Some SMS exchanges

Between  1059 am and 1241pm SIngapore time:  1329pm – 310pm Nepal time

David: C3 is no place to rest unless you got enough spare 02 to rest on. Get down to ABC today unless u got gas to relax with at C2. Everyday up high,your body goes downhill

Grant: Ken Koh is still heading up for the summit with 2 sherpas

David: You can’t sit around c3 all day dude. U got enough gas (02) to have a 2nd go there. What did Jamie ( Jamie McGuinness – team leader) say? All your bloody fans are agog with suspense!

Grant: I will leave (c3) in 30 mins head back down to the Col or ABC. Enough gas I think so. Ebough of a weather window, and energy – I do not know. Am tired.

David: Things look different after rest, a meal and drink(lots) get your blood less sticky…drink!!! safe descent. Called Stephanie yet? Will update the blog later

Grant: Thanks Dave. Will leave soon. My Satphone can’t message Steph,so she relies on your blog updates.

David: You will be less tired descending to just C2 but won’t sleep as well as on North Col. tricky decision. North Col is many hours down and will involve climbing through the night.

DAVID’s EXTRA NOTE:  Do not know if Grant got my last message. However, if he wants to descend the 700m to C2, it will take him up to  7pm to do so, assuming he left at around 3pm Nepal time; and likely to reach camp in the fading sunset light. Heading to the col is a 1300 vertical metre descent, will take maybe 6 hours or so and Grant will be downclimbing the 35-40 degree angled ridge for a few hours in the darkness and greatly fatigued. Having done such a nightime descent in 2001, I will say it’s not great and you have to stay alert all the time.

Right now, the decision depends on weather windows and being position in the right place. Sleep at the Col – is probably better for recovery but it means a tiring descent today, and a re-ascent if Grant elects to make a 2nd attempt.  He will get less quality rest at 7600m ( c2) but will be in a very good position for  a 2-day second attempt dash for the summit if he does so. A good weather window usually opens up in the last week of May and often holds until the 1st week of June, looking at all the late season summits in recent years.

Situations like today  is one reason why we like to climb – it’s about giving ourselves opportunities to make tough decisions that can mean failure or success

I hope I hear from him once he’s safely tucked into a campsite lower down tonight.

David, Out