Some impressions from the summit climb

Things are kind of hectic now but here are some pictures from the summit attempt. More to come later......

Above: The big three (from the left, Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse) Just one day before our summit bid I went on another training climb up to Pulmori, upper camp 1 (around 19,000 ft).  From there, one has a great view on the whole Everest group.  At the time I did not yet know that we had to leave just a few hours later to take advantage of the potential summit window on May 21.


Below:Camp 2 and camp 3 in the upper Lhotse face (elevation 24,023 ft).  This is a precarious place, carved out into the steep Lhotse face.  From there the decision is made to either proceed on to the South Cool, or descendf back down to camp 2 and base camp.

Below: Camp 4 (South Col) where we rest for several hours after arriving from camp 3, using supplemental oxygen at a low flow rate (about 0.5 - 1.0 l/min).  On May 20 in the afternoon, the winds were still strong at 40-50 mi/hr.  The conditions improved in the evening, and we left around 10 pm for the summit.

Below:Pasang, my climbing sherpa at the summit, time; May 21, about 7:45 am.

Below: At the 29,035 ft summit.  We spent less than 10 min there due to the impending weather change.  From there we descended back down from the highly treacherous upper mountain to camp 4 then continued on via the Geneva Spur and the Yellow Band back down the Lhotse face and to camp 2.  We were off the face around 7 pm on May 21, and back in camp 2 just before 8 pm.