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19.5.2009 On the way to C4

Sweet dreams in a warm sleeping bag in the basecamp were interrupted by 6am to make a scheduled radio contact to C3 "Camp3, Juha...Camp3, Juha, over". A fresh voice of Tomi replied immediatelly. The summit team had just finished their preparations and were ready to take off towards C4. The things are going according to the plan. The route goes through Yellow Band and Geneva Spur to almost 8000m in the South Col where they will set up a tent, boil some water, eat and rest until the evening. It would be good if they can reach the South Col before noon due to the fact that the winds are gaining strength during the afternoon and setting up a tent in high wind is slower. The forecast today morning was still good weather on 20-21.5 so it shouldn't intervene with the attempt. The "Summit Fever" is now really high on Everest. For today morning there are already number of summiteers and during the coming three days most of the expeditions are on the way to the summit.

Today at midnight the summit team will start from C4 towards the summit. The route goes approximately as follows. First there is 4-5h to the "Balcony" where they will change a full oxygen bottle and the old will stay in Balcony to wait for the descent. Next there is 2-4h to the south summit and again 1h to the Hillary Step and finally last 1h to the summit itself. The descent goes with the same route to the Balcony where the oxygen bottle is changed again if needed and down to C4 and C3 to rest, rehydrate and eat. After a night's sleep they will descend back to basecamp.

To ensure the safety there are two points of turning back. One is the time, 12:00 (noon), meaning that if the climber is not in the summit by noon he has to turn back. Another is the oxygen left in the bottle. If the pressure reaches 70bar the climber has to turn back. That will take him back to the Balcony and the bottle left in the Balcony will have at least 50bar to take the climber to C4 and C3.

All is well