Everest OnOrbit 2008 Blog

IMG Leaders Ang Jangbu and Mark Tucker report: today was a Big Day -- the route the the South Col (Camp 4) is now in and IMG sherpas Phunuru, Mingma Tenzing and Nima Karma have already put some loads up there!!

Mt. Everest Base Camp

It took two hours to reach Base Camp from Gorak Shep. To get there we continued along the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier with spectacular views of the Khumbu Ice Fall, Mt. Everest, and Base Camp as we proceeded. Base Camp looked like a small village comprised of an expanse of various colored tents. As we approached we got a much better vantage point of the Ice Fall which falls between Mt. Nuptse on the right and Diamond Peak on the left.

IMG Leader Mark Tucker reports lots of climbers moving up and down on the mountain, now that all restrictions have been lifted. The Army team has now left BC and only the Liaison Officers remain. There are thirteen of the IMG climbers up at Camp 2 tonight, with two at Camp 1. Tomorrow, four of the climbers at C2 will be coming down to BC and the C1 climbers will go up to C2 tomorrow.

On the way down, NASA Everest Trek Blog

"When we finally made it to base camp we were greeted by a very happy and active Scott Parazynski. He was bounding across the rocks as we were barely catching our breath. To see him so positive gave us all a lot of energy. We took a lot of pictures around base camp, and the Khumbu ice fall."

Eric here, with an update on our IMG expedition team. First off, I have to say something about the tropical cyclone Nargis -- we were concerned last week that some of this storm in the Bay of Bengal might hit Everest (see dispatch #15).

Keith Cowing 30 April 2008 10:20 pm EST: I just got a phone call from Scott Parazynski at Everest Base Camp. He reports that he and his team feel great and that they returned to Everest Base Camp yesterday from Camp II after a 4 day stay.

This was their second rotation up to Camp II which is also known as Advanced Base Camp. Camp II is located at 6,065 meters (19,900 feet)

IMG Leader Mark Tucker reports that most of the IMG climbers have now returned today (Nepal time) to Base Camp after the acclimatization rotation to Camp 2. Justin Merle and his guided team remain at C2 and will be down tomorrow.

IMG Leaders Mark Tucker and Ang Jangbu report that everything is going well on the mountain. Most of the IMG climbers are still up at Camp 2 doing their acclimatization rotation up there.

IMG Leaders Mark Tucker and Ang Jangbu report that over the last two days virtually all of the IMG Sherpas have made carries to the 21,000 foot Camp 2, a total of 43 loads of food, fuel, tents, oxygen, fixed rope, and other expedition gear. Tomorrow we will have 28 Sherpas carrying up to C2.

IMG Leaders Mark Tucker and Ang Jangbu report most of the IMG members who went up to Camp 1 for acclimatization overnights have now returned to Base Camp for a couple well deserved days of R and R.