We awoke at 3:45 a.m. this morning and struggled out of our sleeping bags in the dark to get an early start on our climb up the Lhotse Face, a demanding section of the route that begins just a few hundred feet above Camp 2. After a breakfast of cereal and freshly-baked cinnamon rolls (yes, you read that right; they were prepared by our wonderful Camp 2 cook, Dawa) and several cups of coffee (for me, anyhow), we started our climb. We started up towards the Face on fairly fresh legs after a couple days of rest at Camp 2.

It started off as a beautiful, calm morning of peaceful ascent, but icy winds picked up soon after we left camp. We took a short break before beginning our climb up the Face, and bundled up with all of the additional warm layers we had left in our packs. It was a cold day nonetheless, with the wind biting through our many layers of expedition gear. We climbed partway up the Face, before turning around and heading back to Camp 2. It was a successful day overall, we practiced on the steeper terrain and fixed lines of the Lhotse Face and got another good acclimatization shot. Incrementally, we are getting closer to our goal. We are looking forward to heading down to Base Camp tomorrow early to rest and recover and enjoy the thicker air and luxurious living at 17,600 feet–about 5,000′ lower than the highest point we reached today.

–Bill Allen Owner/Guide Mountain Trip International. Post sent via iPhone, from Everest