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George Dijmarescu: Everest 2003


American George Dijmarescu has Summited Everest four times from the North,
once without oxygen. If he summits again this year it will be 5 consecutive
times via the North route...

"Summit Day"

Report 5: Dear EverestNews.com readers, tomorrow May19th the Romanian
expedition will start its summit bid with the plan for summiting on May 22.
We will carry to camp one tomorrow and will have a night rest there, an
early morning wake up will help us get to camp two before 3 PM, we will pose
there again overnight and again in the next day will carry on to the last
camp at 8300m, hopefully before 5 PM where we will have to do all we can to
rest a few hours and before the middle of night with head lamps ready and
new batteries fasten will start toward the summit. All going well we will
reach the NE Ridge at between 4-5AM, with the sun heating our left side and
spirits high we will proceed towards the first step. Attention should be
paid to the point of where we will reach the ridge because that's the point
we will have to leave the ridge toward the wall, in case of bad weather with
low visibility is paramount to remember this point, in fact is the only
place one can be lost, continuing down on the ridge will spell disaster,
with most of the energy exhausted is almost impossible to climb up the
ridge, it is known that several climbers made that mistake and some paid
with their lives. The first step is not far ahead and can be reached in 20
min or more, this obstacle represents a low technical obstacle at low
elevation but there, we will use ascender for saving time and security, it
can be toppled in10 minutes without the inconvenience of traffic. Shortly
after follow the unmistakable Mushroom Rock, an almost 6ft rock shaped in
the form of mushroom. This is a place used for a rest, and changing the
Oxygen bottle, some only for rest depend on the Oxygen flow used. After
sipping a bit of tea or coffee we will start what is in my opinion the most
part of the route, the distance between first and second step, this part is
mostly flat and sometime descending, however the rock is mostly loose and
cannot be trusted, fixed ropes will help tremendously for security and
speed. In my previous climbs this was the part I never rush it, but was the
place where a Belgian climber fell to his death, I also observed two other
corpses 200 yards bellow probably the result of the same fate. In my 1999
ascent I counted 12 corpses in my way towards the summit. Some climbers
stopped and contemplate others like myself kept on going minding their own
business, some take unethical photos and video others superstitious think
that those photographs will bring bad luck. The second step can be reached
in less than 30 min but in a normal pace 45min. This obstacle described and
photographed so many times need no description, it never took me more than
30min from its bottom to the top but it can pose a real challenge if traffic
is heavy. From the top of the second step we can see the third and last one,
the terrain is easy with light incline and wide, a fine place to change
Oxygen, rest and to pass slower climbers. The third step can be reached in
15 min. This obstacle can be toped in 10-15 min also depending on the
traffic. After this a little scrambling on yellow rocks left and right hand
descending 15-20 ft with splendid view of Makalu on left hand side,
hopefully our Kanshung face didn't start boiling already so we can admire
and start make plans for this difficult side of Everest. We will go up for
another 10-15min and we will reach the bottom of what's called ''The snow
pyramid'', we will follow on left hand side for 15-20min then will traverse
the pyramid to right and will end up un the rocks, from here we will not be
visible anymore with naked eye, another 15-20min and we will reach an
incline which will climb a bit turning left, 10 min and we will reach a snow
saddle, turn right up for 5min and we will follow the ridge to a relatively
flat place, from here we can see the summit 15-20 minutes away depend on the
speed of the climber. It is ideal to return to camp 3 as early as possible,
those in better shape can descend to lower camps at 7800m or to North Col,
for those who wonder about Sherpa, they can descend all the way to ABC but
we will keep our heart of the expedition with us wherever for the security
of the members. Regardless we will be in ABC not later than May 24. Our
jeeps will be ready for us at base camp on May 26 and we will be in
Kathmandu on 27th. If all goes well.

The following members are still in the race for the summit and feel strong
and ready; Mihai Sima, Coco Galescu, Fane Tulpan, Lucian Bogdan, Marius
Gane, Dr. Sebastian Koga, Sorin Smilovici, Gheorghe Dijmarescu, Lakpa
Sherpa, Doni Sherpa, Nima Gombu Sherpa, Dawa Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Pemba
Sherpa, Sherep Sherpa, Chewang Dorje (the son of legendary Ang Rita),
Motilan Gurung, Mingma Gelu Sherpa. The rest of our members are not here for
various reasons, we lost Mingma Sherpa due to serious ulcer illness. We sure
missed him since he was in our summit team, we also hope and pray for his
speedy recovery and hope his pregnant wife will not have a serious financial
loss.

Our team will carry a sat phone and will call family, friends, sponsors and
the world with our success. Please pray for all of us, we need it. Once
again here in ABC will let you know how it went. Best wishes for my fellow
people in Connecticut and to those in Romania, for the world followers of
EverestNews.com, we thank you so much.

To my baby Sunny, dear, I love you, you mother love you, we think of you
every minute and will have you in our hearts to the summit, back here and
can't wait to see you home.

George Dijmarescu, at ABC Tibet side of Everest

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