You know it always gets very hot up here in the Western Cwm. Cwm is, I believe, a Welsh word for a steep-sided valley. And the Western Cwm is the ice-filled valley that is occupied by the Khumbu Glacier above the Khumbu Icefall. And when you're coming up in windless conditions, it acts like an absolute solar oven; it's unbelievable how hot it can be. So we experienced that again on the way up for about half of it until some clouds and precipitation came in and had everyone diving for more clothes.
At any rate, everybody got up in good form here, quite a bit less time in the second go-round to Camp II than it was the first go-round to Camp II. Everybody is feeling quite well and we're going to move up to Camp III, at almost 7,0000 meters, or 23,000 feet, on the Lhotse Face.
Also a little side note, I think the entire group is going to be, actually it already is, very glad that we're up here at Camp II with Ang Tsering's cooking instead of the guides cooking at Camp I. So Camp I meals tend to be something to 'get through' on the way to Camp II.
In any regard, everybody is doing well and is in good health, no problems or anything so we continue to look forward to gaining elevation as we progress with our acclimation schedule here on Mount Everest.
— Willi Prittie, Alpine Ascents International Guide and MountainZone.com Correspondent
