I explained I wanted to descend as quickly as possible to camp IV in order to warm myself and gather a supply of hot drink and oxygen in the event I might need to go back up the mountain to assist descending climbers.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I said to Scott that the ascent seemed to be going slowly and that I was concerned descending climbers could possibly run out of oxygen before their return to camp IV.
Concerned that others were not coming onto the summit and because I had no radio link to those below me, I began to wonder if there were difficulties down the mountain. I made the decision to descend.
It's a heavy burden to look up at the mountain and want to start the climb.
Mountain hikes instilled in me a life-long urge to get to the top of any inviting summit or peak.
When I climb a building, I've been there already, and carefully planned how to start the climb as well as how to do it.
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.
To get ready to climb Everest, I did a lot of hill running with a daypack on and a lot of underwater swimming. I would swim a couple of lengths underwater and then a couple above. It gets your body going with limited oxygen.
You have to know when you're at the top of your particular mountain, I guess. Maybe not the summit, but as high as you can go.
Whatever that means, however you got on that mountain, why not try to climb it? And do it in your own way.
The principal or highest part of the mountain having changed its direction to east and west, I ascended it in such manner as to leave its most elevated ranges to the south and travelled north west over a very rough and broken country generally covered with snow.