without the weather problems when several climbers died early in the season. It is encouraging that Himalayan Experience is already fixing line so high (7000m) on the north side.

On the South, the time is being spent with teams establishing their camps and then returning back down valley, sometimes as low as Periche. They spend a night or two seeing off their trekking friends or just trying to stay fit before returning to BC. Most teams have had their Pujua at this point. Adventure Consultants, Mountain Madness are in BC as is Jagged Globe and AAI who made their first climb in the icefall today. Paul and Fi, independent climbers but using IMG's logistics, report the Icefall Doctor's should have the ladders in by today so look for the early south climbers to start moving to Camp 1 tomorrow.

For something a little different than the "normal" north and south side climbs, pay close attention to the British Army's West Ridge climb. The have a nice website full of video, pictures, etc and their reports are quite human thus far! They report fixing line to the 6400m level thus far. From their site their mission is "The Main Team’s ascent of Everest is seen as unfinished Army business. The team includes soldiers and officers from both the British and Territorial Armies. They are attempting to be the first British team to ascend Everest by one of its toughest and most dangerous routes: The West Ridge. Following in the steps of previously unsuccessful Army expeditions, 21 of the Army’s finest mountaineers will be using siege tactics."

A little more on the fallen Sherpa, Tuk Bahadur Thapa Masar. The male Sherpas (yes, there are female Sherpas - Sherpanis) who work on Everest are the breadwinners for their families. They often depend on the expedition work to make a good living in a country with an average income of less than US$300 a year per family. When a Sherpa dies, it puts their family is a tremendously difficult situation. The only good news about a situation like this one is the personal integrity of men like Russel Brice. As the owner of Himalayan Experience, he has employed the same Sherpas, cooks, porters and other local staff for his Himalayan climbs for years. They are as much of his family as his own blood relatives. When something like this happens it hits everyone very hard. Brice will take care of all his obligations to Masar's family and probably much, much more. This is part of what drive such tremendous loyalty between the Operators and the Sherpas. I know that Guy Cotter and Eric Simonson approach their teams the same way.