HOW A STRAW CAN BREAK THE BACK OF A CAMEL
Ralf found difficult snow conditions on Everest NW via the NORTON couloir, so he chose to go for an attempt via the normal NW route.
On his summit push days, things started to go wrong at the high altitude camp for him: Ralf had reported from his camp at 8300, that he had hoped to find a natural platform to pitch his tent, but he could not find any. High altitude porters from the Swiss Kari Kobler expedition had started to help him to dig out his platform, but Ralf admits to have made a first mistake, when he sent them away, to finish the job himself. The platform was there for small and minimum prepared for the bivi in a single wall tent.
The small and badly flattened surface of the platform, combined with 50km winds, forced him to melt snow and ice inside the single wall tent, to get the badly needed vital water. He managed to cock up ½ liters, but at a price of a high condensation that soaked his equipment. The single wall tent, combined with a small badly flattened surface, and 50km winds forced him to melt snow and ice inside the tent and drown himself in condensation. That was the second mistake.
Ralf is now on his way down to ABC at 6400m, where he will presumably start to dry out his equipment, and then……..who knows? Let’s wait and see!
