Category: Everest 2012

Hello all. I am very happy to report I am sitting comfortably in basecamp at 5200m, enjoying the luxuries of thicker oxygen, a hot shower coming up this afternoon (no need to rush into these things), and I even indulged in a beer or three last night with our Sherpa crew. I downloaded my emails…

There’s no news from Grant since his last SMS and phone call from ABC – must be the beer! His last call to Steph said he’d be coming down to basecamp today; and might be home as early as next Wed! In any case, I have been conferring with Suze Kelly from Adventure Consultants, possibly…

Got a call from Grant from ABC. he bombed down the route in ultra fast time on Sunday, and by lunchtime was relaxing with a beer. He sounded very relaxed, and contented. The main objective dangers are past, as it’s just a long hike back to basecamp on a well-trodden route. What remains to be…

( via SMS messages to David Lim) From Grant: It was decided to spend the night at C3 as the group needed to re-group after the summit climb. Some very tired people are coming down, It was freezing cold last night- like being in a freezer (  David’s note:  The average household freezer is about…

( by SMS to David Lim ) SMS just in from Grant… 13 hours to the summit and back to C3. Little rest here, and then I will probably head down to North Col this afternoon. I’m the first one back so not sure about the others behind me yet. But i saw all of…

A quick check in the records ( valid up to 2009) show that unless there have been more Kiwi’s on the top since then, Grant would be the 31st. And if not, he would easil be in the first 40 Kiwis to have done the feat, joining such illustrious climbs like Edmund and Peter Hillary,…

(from David thru G) ” Just climbed Everest! The phone packed up at the summit; so I could not make a call from the top. EVeryone is safe. It’s been about 2 hours since my descent. I’ll will check in with another report later” FROM DAVE: Well done buddy!  You know that the job to…

Hi Folks ( david here) – there’s a frustrating lack of reports from the north – mostly because most teams arent was well equipped on the communications side as those on the south. I know that a couple from Adventure Consultants just summitted – so the winds cant be that bad. As I write this…

No Updates from Grant – a good sign I think. If he had turned back in the early hours of the morning, we might have heard from him already – so fingers crossed. For those who asked, Uelie Steck, the “Swiss Machine” summitted on May 18 with the Chilean team. He was climbing without bottled…

( by SMS to David Lim) Made Camp 3 in just over 2 ours from Camp 2 his morning. Relaxing in my tent while sipping on supplementary oxygen. Camp 3 is the highest campsite in the world! Was disappointed not to have found any bars open. I could do with a Tiger Beer – or…

At 8000 – 8850m, the weather today will be see wind picking up to 15km/h in the morning to 20km/h tonight, with the increasing wind continuing to 25km/h – 30 km/h tomorrow, dropping down a bit in the afternoon to 25km/h. There will be more snow showers with 6 – 8cm of fresh snow (…

( by SMS through David Lim) Update just in at 0837hrs Singapore time: Large Chinese team who have some members(slow) causing bottlenecks yesterday. A little worried about getting stuck behind them tonight. Great sleep at Camp 2. A little cold last night though.. Also developing piles  ( Editors note: eat your oats, Grant!) which is…

( via SMS to David Lim)   I’m now lying in Camp 2 ( 7900m) breathing oxygen at a flow rate of half a litre per minute. Feel great. Changed from a dead donkey this morning into a superman after some terrible sleep. I climbed to 7300m, and then turned on the O2 at a…

( by SMS to David Lim) Just in this morning around 7am Nepal time. Woke up to a nice day. Little wind at the moment. Terrible sleep at the North Col – as was expected. Leaving for the grind up to our Camp 2 which is now at 7800m.  Maybe take 8 hours   Axe…

( by SMS to David Lim) Wed May 16th 2012: At North Col. Quite tired on the way up ( about 600 vertical metres from ABC) carrying my sleeping bag, down suit, etc. Rest tonight and then tomorrow to Camp 2 at around 7400 or 7500m. Taking it day by day. Hope I regain strength…