Even though we start the icefall in the dark, even when daylight comes the icefall remains in shadow for a long time when warmth falls in other places on the mountain. The icefall is very cold
It was an early start for me. Up at 2.30 am, breakfast at 3, depart for camp 2 at 3:30am. It was weird only having me in the dining tent with Craig while I put on my big boots, harness and climbing helmet. We have a little heater in the dining tent so we used to leave our climbing gear here and get geared up in the warm being able to sit on a seat instead of wrestling with big boots half out of a tent in the freezing cold.
I set off with Sherpa Ang Gelu and we make it through the icefall and part of the Western Cwm to Camp One. I am actually feeling really, really tired now. I ask Ang Gelu the time and we made the journey up in four hours twenty mins. Last time it took me 7 hours. Now I know why I am really tired. This pace was really too fast for me. We rest for an hour here and then move on towards the big wall. I am starting to feel really exhausted. Ang Gelu puts my bag on his back and I climb up the wall puffing, panting and groaning. The sun is really hot now and we take off all the clothes we can at the top of the wall without committing a criminal offence.
I take my bag back and as I stagger on I am nearing the point of exhaustion. There is still a 3 hour walk ahead. I cross the ladders and I’m walking slowly. This doesn’t feel good. We just keep on keeping on and stopping a little for 20 seconds quite often. There are many people doing the same. It appears we’re all rather fecked. After couple of hours Chongba is on the radio, what do we want to request. I think he means when we arrive to eat for lunch so I say noodle soup. Ang Gelu says orange Tang. (It’s a flavoured power to add to hot water to make a rather nice drink). After half an hour and I fear I’m on the edge we see Chongba coming towards us with a plastic bag. He has noodle soup and hot orange Tang drink. God bless Chongba. We sit on the snow on the ground. I guzzle the noodles and hot drink. It starts to snow now and visibility goes. We put our jackets on and start walking again. Chongba takes my rucksack so all I have to do now is walk. Believe me I’m well past the point where this is an easy activity.
Camp two starts but there’s still an hour and half to walk (at the rate we’re going) as we are camped towards the very top end. Camp Two is a long strung out Camp. We eventually reach the stones we have to walk on and remove crampons. By now just putting one foot in front of the other is killing me. Every 5 mins I have to sit down for two mins. I am so far Into the red that I’m worried what effect this massive effort will have on my attempt at the Lhotse face in two days time.
Eventually we reach Camp. We are both exhausted and I just crawl into my tent. I have to rearrange it again. It’s obvs the Canadians are sharing tents with us. It makes sense but we still don’t like them. Especially after they upset our Mister Craig and made him angry.
Chongba comes with chicken soup. It is so good. There is spaghetti bolognese for dinner but the soup was all I could manage. I really don’t feel well. I wish Bob was here.
I don’t think I’ve ever pushed myself into such a state. There is no easier option to take though. In an Ironman race you can walk the aid stations, you can run slower at a more comfortable pace, hell you can even walk the whole marathon if you have time. Coming up here I had no other option but to keep putting one foot in front of the other. And sit a little bit but we always had to get up and keep going. We had to get to the tents. No other option. Can’t just pull out of the race. I can now see how people can just sit down with exhaustion on the summit push and simply die where they are.
My sleep is poor. I have restless leg syndrome. Which is weird as they’re exhausted. It’s something I have never understood. Eventually I sleep on and off through the night. At least I am warm. The snow settles a little blanket on the tent which insulates.