November 5, 2010
The ridge from C2 to the summit. (Photo by Justin Merle)
IMG leader Mark Allen reports form Base Camp at 15000 feet (4600m) that the team had a couple good rest days after their practice run up to Camp 1 at 18860 feet (5750m). Now they are set to head up for the summit.  The weather report is good, the team is ready, and our sherpa team has done a great job preparing the route and camps. Several other teams went to the summit in the past few days and they report that all the monsoon snow has slid off the Dablam Glacier (above Camp 3) leaving the slopes to the summit icy and firm, just the way we want it to be (no snow avalanche hazard).
The plan is for the team is to go back up to Camp 1 today, then tomorrow to push on up to “Camp 2.7†on the Mushroom Ridge, at about 20,500 feet (6250m).   Camp 2.7 is between the historic Camp 2 and Camp 3 sites, and provides an intermediate location. From there the plan would be to go to the summit on the 8th and back to Camp 2, and back to Base Camp on the 9th.
Hopefully the mountain says “yes†to this plan. We’ll keep you posted!
Eric Simonson