Basecamp, Mt. Everest (via satellite phone)
Elevation: 5110m/16,761ft
Sunny and windy
9:15am

Eric Brown, Party Returns From ABC

This is Eric Brown reporting for Patagonia Mountain Agency's North Ridge Everest Expedition 1999 calling from Base Camp, Mt. Everest. Today's date is April 22, 1999, and Nepalese time is 9:15. The weather is clear and sunny. We're at 5,110 meters, 16,761 feet (plus or minus). The days have been clear and sunny but very windy; the nights clear and cold and not so much wind.

Base camp is alive again now that everyone is back from ABC (Advanced Base Camp). Witek and Masaru, who are also back from ABC, went up to ABC on April 19. Their trek to ABC was long and draining. They gained 1300 meters and the trip took over 9 hours. In addition, Ryszard, Pawel, and Barbara, worked their way down to Base Camp from ABC and their trip was demanding, too. They ran out of water before IC (Intermediate Camp) and Tadek graciously volunteered to hike up with extra water. It was a busy radio day.

While everyone was at ABC, life at Base Camp was slow, sometimes boring. Talli and I took turns monitoring the radio and taking hikes. Of course, Kalu continues to impress us with creative meals, especially for such a remote location. He's a great guy and spent a summer at a cooking school in the Swiss Alps.

On April 18, Kalu and I had to go visit the liaison officer to discuss the next yak date. The yak herders apparently wanted to leave on April 19, five days before Rysiek and Jacek had originally scheduled, so Kalu and I shared coffee and dried yak meat with the liaison officer. I tried my best to consume this edible peace pipe which emerged from a suspect plastic bag. But the problem was solved.

More base camp life tidbits: Every day the wind gusts around Base Camp, assisting the efforts, with dust getting everywhere - especially into our tents, clothes, sleeping bags, et cetera. Most everyone agrees getting up in the morning is the hardest part of camping. The transition from a warm sleeping bag to a below-freezing tent and cold clothes is [tech glitch]. Also, the bathrooms, or "squat bogs" as Ian calls them, which is a much better term than such a hygienic term as "toilet" (open air rock-lined holes is a good description), cracked lips, fingers, dry skin, nappy hair, and only occasional showers (again, another loose term) - these are some of the hardships we have to put up with here at Base Camp. It's not like living in a hotel.

Today, or yesterday, Masaru and Witek returned from ABC to rest and recover in Base Camp. The rest of us will take in the usual Base Camp activities as we did - we rested, washed bodies and clothes, read, hiked, and another marathon travel Monopoly game - Ian and I. Ian and I have a bet on the birthplace of Monopoly. I say USA; he says England. Who wins? Please call. A one dollar bet is riding on this.

Today, Pawel, Ginter, Zdyszek (all trekkers), and Kalu leave Base Camp for Kathmandu. Ian and Omar left this morning, going up for ABC for more acclimation followed by Tadek and Barbara tomorrow, and then the rest of us with the remaining yaks on April 24 thereabouts. Anyway, that's the latest from Mt. Everest Base Camp and tune in soon for the next dispatch.

Hasta luego!