September 22, 2012

IMG climbers between Camp 1 and 2 (Mike Hamill)

Mike just called from Camp 2 to report that they pulled into camp between 11:00-11.30AM and that the team is doing well and the route conditions were good.  He estimates that 150 people have now been up and down this section now, so it is well kicked-in.  Sherpas carried oxygen from Base Camp to Camp I this morning and then carried member personal gear from Camp I to Camp 2 and dropped back down to base camp after setting up the tents at Camp 2.

Sherpas will take a rest day tomorrow and go up the next day.  Mike and the climbers plan to tag Camp 3 and then descent for a second night at Camp 2 tomorrow. Then, they will see how everyone is feeling, weather, etc and make a plan whether to go up and spend a night at Camp 3 or drop down to Base Camp the following day.  Mike also said the route is now open to Camp 3 and he thinks there were at least 40 people between Camp  2 and 3 today.   No one has been to Camp 4 yet.

Eric Simonson

September 20, 2012

Climbers on the way to Camp 1 on Manaslu. (Mike Hamill)

IMG leader Mike Hamill reported by sat phone that the team took a good hike today to get the cobwebs worked out from their storm days.  A number of teams did move up to Camp 1 today, and some sherpas from another team reached Camp 2 and report that the tents and gear up there are all OK.   Good news.  Now the weather is looking much better and the team members are doing well.  Their plan is to move up in the morning to Camp 1, then go to Camp 2 the following day, with the ultimate goal of this rotation to reach Camp 3.

Eric Simonson

September 19, 2012

September 19, 2012 satellite photo (Nepal Meteorological Forecasting Division).

IMG’s weather forecaster Michael Fagin reports that the monsoon is starting to retreat from the Indian subcontinent.  Good news!  Ang Jangbu reported it rained hard for 50 straight hours in Kathmandu, but that now it is sunny and drying out.  The satellite photo shows the moisture starting to move out of the area.  This is the beginning of the big seasonal switch that we have been waiting for.

Up at Base Camp we had a call from Phunuru Sherpa who reports that everyone had a good rest today and the that weather has now cleared.  The team’s plan is to wait another day to let the snow settle, with the current plan to move up the following day.

Eric Simonson

September 18, 2012

We took another rest day today while the Sherpa team went up to Camp 1 to dig out the tents and pull the fixed lines out of the snow. There’s 6 inches of fresh snow here at Base Camp but the Sherpa reported a meter at Camp 1. The good news is that the lines to C1 are still in place and all the tents and gear at C1 are in good shape.

Mike Hamill

September 17, 2012

We are waiting at Base Camp for the weather to improve before heading up the mountain for our second rotation. We have had several days of rain and snow now, so hopefully it will start drying out soon!  Our goal for this next rotation is to spend 4 nights on the mountain with the first night being at C1 (18,900ft), the 2nd and 3rd nights at C2 (20,820ft), and the final night at C3 (22,600ft) depending on how the team is feeling and weather permitting. The route has been fixed up to C3 and there is a plan in place to fix rope to the summit over the next week or so.  The team is all happy and healthy and excited to get back on the mountain. We have been filling the down time with card games, hot showers, laundry and eating Kaji’s great food.

Mike Hamill

September 14, 2012

Mike Hamill reports that the team all made it back to Base Camp after their trip up to Camp 2.  Now they have a couple well-earned rest days to look forward to.  Timing is good, because we may have a bit of bad weather coming.

The plan for the second acclimatization is for the team to head back up to Camp 1 on Sunday, and then on to Camp 2, and then eventually up to Camp 3 (weather permitting).  We’ll just have to see how it goes—staying flexible is always a big part of 8000m peak climbing.

Eric Simonson