Hello in cyberland,
Well, it's the morning after, and it sounds like everyone up there has hangovers. I tried to get an audio dispatch from them but Willi says, "we're too busy packing up right now and trying to get out of here by 9:00. Can you do one for us?" However the reality is that although everyone is tired but ok, they also have very hoarse voices this morning from breathing hard and from breathing oxygen. So I assure you all, yes, they are doing better than their voices might lead you to believe and maybe an audio cybercast isn't such a good idea after all. Willi promises they will give me a recording this evening from camp 2. (For you techno people out there, I have a small microphone taped to the base camp radio. I just record from the mountain straight to a file in the computer. Then I can send the file directly to mountainzone by satellite phone. I'm still amazed by what you can do these days.)
Anyway, as Willi says, the team is packing up. A sherpa team has already left camp 2 to go up to pick up and bring down everything from camp 4: tents, cooking stuff, personal gear, oxygen bottles (empty and full) - everything must come down. This year our team was a little shocked at the amount of gear left at camp 4 by other teams. We understand why this happened when they were getting pounded by high winds and cold and just wanted to get out of there, but after starting to get fairly well cleaned up it sounds like the South Col is turning into a garbage dump again. We have good weather, and although everyone is tired we will do our part to see that everything from our expedition is brought down. (Editorial comment from Ellie: Although no one likes to see "trash" on the mountain, and we frequently hear about "environmental" expeditions to clean up Mt. Everest, I still maintain that no one ever caught hepatitis or cholera from an old oxygen bottle. If someone really wants to help out, how about contributing to improved health care down below where people live and really get sick.)
So for today the team is gathering their energy for the descent of the Lhotse Face to camp 2. Although I'm sure they would rather spend the day lying around in their sleeping bags and drinking tea, there's work to be done. At least they can be grateful that this time it's all down hill. We're definitely looking forward to seeing everyone safe and sound back in base camp tomorrow.
More tonight from camp 2,
Ellie
— Ellie Henke, Alpine Ascents International Base Camp Manager and MountainZone.com Correspondent