Day 05 - Carry to Camp 1

Today the real climbing began with our first carry to Camp 1. My pack was loaded with personal gear that I will only need higher on the mountain as well my share of the group gear. I'm guessing my pack weighed about 45-50 lbs. We headed out at 11am and reached Camp 1 (somewhere between 15,200 and 15,400 ft. - there was a lot of discrepancy between everyone's wrist-top altimeters) at about 3:15pm. That's an elevation gain of about 1,600 ft.

Because we had an extra tent due to the early departure of our team mate on Day 02, the guides carried up the spare and pitched it at Camp 1 to hold our cache. Normally all of the cache would be piled together and covered with rocks. That would have been a massive pile! I think the guides were happy to have their tent all ready pitched up there at Camp 1 and all ready for tomorrow night.

Our trip down only took about 1.5 hours and was nice with empty packs! We arrived back at Base Camp for our final night at 5:15pm.

The other big event of the day was our required medical exams. If the doctor finds you unfit, sick, or not properly acclimatized they can stop you from climbing the mountain. Our guide, Garrett, explained that usually at least one of their clients per season gets bared from ascending. They asked us about how we are feeling, sleeping, and if we are taking any meds. Then they ran blood oxygen level, pulse, and blood pressure tests.

Typically at sea level your blood oxygen level is 100%. Here are 13,800 ft. mine was 81%. That's not bad and I feel great. They get concerned if it low, say like less than 70%. But that number is really much less of indicator than how you are looking and feeling.

Everyone on the team passed with flying colors and is feel strong. We keep telling the guides that we are their Dream Team. I think they are starting to believe it.

Tomorrow we bid farewell to the luxury trekking and the deluxe accommodations of Base Camp and move to Camp 1. I'm looking forward to that!

Kurt out.