Hardwear Sessions

By Ueli Steck

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

It's a good week since Simon and I arrived at the Annapurna base camp. On Thursday, May 8, we went up to install the ABC at about 5100m. We left the necessary equipment there, which we would need for our ascent. Then we went back to the base camp. The weather conditions and the forecast were still too bad. Back at the camp a fragrant dinner was waiting for us. For dessert we had apple pie.

Already at the Thengkampoche base camp I stood whenever possible with Kaji, our cook, together in the camp kitchen. No doubt: Kaji is a great cook. But like in alpinism, details are important in the kitchen, too. And working with him, I tried to improve exactly these details. The "Italian Pizza", for instance, with the mushrooms picked by my father, or the one with "prosciutto" ham from Cervinio is getting better and better. Last but not least we baked a carrot cake.

We have to watch out a little bit. Each pound of weight too much, not only in our backpacks but also on our bodies, which we have to carry up the mountain, will decide our success or failure.

Something seems to happen also in the "weather kitchen": the forecast for the following days and for the next few weeks seem to be promising. Simon and I have decided: tomorrow we will start for our next project: the Annapurna Southface.