Up at 8am as planned, and ready to leave by 11. Started up motorcycle hill ion fine fettle, making it to the top in 40 minutes - the same time as every party that we watched yesterday. I was very short of breath at the top, but continued past squirrel point to the plateau below windy corner where we depoted our stores.
By now I was gasping for breath, feeling very stupid and my hands and feet were cold (though, to be fair the weather up there was rotten). We buried the supplies and started the return to 11,000 ft.
By now I was coughing fitfully, and always out of breath.
Near the bottom of the descent past squirrel point Murray's leg went down a crevasse, and as I anchored myself in the snow to arrest any further fall, I coughed and spat frothy pink sputum. It looks very much as if I have HAPE, and the only cure is to descend. Soon.
We are trying to work out a plan so Murray's trip is not a dead loss. He is away at present, trying to find a ranger to discuss the situation regarding the depot 2000 ft. above us.
Later
Waiting for Jim from 'Climbing for Christ' who is away getting me some Niphedipine tablets, and then we shift downhill........at least as far
as 9,700 but hopefully to 7,800. So it's pack up time
Much Later
Back at base camp at 1am. We were down at 7,800 by 10pm, where we stopped for a meal and a brew. I'm still coughing, but full of energy, vim and vigour. Crossed the glacier and crevasses at about midnight and arrived at base camp where a shoddy job of pitching the tent was made. Just eaten a snickers, and soon off to sleep.
Hope to fly out tomorrow.
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