Above you can see Vanessa, Greg, and DaOngchhu trekking below Pumori in the morning’s first light. Today went very well, and we’ve returned to Camp 2 for the night. We had an early start today at 1 a.m., and awoke a beautiful starry night. Everyone felt well and we made quick work of the Khumbu Icefall. It was great to see Vanessa back to full strength after a couple of days of not feeling her best.

The Western CWM from Camp 1 up to Camp 2 was a solar oven today; with almost no wind we were battling the heat instead of the cold for a change. We’re thrilled to be back up here for another round of acclimatization in preparation for our summit bid. We’re planning to spend four or five nights up at Camp 2, regaining our strength and waiting for our bodies to adjust to the altitude. After a couple of rest days, we’re hoping to continue climbing higher to Camp 3.

Vanessa crossing a ladder by headlamp.

– Bill Allen, Owner/Guide Mountain Trip International