T-1 Until Scott’s Summit Bid Begins
Image: The IMG Everest Summit Team for 2009. Scott is in the back row, slightly right of center
T-1 Until Scott’s Summit Bid Begins
Keith Cowing: For Scott and I, the work day started at 5:30 am local time – just before sunrise – the coldest part of the day. We attempted to establish a Skype connection such that Scott could address and Eagle Scout activity in Washington, but the technology failed us.
Image: The IMG Everest Summit Team for 2009. Scott is in the back row, slightly right of center
T-1 Until Scott’s Summit Bid Begins
Keith Cowing: For Scott and I, the work day started at 5:30 am local time – just before sunrise – the coldest part of the day. We attempted to establish a Skype connection such that Scott could address and Eagle Scout activity in Washington, but the technology failed us.
On the bright side, we were able to complete a Skype connection with the good folks at the Weather Channel. Scott did a 15 minute interview with them – it should air soon. As soon as Scott finished the Weather Channel interview he jumped into a team meeting to discuss upcoming summit bids.
As it stands now, Scott will leave Everest Base Camp very early tomorrow morning. If you have a look at “Devil is in the Summit Details“, posted by Scott the other day, you’ll get an idea what lies ahead for him.
Image: Scott will leave these banners atop Everest. Last year his friend Adam Janikowski left the same banners on the summit. Styled after the prayer flags you see all over Everest, these banners honor the crews of Soyuz 1, Soyuz 11, Apollo 1, Columbia (STS-107) and Challenger (STS-51l). Scott also has a patch from STS 51-F to honor astronaut Karl Henize who died while preparing to climb Mt. Everest in 1993.
If all goes according to plan, Scott will be standing atop Mt. Everest around 5- 6 am local time here in Nepal (approx. 7-8 pm EDT). Scott is carrying a number of items with him. Some he will leave behind, others he will bring back. Among these items will be tributes to astronauts lost during their missions and Explorers Club Flag #114 making its second trip to the summit in less than one year.
Scott will also be attempting a phone call to someone currently in space – plus some other special tributes. Stay tuned.
Image: this is Scott’s summit jacket. Among the patches: one that symbolizes the crews of Apollo 1, Columbia, and Challenger; the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, Autism research, and the American flag that Scott that wore on his spacesuit during his STS-120 EVA, and OnOrbit.com’s logo.
