Arriving back at Base Camp always comes with a sigh of relief. Today was no different, except perhaps the sigh was bigger. We spent five days and four nights at Camp 2, deep in the Western Cwm. The jet stream was sitting very near the top of Everest, which sounds an awful lot like a freight train roaring in the night. The purpose of this rotation was for our team to acclimatize and further prepare for our summit bid. We set out with the hopes of sleeping at Camp 2 and walking to Camp 3. Like always, you have to pause and listen to what the mountain is telling you. This season has been very windy and dry, and as we have been making plans to get high on the mountain, we have been hearing stories of rockfall coming from above. A certain amount of flexibility has been a vital part of our plan. Yesterday, we set out for a walk towards a new path up the Lhotse Face. The fixed line and route were just being established as we arrived, providing a seemingly safer way to access Camp 3. We enjoyed our walk (actually, that is a slight lie, as it was very very windy, but it did the trick of getting us some exercise) and headed back to our camp for lunch. The route has proven to us that it is dry and not welcoming travelers. It is the beginning of May. We need some new snow. Now we wait, now we listen. I am ready for some rest right now, as is the the team. So, for now I can find gratitude in being down at Base Camp, out of the wind, but back in the waiting game. RMI Guide Melissa Arnot

On The Map