Paul Pottinger’s Adventures from the Top of the World
Category Archives: Ascent
The Quake
Everest 2015 • April 25
I was awakened in the middle of the night by the thunder of a huge avalanche. These are common on Everest, happening every night, but this one sounded bigger than usual. Although it was bitterly cold, and I was still half asleep, I decided to open the rear tent flap and take a look. To … Continue reading The Quake
Testing the Route
Everest 2015 • April 24
Our planned day of rest dawned clear and cold. Well, “active rest,” as we call it up here. After breakfast at a reasonable hour, we roped up and took an acclimatization hike halfway to Camp 2. C2 sits at the far end of the cwm, perhaps 1.5 miles horizontally, and about 1,800 feet higher. From C1 … Continue reading Testing the Route
Climb to Camp 1
Everest 2015 • April 23
News was good: Camp 1 was built and ready for us. Or, if not totally built, at least built enough for us to get up there. Because weather was favorable, we were eager to make the next step and get the rotation done. The plan: Climb to C1 and stay two nights, then move to … Continue reading Climb to Camp 1
Waiting for the Next Step
Everest 2015 • April 21
After our first foray into the icefall, we have two days in EBC to rest, recouperate, and relax. Camps 1 and 2 are being built by teams of sherpa, who have done an incredible job of ferrying loads up through the icefall, night after night, for the last few days, now that the weather has … Continue reading Waiting for the Next Step
Half an Icefall
Everest 2015 • April 20
What an amazing day! Up at 2:30 AM for breakfast, than we got geared up and went out the door into the crisp, cold, clear night. We walked a short distance with our sherpa team to the puja stupa, where the juniper fire was lit again. A brief prayer was said and sung by the … Continue reading Half an Icefall
