Pemba and Rohan all downed up for the summit

Funny thing about Everest is that you don't decide when you stand on her summit, she decides. Pemba and I were all downed-up and within a moment of leaving for C3. Looking up at the Lhotse face, it sure was devoid of climbers for what was suppose to be a busy climbing day on the Lhotse face. It was a windy and cold morning, so we weren't very concerned yet. However, many climbers were literally running by us to go to BC. Hmmm... Pemba, being the friendly social butterfly that he's, is always talking to other sherpas. It's astounding how many friends he has on this mountain. Anyway, he started talking to a sherpa that was turning back from the Lhotse face and soon found out that the forecast had changed overnight. Most climbers were already on their way to BC and others were making final preparation. When I called Eric in BC to get an updated weather forecast he gave me all kinds of bad news. High winds, extreme cold temps, HAPE and frostbite at C3 and no good summit window for awhile. Pemba and I went to IMG's camp to check in with Scott, but he was long gone to BC. The IMG sherpas recognized me right away, were happy to see me and gave Pemba, Kame and I tea and crackers. If only the IMG brasses could learn a thing or two from their sherpas?

Well, Pemba, Kame and I decided to turn this into an acclimatization rotation, so we hung out at C2 for the day.