visit to the north col at 23,000 yesterday. He comments "...It was a great plenty just to go up and back in one day ... It's cold and windy at this altitude.  We are going back to base camp to recover for the next five days." 

On the south, Mark Tuker of IMG reports that their Sherpas have established C2, well at least they have a tent there. He comments on the race to get there"... Apparently several other teams also sent their Sherpas up today, and everyone was lined up above Camp 1 when the last ladder was dropped into place by the "Icefall doctors" (the Sherpas that build the Icefall route). The race was on! We had Danuru, our speedster, in position to claim prime real estate at Camp 2 for our big Weatherport tents that we will be erecting there."

You may think it is strange to "race" up the mountain but there are a couple of factors in play. First, the Sherpas are naturally competitive. In a good natured sense they compete with one another to see who can get camps established first, it is an honor to fix the ropes high up and of course to summit! But also, there is a practical side to all this. In spite of what seems like a huge area in the Western CWM, the area for C1 and C2 are quite limited due to avalanche and crevasse dangers. So the best spots are few and the first team there gets their choice. That said, year after year, the same teams seem to get the same spots. Sometimes they want to be close to the start of the track, other times away from the crowds.

I spoke of schedules last time and it appears the south teams are adopting the following: 2 nights at C1, 3 nights at C2 and back to BC for some rest. This is the standard schedule to allow their bodies to adjust as gradually as possible without taking too much time at altitude. We can expect to see some problems however with individuals not adjusting as well as others, lung infections, and the realization of what they are doing. While C1 and C2 are situated in the relatively flat Western CWM, it is still a harsh environment at 21,000 - cold, hot and windy!!

Finally, an update from Paul and Fi. If you have been following their dispatches you know that Paul has been fighting a sore throat and a lung infection. Well now it has spread to Fi. They are both being treated by Dr. Luanner Freer of the Everest Base Camp Medical Clinic. The basic issue with these problems is a combination of the cold air, exposure to lots of people, reduced immune systems due to the altitude, lack of sleep and a thousand other little things. It seems this happens every year and sometimes spreads through the base camps in spite of the best precautions.

In addition to feeling lousy, physically, you battle the mind games. You know you only have until late May to climb the Hill and everyday that passes without time high up to acclimization makes your chances of summiting smaller. That said, year in, year out teams spend anywhere from 5 to 10 days killing time after their acclimization schedule has been completed waiting for a good weather window on the summit. The best course of action is exactly what Paul and Fi are doing: get plenty of rest, stay warm, and maintain good spirits. I am sure a message of support will do them good. You can contact them via their website.