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Camp 1
Distance: 4.1 miles
Time: 5:42 minutes
Starting elevation: 16,431 ft
Ending elevation: 19,931 ft
Thundu and I departed from base camp at approximately 6 am. Although our pace was slow, I found assurance in Thundu’s agreement that taking our time was a prudent approach. Upon reaching crampon point, we joined the rest of our team, who were already there, donning their harnesses and crampons. The weather had deteriorated, and the sky was now spitting out graupel, a snowy hail resulting from supercooled water droplets freezing onto snow crystals—an unfavorable condition for our climb.
The ascent began with a section of steep snow and navigating through old avalanche debris. Soon after, we encountered the fixed ropes, signaling the start of steeper climbing. The ropes were both wet and frozen, posing a challenge for our ascenders to gain purchase.
Upon arriving at C1, we found the small camp densely packed with tents. Many teams that had arrived the day before us were still stationed there, hesitant to proceed to C2 due to the inclement weather. After discussion, Thundu, Lakpa, Shahbaz, and I located our tent, only to discover a basketball-sized hole in both the tent and fly caused by a rock. While I tried to maintain a positive outlook, acknowledging that none of us were inside the tent when the rock struck, my fears of another potential rockfall lingered. Knocking snow off the tent resulted in water cascading through the hole, adding to the challenges we faced.
Taking shelter inside the tent, I changed out of my wet clothes, placed my boot liners inside my sleeping bag to keep them warm, and drifted off to sleep for several hours. Upon waking, I savored the soup and fried rice that Thundu had prepared.
As I attempted to rest that night, concerns about the rising avalanche risk due to the ongoing precipitation troubled me. I contemplated the possibility of waking up the next morning and opting to abandon our summit attempt, feeling a mix of sadness at the thought of quitting, and relief knowing that climbing in such stormy and wet conditions was arduous. Additionally, I realized that I had left my glasses at base camp, adding to my worries.
