I’m going to C2 tomorrow (4/29). After that I’ll spend a few days getting my tent up to C3 (7200m) and my oxygen to C4 (7900m). I’ll likely spend a night a C3 in the process. The actual schedule will be a bit fluid; these are the big carries and I might throw in a rest day or two. I might not be posting for 5 days or so, but maybe I’ll get lucky and get access to the internet.
The weather is great today; the Altitude Junkies Sherpas went to C2 today and report all is well there. Except for the destroyed dining tent and toilet tent, of course.
AJ leader Phil gets a synopsis of the Everest gossip/blog postings etc. and we enjoy quite a laugh over some of the information that’s being broadcast. Lots of blarney out there, so (as I’ve said many times) don’t believe all of what you hear.
**** Environmental practices: I’ve been very impressed with the ways in which environmental damage is mitigated at Base Camp. This many people on a glacier means that there is a significant impact, but it’s certainly much less than in Pakistan, for example.
Our kitchen carefully separates food waste from all other waste. The food waste is placed on a tarp, where the birds (yellow-billed choughs and a sparrowlike species or two) eat it. There are many very fat birds here. When the occasional yak comes to the area, the scraps are fed to it. All other trash is sorted and bagged.
Human waste is a huge issue. You can pee where you want on the glacier. Feces are collected in a barrel lined with a plastic bag. This material is then carried down to Namche Bazaar by a porter (at double the normal fee), where it is disposed of in their sewage system. The toilet paper is collected separately, bagged, and carried down as well (I assume it’s burnt).
On the mountain, human waste is left in place or dumped into crevasses. All trash is brought down for disposal.
The government and expeditions deserve credit for managing waste better than in many other countries.
As a final note, there are very few generators here; most expeditions use solar. Another environmentally friendly practice that I applaud.
*** Last night we had fried chicken, pizza, cauliflower in cream sauce, and fried bananas for dessert. Lunch today was tuna/cheese melt on fresh buns, green beans, potatoes, and fried tomatoes. Croissants for afternoon tea. What a life.