TIMELINE (all times are approximate and local to Pakistan, UMT/GMT +5)

Saturday, July 21, 2007

8:00am: Joao Garcia started descent.

10:30am: American departure from C4 with Czech Libor Uher.

12:00pm: Don fell above C3. He fell approximately 50m and injured upper leg but is able to continue descent.

2:08pm: Chris Warner radios BC that he is considering only descending to C3 for the evening.

2:37pm: Chris Warner confirms stay at C3 with Libor Uher.

3:00pm: Chris Warner communicated that Bruce and Don are moving to C2 with Italians Daniele Nardi, Mario Vielmo and Michele Fait.

3:20pm: Two Koreans arrive at C3 to everyone's relief.

6:00pm: Don still on his way to C2 and has presence of mind to fix ropes that looked unsecured or suspect.

7:55pm: As it is getting dark, Joel sees a headlamp fall in the dark above C1 and his heart skips a beat thinking it might be Don. Joel attempts to contact Don by radio, unsuccessfully. Bruce, traveling ahead of Don, also sees a headlamp disappear into the dark down the south face. It took him a few seconds to realize that it did not have the trajectory of a body.

8:00pm: Don radioed, "That was just my headlamp, not me."

8:10pm: Bruce and Don arrive at C2 for the evening.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

4:30am: Joel is awakened by his radio by Daniele trying to make contact with the Italian camp.

5:00am: Italian Camp contacted. Mario has started the descent from C2. Five climbers slept in Joao's tent at C2 including three Italians (Daniele, Mario, Michele), Iranian Kazem Faridian and Don. Bruce slept in a very small and partially destroyed tent. Daniele commented over the radio that he thought Don was in a lot of pain but that Don said "this is just part of mountaineering."

5:30am: Chris Warner radios that he is intending to leave at 6am from C3.

6:00am: Don radioed to Joel at Base Camp that he is starting down with Daniele, Mario, and Michele. Kazim had left earlier.

9:30am: Chris estimates it will be another hour to catch Don, then four more to get to C1.

10:25am: Chris reaches C2. Bruce starts off from C2 for C1.

Some time after noon, a plan for transporting Don is starting to be formed between Chris on the radio and Joel and others at BC. Russians recommend transporting from ABC to BC the following day (Monday) due to terrain difficulties between ABC and BC (the icefall) and the late hour. Denek (sp?) (Czech), who became a very good friend to our Team, helps to develop a strategy to send Chris Stensland (Shared Summits Team) and two Czech climbers to ABC with supplies (food and stretcher) for Chris, Don and Libor. Chris Warner radioed to continue to discuss transport plans and question if BC can request a helicopter evac for Don from ABC. Joel at BC arranges a 5pm meeting at the American tent involving Russian, German and Czech representatives to coordinate a specific plan to get Don from ABC to BC on Monday.

1:30pm: Chris S leaves for ABC with two Czechs.

2:30pm: Joel hears from Don. Don communicates his position below Chris and in between C1 and ABC. Don conveys to Chris how he is feeling confident about making it to ABC but is currently at a tricky section of the descent. Chris radioed back to Don that he was not to far away. Don replied that he would wait for Chris before further descending. Chris added that "it is great to hear your voice" and "you are an incredibly strong climber. If anyone got injured, it is good that it was you." Don responded, "That is the worst compliment I have ever received!"

3:20pm: Chris calls to say that he is with Don and Libor and that it would be one more hour to ABC.

3:40pm: Chris S and the two Czechs clear the icefall on their way to ABC and are about 20 to 25 minutes away.

3:45pm: Joel learns after a series of phone calls that a helicopter landing is not possible for a few days because they are grounded by the weather.

4:15pm: Joel talks with Chris Stensland at ABC and Bruce has arrived and he can see Chris and Don close by.

4:26pm: Chris calls and has arrived at the bottom of the snowfield.

4:30pm: Chris and Don arrived at ABC. BC is very excited to hear of the arrival of the Shared Summits Team back to ABC.

5:00pm: Various teams gather at the Shared Summits Team tent including the American Cesen Route team, the Russian/Kuban Team, Germans Ralf Dujmorits and Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner (both just returned from successful Broad Peak summits). With Chris Warner's previous input via radio, they developed a transportation plan to facilitate Don's travel back to BC.

The Plan (for Monday, July 23, 2007)

5:00am: The nine Americans from the Cesen Route Team, the four Russians, and several others will meet at the "other" American (Cesen) Tent [Ed note: The "other" Team's BC tent is farther up the Strip, closer to ABC] and depart for the icefall. This group will be lead by Fabrizio Fangrilli of the other American Team. The group, along with others already at ABC, will descend with Don down the rocky pitch above the icefall. While that is going on, the Russians will stop at the icefall with extra ropes, ice screws and protection to fix sections and facilitate everyone's safe passage through the difficult terrain.

7:00am: A group of ten porters will assemble and be lead by Germans Ralf and Gerlinde. They will journey up the glacier to the base of the icefall and meet the two groups as they emerge. At this point, the 30 or so strong transportation/evacuation team will take shifts ferrying Don's stretcher back to Base Camp. All in all, it is likely that the people-moving machine will take about seven hours and Don should be back in BC for a late lunch.

If Don is at all considerate, he will let Chris Warner take a short ride for his birthday!