Advance Basecamp, Mt. Everest (via satellite phone)
Elevation: 6350m/20,828ft
5:35 PM Tibetain Time

Eric Brown Details The Post-Summit Events

This is Eric Brown for PMA. It's Thursday evening, May 20th, 19--. I'm sorry, it's not Thursday, it's Friday, May 21st, 1999, and it's 5:45 in the evening. This, as I alluded to, is a much more detailed dispatch about what has gone on in the last several days.

Jubilation, success was strong at 1:35 in the afternoon, Tuesday, the 18th, as our Team 1 summitted. Conditions were perfect--no wind, warm, some clouds, but very good conditions according to Jacek. But things went horribly wrong as our three summiteers headed back to Camp III. Jacek, in the lead, Tadek second, worked their way down to Camp III. Ryszard was acting as sweeper--the last one. Because of the old and frayed fixed ropes, the climbers had to stay at least 50 meters--often more--apart, to avoid putting too much stress on the ropes. As night set in, oxygen ran out and the wind increased dramatically. The situation became more dangerous. Jacek ran out of oxygen just after the First Step, 8,550 meters. He worked his way down slowly, out of O2 of course, to the tent to brew up hot liquid to await the additional climbers and arrived at camp about 8 o'clock that evening, exhausted since being up since midnight. Behind him, Tadek, was last seen rappelling the Second Step, with Ryszard not far behind. Ryszard never ran into Tadek as he made his way down to the First Step. With darkness setting in, Ryszard, now tired, cold, and out of oxygen, stopped at the bottom of the First Step. There he spent the entire night at the bottom, exhausted and fighting frostbite, the location of Tadek unknown, and we never received a radio communication.

Back at Advanced Base Camp, Ian, Omar, Talli, and I were enjoying a celebratory meal, reveling in our Team 1's success when we got a call--a radio call--about 7 p.m. from Ryszard, sounding distressed, requesting help, oxygen, and Sherpas. After a day of happiness, this call threw us into shock. The day's radio use with the summit team had drained our batteries and the radio flashed a warning sign as I radioed Camp III, and Ryszard. We quickly got out a second radio to be monitored by Talli, Omar, and Ian. As I took another radio, the other radio, and worked my way up to another expedition and their camp, which they had another radio setup we could use. Because of the location of Camp III, radio contact was sporadic and staticky, so I spent the evening at the new site where this radio was, trying to reach Jacek, Tadek, and Ryszard, also the Sherpas, all of whom had radios. Our first priority was reaching the Sherpas. Jacek at Camp III stayed on the radio trying to reach Tadek and Ryszard. I was able to reach the Sherpas about 7:30 p.m. and with the help of some Sherpas, explained the situation. Pema and Pasang sprang into action, grabbing oxygen and supplies, they started climbing toward Camp III, headlamps blazing, moving as fast as they could, aware that two of our team were not at Camp III, one of which was missing, the other, Ryszard, at a fair location which we were pretty sure of. At the same time, a Belgian climber, Pascal and a Portuguese climber, Joao, who had summitted about 4 o'clock, both without oxygen, also had not made it back to Camp III and had not radioed in. So their expedition was also worried in monitoring the radio. With hot water and sleeping bags, myself, a Sherpa, and this expedition's leader spent the entire night in the radio room. Ian and Omar went to bed, anticipating having to go up to Camp II to assist in a rescue. And Talli spent the entire night in our mess tent monitoring our radio here.

