Everest Base Camp Trek Dispatch
October 22, 2012 – Beautiful Day on Kala Patar
Update at 11:30am; Ang Temba just called from the summit of Kala Patar, 18,500 feet above sea level.
Temba, The Sherpas, Tina, Clayton, Fred and Gerry all went to the very top of Kala Patar. The weather is beautiful once again today.
Meanwhile, the rest of us are resting and waiting for the summiteers here at Gorak Shep. Several of us turned back from the first viewpoint at 17,800 feet on Kala Patar. Now Alix is taking a nap and Liz, Lauren, Wendy and Roxanne are demonstrating that one of the first signs of proper acclimatization to high altitude is a good appetite. They are enjoying mid-morning French fries.
Liz's photo of Everest Summit, October 22, 2012
Just before we started making our way out for Kala Patar, we spoke with Mingma and learned that they had started to make their way down the trail for Pangboche, with Sharon and Jim. We look forward to meeting them at Ang Temba and Yanzing's lodge there in a couple of days.
While our summit heroes, Tina, Clayton, Fred and Gerry, are descending from the very top of Kala Patar, the "French Fry Team", those of us who turned back from the first viewpoint thought that you would like to see the views of Everest that we got from our highpoint on Kala Patar. Liz took this photo of the summit of Everest just before we turned around. Not bad.
Lauren on her birthday on Kala Patar at 17,800 feet, with Everest Behind
The ladies enjoy a mid - morning snack: French Fries
The summit team on the top at 11:30 AM. It was very windy.
Clayton on top
On the summit, Tina and Gerry enjoy a cup of tea carried in a thermos by the Sherpas.
Fred on the top
When the climbers returned to the lodge, they found the rest of the team enjoying the sun.