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Expedition Dispatches
Satellite phone updates from the 1998 American Everest Expedition
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Mencin |
Icefall Route Straightforward
Monday, April 20, 1998 — Base Camp (17,500')
The team, after uniting last night at Camp I (19,500'), has moved up to Camp II (21,000') for a three or four night stay to acclimate. Everybody reports in with good health, and Charles has the extra motivation to survey in both Camp I and Camp II. The sherpas continue to carry loads to Camp II, and rope fixing above that begins on Tuesday. While the team moved to Camp II, the sherpas had a rest day, and Dave and Dawa surveyed in the icefall. Everything seems to be going well, all the needed supplies are making there way up the hill (radios, tents, oxygen) and as mentioned earlier, the team is acclimating well.
The weather from the icefall up has been excellent, even hot. At base camp
and below, a strong cold wind from the Lho La has been constant all day, and
the weather down valley looks downright miserable. Base camp has seen a lot
of trekkers and a few large teams have moved in over the last couple days.
— David Mencin, Expedition Scientist
