On the south, C3 is the goal. AAI and some members from IMG and AC have spent a night at C3 and the other south side teams are on their way. Camp 3 is a difficult place. It is literally carved out of steep hard ice. It has been noted in several dispatches that you must use your crampons at all times  - even when moving between tents since the angles are steep and the footing is so slippery. This is not the time be casual. More on C3 later but first the climbers have to get there and here is an overview of what they will face:

Climbing the Lhotse Face is a big challenge after the Khumbu Ice Fall on the way to the summit. There are many ropes attached to the face with ice screws and anchors. Each rope is about 200' long so climbers must unclip their carabineers and jumars at each junction. This is a two step process so that the climber is always attached to the fixed line by at least one device. It is very normal for a long line of climbers to be going up and another long line coming down - usually Sherpas returning from carrying loads to the higher camps. So, in the middle of the Himalayas, you have a traffic jam!

It becomes very interesting when you need to pass someone since you share the same line. A high altitude ballet takes place. Like in an old west gunfight, you eye the other guy. As you get closer, you make your move to the right or left. Standing close to each other, you make sure your footing is fixed. With a few grunts and a smile, you unclip one of your carabineers keeping the other one attached to the lifeline. Reaching around the climber, you clip back into the line around him, then move the other ‘biner above this new placement. All this happens in a moment and you move on. Not every swap is this complex but everyone requires caution. One mistake and there is no recovery on the steep Face. Once you start to fall, there is nothing to stop you for thousands of feet. It is real. It is harsh. It is climbing Everest.

Depending on the weather, the Face is usually rock hard blue ice. You have to kick your crampon points into the ice stealing precious strength with each step. After a a few weeks, the path is fairly well set due to the thousands of kicks into the ice but one storm can have you starting all over again.

My experience has been that getting to C3, while hard, is where the real climbing of Everest begins. C3 is at 23,600'. The climb to the South Col, 8000m, is long, typically hot and exposes problems. It was on this climb, both times that I began to have doubts. I took the picture on the left of C3 from the Yellow Band. The yellow band itself is soft, crumbly limestone and is an extreme contrast from the ice or snow. There are two short (5 meter) sections that are a little steep. Again, not too difficult but the altitude really starts to take a toll in this part. Since this may be the first time some climbers have used bottled O's, the added discomfort of the mask, heavy bottle, gear, rock and some "real" climbing - this is the crux of the Geneva Ridge.

More on these challenges but it still looks good for climbers on both sides with the route already in on the north and progress on the south. Even though it has not been widely reported, I assume Sherpas are fixing line above C3 and are well on their way to the South Col.