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Report 4

On fire for the fight of each step

29 April 2006

Warm greetings from Advanced Base Camp (ABC) again.

What a difference a week makes here. The weather gods have blessed us with a significant change for the good. Sunshine and no wind means we don't have to wear ourselves down all the time.

We have been active in the past week, going twice to the North Col at 7,066m. Sunday was a ‘tagging’ day when we went up, stayed for an hour or two and then went back to ABC.

We had all looked forward to these vital steps, yet at the same time were a bit nervous. It would be a rather hard task, with the first climbing with crampons, boots, fixed lines and a 30-60 per cent incline.

But it was a perfect, shiny and windless day and everybody except one of the group, who had a foot problem, made it there in good times, ranging from two and a half to four and three quarters hours. I felt good going up. My breathing was great and my legs felt strong. We then rested for three days.

On Thursday we went up again, this time to sleep. We followed a glacier on the whole trip. First was a rocky moraine which turned into ice and mostly snow. The first third was a mild incline – until you reached the fixed ropes. Here the incline went to 30 to 60 per cent, with your pulse going much higher.

Each step was a fight. On this day however, I felt I was on fire. My lungs and legs united into a perfect cocktail as I charged up the hill. I have never seen this sort of speed in me before. I felt I could just go and go. I was there in 2.06 hours – some 20 minutes faster than ever before. Even the sherpas break a little sweat to match that time, so I was thrilled with my performance. It is a good sign for later.

We all made it there for a night in the 10-man tent that the sherpas had set up. At around 7pm, after a few noodles and a lot of brews, we settled down for the night, yet there was not to be much sleep in a coughing, snoring, new altitude dreamland…

So early next morning, not surprisingly, everybody was keen to get back to the much more comfortable ABC.

On Monday we will head up for the finishing touches of our preparation phase before the summit push, sleeping one night at North Col and then spending the next day at Camp 2 at 7,500m. After that we will go down to rest and prepare for the big push.

If the weather holds, it looks like an earlier summit this season – maybe mid-May rather than the planned end of May. We will have to wait and see. I for one won't complain if the schedule is changed.

I feel very good right now. And my asthma is in complete control.

Signing off with high spirits,

Mogens

8 April 2006:  Mogens arrives at Everest Base Camp.
Read Report 1

14 April 2006:  Puja blessings and the readying for the climb.
Read Report 2

24 April 2006:  At the foot of "Big E" - Advanced Base Camp.
Read Report 3

6 May 2006:  The waiting game begins.
Read Report 5

9 May 2006:  It's a go: I'm heading for summit.
Read Report 6

15 May 2006: My best shot - but I did not reach the summit.
Read Report 7

22 May 2006: I'm off on another summit bid.
Read Report 8

27 May 2006: A bolt of lightning – and I plod down the hill again.
Read Report 9

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