{"id":3342,"date":"2016-06-04T20:17:11","date_gmt":"2016-06-05T03:17:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pottinger.net\/osm\/?p=3342"},"modified":"2016-11-17T14:56:11","modified_gmt":"2016-11-17T22:56:11","slug":"up-the-cwm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pottinger.net\/osm\/2016\/06\/up-the-cwm\/","title":{"rendered":"Up the Cwm"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cold temperatures, low winds, and clear skies greeted us in the morning.\u00a0 I had hoped for some cloud cover to spare us from cooking in the solar oven of the Cwm, but it was not meant to be.\u00a0 No worries, we got moving early enough to avoid the brunt of the sunshine.\u00a0 We should top the rollers before the sun hits.\u00a0 It is what it is. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

I looked back at Camp 1 for the last time.\u00a0 It struck me as tiny, spartan, and exposed in every sense.\u00a0 And crazy beautiful.\u00a0 I memorized the views one more time, quickly.\u00a0 I will never come here again.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Saddling
Saddling up at first light for the move to Camp 2.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The
The Cwm: Deep & Quiet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Because it was late in the season, we were able to enjoy established steps up the roller faces\u2026 in fact, in some cases, the steps were so worn that they had cut trenches in the snow up to 4 feet deep, which was a pain in terms of getting my trekking pole up and over.\u00a0 Yes, although it may seem odd, we use our poles on the Cwm, where they help alleviate the drudgery of marching hour after hour.\u00a0 When we come to vertical terrain or ladders, the easy thing to do is to stash the poles quickly across the small of our backs, between our jackets and the underside of our packs.\u00a0 Works great\u2026 unless you are trying to ascend a deep snow trench cut by your predecessors.<\/p>\n

\"Heading
Heading up the first roller of the day. Steps have been kicked in nicely by this time of the season, even cutting a deep trench in the face near the lip.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Cristiano
Cristiano and Nima Dorje prepare to tackle a roller.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The
The double-ladder crossing of a deep crevasse, our last roller of the morning. Looks like Jay is going left, up the vertical face. I opted to follow Siva to the right… easy is good for p2.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The
The sun rises above the summit of Everest just as I approach the first horizontal ladder of the day… as always, Pasang Kami prepares the way for me.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I performed well.\u00a0 I was genuinely surprised when the sixth and final roller face came and went so quickly.\u00a0 So much easier than last time.<\/em>\u00a0 As hoped, the sun did not hit the bottom of the Cwm until the moment I gained the top of the last roller.\u00a0 Now just cruise.<\/em>\u00a0 I was relaxed, and my lungs felt good.\u00a0 In fact, this was by far the most pleasant of the four trips I have made up the Cwm.\u00a0 The final 30 minutes walking through camp to IMG\u2019s home were perfectly fine\u2014nothing like the agony of last time, when I needed to be revived with hot tea and relieved of my backpack just to make the last steps to my tent.\u00a0 Holy cow, I must have been really sick last time.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"We
We move towards Camp 2, barely visible atop the pile of dark rocks at photo center. (Photo: Justin Merle)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Justin
Justin and Siva… an epic bromance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking
Looking back down the massive Cwm from well above the rollers… and at least an hour from IMG Camp 2.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Pasang
Pasang Kami at a break on the way to Camp 2.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The
The fearsome wall of Nuptse as we approach Camp 2, on the opposite side of the Cwm. Those seracs on the top left look a bit dodgy….<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking
Looking up the route at IMG Camp 2… and camps from several other outfits.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"And
And looking down the Cwm.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The
The formidable South West face of Everest. Only one party attempted it this year, and they required rescue. Hard to believe Doug Scott made it up this face in 1975.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We settled into camp without difficulty.\u00a0 Cristiano and I were glad to share a tent.\u00a0 He seems to know everyone on the mountain, and it was fun to meet climbers from around the globe who came to pay him a visit.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Hessians tucking into their tent.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Siva
Siva strutting his stuff at Camp 2.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Tibetan
Tibetan prayer flag flaps noisily (so very, very noisily) in the wind next to my tent.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Route from Camp 2 to Camp 3. Tough for you to see on this low-res image, but I have blown it up on my iMac and easily counted 81 humans… there may be more hidden in the tents of Camp 3. A big day on the Lhotse Face.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our job at Camp 2 was to rest, eat, and prepare to move up\u2026 when conditions allowed.\u00a0 Our guides were in touch constantly with Greg at EBC, who was receiving and digesting weather forecasts at least twice a day, from at least two independent sources.\u00a0 The day we arrived was favorable for climbing up higher, and our friends form the classic team ascended that day to Camp 3.\u00a0 We knew that there would be wind the following day, 5\/17\/16, but it was predicted to quit shortly after sunrise, meaning the Classics would be able to ascend to the South Col that morning, then summit 24 hours later.<\/p>\n

At least, that was the plan.\u00a0 In fact, the wind up high accelerated on 5\/17 to a constant gale-force howl, and stayed that way well past noon.\u00a0 For us at Camp 2, everything was peachy, including nice sunshine and very little wind.\u00a0 But, high above on the Lhotse Face, it looked grim.\u00a0 Everest and Lhotse were capped by lenticular clouds, indicating high wind velocities. We did not need to see those clouds, however, to know that things were bad up there.\u00a0 In the background of all our conversations, above all else that happened that day, I remember hearing the deep, terrifying roar of the jet stream as it slammed into the summit of Everest.<\/p>\n

\"Lenticular
Lenticular clouds blossom atop Everest and Lhotse, a sign of very high winds. Our friends are at Camp 3….not good.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Summit
Summit of Lhotse, with countless climbers ascending the Face in brutal winds.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Summit
Summit of Everest.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n