Moving down to Plaza de Mules base camp (4300m) 19 Jan

In the morning Jay and I were groggy and didn't want to get out the tent. We also knew it was very cold outside. Eventually Sibu got us up and we started packing up the camp. After emerging from our tent we noticed that two team members were missing, namely Phokwane and Frank. Apparently Frank had been advised to head down to base camp immediately yesterday as he had felt sick. Phokwane's oxygen levels had dropped dramatically to she had left the high camp early in the morning. Later we learned that she had a type of bronchitis as was airlifted off the mountain. We would join up with the whole team again in Plaza de Mules base camp.

Going down the mountain was quite fun for me as we could slide down ice slopes using our crampons for control.  Later the snow line ended and we were disappointed that we had to take out crampons off.

Half way down we came upon a mule carcass. Apparently there are several on the mountain dating back many years to times when they needed to carry building materials to the high camps. At these freezing temperatures nothing decays.

As the Plaza de Mules base camp came into view about 1000m below us, we could see that it had been sited at the foot of a great mountain glacier. The view from up there was spectacular. But by now we were getting very thirsty and hungry and were looking forward to getting down. Jay and I had been too tired to melt water for the long trip to base camp and now we were suffering as there was no water on route.

We arrived in base camp at 6pm and immediately enquired about Satellite phone facility. We quickly found an art gallery (crazy idea) with full facilities including live web cam. So Jay and I got to call home and send news to Lynne and at the same time pose in front of the web camera, sitting comfortably on deck chairs.

We met up with the rest of the team in the large mess tent and enjoyed a delicious chicken meal together, and toasted with sparkling wine. Guides Sibu and Juam shared some words to summarize the success of the expedition and we couldn't agree more. It had been a life changing experience for all of us. Juam also shared that Jayson is the youngest that he had taken up the mountain and that it was his 30th summit.