We arrived at Camp 4 at 6:00 PM. The winds were already strong—about 20 mph. We started our ascent at 6:00 AM and finished at 6:00 PM. Elevation here: 25,924 ft. Welcome to the Death Zone. Along the route, we encountered two fallen climbers, a powerful reminder of the mountain's unforgiving nature.
This is officially the highest point I’ve ever been. We were fortunate to have light winds and cloud cover during the climb. A lot of climbers were descending as we came up, which slowed us down and added hours to the approach. Since we arrived so late, we need time to recover—and the wind is only going to get worse.
Just got the latest weather update: a jet stream event is forming over the Bay of Bengal. Winds tonight are expected to reach 45 knots, which makes summiting far too dangerous. Right now, it looks like Wednesday night may be our new window, but we’ll wait and see what the forecast says.
We’re breathing supplemental oxygen 24/7 inside the tent—this is the Death Zone after all—but we’re doing okay. Ryan wants to play it safe, avoid frostbite, and wait for the right moment.
We will attempt the summit tomorrow afternoon if the weather cooperates.
As we made the ascent up the mountain to Camp 4, I honored Hopecam Child Gia. She told me “Mr. Len - I am grateful for what you are doing for kids like me and I hope your journey is safe and filled with fun!” - Gia
Meet Hopecam Child Gia