Written by Brandon Chalk in May 2010:
Well, we sure did it, but nothing like waiting to the last minute to hit the summit, right? It was a decent day and we had some great sherpas climbing with us as well. We didn’t have enough food or O2 to stay a 3rd day at the south col at 26,000′, so it was all or nothing on the night of May 24/morning of May 25. Summit day was pretty amazing and the climbing was awesome and just spectacular. The weather wasn’t perfectly clear, but was good enough and there was no wind, but was very cold on the summit. Our toughest thing to overcome was having the darn O2 masks on. The clausterphobic feeling was horrible at first and took some getting used to after we left Camp 3. We really didn’t feel like we needed it until about 25,000′, but then when we took it off above that altitude, you could really feel the difference and feel the hypoxic state of your brain without it. K and I each had a sherpa with us and our only regret is that we didnt summit together. We only had sherpas climbing with us on summit day. Up until summit day, we were with each other nonstop and there for each other, but we didn’t realize how disorganized and “every man for himself” summit day really is. We didn’t realize how our sherpas had different itineraries for us based on our O2 consumption (K changed bottles at the balcony and me at the south summit). Our sherpas were great in every way, but really didn’t try and keep us together even though I tried to tell my sherpa, Cowzing Dorje, to wait for K and Dorje. He kept reassuring me K would be fine with Dorje. Cowzing’s english wasn’t very strong or maybe my sherpa wasn’t very strong either 🙂 We both passed the big RMI group with Dave Hahn and folks, who we befriended at the previous camps. They are awesome people and the RMI group is fantastic. Cowzing wouldn’t let me wait or rest much (K had the same thing to say about Dorje) and so I pressed on to the top across the ridge and up the Hillary Step and topped out around 6am (left the south col at camp 4 at 11pm). The sunrise to the east was amazing from 29,000′. K got some nice pics of it. I only spent 15 min or so on top b/c Cowzing and I noticed weather moving in and the winds picking up as forecasted. I was thinking May 10,1996 all over again and I think Cowzing was too. He was urging me down though I wanted to wait for K more than anything. I did not know if K and her sherpa and some of our team had turned back b/c of the incoming weather. Cowzing absolutely wouldnt let me wait. So, after I called my dad, picked up some summit rocks, and took some pics, we headed back down the summit ridge. However, K and I met at the top of the Hillary Step at about 29,000′ even and took some pics, which was very special. K summitted 20 min later in clearing, sunny weather. It was so unfortunate we weren’t on top together and our one regreat is that we weren’t more forceful with the sherpas in our climbing together – we just didn’t know how “individual” it is on summit day on Everest and how disorganized things become not being able to recognize anyone in their suits at night, passing groups, and having the sherpas dictate things. However, we still both summitted, albeit 30 min apart, and are very happy. Rarely do things go absolutely perfect on any mtn and its very hard to have all your eggs hatch perfectly at the same time 🙂 We then got back down to the south col around 9:30am and broke down camp with the team and sherpas and made the descent to Camp 2 that afternoon at 21,000′, which was about the most tiring day we’ve ever had – the Everest deathmarch, we called it 🙂 We then woke up the following day and descended one last time through the icefall to basecamp promising each other we will never go thru that icefall again. I got some frost nip on my left big toe on summit day, but it should heal in 3 months time, Rob said. No losing toes for this guy. Rob Casserley, our good friend, summitted about an hour after us with our other friend Fi for his second summit of Everest this season, who he was staying with. Rob is the only westerner to do a double summit in two different seasons (2007 & 2010). This was his 7th summit of Everest and has the 2nd most summits of Everest of any Brit after Kenton Cool. I told him he needs to come to CO and start climbing some shorter mtns with us 🙂
One thing about climbing Everest that Rob always emphasized, it’s 70% psychological. It does require alot of mental fortitude, more than physical ability, the ability too be patient, wait things out, and to keep it together mentally above 25,000′ where there is minimal chance for a rescue if you get into trouble. Being on O2 is strange, but is a sure welcome above the south col when you get used to it. We slept with it off and on at camp 4 and is a great reliever of headaches we found out. My respect and admiration for those that can climb that high without O2 is off the charts after just trying to walk around camp 4 without O2…those people (Viestures, Messner) are simply superhuman.
Congratulations to Brandon & Kristine, from everyone in Charlotte, NC, at Jesse Brown’s Outdoors www.jessebrowns.com
Enjoy some of their photos!