High winds delay summit bid

Spoke to Bob just a few minutes ago. The team did not attempt the summit today. He reports that the winds are gusting well over 50 MPH (I could hear them in the background!) and it had gotten quite old last night, well below freezing even in the daylight. He said quite a few items froze overnight.

Also, one tent collapsed from the wind overnight - not Bob's tent - that was bomber solid, of course - but one used by other climbers on the team. The tents are Trango 3's and well-designed for harsh conditions, but require good setup and ongoing good maintenance of the lines and zippers and anchors in order to remain secure. And even then, Mother Nature can always throw something at you that no man-made tent will withstand. Anyway, Bob was up in the middle of the night to help secure the damaged tent - it had some tears in it, but the team was apparently able to make it work and get it back to functionality again.

They have not been able to get an up-to-date weather report for these last few days since they are on the"dark" side of the mountain. They are hoping the winds drop off for tomorrow morning and they can head up to the summit.Bob will keep us posted.

Oh yes, Bob reports that Christmas dinner was ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and fruitcake!  He says it was very tasty and a nice treat high on the mountain.