Advance Basecamp, Mt. Everest (via satellite phone)
Elevation: 5110m/16,761ft
Clear skies with light winds
9:45am

Eric Brown Reports The Summit Bid Schedule

This is Eric Brown reporting for Patagonia Mountain Agency from Advanced Base Camp. Today's date is Tuesday, May 4, 1999. The time is about 9:45 in the morning. The weather is clear and we have light winds. And as always we're at 5110 meters.

Yes, we're back in Base Camp, or as we've been calling it, Beach Club. And what a nice change -- warmer temperatures and more comfortable surroundings. Talli, Jacek, and I spent yesterday washing clothes, bathing, and soaking up some sun. Masaru, Ian, and Omar left Base Camp in the morning, yesterday morning, to head back up to Advanced Base Camp. Why? Well, Camp II, at 7,600 meters, which is about 24,935 feet, is now set up and all climbers must spend the night there to aid in acclimatization. Ryszard and Jacek spent Sunday night there -- I'm sorry, Ryszard and Tadek spent Sunday night there and Ryszard reported very cold and windy.

Witek returned to Base Camp yesterday as did Ryszard. Masa spent last night at North Col and is planning to move up to Camp II today. So we are all spread out from here to Camp II, but by the end of the week everyone should be in Base Camp for a last important rest before the summit attempt. Which, according to Ryszard hopefully will be May 11. His first attempt in 1994 was on the 13th of May and he was able to take a camera with him. The second attempt was on the 12th of May and that was in 1995. So he's hoping for a little, a couple of days earlier, this year, especially if the weather cooperates. And Ryszard is going to try to climb without oxygen. In addition, he says that despite what the statistics say -- that most members of your expedition do not make it to the peak -- he's going to shoot for everybody. And I expect that it will happen because he's a good guy.

There was exciting news yesterday -- the first attempt was being made from the South Col by the Henry Todd Expedition. Henry Todd is from Scotland. But turned around from what we can tell from radio transmissions. We'll check again today. Also, we were listening to BBC World Service and heard that the body of Edward [George] Mallory was found 600 meters below the summit by the Simonson Expedition. Edward [George] Mallory and Andrew Irvine disappeared in 1924 attempting to reach the summit. So, exciting news around Base Camp and ABC.

Kalu, our cook, left early yesterday for a food run. I mentioned chocolate cake several times before he left but each time he just smiled and pointed at a can of hot chocolate powder on the table. Oh well.

There are twelve expeditions based on the Tibetan side. The closest ones to us are the Ukranians and a Swiss-French Expedition. The Swiss-French Expedition is a conglomerate of individuals hoping to ski or snowboard Mt. Everest. One of their more charismatic members is Stevie Haston, a well-known mixed climber. Ukranians, which Jacek calls the strongest expedition this year, follow a stricter routine than most expeditions here. The have all been on 8,000 meter peaks before and they already have a tent at Camp III, which is 8,300 meters. When we awake in Base Camp every morning they are outside doing calisthenics to the Tequila Song, which i know as the Pee Wee Herman Song, which kind of goes like this [singing] da-dada-da-da-daa-daa. That might sound familiar to you. I also know how to dance to it. [laughter] The others are too far away, the expeditions are too far away to have regular contact with.

So anyway, that's the latest news from Base Camp and Patagonia Mountain Agency. Tune in soon when we'll have another dispatch from Base Camp before we all head back up to Advanced base Camp for the summit push. This is Eric Brown reporting, we'll talk to ya'll later. Bye.