Mt Everest 8848m Nepal
Video on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STFb-aPYYM8
Below you can read the updates made from the mountain as Rex made his push for both the summit and another step towards his dream!
UPDATE 1Monday 30th May 2005 Caroline’s Update
Hi to All,
Well right now the mood at Everest Base Camp has dropped dramatically I am afraid to say. The weather has come in this afternoon really quite aggressively and there are some high lenticular clouds which loom overhead.
It is 20minutes to 8pm with us. Right now at the South Col the wind is blowing hard, it is snowing and all in all the conditions aren't favoring a summit attempt. The guys will be woken soon via radio call and will be required to assess their options which aren't many! Basically the cut off is 11pm. By then the weather will either have improved and they will leave the South Col and make an attempt or the weather will not have cleared and it will be too late to wait any longer to make an attempt for the morning. If they left any later than 11pm they would not arrive on the summit until late morning/noon tomorrow, and their descent back to the South Col would be much more risky as it would be late in the afternoon when the weather comes in.
That was even a bit of a problem today; due to the summit congestion people were summiting late, descending late and have been caught up in the bad weather. Rumor has it that there are people that still have not come into camp! I hope that rumor proves wrong because conditions are bad up there.
So we have to stand by and wait and wait and wait. We are waiting for the teams to make their decisions, which probably won't happen until around 10-11pm anyway and we have to wait and see what the weather does up high.
Hopefully the weather will clear just as quickly as it came in and it'll be a crystal clear night. We just have to wait and see. If the weather is atrocious and they can't make an attempt they will follow through with plan B and stay at the South Col tonight and try to make a bid for the 1st and leave the South Col tomorrow night. The bad news is the forecast for the 1st looks pretty grim with really high winds and bad wind chill.
It is silent in the communication tent right now, even though there are quite a few people in here, there is just nothing we can do and everyone is feeling down a contrast from the excitement of this morning. I have a small glimmer of hope that this weather will clear but things change so so quickly up here it is just impossible to tell.
Well that's all for now, I'll fill you all in on any changes/progress...
UPDATE 2 – Tuesday 31st of May 2005
Hi all! Again!
Well the winds haven't died down up at the South Col but the new weather forecast that just came in has confirmed our fears that the winds are only going to increase over the next few days. In light of that most of the IMG team is setting off as I write this on their summit bids. Rex and Ed are 5mins away from leaving camp, and most of the others are currently putting on crampons and packs, a task that takes about 5-10mins up high. So feet are moving up high. For better or worse, it throws sharply into light that the team must be super aware of what their bodies are capable off especially in the wind and the cold, and that they need to be prepared to make the hardest decision of their lives - to turn around if circumstance demands it.
We are hoping that the high winds that they are experiencing in the Col at the moment are characteristic of the South Col, it is a natural wind funnel and we all have our fingers crossed tightly, our knuckles white, that as the guys move out above the Col the winds won't be so strong, and as the night progresses they drop significantly. It might not be the ideal summit morning but if they reach the top or give it their best shot and come down safely that is all that matters. I just pray that Rex and co. don't get 1hr out of camp to have to turn around, we'll just have to see.
Just had radio confirmation that Rex, Da Sona Sherpa and Ed just walked out of camp! Let's pray and hope and wish for the very very very best. It's going to be a sleepless one tonight!
Until the next news...
UPDATE 3
Dear All,
Well it's half four in the morning here, and we are huddled in our sleeping bags on therm-a-rests sleeping on ice and rocks! It's freezing but this is serious comfort and luxury compared to what Rex and the IMG team are facing up high! It is still blowing hard but the cloud plume coming off the summit seems to have abated from what the support Sherpa Ang Pasang can see from the South Col. Let's hope that means the winds are continuing to drop. It is certainly breathless at base camp and the stars are shinning!
Rex just recently left the Balcony after changing oxygen bottles, leaving a half empty bottle at the Balcony and replacing it with a full one for the summit and back down. The going is slow as it is quite congested again tonight with crowds. 39 people had left the South Col by 11pm, so there is a lot of people on the trail. It is windy up high so they really need to monitor their hands and feet because it will be absolutely freezing up there. Very much an environment to foster frost bite, hopefully as the sun comes up in about 30mins that will warm things up a bit.
