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To Camp VII - the last camp on the South-East Ridge 8,748m
The first summit party has come back having been the first to reach the South Summit of Everest, the highest anyone has ever climbed; They head off down the mountain from Camp VII without oxygen equipment. One of the climbers is in a bad way, he crumples and falls flat on the snow, drags himself to his feet, takes a few tottering steps and crashes again. You watch in shock, and hurriedly prepare a set of oxygen equipment for him. He is now on his hands and knees, and with the oxygen turned on slowly gets to his feet, and very slowly moves up the Geneva Spur again. At the top of the slope he collapses again. John Hunt decides to go down with him, and they rope up and head off. You worry that they may not make it down alive. But you have a critical day ahead - you must focus on preparing the oxygen sets, food and equipment for the next day's attempt on the summit. Careful preparation is critical to your survival at these heights. From time to time you stop and duck into your tent to warm yourself away from the bitter wind. You are feeling fit and able to work and move about freely at 7,925m without oxygen equipment... this is very encouraging. When you wake up early the next morning you realize the wind is quiet. It soon returns but is not as relentless - a very good sign! Three of your party go ahead to establish the route to Camp VII, all carrying over 18kg each and breathing oxygen at 4 litres a minute. You and Tenzing follow an hour later to conserve your strength for the next day's summit attempt. At 10:00am you make your move... heaving your cumbersome 23kg loads into place and turning on the open circuit oxygen sets. As you breathe the oxygen your loads seem to lighten. You cross the South Col and crampon up the firm snow above. The slope steepens and you are forced to zig zag your way up. The steps made by George Lowe in front are essential for your climb up to the crest of the South-East Ridge. Thousands of feet below you can look down on the Advanced Base Camp. You are a happy and relaxed team despite all the hard work. Just in front is a very incredibly lonely site... the tattered ruin of the Swiss tent from the summit attempt just over a year ago, where they had spent a night without food, drink or sleeping bags. You are still feeling good and carry on up the mixed rock and snow ridge to the highest depot (8,336m) established by Hunt and DaNamgyal in your expedition. You load up the supplies left, heaping even more onto your load; and stagger on under 25-27kg - too much at this altitude but you have no choice since some of the Sherpas have become sick and have had to go down. Your pace drops off considerably with the extra weight as you puff your way up a steep bluff. At this altitude things weigh three times what they do at sea level! There do not appear to be any suitable campsites. Your eyes search anxiously for a tiny ledge. Finally you settle on an area that is far from flat but you should be able to get your small tent on it. It is 8,504 metres The other three climbers remove their loads and with a hearty handclasp wish you well. They head straight off back down to the Camp VII on the South Col. With sadness you watch your tired friend George Lowe going down last, he will not get the chance to attempt to reach the summit like you, yet he has done so much hard work to help you both, and he is so close. You reflect on the tremendous team effort it has taken for just two of you to get this opportunity. It is not an ideal campsite, there isn't a large enough flat place to pitch the tent, but you dig out two ledges each about 2m long and 1m wide, the top one 15cm higher than the other, and spread the tent across them. Tying the tent down is a problem... after hammering several tent pegs into a few cracks you use the empty oxygen bottles as deadman anchors by digging holes into the snow, tying the guy ropes around them, and stamping them well into the ground. You are at the highest camp ever made! Tenzing melts some snow while you check the oxygen bottles. Is there enough to breath some oxygen while you sleep tonight? Just enough for one litre a minute for four hours - this will help you get a little sleep. Amazingly at this altitude you are still hungry, and cook chicken noodle soup and tinned apricots for dinner, and drinking lots of liquid to prevent dehydration. You both crowd into your sleeping bags and tent. Tenzing doesn't take off his boots, but your feet are so big you have to - and you use your boots to prop your sleeping bag up off the ice! No human being has ever been this high before and certainly no one has slept this high before. Once the oxygen starts flowing you warm up and drop off to sleep. Is it possible for a human being to survive at this height? No one knows!
Written from the descriptions in the books: |
