After yesterday's practice seminar crossing ladders a couple of centimeters off the ground everyone was keen to put our skills to the test. So after a hearty breakfast of hashbrowns and eggs, we shouldered our packs and headed up into the famous Khumbu Icefall.
We lashed on our crampons as moraine gave way to seracs and soon we were climbing through a wondrous icy terrain filled with strange white sculptures and black crevasses. Soon the ice became so tortured that crossing these cracks was our only option if we were to progress. That's where the ladders come in. And, depending on how wide the crevasse is, several ladders may be tied together in order to bridge the gap.
We crossed some singles over shallow cracks and a couple of doubles (16 to 18 feet wide). However, the highlight of our outing was a triple. That's to say three 10-foot ladder sections lashed together to span a 25-foot wide chasm. It was deep enough to turn dark before the bottom was visible. Some crack. Yet everyone walked across the ladder with good form and style.
It was smiles all around as we returned to our camp for lunch. Tomorrow we will rest and organize our equipment so we may begin our first acclimatization ascent soon.
The team is doing well and is in high spirits. We send our love to our special ones. Thank you for all your prayers and best wishes.
— Vern Tejas, Alpine Ascents International Guide and MountainZone.com Correspondent