Fingers crossed that the guys are able to keep going and that they successfully and safely summit. The going is tough tonight and the radio communication is difficult with the range and the weather, so most communication is coming relayed through Ang Pasang.
I will keep you guys up to date...
UPDATE 4
Hi Everyone,
Tensions are running really high! Rex and Ed have reached the South Summit and from there have 2-3hrs till reaching the summit. It's windy and cold still, and we can see the clouds coming in from down valley. We just had a radio transmission from one of the Singapore team (a separate IMG team) and he said that the winds were about 40-50 knots but were slowing down slightly, but that is very subject to change.
Haven't heard from Rex and Ed directly but Da Sona (Rex's personal Sherpa) radioed the South Col saying that they were feeling fit and strong and were continuing. Everyone else from the IMG team have now turned around and are making their way back to the South Col. It was just too cold and windy, and they made the decision to turn back.
I'm feeling really anxious as I am sure everyone is, and I will keep close ear out for any changes or decisions made. Sending luck up the mountain!
UPDATE 5
Hi Guys!
Rex is at the base of the Hilary Step ascending up, that should take 15mins or so depending on stamina, then from the top of the Hilary step the summit is about 30mins away. It is an exposed ridge though and the winds are up and it is very overcast, so not the most beautiful glorious summit weather but hey a summit at all would be soooo wonderful!!
Geez I am a gittery mess, excited and really really nervous! The guys radioed in and sounded pretty whipped, totally exhausted and apparently its cold, their fingers are warm but their toes are struggling. I think it is sheer determination and mind power that is keeping their bodies moving right now, just one more hour! PLEASE!
Then the descent which is also a challenge, repelling the Hilary step with people coming up can be very dangerous, especially when the guys are exhausted and hypoxic. So they must keep just enough energy in store to get back down!
One more hour! We will probably all know the outcome of so much work from Rexy and support from his main financial sponsors Kumuka and AAPT as well as the sponsors supporting him by providing the gear that is keeping him warm and protected right now and the gear enabling us to keep everyone up to date with his progress. Thankyou so much to the following who have showed Rex so much support in various way
Peak Teams, Panasonic toughbook, Larry Adler, Adidas Eyewear, Techhead Interactive, Human Potential Consulting, Power House Pilates.
And to all those loved ones out there, friends and family, without you Rex wouldn't be nearly at the top of the world, it means so much to have that support from home and getting him here in the first place.
You'll hear from me shortly..with some seriously exciting news.. (fingers crossed).
UPDATE 6
REX IS 15MINS AWAY FROM BEING THE YOUNGEST AUSTRALIAN TO STAND ON THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT EVEREST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
UPDATE 7
SUMMIT! Rex Pemberton - Youngest Australian to summit Mount Everest 2005 - SUCCESS!!!!!!
Rex summited Mount Everest at 8.45 this morning!!!!
WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
What an amazingly, intense experience with a brilliant outcome! He's done it - all that hard work has really paid off! I can't express the feeling - overjoyed, excited, relieved, exhausted and still slightly anxious (he still has the descent ahead of him, its not half over until they are half way down!) This whole thing is so surreal!!
Rex sounded great as I spoke to him on the radio and welcomed him to the top of the world. It was unbelievable speaking to him knowing that he was at the highest point on the earth! He told me (in true Rex style) to put his "Everest Fat Lady" a San Miguel beer to celebrate his successes on the mountain on ice!! He'll enjoy that one as he hasn't had a beer at all since he started the trek to Base Camp (discounting the Puja festival which is different).
He was exhausted but in really high spirits and just like our Rexy! He took a few photos, put the Aussie flag on the summit and headed down. The weather is coming in quickly and isn't ideal so they will want to be getting down nice and quickly and safely before the winds really pick up this afternoon, he will probably arrive at the South Col mid afternoon and stay there tonight, descend to ABC (Camp 2) tomorrow and the next day be back here for a few celebratory beers! Then we'll evacuate and head home for the big party!!!
Thanks guys for all your support, I will let you all know when Rex arrives safe at Camp 4 for the night.
For me it's time for a nap!!
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