January 27, 2009

The team is still strong and still pushing on. Word has it they made it up the Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley.  The ascent is short but steep.  It is similar to the scrambling on Mount Kenya and there is not doubt their legs will feel the affects of it tonight. Tomorrow they will push on to Barafu Camp where the will spend the evening before heading off for the summit around 11pm.

As they get higher, their text messages to base camp are getting less and less clear. The LIVE updates from the guides typically reach us around 4pm or 5pm as the team gets into camp.  The guides let us know they are safe and all is well (or not), and then around 8pm the team sends an update down which is then posted here.

Because today’s made little sense, it is best to give it to you word for word, and let you help decipher it:

No rain, until well into camp. Tough climbing, all did really well. In fear of tough vertical ahead we aligned ourselves in order, climber, slacker, brooke and sam were not next to each other. Fun day for all, well enjoyed by all, Sam and fiona considered jumping off the mountain after stepping in hell box matter on trail.  Brooke and cat played hackey sack. Nice afternoon hike or nap.  Summit sight.

As you can tell, the team is lacking oxygen.  Wait until they get to the summit where there is 40% less oxygen then at sea level! Hopefully tomorrow’s report will be easier to understand.  However, they are currently at 4200m and will be up to 4600m tomorrow.