Tuesday 25 April 2000 - Kangchenjunga Base Camp
The 7 team members (Andy Hughes, Colin Scott, Dave Pearce, Ady Cole, Steve Jackson, Nima Dhorje and Pemba Norbu) who had been virtually trapped in Camp 1 since Sunday decided to make a break for it today and descend to Base Camp. The advice from the Fleet Weather and Oceanographic Centre at Northwood indicated that we are currently at the leading edge of a huge area of precipitation about 80 miles to the south of us which should move away to the south west on about the 27th Apr.
It has hardly stopped snowing for 3 days and well over a foot of snow had fallen at Camp 1 by 0600 this morning. The Camp was battered by gales overnight on Sunday and (to a lesser extent) Monday night. Sunday night was a particular worry for the expedition leader who was occupying a tent containing oxygen bottles, metal snow stakes, cooking sets, and many other items which he thought would be certain to attract the lightening which was flashing all around the camp. Fortunately his fears were unfounded. Each night team members had to spend hours digging out the tents to ensure that they did not collapse under the weight of snow falling on them. The team also dug out the nearby, unoccupied, Indian expedition tents which were in imminent danger of collapse.
The 7 team members left Camp 1 at 0800 this morning and had to dig out the fixed ropes which had been buried by the snow all the way down the mountain. Most of the slopes they descended had already avalanched although some small avalanches were triggered by their descent. The snow was knee / thigh deep (the expedition leader is very short) and the going was tough. They met the Korean Team at their Camp 1 who took the opportunity to follow them down the mountain. A very tired team arrived back at Base Camp in time for a lunch of chips and spam.
The expedition leader was keen to make his number with Liaison Officer who had arrived the day before but who had endured such an uncomfortable night in Base Camp that he had departed for Kathmandu first thing this morning.
It is still snowing and it is likely that the next three days will see an enforced stay in Base Camp trying to avoid succumbing to "Base Camp Lassitude" before going back up the mountain to occupy Camp 2, which is now ready at an altitude of about 6700 metres.
Today's pictures show Andy Hughes digging out at Camp 1; Camp 1 during a lull in the current storm and three team members on the descent.
