Down and Out

Day 49/May 9, 2009 (Saturday)

05:30 weather call to IMG base; no change in the forecast, so Danuru and I were out of Dodge by 06:30 at a sprinter’s pace. Danuru manned my Sony HD video camera, while I had the digital still camera strung around my neck. In case it wasn’t obvious, it is much easier coming downhill than slogging your way up. For a moderate stretch, Danuru and I actually jogged down the Western Cwm, our boots crunching the crisp morning snow and bounding over small crevasses.
Day 49/May 9, 2009 (Saturday)

05:30 weather call to IMG base; no change in the forecast, so Danuru and I were out of Dodge by 06:30 at a sprinter’s pace. Danuru manned my Sony HD video camera, while I had the digital still camera strung around my neck. In case it wasn’t obvious, it is much easier coming downhill than slogging your way up. For a moderate stretch, Danuru and I actually jogged down the Western Cwm, our boots crunching the crisp morning snow and bounding over small crevasses.

After passing Camp I, more serious terrain follows… You pass an avalanche field from the West Shoulder, and then the big seracs overhang the route. I noticed Danuru had donned his climbing helmet — on early forays through the Icefall he left the helmet lashed to his backpack. He noticeably picked up his pace on the fixed lines, which became a real struggle lower down in the lower “Popcorn” section, the area where the avalanche’s fatal fury had been felt. The route itself was nearly unrecognizable, so much snow and ice had been deposited here. And then I saw the missing Sherpa’s backpack, and a search party from his team nearby, looking for their comrade.

Now safely back at EBC, myself, Keith and several of my climbing teammates plan to head down to Pheriche for a couple of days. Rest, thick air, and time to mentally prepare for another summit bid…

Namaste,
Scott