The past two days have been incredibly busy for the E-3 team.
Yesterday the climbing team awoke at 4am to begin a journey into
the infamous Khumbu Icefall, considered by many to be the most
dangerous section of Mt. Everest. The Icefall is best described
as a two thousand foot frozen waterfall, which moves an average
of 4 feet per day. The primary danger comes from these movements,
which cannot be predicted. While negotiating the Khumbu Icefall
you must pass beneath and between giant "ice cubes" most the size
of houses, others the size of multi-story buildings, all leaning
at precarious angles. Other danger comes from the steep, icy,
convoluted ice blocks which must be carefully negotiated. Climbers
wear crampons, spikes that attach to their boots, in order to
grip the steep ice surfaces, and fixed ropes are used on most
of the steep sections...which is basically the whole Icefall.
Small crevasses, up to about 5 feet across are jumped, larger
ones are bridged by aluminum ladders, placed horizontally across
the seemingly bottomless abyss. Particularly large crevasses are
bridged by multiple ladders lashed together, which makes for particularly
hairy crossings....everyone knows ladders aren't supposed to be
used this way. On the steepest sections climbers use their crampons,
and place "jumars" (a camming device which allows the device to
move up the rope but not down) on a fixed rope. The largest vertical
section we transited this way was more than 3 stories high. The
climbing team was led by Jim Williams, and consisted of Scott
Hamilton, Dr. Chris Macedonia, Dr. Ken Kamler, and Rick Satava.
The scientific purpose was to test the VSM's (vital sign monitors),
and to gather additional information on hypoxia and accliamatization.
The VSM devices allowed researchers at Base Camp to monitor the
climbers' GPS location, heart rate, core body temperature, motion,
and external body temperature. The core body temperature is measured
by swallowing a small microprocessor that monitors temperature
inside the body and relays the information to a receiver worn
on the climbers belts. Robert Hyman, expedition photographer and
mountaineer, trekked to the Base Camp of Pumori to place a repeater
unit in a position allowing maximum ability to receive data from
the climbers and relay it to Base Camp. The combined data was
monitored at Everest Base Camp by techno-whiz Nathaniel Merriam,
and was rebroadcast to Yale University for further evaluation.
The climbers encountered extremely difficult conditions during
the climb, which took nearly 9 hours. About half way up they were
caught in a heavy snowstorm which dramatically reduced visibility
and made route finding difficult at times. The footing was extremely
difficult due to the snow accumulations. At one point on a steep
traverse a section of ice broke away catapulting a member of the
team down the side of Everest. No serious harm resulted as the
team was following strict safety procedures and each member had
hooked into a safety rope. Higher up the blowing ice and snow
caused the fixed lines to become very ice, so much so that the
jumar devices became caked with ice and began to slip back down
the ropes, creating a very hazardous situation, and causing very
slow progress. The climbing team was pleased to make Camp, and
sheltered in their tents for the remainder of the storm. Early
this morning they began the return journey, wearing the VSM's,
arriving back at Everest Base Camp slightly after noon. The Khumbu
Icefall is an incredibly beautiful, difficult and dangerous place.
In 1953 it was the route that Sir Edmund Hillary used to make
the first successful ascent of Everest. The E-3 climbers have
the deepest respect for the early explorers, and all who have
come since. When asked to describe the 30 hour experience in a
single word, the team decided on..."heinous". The Base Camp medical
team consisting of Dr. Javier Davila, Dr. Jennifer Grin, and Jen
Kreshak treated several cases. Several members of our Sherpa support
team have been stricken with a viral illness, causing lethargy
and high fevers. One member of the E-3 team has been diagnosed
with retinal hemorrhage, bleeding in the blood vessels in the
eye's retina. This was discovered by Dr. Jennifer Grin during
her routine visual acuity testing. The problem is common at high
altitude, and is not considered serious at this time. The medical
team captured a digital image using an opthomalscope, and transmitted
the image to experts at the Yale School of medicine for further
consultation. A large number of climbers are reported to have
attempted the summit of Everest over the past two days, and the
E-3 medical clinic is preparing for possible cases of snowblindness
and frostbite.Base Camp seems like a paradise after the Khumbu
Icefall, but conditions are rough. Laundry washed at 3pm while
the sun was shining froze solid, like shirt cardboard, when the
sun disappeared behind a cloud bank fifteen minutes later.
Scott Hamilton
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