May 12, 2007 - UPDATE

SATURDAY, MAY 12, 2007

May 12, 2007 - UPDATE

The team is still at 14, 200 (medical camp) . Yesterday (Friday) they went up to 16,000 feet and dropped off a cache. Wes said it was pretty cool. It took them four hours to climb to 16,000 feet. They had to go up the fixed lines and it was very steep. It only took them two hours to climb back down. When climbing down they did "one wrap around the rope" (I guess this means they wrapped the rope around their waist once?) and went face first. Each person was tied in with about three other climbers and a guide in back who was in charge of the brake on the rope. The team will be staying at 14,200 for the next couple of days due to weather. It has been very windy and they are expecting a snowstorm to hit at anytime. On Monday they plan to move up to 17,000 feet (if the weather is good). Once at 17,000 it can be any day that they make their summit push. Wes said the summit has been about 35 degrees below zero lately. The team is looking pretty ragged but everyone is doing well. Don's fingers are slit from the cold and altitude and have to be taped up. Both Wes and Don have grown beards. That will be a sight to see! They have been drinking plenty of water and eating a lot. During their down time they spend a lot of time in their sleeping bags or hanging in the camp with the other team members. Wes mentioned that for every 1,000 feet they climb the temperature drops about three degrees. The sun does not go down until 11:30 p.m. Both of their cameras are working and they have been able to get some amazing shots. More later...