Summit Attempt Aborted: 12/22/09
Well, I set out for the summit this morning. Unfortunately, I turned back toward Camp 2 after reaching about 20,000 feet, due to the weather. The winds were 40 mph at the beginning of the journey and they seemed to be getting worse. It is not a day I would consider safe for a summit attempt, so I am back at camp now. We will have to wait and see what tomorrow brings.
Rest Day: 12/21/09
Well, if we didn’t require a rest day for acclimatization, it would be a beautiful day for a summit attempt. The wind is next to nothing and the sun is out. I plan to make my summit attempt tomorrow by way of the False Polish Route. The wind is supposed to pick back up tomorrow to about 20-30 mph, with a high of 1 degree F and wind chill around -20 degrees F.
Camp 2: 12/20/09
Today, we arrived at Camp 2, 19,000 feet. We plan to have a rest day tomorrow. The winds are still very strong up here. We are trying to decide which route we will take to the summit this week, whether we will traverse over the summit, as originally planned, or take the well-traveled False Polish Route.
Acclimatization Continues: 12/19/09
I did an acclimatization climb today. I went up in altitude 1,000 feet then came back down to Camp 1 to spend the night. The winds are almost a constant 40 mph with gusts of up to 60-70 mph. Our tent seems to be having difficulty holding up to the high winds but is doing ok so far. We plan to move to Camp 2 tomorrow.
Camp 1: 12/18/09
I made it to Camp 1 today. So, I am now at 17,000 feet. There are very high winds up here. I have heard this is one of the more windy mountains of the 7 summits. I have more energy today as well. We hope to make a carry tomorrow.