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Settlin’ In

Everest 2016  •  April 8

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A restful day at EBC. I slept poorly, but can feel that I am almost over this stupid viral URI. Auspicious day to unpack, improve the tent, take a shower, and establish contact with my family. I was even able to put up a blog post from the toasty confines of my own tent, true luxury!  Yes, we have wifi here, and that is amazing.  A typical blog post of mine with about 50 photos seems to take about 4 hours to upload here… when the rest of the team arrives, we anticipate that things will grind to a halt, sorry to say!  Bandwidth is the issue… Still, it is great to be able to make contact with the outside world at all, even if just text.

Getting our technical climbing gear rigged, checked, and double-checked from the luxury of the dining tent. We will put this stuff to the test tomorrow in the glacier.
Getting our technical climbing gear rigged, checked, and double-checked from the luxury of the dining tent. We will put this stuff to the test tomorrow in the glacier.
Getting our rigging right.
Getting our rigging right.
A chopper comes in for a landing, Pumori in the background.
A chopper comes in for a landing, Pumori in the background.
The hanging glaciers of Nuptse, very impressive.
The hanging glaciers of Nuptse, very impressive.
Everest's West Shoulder... and icefall below.
Everest’s West Shoulder… and icefall below.
The icefall.... I cannot make out the route in this shot, but it runs more or less up the middle. Bare and rocky this year compared with last year.
The icefall…. I cannot make out the route in this shot, but it runs more or less up the middle. Bare and rocky this year compared with last year.
Some of the Sherpa team members lined up in camp, taking the fine fresh air.
Some of the Sherpa team members lined up in camp, taking the fine fresh air.
Panorama of EBC.
Panorama of EBC.
Watching a helicopter lift off from the nearby auxiliary helipad.
Watching a helicopter lift off from the nearby auxiliary helipad.
Pumori looms overhead. Plenty of snow, but no sign of reaccumulation of the tragic cornice structures from last year.
Pumori looms overhead. Plenty of snow, but no sign of reaccumulation of the tragic cornice structures from last year.
Stunning to see so much rock debris in the glacier... last year this was covered in snow. However, this appearance is apparently more typical.
Stunning to see so much rock debris in the glacier… last year this was covered in snow. However, this appearance is apparently more typical.
Cristiano enjoys a Yerba Matte at 17,200 feet. Nice.
Cristiano enjoys a Yerba Matte at 17,200 feet. Nice.
Camp Hybrid. Note the lake in our front yard.
Camp Hybrid. Note the lake in our front yard.
We call this body of water (B)Lake Penson, in honor of our buddy Blake. The urinal empties into it... but, still auspicious.
We call this body of water (B)Lake Penson, in honor of our buddy Blake. The urinal empties into it… but, still auspicious.
Kim's master plan for season tickets to the Broncos nears fruition....
Kim’s master plan for season tickets to the Broncos nears fruition….
My setup is a bit more modest.
My setup is a bit more modest.

Much of the rest of the team went for a walking tour of upper EBC, but I chose to stay behind.  It was windy and cold (so, so cold here!) and I wanted to give my trachea and lungs a rest. Besides, I have all the time in the world to make a stroll up there in the coming weeks.

Word of the day: Restoration.

posted: April 9, 2016

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