The Window is open...

Between 8,000 and 12,000 meters of altitude, there is a wind current called Jet Stream (where airplanes fly).  On the summits of the mountains of eight thousand meters (Everest), this wind is part of the scenery and can blow with great force with speeds of up to 300 Km/h.  If a human being stands on the summit with those winds, he or she would fly like a kite! 

The strong winds won't let you advance and will give you cold and fatigue.  All the expeditions look how to take advantage of the moment when the Jet Stream goes away from the mountain for a period of two to three days, when there is a more stable weather and when there is a real opportunity to attack the summit. 

What weather phenomena have to happen for the wind to recede from one day to another? 

Every summer, the tropical heat of Bengal Bay produces a great mass of humid air, the famous Monsoon.  This air saturated with water is dragged towards the Himalayas, hits against the mountains, goes up and pushes the Jet Stream to the North and the strong winds recede.  This is what is called a WINDOW of good weather because the winds diminish to less that 40 Km/h and nature gives the climbers an opportunity to reach their goal. 

The mountain creates its own micro-weather and it is impossible to forecast with accuracy since there is no weather station. However, at Base Camp weather forecasts from four different sources are analyzed, they are compared and conclusions are made to take decisions as a team.

This season, the good weather window is predicted for the days of May 15, 16 and 17.  The Mexicans have made plans to reach the summit on May 16 before noon.  That day was chosen to have a margin of good weather before and after the summit.  That day the force of the wind won't exceed 20 Km/h and temperatures will be around -20º Celsius in average. 

On May 12, the Mexicans left Base Camp with the highest goal in the world, to conquer the 8,850 meters of the Sagarmatha Goddess.  Each one expressed his happiness in his own way, with fear and illusion combined with incertitude.  Andrés was thoughtful, concentrated, with his experience he knows that this is a matter of patience and luck.  Alejandro was thoughtful, sensitive, selfish, enjoying the beginning.  Luís has a nervous laughter, he didn't stop telling jokes and anecdotes to clear his mind.

On the mountain each climber is alone with his body and soul, the three Mexicans are not tied, however they are a team and among them moral support is important.  For better safety, they organized in couples.  Each climber is going with a Sherpa and they will take care of each other.  Andrés and Alejandro are going to try to go without oxygen, but the Sherpas carry an oxygen bottle in case of emergency.  Luís is carrying his four bottles of oxygen during the whole journey from Camp 4.

The moment has arrived to give ourselves to the mountain with devotion and courage, respect and humbleness...

-          My head is flooded with a typhoon of lies, ideas, truths and illusions.  I repeat to myself once and again the sequence of activities for that day and reaffirm to myself shyly that this can be done, that somehow that absence of miraculous coincidences will happen in your day.

What is certain is that one goes with greatest fears than ever, hoping that we have that supernatural strength that we still don't know and we'd probably have.  We have to reach as high as possible and come back to ourselves, that is what we hope...  Alejandro Ochoa 

-          Four days to fight against our bodies and minds, to search into our souls the internal fire that has brought us here. - Andrés Delgado

-          I'd like to be up there by my own means, but I would also like that people know that if you try hard this can be done.  I never had sports education or the means to climb, it has been hard to get the economical support, but I am fighting here for my dream.  I came without money for this trip, now a sponsor believed in me and that motivates me. - Luís Espinoza 

SUMMIT ATTEMPT SCHEDULE

·          In Mexico it is 11 hours less than in Nepal

Wednesday, May 12

5:30 AM Base Camp - Camp 2 (6 hrs. Aprox)

Night in Camp 2

Thursday, May 13

Day of rest - acclimatization in Camp 2

Night in Camp 2

Friday, May 14

8:00 AM Camp 2 - Camp 3 (7 hrs. Aprox)

Night in Camp 3

Saturday, May 15

6:00 AM Camp 3 - Camp 4 (8 hrs. Aprox)

2:00 PM - 8:00 PM Try to rest and sleep at Camp 4

8:00 PM - DEPARTURE FOR THE SUMMIT

Sunday, May 16

ARRIVAL TO THE SUMMIT, by the morning

Translated from Spanish by Jorge Rivera

Dispatches