Episode 4:Into the death Zone

Camp 3 to Camp 4, 7900 meters, March 13 2006.
Mognes who is trying Everest without bottled oxygen is a mountaineering purist, he thinks the only way to measure yourself with nature is to use the body that he was born with. In the death zone, the extreme altitude shuts down digestion and the body consumes its own muscle tissue for energy.No one has ever survived the death zone for more than five days. thats where these guys are headed today.

Mognes after he reached the death zone, felt all the classical symptoms of the 'cerebral thing',he started mumbling, feeling light in his head . he had to turn back to Camp 3. He is in the early phase of Acute Mountain sickness, his lips have turned blue. He was doing so well till this moment. " Its not about this mate, its not abt this, You have got the heart of a fucking ox, You look after yourself in there mate, dont beat yourself up". Bottled Oxygen at this altitude will alleviate the symptoms but a full recovery requires two days at lower altitude. After chasing his dream for two years he has to leave it all back for now, for some other day.

They go past exit cracks then the mushroom rock, near the mushroom rock they change the oxygen canisters. First step and then Second step at -40 C.From second step its another 2 hour climb to the summit.Sometimes there is a waiting line for the summit, the window of good weather is what everyone waits for. So rush hour traffic when weather clears.Just imagine standing in a queue at 8300mts.
Terry and Bill are finally on the top, top of the world.Conquering Everest doesnt stop after a photo on the summit, 80% of all accidents occur while coming down.They started the climb at about 1 AM in the morning and now they have started their descent around 11AM in the morning. After being at the summit your adrenalin level goes down a bit and of course tiredness sets in. While coming down Terry has very cold finger tips and his career as a doctor depends on his hands.

Just facts cold,clean facts you cant stop thinking, and admire the capacity of the human spirit.