April 20, climbing from base camp to camp 1

Two-thirty came early, but I was still excited to begin climbing.  Base camp is comfortable, but it's a long way from the summit.  I've always liked climbing in the dark because it's easy for me to focus on the circle of light coming from my headlamp and block every thing else out of my mind.  It was hard to ignore; though, the seriousness of climbing through the Khumbu icefall. Occasionally I would hear a loud pop! as the ice continued to harden and crack in the cold night.  There were several climbers and Sherpa starting out at the same time and for a while it felt like rush hour traffic as everyone vied for their place, based on their pace.  A nearly full moon shone over me as I climbed up, over, and around towering blocks of ice.  Just as the sun was rising, I heard a collapse of ice, but couldn't identify its location.  My rule of thumb is that if I can feel the ice moving, I'm in trouble, but f I can only hear it I'm ok.  I don't know if this is logical or not, but so far it has worked for me.  When I heard the collapse I grabbed my Sherpa partner, Purba Rita and I think that I screamed right in his ear.  We weren't in any danger, but it was still terrifying.  

Inside the Khumbu icefall
Photo:  Stuart Erskine

Me crossing a ladder in the icefall
Photo:  Nick Perks

The rest of the morning continued basically the same way, climbing around and over unimaginably huge blocks of ice, which made me feel very small and very fragile. Near the end of icefall it was obvious that a collapse had occurred as the rope was buried, in this location ice chunks towered at least forty feet above me, and all I thought was that I wanted to get out of there as fast as my lungs and legs would allow.  

Climbers exiting the Khumbu icefall
Photo:  Stuart Erskine

I arrived at camp 1 just before 9 am, tired but happy to be safe.