21,000'
Pitched where the Western Cwm meets the Lhotse Face, Camp II is big, well stocked, and is the base for all summit bids. If weather is bad higher on the mountain, climbers descend to the Cwm and wait it out. Snow plumes blown off the summit, clearly visible from here, offer a reasonable indication of the wind up high and give climbers the basis to plan an attempt. They are still three days from the summit though, and the weather can turn completely in a matter of hours.