The Sherpas made it to Camp III and the tent about midnight and Jacek called in. With temperatures below negative 30 degrees Fahrenheit, the wind blowing snow everywhere, and Jacek too exhausted to lead the route, and no others at Camp III willing to begin a search, the three hunkered down on oxygen and awaited daylight, which is about 4:30 a.m. I dozed a bit until 4 a.m. when I started calling up to Camp III. Sitting in a cold, dark tent, the only one up, the sleeping bag wrapped around me and knowing that four people, possibly dead, are out above 8,500 meters, in below-freezing temps, only makes one despair and sulk. About 5 a.m. or so, Jacek called in and he was working his way up towards the First Step. Pasang and Pema had left about 4:30 a.m. All three worked their way up as fast as they could, on oxygen, through blowing snow and very strong winds. Jacek called in about 7:40 a.m. at the yellow band, exhausted, radio starting to freeze, so that it would stick on transmit as he climbed. He said he had met Joao, the Portuguese climber, coming down--a ghost, it seemed to Jacek. Jacek offered some drink, Joao refused and then Jacek asked about Pascal. "He is in tent," replied Joao, and carried on. Jacek stayed at the yellow band, waiting for Pasang, Pema, and hopefully, Ryszard. As Jacek was working his way to the yellow band, Pasang and Pema, also on oxygen, climbed as fast as they could, often having to take their goggles off to see better, blowing snow burning their eyes. Ryszard, after spending the entire night awake, moving toes and fingers, was able to call and I was on the radio and I was able to talk to him briefly, trying to confirm his location, and reassuring him that Pasang, Pema, and Jacek were on their way. Around 9:30 a.m., with the Sherpas in sight of Ryszard, he arose and started making his way toward them. They got to him, assisting and providing oxygen. As they were aiding him, Pasang saw a figure in the mist, and went over with oxygen. It was Pascal, and he did not respond when Pasang tried to revive him several times. Returning to Ryszard and Pema, they started back, only able to help one person at that altitude.

Jacek called in from the yellow band, about 10:30 a.m. with "I see three figures on the ridge." Our hopes surged. Soon it was revealed it was Pasang, Pema, and Ryszard. At this time, we still knew nothing about Tadek. He had a radio and had never called in and we feared the worst. Back at Advanced Base Camp (ABC), we were planning a rescue, talking to Barbara and Masaru and a Georgian Sherpa at Camp II, climbers at the North Col, and Sherpas and climbers here at ABC. Ryszard, Jacek, Pasang, and Pema made it back to Camp III. Joao had also made it back to Camp III, nose and hands frostbitten. After much discussion and arguing over the radio, Ryszard decided he wanted to rest and recover at Camp III. Pasang and Pema decided to head down, understandably. Heroes they were, they had risked their lives to save Ryszard through the dark and cold and snow. All the while, some of us pleading with Ryszard and Jacek to avoid another night at Camp III in sub-freezing temperatures. Compound this with the fact that the Belgian team was now with us in our mess tent using our frequency to talk to Joao and arguing with him not to leave in search of his friend. Plus, at our base camp, we had French and Americans calling and relaying messages. It was frustrating for both us here at ABC and Jacek at Camp III. A slight hope between Jacek and Ryszard that Tadek would show up at Camp III was one of the reasons they stayed. Jacek put Ryszard on oxygen, gave him [medication] to ward off HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema), melted snow, and cooked dinner, which they ate little of. Putting himself on oxygen, Jacek settled in for another, the third, negative 30-degree Fahrenheit night at 8,300 meters. We kept in contact, every hour on the hour, often relaying messages through Base Camp because of bad radio reception. Knowing Ryszard and Jacek were safe for the night, and now resigned to the fact that Tadek had most likely fallen from one of the narrow ledges between the First and Second Steps, we all went to bed. For Talli and I--we'd been up since 5 a.m. Tuesday morning, over 36 hours. For the Belgian team, their epic continued as their surviving summit team member worked his way down--Joao--worked his way down towards North Col [Camp I], frostbitten and exhausted. He eventually made it, assisted by two climbers from the North Col and he crashed in at the tent and stayed a night at North Col.

Now it's Thursday, May 20. Awakened by the radio in my tent, Jacek's voice sounded a slight more rested and hopeful. Ryszard had slept well and they prepared to depart for ABC. Joao stayed at Camp I, resting and mourning his loss of his friend. Now that a new day was upon us and the fact that we were sure of recent history, we were no longer wondering. We had accepted the facts and could now start dealing and coping with the tragedies. We were helped in our healing because all day Thursday, we had visitors from various expeditions and we talked about the deaths and we talked about other subjects. Our moods improved, plus, Jacek and Ryszard were on their way down and we looked forward to their return. There were still sad things to do. Ryszard had to make the unfortunate phone call to Tadek's family, and I stressed over the dispatches which up until now had been followed by friends, family, LBJ students, Austinites, and others, with hope and interest. Now, unfortunately, sorrow is the theme.

I will have additional dispatches on our continuing experiences and most likely additional observations on this tragedy and its impacts on us. Packing up and moving to Base Camp and then on to Kathmandu is now starting to occupy our minds. The end is near and so we'll end this part of our expedition experience--all the good and the bad times. Our history, our story, our feelings. And, as always, our thoughts with the Kudelski family. This is Eric Brown.