"Everest Basecamp is not for everyone, visiting it for a few hours from a trek is one thing but living here can take its toll on some people. It is very isolated and of course with the altitude of 17,500 feet it can cause breathing problems in some people as well. There is no way of knowing how one will adjust until that individual actually comes to the Himalayas and finds out first hand."
- Byron Smith, April 11, 2000

Panoramic Basecamp

But somehow the Sherpas manage to build enough flat platforms between the endless rocks and blocks of ice to erect the tents. After several weeks it will look as though Basecamp is sinking around these flattened out tent beds because the bare spots melt and shrink in the sun but the area covered by tents stays frozen solid.

Getting to Basecamp, or BC in Everest-speak, is a chore onto itself. Climbers and their supplies are flown by plane or helicopter from Kathmandu to Lukla, a small village at about 2,800 m above sea level. Hired porters and their yaks then carry the tonnes of equipment in 60-kg loads to BC, some 30 km away. It's a long, arduous process that can take up to two weeks.

Yaks trekking through Dingboche

The steep trek from Lukla is the first introduction to the effects of higher altitudes. As the climbers go through the Khumbu region, passing the colourful market of Namche Bazaar and travelling through scattered settlements, they may experience their first shortage of breath and increased fatigue. These annual treks of climbers and helpers, have brought change to the region. The small teahouse stopovers of Lobouche and Gorak Shep are examples. Without the trekkers there would be no need for the teahouses.

"In stark contrast to the harsh qualities of the environment stood our campsite and all its creature comforts, including a 19-person staff. Our mess tent, a cavernous canvas structure, was wired with a stereo system and solar-powered electric lights; an adjacent communications tent housed a satellite phone and fax. There was a hot shower."
- Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air

Upon reaching Basecamp, trekkers are greeted by a burst of colourful tents and Tibetan-Buddhist prayer flags. Sherpas, who arrive first, have set up tents for dining, cooking, sleeping and showering. The bathroom tent consists of a big barrel lined with a bag and covered with rocks. There's also a communications tent with computers, satellite phones and batteries. Sherpas work with rocks they find to build shelves, kitchen tables, and even walls for privacy.

Sherpas cook food on kerosene stoves. Meals consist mainly of potatoes that are grown in the area, pasta, unleavened Tibetan bread, rice, beans and occasional servings of meat. Glacier water is used at Basecamp but it must always be boiled first. In fact, almost all unbottled liquids are boiled. Basecampers get used to drinking lots of tea, hot lemon water, and hot milk. Every morning, Sherpas bring hot tea and a basin of hot water for washing to climbers in their tents.

The mood at camp fluctuates according to the events of the moment. Early in the season there is much back-slapping and frivolity as regular climbers, guides, and Sherpas -- joined by their common pursuit of the summit -- greet each other and catch up on news of their friends. Yet below the surface there is a great deal of competition and gossip. It is a small community made of men and women who are known for their healthy egos and absolute determination to complete the task. There is also an underlying sense of fear. They all know and understand the absolute power of Everest.

"As I look out my tent window, or out my little door here on my tent, the Icefall is massive. It looks absolutely terrifying. I mean, I can't imagine. I guess I could imagine going through it, but I can't imagine actually living through it because when you look at it, it's just a huge mass of crevasses."
- Jane Bromet, Outside Online

Everest isn't very visible from Basecamp but the looming Icefall is ever present. It towers above the tent community - 600 metres of moving and shifting ice blocks and crevasses. As the day warms, huge sections melt and can fall away without warning. The sounds of the glacier cracking and shifting fill the air. It's disconcerting at night for climbers who leave their tents to relieve themselves, only to hear avalanches in the pitch-blackness.

"You're standing outside and you hear an avalanche. And you're thinking I hope it's not coming near here. This would be a really undignified way to die."
- George Gallant, April 25, 2000

This year may see a record 27 expeditions head for the summit along the South Col and 23 on the North. Even if Basecamp doesn't seem too crowded, with a comfortable space between camps of different expeditions, an extended stay can shrink these distances in a hurry.

With the extra time, climbers may also get bored, but that's not the case for the Sherpas. They constantly work, even when they have a day off. Almost every day that the weather is fine they are either working on preparations at Basecamp or are carrying gear to the upper camps in preparation for the ascent.

"Our Sherpas have a day off today from their carries to Camp II. They carry for two days and then have a rest day. Tomorrow four of them will make their way up to Camp II to stay and start stocking Camp III. The others will carry loads from Basecamp to Camp II until it is fully stocked in another four days."
- Byron Smith, April 12, 2000

When the climb is underway Byron's team physician, Virginia Robinson, stays in touch by radio. The team regularly tells her how they're feeling and what they're eating and drinking. This information helps her keep track of the condition of the climbers and whether they're experiencing loss of appetite or losing weight.

Physician's logs First day on the job Under my thumb E is for Everest... Chomolangma It's a grunt Get me outta here! Gabriel Do the right thing Dubious intentions On a hunch Expedition physician To the summit with luck Docs on ice Basecamp manager? The evacuation My eyes are dim

Most expeditions have their own doctor, but this is not always the case. This year Virginia has treated patients from other expeditions who didn't bring along medical staff. She's also helped establish an evacuation plan for injured climbers and she's helped prepare an emergency helicopter pad on the outskirts of Basecamp, just below the Khumbu Icefall.

If something goes wrong at a higher camp the Basecamp physician gives as much advice as possible over the radio. It's an art to diagnose an illness by asking a fatigued climber careful questions.

Virginia has prepared the climbers with pre-loaded syringes of dexamethasone, a potent steroid that can be injected to treat cerebral edema, one of the life-threatening complications of altitude sickness.

She's also given Byron, Tim and the Sherpas specific instructions on how to recognize the symptoms. Beyond that, when the doctor is at Basecamp and the team is up high, there is nothing to do but wait for them to come back down.

"...for the most important part [of the climb] you are on your own in many ways. To get yourself to the summit and get back down, you're on your own. But as far as getting ready to go to the summit, getting camps set up, getting ropes fixed, with so many people you just really have to work together ... Only one man has climbed Everest truly solo: Reinhold Messner"
- George Martin, EverestNews.com

Questions Kids Ask
Is it difficult to keep in touch with friends and family when you are staying at Basecamp?
Answer from team doctor Virginia Robinson:
Sometimes it is difficult to stay in touch, when the satellite phone is not working, or the weather is bad, or it is just too cold to type, like it is getting for me tonight.
More questions...