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Equipped with satellite communication tools, the team is sending dispatches
and photos back to this Web site. You’re invited to follow the climb
through written accounts and digital images. 
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May 11, 2001
All four of us are now back at Advanced Base Camp. Mike and I once again
made it up to the North Col only to be forced back down by another heavy
snowfall and high winds. With over a foot of fresh snow on the North Col
the avalanche danger is just too high.
When we made the decision to climb Mount Everest this season we were
excited by the prospect of making the climb as a small, independent team.
In this age of commercial expeditions we were enthusiastic to be taking
a more fundamentally “pure” approach to the mountain. Not that
we have anything against the larger commercial teams -- we just wanted
to try a more unique and challenging style.
From the beginning it seems like we’ve been plagued with storms
and sickness, and that certainly has brought us the challenge we sought,
and then some. With this last foot of snow and a forecast that indicates
there most likely won’t be a break in the storms until around the
16th, it was time for our team to make a decision. Mike, Phil, and myself
have decided to yield to the mountain and begin our journey home. Walter
is hoping to merge with another expedition to keep his summit prospects
alive.
While we’re disappointed about not reaching the summit, we’re
all indescribably happy to be going home to our families. Although the
actual act of climbing these big mountains is hard, the time away from
home is by far the toughest.
We’re all proud of what we were able to accomplish here this season.
We spent most of our time climbing back and forth making sorties with
the Sherpas of the other expeditions. Many of them were impressed by our
tenacity and at the same time I think they thought we were nuts to be
doing it without their support. But if we were given the option to start
over with full Sherpa support and a large team, we would still choose
to do it the way we did. Success isn’t necessarily tagging the top;
it’s more about feeling like you did your best and following through
with a goal.
Our neighboring expedition, World Summits, came to the same decision
to leave. So we will begin our journey out together in three days when
the yaks arrive here at ABC. Our team will log a few more dispatches to
try to summarize what this whole experience has been like. And once we
get access to a working laptop, we’ll be posting some of those pictures
we’ve desperately wanted to get to you.
Tim Boelter
2001 British American Lightweight Everest Expedition
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