Contents [Ski Everest Home] Front page for the Skiing Everest Cybercast [UPDATES] Climbers call from Everest on a sat-phone [The North Side] Climbing guide Eric Simonson describes the Northeast Ridge Route [Meet the Team] The 1997 Everest Ski Expedition members [EVEREST '97] Rich multimedia cybercast from Everest [Sponsors] Companies that supported this effort The Everest Bookstore Click on a book for details and ordering info from The Mountain Zone Bookstore. "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer An epic, first-hand account of the 1996 tragedy. "Everest" by Walt Unsworth Thorough compilation of historic climbs, triumph and tragedy. "Everest Map" by Brad Washburn National Geographic centennial map, Washburn's Everest map and more. "Everest: The West Ridge" by Tom Hornbein The pioneering ascent by Unsoeld and Hornbein. [The Mountain Zone] More stories from The Mountain Zone			Updates From Everest Click here to get the FREE Real Audio Player to hear sat-phone calls. Calonica Mega-Organizing Day Monday, September 1, 1997 (Everest North Face base camp, Tibet) [Click to hear the sat-phone call.] Transcript: Hi you guys, this is Craig Calonica and it is 8:11 PM Monday the first here at Everest base camp. Today was a mega-organizing day. We have to pack all of our bags really, really tight because we're allowed sixteen yaks and only sixteen yaks and there was quite a bit of head work going down because you have to bring just what you can bring so it was one of those days where: "We need this? No no no. That one? Yes yes yes. And this one? No." Anyway, we're starting to figure it out. The morning of the fourth we'll be heading up to ABC [advance base camp] and sit up there and starve for oxygen for a while because it's at 21,500'. Going up there for the first time, you definitely feel that you're at 21,500' and you're not acclimatized yet. Although we're acclimatized to about 18,000', 18,500', that's still two thousand feet more and well, come over here and give it a shot and you'll see what I mean — it's pretty brutal. Anyway, everyone's fine. It was a gorgeous day. Cloudy off and on again up high and everywhere around us — except right around us; it's nice and clear. That pretty much says it all. We're going to go to bed right now and read a little bit and dream about going to the top of this baby and skiing it. You all take care and hello from the Everest team at Everest base camp. — Craig Calonica, Expedition Leader PREVIOUS UPDATE | UPDATES HOME | NEXT UPDATE

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