Yesterday we saw the first summits of the season on Everest, when a group of nine Sherpas finished fixing the lines to the top of the mountain. With that work done, it now opens the way for teams to begin planning their ascents, while factoring in the remaining time needed to acclimatize, supply high camps, and keeping an ever watchful eye on the weather.
While reading through my various Twitter feeds this morning, I came across some tweets from members of the Climb With Us Team sponsored by Hanesbrand. They're the same group that will be testing out the new aerogel powered Everest Supersuit when they make their summit bid. According to the tweets from @outsidegeargirl aka Stephanie Pearson, who is with the team in BC, expedition leader Jamie Clarke (@JC_Climbs) and photographer/videographer Scott Simper are now eyeing May 13th, exactly one week from today, as their potential summit day.
Obviously, a lot can happen in a week, and the weather will be the real determining factor, but you have to believe that a number of teams have now circled that date on their calendar for making a summit bid on the South Side of the mountain, and presumably the North Side won't be far behind.
After years of planning and weeks of preparation, many climbers will see their dreams realized (or dashed) in just a week's time. This is always an exciting time on Everest. It is the relative calm before the storm, as the teams complete their last minute prep work, finalize their acclimatization process, and rest up in anticipation of the big event. Just one week to go.
By the way, if you haven't been following the Hanesbrand Expedition, you really should check out ClimbWithUs.com. They are making regular posts and dispatches, including video footage from the mountain, with the whole team doing outstanding work in keeping us all informed of what is happening on Everest. Good stuff all around.
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