원정 개요

C2 in West Cwm
C3 at pitched for clients of Nomads expedition
C4 at South Col.

Tried for top with his trekking agency's client Rodriguez. Started from Col with 4 other Sherpas at 9:30 6 May and reached 8500m at 3:00 am having fixed 700m rope there, but snowing and cloudy and couldn't see our way, so back to Col and C2 same day.

Next time Babu tried for top was his expedition's climb: left BC 20 May at 5:00 pm, stopped in C2 at 8:10 pm for 40 minutes for drinking tea and changed clothes because damp from sweat from non-stop fast climb. Again up and had to break fresh trail through ankle-deep new snow from Geneva Spur to Col and reached C4 2:30 am after losing time breaking trail. Stopped in C4 for 35 minutes for tea and porridge and put on down suit and left Col at 3:00 am and with Dawa and Nima Dorje (who turned back from South Summit while Babu and Dawa went up together to top). At balcony at 8500m at about 5:00 am "so tired and going very slow," so Babu took over half-full oxygen bottle Dawa was carrying as extra and his extra regulator and used it to top (at South Summit it was finished). Stayed 10-15 minutes at top (where left his orange banner found on 28 May by Russian Voldine from north side who brought it back and taken to Moscow museum) and took photos with Sherpas from Arun trekkings Danish team. Down to South Col in new snowfall and windy and got snowblinded that night in South Col, so used oxygen that night hoping pain would go down (but did not). Started down at 8:00 am, but which time vision restored. Slept in C2 and BC next day, 23 May at 8:00 am. "Lot of people came to welcome and western people had movie cameras."

If got good sponsor will go again, but don't know now what special project, but not speed climb. If had really good weather and not to have to lose 2 hours breaking trail, could have done climb in less than 15 hours. "This kind of weather I have never seen before in spring" with so much snow since first time on mountain in 1990.

Had wanted to leave BC for speed ascent at 4:00 pm but had to wait an hour because it was snowing at 4:00 pm, so started at 5:00 pm instead and reached summit at 9:56 am on 21 May for total elapsed time of 16 hours 56 minutes. His brother Dawa had arrived at South Col on 20 May.

Babu climbed all the time on his own permit, although HMG granted it formally only after he had been on mountain for some weeks. Head of mountaineering section in Ministry of Tourism said he could start before permit issued. Ministry of Tourism first announced his climb took 15 hours 56 minutes, but he corrected this to 16 hours 56 minutes and ministry announced his correction.

* Babu is part owner of Nomad Expeditions: their climbers were Hugo Rodgriguez (Mexican), Gdaliahu Shtirmer (Israeli) and Gabrid Filippi who were on permit of British team lead by Gavin Bate. Babu climbed independently as one-man team.

* 2 Sherpas in and above South Col. Simone Moro said he saw Babu use oxygen in C4 before summiting).