For starters, it's COLD! Spring came for a little while, but now we're back to wearing our warm woolies again. Both yesterday and today we awoke to blustery winds, which had us concerned for the climbing team up on the mountain. Wind is definitely not their friend. But both days when we talked to them on the radio they have reported sun and mild breezes up on the mountain. That's okay. We don't mind being a little uncomfortable for a few days if it is giving them a break.

It sounds like the climbing team took their own sweet time getting to Camp III yesterday. Since they were busy getting settled in and didn't call in right away, the closest we can tell is that they arrived around 4 o'clock-ish in the afternoon. But in this case moving slowly isn't so bad. The weather stayed good for them, and the snail's pace helps them conserve energy that they will need later on.

Part of getting settled in involved getting out the oxygen gear that had been left for them by the Sherpas. Each person has his own oxygen mask that he tried on here in Base Camp to make sure it fit. Like kids going to summer camp, they put their name on their mask so it doesn't get mixed up with someone else's. Each person also has his own oxygen bottle to breathe out of during the night. At a 1/2 liter per minute flow,one bottle has plenty of oxygen to last a climber through the night. And it must make them feel pretty good.

This morning when I talked to Willi on the radio he said that everyone in his part of camp slept really well last night. He even described Karl as still snuggled in his sleeping bag hugging his bottle of oxygen and making motions that he was NOT ready to come out yet. Karl is not an early riser and these early mornings are hard on him.

— Ellie Henke, Alpine Ascents International Base Camp Manager and MountainZone.com Correspondent

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