Day 10 - Camp I to Camp II (5,000M to 5,800M)

Return to Camp II

I woke this morning to a cracking headache, which is a total disappointment, because all day yesterday felt like a million bucks. Several tents are going through similar ventilation "tug of war" scenarios. In a nutshell, the challenge is that if the tent is zipped, without proper ventilation, then carbon dioxide builds over time leaving the occupants in oxygen debt. At altitude, this can rarely be overcome. To date the heavy nightly winds made up for poor ventilation, pushing fresh air through every seam, but last night the winds never came. Combine this with ever increasing methane levels and it is a small wonder Bartek or I ever woke to meet the day. Not surprisingly we both were in debt.

The group was in very high spirits heading to the base of the bowl for the morning ascent. The summit was less that 48 hours away and that seemed very tangible.

As opposed to two days prior, frequent rest breaks were taken to preserve energy levels for the 4:00am wake-up call tomorrow. Australian Dan, who works as a consultant in London gave the big "thumbs up" that all was right in the world. Dan may be the tallest of our expedition at over two meters, carrying his position with a calm disposition and keen Aussie wit. He has a humble mental and physical prowess that takes others into account, making him an easy conversationalist and an honest team player.

You may have heard of "Urban Sprawl", well this is a visualization of "Mountain Sprawl".

The route to Camp II was the same, but somehow seemed more accessible today.

The last official rest break was light hearted, ...

... as the team enjoyed the clear views of the Andes range.

The unexpectedly warm weather meant that only my best "Aunt Jemima" imitation was needed to fend off the sub-freezing temperatures.

My climb was golden, until just shy of Camp II, when the bottom fell out. Many thanks to the guides and New Zealand Richard for helping to set up our tent. Bartek could only muster the effort to fall inside after the tent was completely set up and I was faltering big time prior to the group rescue, eventually allowing me to take a seat while Richard and guides finished the effort.

The question is definitely bound to come up, so let's just address it head on, "How do you take care of the bigger business?" That is what the "blue tent" is for. Ok, obfuscated logistics: there's no floor in the tent, but there is newspaper, T.P. and a plastic bag... think "puppy training" and you pretty much have it. The challenge is that the tent only stands about a meter and a half high, which can be a challenge for the taller members of the group.

So, dinner at 5,800 meters consisted of instant rice and bread. For the first time, it was a real effort to choke down the mix. Almost every bite required an oxygen replenishment deep breathing session.

Packing for the mornings ascent, my Clif Bars more than announced the elevation. The packages strained to contain expanded sea level gases.

I was ready for sleep that would hardly come. 4:00am was less than eight hours away and at 5,800 meters "sleep gasping" had finally come to me. This is a phenomenon similar to the feeling of swimming under water and surfacing for a much needed breath. The difference here is that there is no water and the incoming breath is oxygen depleted, so it is usually one gasp to consciousness and two more to feel enriched. Doze and repeat, doze and repeat, pee break, doze and repeat, pee break, doze and repeat, alarm...