To understand the huge dimensions of the Everest, one have to get there: The Khumbu Icefall has to be overcome, the Western Cwm have to be crossed. Then one stands in front of the huge Lhotse face and starts feeling the gigantic dimensions of the Everest.
Along with Lakpa and Nuri (one of our climbing sherpas), we took this way and established Camp 1. There we spent the night from 25th to 26th of April. The next day we climbed up the next 500 m to Camp 2 which took about three hours. We set Camp 2 and used the day for an acclimatization tour in the lower part of the Lhotse face. Today we returned to Everest Basecamp. These are the hard facts. But I could tell stories for hours.
I (Olaf) was in the Khumbu Icefall for the very first time. What an experience! It is a dangerous passage, but fascinating at the same time. It is not really difficult to pass this chaos made of cleavages and ceracs. The only way to minimize the risk is to increase the speed of climbing. To cross the ladders over the cleavages requires the most courage. The broadest cleavages are, however, not in the Khumbu Icefall but in the Western Cwm.
After about three hours, the Icefall ends and one stands in the Western Cwm. What a breathtaking view! The ways here are endless. And if one has started too late one suffers a heat shock! Who expects 40 degrees Celsius at an altitude of 6000 m? The heat hits you like a hammer. I got headache that remained for the next two days.
The initial part of the Western Cwm is the perfect place for Camp 1. Thomas, Lakpa, Nuri and me brought along two tents and the remaining equipment that is necessary to build up the camp. This camp is only used during the initial part of the expedition, later we will climb directly to Camp 2. Therefore, camp 2 will be equipped as an advanced Basecamp. It is situated at the base of the southeast face of the Everest, opposite to the Lhotse. In Camp 2, we spent the second night of our first acclimatization tour.
But the way to camp 2 was a horror trip because we started too late. I did not expect that the sun arrives at the valley before 8 a.m. already. Therefore, our way to camp 2 became a fight against heat. So we have learnt that it is better, if possible, to avoid the Western Cwm when the sun is shining.
This morning we were more clever. We began our descent half past five in the morning and reached the Basecamp at nine. The descend without weight was much faster than expected.
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