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Dispatch 15: Greetings from Camp 2 |
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Hello from 6,700m on the North side of Makalu. I
know it's been a long time so greetings to everyone who's following this
expedition, still on Makalu. Chris is back home safe and sound and we
are so very grateful for that. I continued up the North side of the
mountain on my own and there are several people around but right now I'm
all by myself at Camp 2 at 6,700m.
I went up yesterday for about a 5 hour jaunt up to 7,400m which is called the Makalu La, it is really almost like a mountain on top of a mountain. You have to climb the Makalu La and then another big stretch of 3-4 hours of glacier travel. It then ramps up to the French route which goes into the East Ridge and then onto the summit and that's where we are right now... actually where I am... by myself.
I checked out the route and it looks really good. I wanted to get a feel for the North side before I attempted it. It's a long way up on that glacier and I want to make sure it's safe, sound and feels good. The weather was actually gorgeous yesterday and it continues to be so again today. The weather reports were supposed to be 100 kph winds, but they weren't very accurate, just like this whole season has not been very accurate with weather reports. So you have to do what you can with what you have.
Right now I'm feeling very strong. I've felt the mountain out and now I can go down to ABC which is 5,700m, rest for a day and then turn around and come back up. On the way, I will pick up my tent, my bivy gear and come right through Camp 2 onto the Makalu La at 7,400m. I will keep forging up the glacier, finding a safe and easy path for myself to the base of the East Ridge.
We'll talk to you in a few more days from now. So thinking of you all, thanks for following us.
Namaste,
-Marty
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