[Click on the pictures to see larger versions with captions.]
Following on the heels of yesterday's success, more members of the Himex team made it to the top of Everest today, along with large numbers of people from other teams, including groups coming up from the mountain's south side. Where yesterday was windless and warm, this morning a moderate wind cooled the summit.
At 6:52 a.m., Mogens summited using oxygen, finally bringing his three-season quest for the summit to fruition. He was preceded by his guide and one Sherpa.
Two members of the Japanese team made it up around the same time, as did cameraman Mark Whetu, along with more camera-carrying Sherpas. But the real gem of the morning was to learn that 71-year-old Yanagsawa, guided by Hiro, climbed to the top as well.
Frankly, Yanagasawa had seemed an unlikely candidate for the big climb. Throughout the trip he moved at a slow, shuffling pace whenever he hiked along the glacier. But the former farmer, who had set himself the goal of climbing Everest a few years ago, moved up the mountain these past few days with determination, and proved his doubters totally wrong. He said, through translation, that he knew this was his only chance, and so he gave it his all. Apparently his wife in Japan thinks he's on a hiking trip.
The only member of this summit group who didn't make it up was Josette Valloton, who gave up her attempt to summit without supplemental oxygen yesterday at Camp 3. When she returned to ABC yesterday afternoon, she explained that she felt she needed more time to prepare herself for such an effort, and she didn't feel in step with the rest of her group as the only one not using 
oxygen. Her agreement with Russell was for a single shot at the climb, and since she wasn't ready to move up to Camp 4 yesterday, she had to give up her bid.
The remaining climbers from Team 1 yet to come down are Tim, who is still slowly descending from Camp 3, and Fred, who rested up overnight at Camp 1. Both will be back at ABC today.
As I write, today's summiters are descending. But effectively, the expedition is in its final stage.
Dozens of climbers have been up Everest during the past few days. Statistics are nearly impossible to collate as so many groups are on the mountain. Yesterday, for example, at least a dozen Chinese and Tibetan climbers were ahead of the Himex group. As the group descended they met several Columbian climbers going up.
The number of summiters this year could exceed 200. The number of deaths so far seems to be six; three on this side of the mountain (two Japanese and a Czech), and three on the Nepalese side (a Sherpa killed by rockfall early in the season, and two Koreans killed on the southwest face in an avalanche).
More details and photos about the experiences of the Himex team will follow soon.
Signing off,
Greg Child
Congratulations Mogens, you're a brave man!
GREAT WORK TIM, you're a very determined person.
GOD bless you all for your achievement1 Russell too, of course and the sherpas who are doing a Great job!
Posted by: Lucy Toma | October 03, 2009 at 03:00 PM