May 1 walk that slab

Nima is our Sherpa guide, but we don't always agree about strategy. I want to go up and stay up, he likes to go up and down. I am happy to climb alone, he likes to go with us. On the mountain there are many Sherpas, who are friendly to everyone, willing to help, unlike their climber clients who hardly have time to say hello. But the Sherpas greet you like you are a friend on the mountain, and they know better than most that everyone will eventually need a friend. Another trip up the slab carrying a load, Mark and I watched the snow melt in the pot and shared yet another freeze dried dinner.
Last night I slept in my feathered friends expedition parka inside my 20 below feathered friends sleeping bag. I am about 18,000 feet on a five foot wide ledge on the side of the mountain buried in snow. My boots are 1500 below at advanced base camp. Below my ledge are 200 feet of slabs which can be easily climbed in approach shoes when they are dry. Treacherous if they are wed or snowing or icy. Yesterday we reached about 19,500 feet but now both climbing partner and Sherpa are sitting in the breakfast tent at base camp, everything I have here I carried up myself. Nima  was very helpful getting mark down yesterday. I have fuel for the stove and food and plenty of snow to melt. But only approach shoes and sneakers to walk in. Maybe I will stay in the tent all day, but if i climb the ridge i think i can send this post.

The sun finally melted the snow enough to head down to advanced base camp and pick up my boots crampons, technical ice tool, expedition mittens and more food. it was a leisurely walk down, I found the fixed line down the slabs and even entertained the thought of joining Rob and JT at camp 2 after I returned. But once i started hiking back the foggy clouds moved in, then it started snowing again. By this time I reached the slabs it was foggy snow whiteout. But I had no choice but to go up. Soon my gloves were completely soaked, then frozen white with snow. Things were getting desperate, one of my goals, after all was to return with all fingers and toes, and not to fall down a huge slabs of rock. I found a small ledge and took my pack off, found my expedition mittens I had just picked up and got them on my freezing hands. my hands were now both warm and dry. I slowly made my way up the slap, past the many ledges to the tent, and now have the feet in sleeping bag. This will be my fourth night on the mountain. The evenings entertainment will soon commence; the melting of the snow and the hydration of a freeze dried dinner. i am in the deep solitude of the rock and lichens and tiny deep burgundy plants sometimes a bend of yellow path among the black boulders a distant cairn marking the way, disappearing then reappearing in the misty clouds

Ama Dablam from camp 1

must be me

in the boulder field

looking down the long ridge