows to lie in;

Telegram from Mongo 18 May 2005
Rest day BC, no new news on weather or changing scheduling. Downvalley members are on their way back to BC as early as tomorrow. They have left me in charge of dispatches while they are gone or busy.