May 18, 2008 - 9:05pm — MountEverest2008
Summit Attempt Underway
Base Camp
This is the eve of our summit attempt. We'll wake at 3:30am for a 4:30am departure... the plan to go up the Icefall, past Camp I, and to our destination of Camp II. From there, we'll actively monitor the weather forecasts, the summit plans of the other groups, and ultimately pick our date to go for it ourselves. Whereas the next several days are the result of many years of preparation, at the moment I feel pretty calm. I think excitement will kick in for me soon, but not yet. This is somewhat deliberate. A lot can happen over the next few days - storms can set in, illness can emerge, etc. Also, at base camp, we can not see the summit of Everest. Once we get to Camp II and Camp III, our objective is staring us in the face. From there, I can imagine standing on top and how great it must feel to be there. For now though, my mindset is kind of one of keeping my nose to the grindstone. One step at a time. That sort of thing.
Today, we rested. We also double and triple checked our gear. Very interestingly, we had oxygen school today. Given the vital importance of the topic, we were all super students and Vern did a great job as a teacher. There's a nice three minute video that will give you the basics... if it's not live on the site already, it will be shortly. In a nutshell, supplemental oxygen is the key for our team to safely climb at very high altitudes. There are some elite climbers that summit the 8000 meter peaks without oxygen, but we are not at that level. Rather, at least in my case, after spending one night at Camp III without oxygen, I am thrilled to have the extra O's this time around.
Crashing early tonight given our early departure. Will send word from Camp II soon. Thanks for all the prayers, support, and encouragement.
We're going for it!