Transcribed approximately 6 am EST. The intent of this dispatch is to fill in some of the details of the hours immediately after the summit and through the descent. As you know, upon reaching the summit, the American climbers decided to work with the lone Czech climber for the descent. The Americans found the Czech around the area of the summit cone lying down. The Americans assisted him down to their tent at Camp 4 where the four men shared the three-man tent for the evening. They also determined that he was hypothermic and worked to warm his body through the night.

The next morning, the climbers woke with the intent of making it back to Base Camp. As they were preparing to leave, Don discovered that his crampons were missing. Nevertheless, the climbers began their descent with Don leading the way. A short time later, Don hit an icy patch of snow and fell approximately 50 meters. He was able to arrest his fall but incurred an injury to one of his upper legs. It is unclear as to whether his injury is a fracture, severe contusion, sprain or strain, but Don was able to make it the rest of the way to Camp 3. After the fall, when he stood to test it, he found that it could bear weight and determined that it would be possible to descend the rest of the way to Camp 3. He would decide to what to do from there. Once at Camp 3, Don was able to join up with several of the Italians, and they made the decision to continue down to Camp 2 together. Obviously, Don took things very slowly and very carefully. A couple hours after he left Camp 3, Joel at BC was able to spot him, with binoculars, through the parting clouds.  He successfully descended to Camp 2. Bruce and other climbers reached Camp 2 without incident. In all, five climbers shared one tent and Bruce found space in another small tent.

Up higher, Chris continued to work with the Czech, Libor Uher, while descending from Camp 4, but their progress was very slow. Upon reaching Camp 3 they determined to rest there for evening to conserve energy and get a good nights sleep for the following day.

Later that afternoon around 5pm, Libor, accompanying Chris in the tent, perceived that Chris' level of consciousness was altered.  Chris was not responding normally and either appeared very "sleepy" or may have even passed out for a short time.  It seems that Chris may have suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning (possibly from using a stove with very low fuel canisters) or carbon dioxide poisoning (possibly from the reduced ambient oxygen at altitude and the build up of exhaled gasses in the tent). Acting quickly, Libor revived Chris from his stupor and Chris spent the next hour outside the tent breathing fresh air and regaining his clarity. From then on the two were able to sleep comfortably through the evening.