737 Leg 7 Everest - Day 162

Steve, Adam, Mark and myself made good time to camp 3 (7100m) all arriving with plenty in the tank. It took us 4.5hrs. We had to climb up the Lhotse face into spin drift and gusts blowing down from the south col. Camp 3 is a ledge cut out the face just big enough for our tents. Steve and I have spent the day melting snow and testing o2 for the climb to camp 4 and resting in our tent. Had to climb past a dead Japanese guy in a body bag at the bottom of the Lhotse face.

Andy Chapman (one of our leaders) climbed with us to the bergschrund at the foot of the Lhotse Face and then descended to Camp 2.

Andy helped members of the Japanese team to evacuate the body of the climber who had died high on the mountain a few days ago. A stretcher owned by Jagged Globe that had been at Camp 4 was used to lower his body to Camp 2 from where a helicopter pick up was requested.

Our team of sherpas who will be climbing to the summit with us left Base Camp in the early hours of the morning and are now resting in Camp 2. Tomorrow morning all 8 of us (Steve, Adam, Mark and me and 4 sherpas) will climb to Camp 4 (7,950m).