Expedition Report From Nepal - Entry for 10th April

Awoke to a very cold and clear morning with 4 inches of snow on the ground. Our plan to move the Senior Team to their base camp at Patches' Grave, a journey of 8 hours along the Yalung Glacier with a 1000 metres height gain was not on. We are dependent on the porters and they could not do that journey with up 6 inches of snow on the difficult stone covered ice of the glacier.

So today was a rest day for both teams. Mid morning a large yellow Russian built helicopter came in and landed just beside our tents throwing snow all over the place. It was lifting gear for an Indian expedition to the Kanchenjunga base camp.

Our plan is for the Senior Team to go off tomorrow to their base camp (weather permitting) and the Junior Team to leave here on Wednesday. Everyone has benefited from a day for personal administartion (washing, organising and writing letters home). A mail runner is going out today with our mail so it should be back in UK in 10 days or so.

For the Kids: Our man today is Roddy McArthur (37). He has been to Kanchenjunga in 1997 and climbed to within 600m of the top on the North Face in a storm. He was injured on his descent and had a narrow escape but was evacuated to safety by helicopter. He is overall responsible for all communications and Public Relations for our expedition. He has procurred all the communications, camera and IT equipment. He is very pleased with how it is all working so well. His trek has been always in the early mornings as he has raced ahead to get to the next campsite to set up the solar panels to charge the batteries so that we can send this diary and our emails. He has much enjoyed the early morning treks and is very much looking forward to putting as many people as possible on the top of Kanchenjunga and all returning safely.

Diary entry by David Nicholls.