As the saying goes, all good plans are just guidelines—especially on Everest.

Our leadership team made the call to pause my departure by 24 hours, and after reviewing the details, it was clearly the right move. Four key factors shaped the decision:

Team Recovery: Our five Nepalese climbing guides had just returned from four grueling days above 7,000 meters, hauling oxygen, tents, fuel, and food to Camp 4. They need more time to rest before we push higher.
Weather Shift: The winds on our initial target summit day, May 19, are stronger than forecasted. That means colder temperatures at the start and increased frostbite risk.
Summit Traffic: May 17–19 now looks to be the peak window for summit attempts, with hundreds of climbers on the route. Clogging at the Hillary Step and other bottlenecks could be a factor.
A Better Option: May 20 should be significantly less crowded. We estimate that more than 60% of the 450 registered climbers will have either summited or turned back by then. While May 22–24 also look good, waiting that long poses new risks and many teams will go late because the season is shaping up to be longer this year.

The downside to this adjustment? Winds of 25 mph are expected early at Camp 4 on the morning of the 21st, making the descent to Camp 2 colder and potentially more challenging.

Tonight at 4:00 a.m., Ryan and I will begin our climb through the Khumbu Icefall and bivouac at Camp 1. The rest of our team departs Friday at 2:00 a.m. and should reach Camp 1 around 9:00 a.m.—we’ll be waiting with hot water and food before we all move up together to Camp 2.

This is a good strategy for a reducing the risk of too much stress for me.

One step at a time.

Life at Base Camp: Staying Busy Before the Ascent