Annapurna Expedition 2012 IV: 2. Altitude Camp And Waiting For The Weather

As Radek wrote, it was such a "Johnny's trip to Nepal" - a beautiful trek to Everest and the other under Mirco Lhotce - to BC (editors note: base camp) Everest. During the eight days of sleeping in 2BC in the 6400 meters and touch seven thousand. Three days into the journey lasted Lulkla, then rest and vacation in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Just cool. But now we are sitting in BC in 4200 m.

On the tops the hurricane blows, and as each day around noon starts to be cloudy and snows. On the top is a lot of snow and still "snowing". Strong wind blows. We are relatively acclimated, so now we have to wait for 5 days of better weather at least. And we will try to get the top. Better weather but apparently wasn’t here for a month.

Day before yesterday we stock up a 2. AC (editors note: the second altitude camp). It was fun. Nice starting list, who went out the top. There is also Don Bowie, who climbs sometimes with the Swiss speedy climber Ueli Steck. Last spring he "ran over" two eights and nearly as well the Everest. He was bored in BC, so he set out on a "picnic" in the 5400 m As you can imagine, his and we Radka Oscar (another member of what came up, I think of Peru) saw only the beginning. Competitors. Fortunately, Oscar had my "normal" pace. We saw guys in front of us. We have to carry quite heavy backs. In a final attempt it could save our power, when won´t carry nothing much to 2. AC. Much more than 20 kilo had my “hyena”. In the end Radek came to meet me, so he helped me. He said that he had to suffer, because forgot to take up its share of bombs. Just to explain - to each gas cookers integrally includes gas bomb.

The second camp is on quite a safe place. But in low, bloody low level. Approximately 5400 meters, which is the height of BC under Everest. So we spent the night there, made a depot, took pictures of something and in the morning “ran” downstairs in three hours approximately. Above is a lot of snow, and journey to the 3rd AC is currently totally virgin and we hope to be, maybe sometimes, weather will be better, so we can go up together. For, if no improvement with snow, I think that it is not humanly possible for individuals (and there's even counting Radek and Don) to go it from BC to the top. So far, however, I rather feel that everyone will wait for him to move us. Ho ho ho, that tactic...

Just a look to the way from the second to the top is such a little bit "frightening". No, it will not be easy walk. Fortunately this is not exactly the way the French way. It is scary. I do not know if I had a "head" of the climb. The "this year" option is perhaps the safer. 

Yet but we are waiting. Ways to fill the void is not so much I plan - I write this article today, tomorrow you wash, the day after the wash, brush my teeth the day after that. I openly admit that I miss in it, especially after waiting Mirča, but also in Pilsen, a warm, ... Uh-oh, I'd probably like "expedičník" did not write it? :-)) Still, fortunately Radek is here to touch us by nice word, and do the comfort by drink brandy etc.

The last two days before the planned climb up we received just messages from Tráva.

29. 4. - Now we're goofing x days. And wait for the weather. Hell. Relax. Reading. Snowing. No good news.

30. 4. - So we are climbing up tomorrow. Weather might be satisfactory. An attempt should give all of us.

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Text: Jan Trávníček, Radek Jaroš (editorially adjusted)

AnnaPurna 2012 expedition sponsored HUMI ​​outdoor