We left at 4:00 AM and arrived at Camp 1 around 1:00 PM—same time as last time, about 9 hours total. We ascended 2,864 feet, descended about 300 feet, and covered 3.47 miles. The route has changed quite a bit from just a week ago—several seracs have collapsed, forcing a detour that extended the climb.
Conditions started out fairly pleasant, with temps above 20°F, but some of the rock sections before “Crampon Point” were coated in ice and extremely slick. That’s the transition spot where the rocks end and the glacier begins. Surprisingly, we saw very few climbers on the route today.
Pulse ox is at 76 and climbing—feeling better after a solid 2-hour nap. Temps here swing wildly from 20°F to 80°F when the sun's out. It actually feels super hot right now.
Dinner tonight is mushroom stroganoff—just add hot water, stir, and wait a few minutes. Simple and satisfying.
Tomorrow we climb to Camp 2 at the Western CWM. If the weather holds, the summit could be just a few more days away. I’ll share all my videos and photos when I return to Base Camp.
Leaving Base Camp to Camp 1
We climbed for Hopecam Kid Dominick. Through his Hopecam connection, Dominick is able to connect with his class virtually. His favorite part is joining circle time, where they sing songs, discuss what day it is, and do affirmations. He loves being able to participate in class while in the hospital. This has made a HUGE difference in Dominick's happiness, and he reminds his family each day when it's time to get on Hopecam. “As his parent, seeing him smile and still be a part of his favorite activities makes me incredibly grateful to Hopecam.” Todays trek was for you Dominick!
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