Camp 2

Julio made it to Camp 2 (24,750 feet). From Camp 1 to Camp 2 the climbing was brutal. The journey took six hours. They had hurricane like winds of 60 to 70 miles per hour all the way up. He had to use oxygen at the end of the climb but was able to take it off and sleep without oxygen last night. He mentioned that his blood oxygen saturation was at 60% in the morning. Saturation of oxygen in blood is an indicator of risk of mountain sickness. He was happy with his results.

Julio's SPOT
Latitude:28.00773
Longitude:86.92917
GPS location Date/Time:05/15/2010 23:54:09 CDT

Click this link to see where I am located.

Message:Hi, how is everybody? Things are going very well here on Everest. Julio

Summit Push

Julio sent a spot check. He said he will try to send one as he arrives safely to each camp. This means they spent the night at the North Col (Camp 1). They should have moved to camp 2 last night. If that is the case I will receive a notification sometime tonight.

A climber from Mexico (sorry I did not get a name) will be moving up with them. By now everyone knows he is climbing with Lhakpa Gelu but he also wants me to let everyone know he is climbing with Lopsang and Fur Nuru. Lopsang is helping with the logistics of the climb while Fur Nuru is the cook. They are all strong climbers, wonderful people, and great friends. “In our team we are all on equal footing; we respect and appreciate each other, we all have a voice.” Julio

Julio's SPOT
Latitude:28.01729
Longitude:86.92254
GPS location Date/Time:05/14/2010 21:20:33 CDT

Click the link to see where I am located.

Message:Hi, how is everybody? Things are going very well here on Everest. Julio

The Plan

This is my version of the Northeast Ridge route. The rectangles mark what is supposed to be the North Col-Camp 1, Camp 2, and Camp 3; and the dots mark the First Step and the Second Step. The route seems pretty straight forward until you google some images of the Second Step which in the picture above is a very small bump just before the last wall to reach the summit.

Julio and the Sherpas are leaving today (the 13th for us/14th for them) for the North Col. They plan on spending the night there. Tomorrow night (morning for them) they will leave for camp 2 and spend the night there. From there, they will assess the situation and proceed to camp 3 or turn around. If they continue, they expect to reach the summit on the 17th (the 16th for us). He promised he will be careful and proceed only if it is relatively safe. Lhapka Gelu is not worried about the lines not having been fixed yet. He is more concerned about the heavy traffic up and down the mountain after the 22nd. Many large teams are waiting at BC for the longer weather window.

Julio is hoping to send a satellite signal from every camp as he moves up. More than anything he is hoping the weather will cooperate.

Bad Weather Continues

Unrelenting weather conditions are threatening summit bid plans and time lines. Some climbers have been forced to leave ABC for BC due to losing their tents and other personal belongings to strong winds. Weather forecasts are predicting a short window perhaps between the 17 and 19 with a longer window appearing after the 23rd. On top of the weather or because of it, the fixed ropes are not in place yet above Camp 3.

Julio and other climbers like him find themselves trying to decide if they should stay at ABC and hope for the short window or go down to BC, renew their energy, and go up again later. He is considering whether to take a chance or wait. They all want to come home soon but do not want to have regrets, and they will, if they miss real good weather by a few days. In my opinion without fixed ropes, low temperatures, and windy conditions-the short window seems a precarious option.

Maribel

Turbulent Weather

Julio called from ABC. They have had winds as high as 70 miles per hour. The jet stream is moving right above them and it is brutal. They have been checking out their tent at the North Col with binoculars and it is still standing. They are happy about it since not very many are. They still have to set up a tent at Camp 2 but the winds are not letting them move from ABC.

While we were talking the tent was buffeted by strong winds, and Julio had to call for help. Even the cook was bracing the tent. One could hear the winds punishing the tent, voices, and all kind of racket going on. I was worried and waited on the phone until he was able to talk again. He said their outhouse tent was torn in half and needed repairs. Other tents had been blown away.

Julio mentioned the Spaniards are still at BC and so are Jordan’s team and the Brazilians. They all have sophisticated and reliable weather forecast available to them. The fact these teams are still at BC means the weather will continue to be treacherous for a few more days. In the meantime the Sherpas are getting discouraged and look forward to go home sometime soon.

I read some of your posts to Julio and he was appreciative of your prayers, your jokes, and your positive thoughts. He needs all the help he can get. Keep them coming.

Julio’s 60th Birthday!

Not surprisingly, Julio did not tell anyone it was his birthday today. He spent the day reading and resting. He is excited about a book he is reading called The Spanish Civil War by Antony Beevor. Julio sends best wishes to all the mothers so dear to him, especially his mom Aida, his sisters Lilian and Aida, daughter Denise, daughter-in-law Heidi, and my mom and sisters. He wished us all a very happy and special day.

Julio had found out about the weather and what to expect for the next few days. The winds are already threatening to blow away tents at ABC. He thinks the wind makes it more difficult to move but it is the sub-zero temperatures that hurt them. Just taking the glove off to take a picture or send a spot message can cause serious frost bite. His cough has returned but he is feeling fine otherwise. For now they are planning a departure day (for the summit) not later than the 14th. According to him they may only have one shot at the summit since bad weather will be moving in again.

Acclimatized and Ready

Julio is at ABC after spending the night at the North Col. They all slept in one tent because that was all they had. Julio and Lhakpa Gelu walked to Camp 2- not to stay, but to check out the route. At Camp 2 they already have the supplies needed for the summit bid. They feel they are acclimatized and ready to ascend when the weather allows and the ropes are fixed.

One interesting note about weather predictions is all the politics and deception that goes on on the mountain. Only a few teams are privy to reliable weather forecasts, and they have to pay for such information. Other teams rely on friends and/or word-of-mouth to plan for the summit day. According to Julio, some teams lie about the weather in order to send teams up the mountain and force them to give up their attempts when confronted with bad weather. This tactic accomplishes one important thing- which is to get rid of crowding and queues while going up or coming down on summit day. In my opinion, it could also cause some people to brazen out weather conditions that could harm them. That said, I rely on Bill Burke from 8 Summits to have an idea when the guys will be able to resume their journey. He paints a vivid picture of what climbers are dealing with when it comes to weather and other conditions. You may listen to him at Eight Summits.

Julio has lost a lot of weight. He is hoping he will be strong enough on summit day. For now he is looking forward to suitable weather conditions sometime after his birthday on Sunday.