From Stu in the USA Office
May 7, 2010
On the 5th our team managed to reach camp 2 at 6700m and after a cold night took a load up to the Makalu La at 7400m and descended back to C2 for the night. With serious winds and cold predicted for at least the next 3-4 days our team will be descending to BC to eat, rest and prepare for a weather window allowing them to be high up again. This wind is affecting every major peak in the area with teams on Everest and Cho Oyu all heading down and avoiding the high camps.
We had not heard at our normal time yesterday from Fabrizio and he called early in the morning today (Makalu time) to let us know all was well. In spite of carrying the batteries inside his outfit they got so cold they would not function and it was after sleeping in the sleeping bag they had warmed up enough again to use them....very cold indeed up there!
Quite consistently between -17°C and -25°C according to Meteotest. With winds on the summit heading towards 90-100km/hr on monday this will be no place for a human! Our team will enjoy mother natures best efforts to scour the rock clean from the comforts of BC!
Here is Fabrizio's latest audio dispatch recounting the day's effort on the 6th!
Listen to all the Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches at gabcast
Friday, May 7, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Makalu Team in C2 Again!
Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches #53 - Makalu update - in C2 with great views!
Fabrizio called in from C2 a few hours ago to let us know that they are settled into their tents in on a clear and cold evening. After a very snowy day of climbing from BC around 5pm the skies cleared and the temperatures dropped quickly.
While retreating to the relative warmth of their tents they were also treated to spectacualr views of the entire Khumbu mountain scape including Everest, Gaurishankar, Lhotse, Ama Dablam a list too long to cover in one disptach!
The team is planning to head to C3 at 7400m tomorrow if possible and spend the night there before descending to BC on Friday (ahead of the expected higher winds of the weekend). With the increased cold they will have without the blanket of clouds they will be watching winds very careully at this time and we thank Meteotest for their great forecasts which have been very important in helping our team to make good decisions.
Fabrizio also left an audio dispatch from C2 - enjoy!
Gabcast! Listen to all the Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches 2 at Gabcast
Fabrizio called in from C2 a few hours ago to let us know that they are settled into their tents in on a clear and cold evening. After a very snowy day of climbing from BC around 5pm the skies cleared and the temperatures dropped quickly.
While retreating to the relative warmth of their tents they were also treated to spectacualr views of the entire Khumbu mountain scape including Everest, Gaurishankar, Lhotse, Ama Dablam a list too long to cover in one disptach!
The team is planning to head to C3 at 7400m tomorrow if possible and spend the night there before descending to BC on Friday (ahead of the expected higher winds of the weekend). With the increased cold they will have without the blanket of clouds they will be watching winds very careully at this time and we thank Meteotest for their great forecasts which have been very important in helping our team to make good decisions.
Fabrizio also left an audio dispatch from C2 - enjoy!
Gabcast! Listen to all the Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches 2 at Gabcast
Makalu Update - Headed to C2 again!
Audio Dispatch from Makalu BC
April 5th, 2010
Fabrizio calls in from BC on a snowy day with the latest plan to head to C2 today!
Listen to all the Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches at gabcast
April 5th, 2010
Fabrizio calls in from BC on a snowy day with the latest plan to head to C2 today!
Listen to all the Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches at gabcast
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Makalu Team in C2 at 6700m!
From stu in the usa office
may 2, 2010
Fabrizio has left an audio disaptch from sunny C2 where all is well! Everyone is going strongly enjoying the fine views of Everest!
Meteotest has predicted high winds with strong gusts above 7000m so plans to push to C3 will hold until middle of the week when gentler winds are expected. They will descend to BC today and we'll expect a report in the next 24hours on the plan for the next climb on the hill!
Listen to all the Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches at Gabcast
may 2, 2010
Fabrizio has left an audio disaptch from sunny C2 where all is well! Everyone is going strongly enjoying the fine views of Everest!
Meteotest has predicted high winds with strong gusts above 7000m so plans to push to C3 will hold until middle of the week when gentler winds are expected. They will descend to BC today and we'll expect a report in the next 24hours on the plan for the next climb on the hill!
Listen to all the Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches at Gabcast
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Makalu April 29 update - on to Makalu La at 7400m!
from stu in the usa office
April 29, 2010
I had a great chat with Fabrizio today and he was thoroughly enjoying a full day of rest at BC! Between visiting all the other teams there and sharing a cup of tea each time it is clear that our team is well hydrated. Lots of old friends from home, other expeditions abound for our team and we may have to work hard to get them to come home!
After a great push up to C2 last time on the hill our team is ready for a bigger challenge ahead this weekend as they will try to reach to Makalu La at 7400m. At this time the route is in to just below the La and between our team moving up and a few other teams on the hill we'll hope to have the route established all the way to the La before the end of the weekend. On Sunday they will plan to push as high as possible and then return all the way to BC.
They had a snowy day on the 28th but the 29th has been quite nice in the morning and made their rest day that much more enjoyable. The weather looks to be windy but clear over the next few days, a bit snowy on Monday and then calmer and sunnier by Tuesday. Hopefully this will be a good omen for a period of generally stable weather!
Fabrizio commented that they will still need at least one more round of acclimatizing after this, with a night at C3, before considering a summit bid. Weather will begin to play a very important part for our team from here on in and we are thankful to Meteotest for their updates!
Listen in below to Fabrzio's audio dispatch from BC!
hear all the Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches at Gabcast
ps
On a side note there is a climber from another team utilizing a toe warming system from Human Edge Tech and loving it. Fabrizio is so impressed that we'll be ordering one for our summer climb on K2! Nothing like warm toes to help you make good decisions!!
April 29, 2010
I had a great chat with Fabrizio today and he was thoroughly enjoying a full day of rest at BC! Between visiting all the other teams there and sharing a cup of tea each time it is clear that our team is well hydrated. Lots of old friends from home, other expeditions abound for our team and we may have to work hard to get them to come home!
After a great push up to C2 last time on the hill our team is ready for a bigger challenge ahead this weekend as they will try to reach to Makalu La at 7400m. At this time the route is in to just below the La and between our team moving up and a few other teams on the hill we'll hope to have the route established all the way to the La before the end of the weekend. On Sunday they will plan to push as high as possible and then return all the way to BC.
They had a snowy day on the 28th but the 29th has been quite nice in the morning and made their rest day that much more enjoyable. The weather looks to be windy but clear over the next few days, a bit snowy on Monday and then calmer and sunnier by Tuesday. Hopefully this will be a good omen for a period of generally stable weather!
Fabrizio commented that they will still need at least one more round of acclimatizing after this, with a night at C3, before considering a summit bid. Weather will begin to play a very important part for our team from here on in and we are thankful to Meteotest for their updates!
Listen in below to Fabrzio's audio dispatch from BC!
hear all the Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches at Gabcast
ps
On a side note there is a climber from another team utilizing a toe warming system from Human Edge Tech and loving it. Fabrizio is so impressed that we'll be ordering one for our summer climb on K2! Nothing like warm toes to help you make good decisions!!
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