Our Virtual Everest Trek Day Twenty One

A weary trudge

Brigantes Everest Expedition Day 21

Thankfully this morning dawned clear and not too windy. First off were sad partings. While two of us with Dowting and one other porter were heading up to the summit, the two others with their two guides were heading down. Camp 3 is no place to linger – it’s too dangerous and too hard to breathe. We’ve all been here longer than we should and for them to wait here for us another three days would be too much. So they’ll descend to Camp 2 and wait there to summon help or pick up the pieces if we fail to return. 

Never have I started a day so exhausted. The first few steps were painful. Ben Nevis suddenly seemed very tall indeed! I remember reading about the climb from Camp 3 to 4 – not technically difficult it said. Perhaps not. But even walking three paces on the flat up here is difficult. And that’s true even when you’re using oxygen as we were all day. It was cold at dawn and we layered up both to keep warm and to reduce the weight of our packs which were pulling us the wrong way. But after an hour of ascent the sun was beating down and we were sweating profusely and unpleasantly and what with our goggles misting, our legs feeling like lead and our brains seeming to be somewhere else it was a miracle that we didn’t come to grief. After a while the snow we had been trudging up gave way to rock. This was the Yellow Band, a smooth limestone outcrop angles at about 25 degrees that is climbed with the aid of fixed ropes for about 100 yards. After that things became “easier” as the slope flattened a little until we reached the Geneva Spur. This is 150 feet of steep snow, rock and ice, and it nearly did for us. But once we’d struggled to the top there was a well-marked path that led us, dead beat, to the South Col and Camp 4. We didn’t notice the camp at first, though there were a good many tents already pitched – several parties had passed us as we inched up the mountain. No, what we saw brought life and hope coursing back into our veins. For there, ahead of us was the summit. It seemed almost within touching distance.

The summit from the South Col

But we didn’t stop and stare for long. We were too tired and had things to do – camp to pitch, a “meal” to eat (oh for some hot food!), this report to write, and then a few hours rest before an early start in the darkness in our attempt to get to the summit and back in one day. I’ve never slept in an oxygen mask before, but I reckon I’m tired enough to try! I do hope after all this effort someone back home is supporting us by going onto our website or Facebook or Twitter page and clicking the JustGiving button ( there is a button on this page too ! ). We need all the help we can get!

 Luke N Brightside

Communications Officer

Dead beat they were, and that was at the start! Every step up was a real struggle for them. Many times we had to steady them or push or pull them. But I’ll give them one thing – they’re game. Yes, I’ve had my doubts about Brightside but today he put his money where his mouth always is and showed he has guts. And the president, well he just keeps his head down and gets on with it. I’m beginning to think I may have been wrong. Though there’s still many a slip I reckon they might make it – and they deserve to! 

Sherpa Dowting

Head Porter