Everest '07 - Team Diary

9th September 2007 - Rise Above It!

We did it!

There was a last chance weather window, so we rose at 3.30am to clamber up the same steep trail as yesterday; but this morning it was treacherous following heavy overnight rain. As we followed the trail in pitch darkness, the sky cleared and moonlight outlined the massive forms of one huge mountain after another. Khumbi, Towoche, Cholatse, Korsumkangero, Tamsaku, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and then Everest herself all towering dark from the epherial cloud base.

We split into two packs with an advance team driving on up the slopes to start preparing the balloon kit. As they reached the site we chose yesterday, it was apparent that the whole range was soon to be revealed by the morning sun. We would have around 45 minutes to rig the whole kit, safety check and shoot the images before the cloud would envelope all. The second group arrived and after a well rehearsed briefing, the whole set-up went like clockwork and the inflation began right on sunrise. The duo burner and seat system designed by Ultramagic Balloons worked so well, with a consistant burner pressure despite the altitude. The Ultralight material GUK and Wrigley's artwork glowed gloriously against the clear morning sky.

We inflated the Girlguiding UK balloon at just under 4,000m high up in the Himalayas and the few images below give a taste of the backdrop we were blessed with this morning. Every member of the team took turns at the burner end and even the Sherpas had a moment to savour having carried it so far! For a brief moment, we considered a long tether or short flight, but safety first, we packed it away just as the cloud rolled in.

Our ultimate goal was to do this again at Everest Base Camp. Sadly, we heard today that the main bridge at Phunki Tenga en route from here to EBC was washed away overnight in a landslide. We will therefore get some sleep and head back to Kathmandu over the coming days.

It has been a fantastic day - definately another Mountain Top Moment!