Camp 2 to Camp 3; (5,500m) May 9

Photo Above: Our snowy camp 2 - no chance to go to the summit this day; we decided to set a 3rd camp higher on the mountain.

The site prep for Camp 3 an 5,600m/18,500'... the sun was out for a few hours as we climbed here; but it soon started snowing heavily again.

We are up and ready to go from Camp 2 to a new site higher up the mountain. The weather clears and the sun does come out. We get a good view of Kalanag. The climbing is steeper above Camp 2. I am glad that we are not trying to summit in a single push from there... in this deep snow it is hard work. I notice the altitude but it is not really bothering me... just need to keep a steady aerobic pace.
As we near camp 3 I notice that Elisabeth is slowing down. I think she is tired and the altitude may be bothering her, so I offer to carry some of her gear; she declines but we decide to climb together the rest of the way that day.
After we arrive, we carve out a platform for our tents and get set up. Yveline and Elisabeth offer to have me join them in their tent. After the previous night, knowing that I will not endure those fumes for another night (how do those guys do it???) I thankfully join them. They are SO gracious and accommodating... true mountaineers who are willing to give up some comfort to another. I am grateful in the extreme as I settle into that tent. They are very civilized, with some little goodies to share, towelettes, candies, lemon juice, veggie pate... !! Compared to my minimalist style this is luxurious. After a while we are comfortable. Somehow we end up talking yoga and meditation - and before we know it we are doing a little practice in that tent. It is a wonderful mountain experience... We practice both yoga and sitting meditation. It is beautiful. We are friends sharing a new bond after this. I am mindful that spiritual practice is wherever we find ourselves... I know that for me the mountains are every bit as spiritual as an ashram... and for that matter, so is every other place that I ever find myself in the present moment.

It snows pretty heavily all afternoon and right up until sunset... then clears long enough for us to stand outside and look around. We have about 20" of new snow... it will be tough climbing. The snow starts again later that night for a while... I listen attentively to see if it will continue, which will basically kill our chances to go to the summit. It stops.

We are up at 3AM to start.