At an elevation of 17,815' Yak Camp is quite a bit higher than base camp. With our 2,600' elevation gain and full packs, everyone is feeling a bit worked.
It got cold and windy shortly after arriving at camp, so we had a quick dinner and dove into our tents just after 5:00. I bunked with our lead western guide, Andy, whom I've climbed with many times. We talked and told stories for a few hours then drifted off for a well-deserved sleep. At this elevation, we're not expecting great sleep but at least we'll be in our sleeping bags for a good long while.
It's Tuesday and this morning has been planned to be a relaxing one. The Sherpa crew actually delivered coffee to our tents followed by cereal and french toast. What a luxury! We then sorted gear, separating our summit rotation equipment which we won't need until we sleep at Camp 2. Basically it ended up being our big boots, crampons and ice axes. Over the next week or so a Sherpa porter will carry that stuff up for us, which is very nice since the route from Camp 1 to Camp 2 is the steepest section of the climb.
We're off to Camp 1 by 9:35 and make the trip in just under three hours. Everyone is feeling strong and motivated today. Camp 1 consists of 5 tents perched off the east side of the knife-edge ridge at 19,059'. We're mostly blocked from the wind here but it's a fairly exposed place to camp. The Sherpa team made tent platforms by rearranging rocks and packing snow in the gaps between. Definitely not the flattest, but our tents are secure and inflatable sleeping pads help smooth out most of the bumps.
When in the sun the snow is soft and there's plenty of traction around camp. As soon as the sun drops behind the rocky ridge, the snow freezes and walking around camp becomes precarious. This prompted the rigging of a safety line leading down to our designated toilet spot. It's a crack between two vertical rocks open for all to see and only a few feet above another team's tent. There's not much modesty in mountaineering, especially when it comes to poop stories! Clearly we will need boots on and tied for that adventure. We also won't be straying too far from camp without having a climbing harness on.
The afternoon is spent looking at the route up Ama Dablam, watching a long-line helicopter rescue from high on the mountain, resting and reading. Acclimatizing at this elevation is hard work on the body, so it's best to take it easy between times of climbing. Just a few feet beyond our tent the ridge drops to waist level, and we can see an amazing view 4,000' below to base camp and further down the valley all the way to Pangboche, Tangboche and Kumjung.
After exploring the extent of our camp it's time to take a rest and read from the relative comfort of our tent.
This day ends with an absolutely stunning sunset, and I can't resist the urge to leave the tent (with boots on and tied) and take some photos from the overlook point. Range after range of Himalayan mountains are spread before me and I'm dreaming of the lifetime of treks and climbs contained within that view.
It's Wednesday and today will be a big day. The plan is to head up the route and hopefully reach Camp 2. It's cloudy and we're expecting snow at some point, so the pressure is on to get moving. The Sherpa kitchen is tucked into the rocks and the sound of the stoves is almost constant when we're in camp. We eat a hearty breakfast and are ready to roll by 7:30.
The route leads through the boulders out of camp and continues up along a series of fixed lines. There's a fair bit of exposure to our right, so we use safety tethers clipped to the fixed lines as we move along. There are steep sections, slab traverses and some very steep vertical pitches that require an ascender for protection. The Yellow Tower (cliff face on right side of ridge in photo below) is a near-vertical climb of close to 100'. It's a fun and physically demanding part of the climb. It has many features to allow for a combination of rock climbing moves and pure jugging of the fixed line using the ascender.
Once on top of the Yellow Tower I rest for a few minutes and try to catch my breath. That was a lot of work at a high elevation! Camp 2 is close now, and the first members of our team arrive.
After another 15 minutes of climbing we reach Camp 2 at 19,905' just as the snow begins to fall. We have achieved our goal for today's high point, but it's a long way down to Camp 1 over steep terrain. We take a quick drink, eat a snack and get moving.
We take our time climbing back down the route and spirits are high. What an amazing view all the way down to Camp 1!
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