Saturday 22 April 2000 - Kangchenjunga Base Camp

Apart from the team working from Camp 1 to Camp 2 and Pema and Da Phuri carrying some rations from Base Camp to Camp 1 everyone else had a rest day today. Ady Cole reported at the 1800 radio check last night that they had reached an altitude of around 6410 metres or perhaps a little higher in the bid to find a suitable site for Camp 2. They intended to leave Camp 1 a little earlier this morning (0500) with the aim of getting another 150 to 200 metres higher today to see if they could identify a suitable spot to pitch the tents for Camp 2. On his return to Base Camp at about 1030 today Pema reported that when he arrived at Camp 1 he could see the team well above the point they had reached yesterday. We await the 1800 radio check to see what they achieved and it will be included it in this update.

At the 1800 radio check Andy Hughes reported that the team had identified and reached a suitable site for our Camp 2 at an altitude of about 6725 metres, which is some 75 metres above the Korean Camp 2. They have carried in 4 tents, 20 mandays of food and other camp kit.

Here at Base Camp the weather was very good this morning, very warm and sunny, but the wind shifted to the South West at lunch time and we had a few showers of hail and some thunder this afternoon, although it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between thunder and avalanches.

We have been taking an interest in the wildlife around our Base Camp and have now adopted a little grey creature which looks just like a hamster. We have named it George after the first man to climb Kangchenjunga, in 1955, although we have no real evidence that it is male. (If it turns out to be female we will rename it Georgina!) George was first spotted stealing some crumbs from outside our Mess Tent a couple of days ago. As it is spring here there is probably a nest of young ones to feed somewhere and he has been storing the bread we have taken to leaving out for him in his cheeks and then he has to run a bit of gauntlet back to the nest, which we think is a bit higher up the mountain in amongst the many rocks. On the way back he has to cross a few metres of open ground, which is when we usually get alerted to his presence, which is patrolled by a small hawk which presumably has it's own brood to feed. The hawk has very similar colourings to a British Sparrowhawk but has slightly broader wings, presumably an evolutionary process to cope with the thinner air at this altitude. George also has to watch out for the dozen choughs which also keep their beady eyes on his progress. As members of the crow family (corvids) they will not hesitate to feast on the young ones if they find the nest. George is very cautious and although we have had a pretty good look at him we have not yet managed to capture him on the digital camera so that we can show you what he looks like. We will persevere.

We received news from Neil Greenwood last night that he is out of hospital and has very kindly been put up by the Gurkha Garrison Engineer and his wife, Phil and Liz Middlehurst, in Kathmandu. Neil is due for a review in a weeks time but the only sensible option is for him to return to UK to recuperate. This a great tragedy for Neil who has put so much into this expedition but no doubt there will be future expeditions which will benefit from his tremendous experience, enthusiasm and sheer selflessness.