원정 개요

C1 at North Col.

Had limited resources: "it was really, really primitive." C1 area very very crowded, almost impossible to find a spot. Left ABC for top 10 May and on top 15 May 6:35 am NST; had left C3 9:40 pm 14 May for top, but got stuck behind very slow Indians at bottom of 2nd Step had to wait 20 minutes; got around them above 2nd Step. Left top at 6:57 and down at C3 at 9:30 am to drink down to C1 at 2:30 pm and back to ABC at 4:00 pm. Had no resources if storm came, so had to go all way down. Mingkipa "like a jack rabbit" as very fast and beat Gheorghe to top by about seven minutes.

Gheorghe used oxygen from C2 to top to ABC. Mingkipa turned hers off at 7200m in descent.

Gheorghe took off goggles after daylight came for 10-15 minutes on 15 May, knew he would become snowblind, kept his eyes squinted; in ABC put them on as was snowblinded for 1-1/2 days.