Summit Attempt Recap/What Happens Next

Larry pretty much sums it all up so well in this post below.  I must admit, I shed a few tears reading it... but back to hoping, praying and positive vibes for my "superhuman" husband!

Larry Daugherty

7 hrs 

Quick update with full report coming after some food & sleep. You can imagine an exhausting few days. Myself, Brandon & Thomas are now off the mountain & back in Kathmandu. However, superhuman David remains at Camp 2 with another window on 5/21. So there is still hope for Team Chupacabra to make the summit (insider tip - that's been our self-given team name and chant since Aconcagua in 2012). We pray for Dave's success and safety.

Well, I guess we can say we've been to the second highest peak on Earth. Believe it or not, the South Summit of Everest is higher than K2. But still, just heartbreaking to have been less than 400' from the top of the world.

I'm a bit ashamed to say that I was like the mailman arguing with Rob Hall when it came time to make a decision. We deliberated for quite awhile. I felt very strong and knew we could make it. Having been near the top of many mountains close to dawn, I argued the winds we were experiencing were just typical pre-dawn mountain winds. My argument almost won out. Wisdom came first from Brandon, who also was very strong and I know wanted to summit just as bad as the rest of us. But when he began his rappel down the South Summit, I was convinced finally that it was time to turn around.

Long story short, here is a view of the scene as we returned to Camp 4, nearly 3,000' lower than where we turned around. Add a couple of hours to this (the time it would've taken to summit) and add 3,000' of elevation. As I looked up at the summit when we reached camp and could actually hear the jet stream above, I about kissed the ground in gratitude that we had made it back - probably turning around just in time. Crossing the South Col just to get to camp was a challenge, winds strong enough to about knock you over. Tents blowing away or destroyed.

Hindsight is 20/20 and in this case I'm thankful that others were more convincing than me in the moment and that wisdom won the day and we're all safe & alive with no frostbite as a result.

I didn't mean for this to be so long. Just wanted friends & loved ones to know I'm off the mountain. Thank you everyone for the support & prayers.

Thank you Alan Arnette for the kind analysis of our team's summit push & decision-making:

http://www.alanarnette.com/…/everest-2017-winds-return-thw…/

I half-expected some criticism if our decision to even attempt on the 17th. To my knowledge, we were the only team attempting the summit on that day. It's been a tough weather year with limited opportunities to attempt the summit. We knew wind was in the forecast, but were racing against it with an early start (8:45pm). We were in (we thought) perfect position at the South Summit around 3am, plenty of time (we thought) to top out and beat the 'real' wind. Well, the wind came earlier than we'd expected gosh darn it! Anyway, just thank you for the praise Alan and not roasting us, lol.

Enough for now. Very, very heartbroken & disappointed. But I promised my wife & many others before the climb that o would be at peace with the outcome. I'm getting there. We gave it all we had, the mountain just had other plans that day.

Now Climb On Dave!!!!!!

I have received many texts asking me how I'm feeling etc.  I said on my FB:  Anyone is wondering my opinion on the matter, Dave texted me to discuss the options. He told me he was still feeling strong. I told him if he thought he could recover quickly enough and would be strong enough to continue- that he should give it another shot! I told him if he is heading up and is moving slow or does not feel he will have the energy to make it safely down that he should turn around. He has already accomplished so much! 

He promised he would be safe and I trust his judgment. Larry so graciously left his "in reach" device which doesn't have much battery left but at least gives us an option to communicate a little bit. I am so grateful for that.  Lhakpa will also be communicating via radio and will be texting me with updates.  Many have asked if he will be alone- no, definitely not alone.  He will have his Summit Sherpa who has been with him the whole time, he's one of the best.  They also will be alongside a big group from the parent company who is running their operation.  To me, this allows support but also flexibility if they need to move as a smaller team.  

My hope now is that Dave will feel lifted up by all of the prayers and positive thoughts on his behalf.  It must feel a bit alone up there.  He texted this morning and said the 21st is off, might be looking at the 22nd.  As always, weather and energy level dictates what happens.  I sort of feel like we have been in a reality TV show the last several weeks.  He's the lone survivor up there.  Hoping that no matter what happens next, he will be home within the next week.  Starting to miss him just a bit :)