from Stu in the USA office
May 14, 2010
Our team has been sitting tight in BC awaiting the 15th when they will make their way to C2 in hopes that the subsequent days will allow a summit bid. With a brief window of moderate winds forecasted may have enough time to try for the top from C3 at 7400m but it appears a long shot at this point. In the worst case scenario they will at least get a few more days up high and be even better positioned for the next weather window.
Fabrizio and I have been speaking nearly every day to try and make the best decision about when to try for the summit based on the weather, route and member considerations. It appears that the 16th and 17th are the only feasible days and given that the preceding days are still very windy (as high as 30-40km/hr) at C3. Based on the winds they will need to be down to C3 BC by the end of day on the 17th and into BC by the 18th as winds pick up considerably on the 19th.
Our members are doing well with the spare days resting and eating and preparing for the serious endeavor which faces them in the days ahead. If this window does not give them a chance for the summit they will try again in a much larger window predicted to begin around the 22nd or 23rd of the month. As such they have ordered more food and fuel from down the valley to enable them to stay a bit longer!
We'll hear from the team from C2 tomorrow and let you know how they are getting on. Wish them calm winds and warm temps!
Fabrizio has left an audio disapatch below - enjoy!
Listen to all the Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches at Gabcast
Friday, May 14, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Makalu Team touches C3
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
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)