May 23, 2001

First of all, I would like to send a special thank you to all the people, including all the schools that have sent numerous encouraging and supportive emails. Knowing that so many of you were keeping us in your prayers and following our progress, or lack thereof, gave us a big lift.

As you are all aware, the expedition split apart with Walter Keller continuing on with attempting Everest and the rest of us departing. For the three of us, the decision to leave the mountain was made with mixed emotions. The dream to climb Everest has been almost a lifelong goal for each member of this team. We had spent years developing the necessary mountaineering skills to get to this point. Climbing the big E in the style we chose, lightweight and without Sherpas, would be difficult. And although the odds were against us, we had a philosophy that reaching the summit would be a bonus -- it’s how we would get there that mattered the most.

But to leave Everest without giving the summit a determined effort will be a decision the three of us must live with. Three factors weighed in our decision for leaving the mountain: weather, illness, and a breakdown in team dynamics.

Throughout our time on Everest weather played a critical role in hindering our progress to get gear and camps higher on the mountain. For days we remained dormant waiting for weather and losing valuable time. Occasionally a break in the storms allowed us just enough time to get up the Col or beyond. However, the weather would change for the worse, forcing team members back down. Climbing up and down the steep slopes of the North Col tends to wear you down, especially if you’ve made four trips, as Phil Austin had done.

Illnesses were quite prevalent on this trip. For me this was my greatest challenge. I developed a chest infection that was quite persistent in that it lasted for weeks and resisted a variety of antibiotics. I became so disappointed in not being able to contribute to the team effort that I pushed myself hard to get up to the North Col, only to develop a very mild case of high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) requiring me to descend all the way to Base Camp.

Mike Chrisp suffered multiple bouts of intestinal infections wearing him down considerably. He also spent a majority of the expedition battling a sinus infection that disrupted his breathing.

Walter Keller developed a severe sore throat and chest infection that grounded him at Base Camp for five days. He also developed a high fever that lasted a day. Walter returned to ABC with a persistent cough and then battled his way up to the Col where he was quite knackered.

Phil Austin started his trip with high-altitude headaches everyday. His eyes were stressed and it was obvious that he was suffering from severe headaches. When aspirin or ibuprofen no longer work it’s time to descend. Phil later told me he felt like quitting because the pain was so intense. Phil descended to Base Camp for two days and then returned to ABC. From that point on Phil was the healthiest member of our team.

Probably the most important factor in the equation of climbing is team dynamics. Obviously getting along with each other and working well as a team are crucial to being successful on any expedition. Once you lose good team dynamics the team as a whole is likely to fail.

Extended weeks on a mountain can create stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Climbing under these conditions, knowing that time, weather, and danger are all factors in being successful can lead to disagreements that result in arguments. Most of the time arguments are expedition-related. However, when they become personal in nature, problems occur. And this was the case on our team. Respecting one another’s climbing abilities is part of understanding your partner’s strengths and weaknesses. To push a person beyond his or her abilities or suggest that they are not up to the task is inexcusable, especially on Everest. Individual morale started breaking down to a level where the task of climbing Everest was no longer enjoyable but to a greater degree it was becoming pure drudgery.

The Everest experience for me personally took on a whole new perspective. Between the bouts of illness, the continuing battle with heavy snowfall, high winds, a bleak forecast, and a lack of respect for team decision making, I lost that deep down desire for continuing. Mike, Phil, and I made the difficult decision to give up a dream. And at that time our decision felt right. As I write these words teams are now taking advantage of small weather windows and beginning to summit Everest. Part of me questions the decision I made; another part of me feels a sense of relief.

No one said it was going to be easy climbing this mountain. In fact, climbing these big peaks is about so much more than just putting one foot in front of the other. It’s about the weeks of traveling in remote areas where eating the local food often leads to intestinal parasites, food poisoning, or just a bad case of diarrhea. It’s the continuous cold and relentless wind that zaps your energy or the constant headaches brought on by altitude or dehydration. It’s drinking water from a milky river laden in silt and smelling of kerosene. It’s living with the incessant smell of body odor because your last shower was perhaps three weeks ago. It’s the frustration of looking out your tent vestibule only to see your clean laundry blowing by over the yak-dung splattered rocks. Climbing these big peaks is about patience, determination, and hard work. It’s about working as a team and developing good interpersonal skills in the midst of hardships.

Everest brings out the best in people but also the worst. During this journey we had the good fortune of meeting some great people, but also the misfortune of seeing how egos and selfishness can lead to decisions that compromise the safety of others.

During the drive to Everest’s Base Camp we met up with the Australian Army Alpine Team. After a few days in Nyalam sharing a restaurant together while watching bootlegged DVDs we continued on to Tingri where both teams engaged in a game of cricket. A good relationship developed between members of their team and ours and throughout the trip we shared a tent here or a satellite phone there. Their team is a good example of a quality expedition with great people. Our hats are off to them and we wish them the best in reaching the summit. Cheers mates!

We also want to wish Walter the best as he is getting into position to make a summit bid himself. His determination may very well pay off if this weather window holds over the next few days.

I return home now with many fond memories of this trip and with new friends. Through the words of those I interviewed I hope to put together a film that details the human side of climbing Everest and how team dynamics plays an important role in this crazy game of climbing. It feels good to be home with my wife Holly who has worked hard as our webmaster to bring this expedition to the world.

Tim Boelter
2001 British American Lightweight Everest Expedition