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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 13, 2001
Hello. This is Walter Keller from the British American Expedition. Today
is May 13th. Yesterday, May 12th, the rest of the team went down having
decided to give up and quit the expedition. I’m continuing the expedition.
We really haven’t had a window of weather that gave us anything that
resembled a chance for a summit bid up to this date, so I’m going
to stay on and at least give it one try.
The weather today is absolutely immaculate this morning. The forecast
is for heavy snow tomorrow, but the forecast has not been that accurate.
I am going to the North Col today with the hopes of going higher, just
below 8,000 meters, to setup another camp and then hopefully moving up
to 8,300 meters to setup a third camp before making a summit bid. Unfortunately
none of these things are in place, so it’s going to be a lot of carrying
and heavy loads, which may hurt my chances for the summit. But, heck,
you gotta go for it at some point.
I’m going to be up on the mountain, so wish me luck. And hopefully
within a couple of days I’ll come back with news of a recent attempt
on the summit. If not, if the snow comes in as I said, I’ll come
back down the mountain and reassess. Hopefully, if I can make arrangements,
I’ll try for another summit attempt in seven to 10 days.
Walter Keller
2001 British American Lightweight Everest Expedition
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