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Mt. Everest Expedition: Team Arrives at Balcony

Posted by: | May 20, 2011
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Everest
Elevation: 27,600'

3:21 am (Nepal time) arrive at Balcony.

No direct radio talk to climbers but Dawa at South Col relays that the team is all together and all doing well.

Breeze down here at Base Camp and looking up, I see some high thin clouds, a few clouds setting in on some surrounding peaks but word from above is weather is OK, not too windy.  During this stop they will change to a fresh bottle of oxygen and store their partially used ones in a certain spot to pick up, and possibly use on the descent.  They will be working with some metal parts on the regulators during the exchange process so it’s don’t touch any part with bare skin or congratulations, you now have some form of frostbite on your hand.

Next up, the climb to the South Summit (28,750 feet). Start up from the Balcony along the ridge to some very steep climbing, that on a dry year would be a number of rocky steps. This year conditions are very nice in that they are mostly snow covered making it a little easier and less chance of rock fall hazard.

Right on schedule. Right on track. Right on Dudes upstairs.

Another few hours till radio traffic but should have direct radio contact from South Summit.

Drop you all a note soon.

RMI Guide Mark Tucker

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