Clinic progress so far...
May 7, 2007 12: 24 EST
Most teams are acclimatized and now resting and awaiting two things: ropes to the summit and a weather window. We're all hoping that within the next few days the jet stream will back off and weather will allow strong Sherpa teams to set the ropes up above the col. Then we hold our collective breath for a weather window --- a forecast for the jet stream to move off the mountain, for light wind and reasonably low precipitation. Many folks have chosen to use this time to go down low. Walking down from 5350m to ~ 4000m or less allows those who are suffering from viral infections, khumbu cough and various other maladies to give their bodies a chance to recover before making their summit bid. Those who aren't sick are storing up energy for the big task ahead.
The average stat for summit success on the south side of Everest is about 34% -- a fair number of the 66% who don't summit never even get their crampons on the mountain, and unfortunately we've seen a few of those in our clinic. As has been the case every year, there's been a fair amount of attrition this season -- climbers who put up with a bad case of khumbu cough or gastrointestinal illness or any of the other myriad problems that plague us at 5350m -- who became so sapped for energy that they called it quits and left the mountain. It's a tough decision to make, emotional for all of us who've been involved. We hate to see them go, but in all cases, it felt like the right thing to do. Trying to summit the highest mountain in the world is not something to be undertaken in a weakened state.
Midway through our clinic season we've seen over 120 patients and the top 3 diagnoses: Khumbu cough (no surprise there!) respiratory infection and AMS.
Here's hoping our EBC friends are recovering, getting good rest, and that they get up and down this mountain safely...and soon!
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